Excalibur

The Lady of the Lake

TEMPEST GRUNTED LIKE a beast and advanced upon Silver.

Arian skidded across the earth, dragging flecks of moonlight with it and absorbing the celestial magick. Tempest's stomach twisted into knots when she locked eyes with Silver. His crestfallen face morphed into fear then guilt in her presence. His cowardice only served to feed her rage.

"Tempest," he kneeled before her pitifully, clutching his wound, "I won't fight you."

Tempest's icy glare hardened. "Then die."

Silver scrambled to the side when Tempest lurched forward. She swung Clarent with clenched teeth. Her ire boiled over like water in a pot then froze into a cold fire. The storm that whirled within her was a bitter one.

Tempest watched Silver like a hawk eager to devour its weary prey. He tripped over his own two feet in an effort to retrieve Arian. She scoffed. Tempest's dark smirk sharpened her cut by glass features tenfold.

"I see years of training was wasted on you after all."

"I don't want to fight you! Tempest, please."

Tempest ignored his pleading and lunged. Her fingers curled around Clarent's hilt in an ironclad grip. The way her livid eyes vanished into slits smothered the last traces of peace to linger upon her fair face.

Silver raised his blade in self defense. Arian and Clarent met in a powerful clash. It was a battle of moonlight and shadows. Silver groaned when she struck him, aggravating his cut. Blood smeared her hand but she couldn't care less.

Tempest dodged his halfhearted swing. She twisted to the side with precision, using the butt of her sword to slam into his left shoulder. The sharp jab would reignite his pain from an old battle wound. Silver stumbled backwards, clutching the targeted area and gritting his teeth. She was correct in her analysis just like she knew she would be.

Dejected, Silver's eyes glistened with fifty years worth of tears. "Tempest, just hear me out. I deserve that much from you."

"Hear you out?" Tempest's black eyes bore into him. A vein popped out of her neck. The hold she commanded over her lake crashed within her. The waves were full of wrath. "You deserve nothing but death for your failure!"

Tempest swung like a maniac. Arian and Clarent clashed again. It was a standstill with both owners pushing against the other. Their sharp faces met between the X of their crossed swords. One was pained, haunted by their shared past. The other glowed with hostility, illuminating her grief.

Silver lowered his head. He towered over Tempest in height. Yet he still couldn't meet her eyes when he muttered, "I'm still your brother."

Fuming, Tempest pushed her sword against his, attempting to throw him back. Silver stood his ground. She whirled around, roundhouse kicking him in the stomach. Silver fell with a pained cry, holding his scarred abdomen with a shocked gasp. Tempest schooled her bleeding emotions into a calm facade and raised her weapon.

"You are no brother of mine."

Droplets of water streamed down Silver's face. "Wait!"

Tempest brought Clarent down with the intent to kill.

"I might have a way to save her!"

Clarent paused, leaving a three inch cut to bleed from Silver's neck. Tempest fixed him with an intense stare meant to drill him straight into the earth and bury him alive.

"What did you say?" Tempest asked through a tight-lipped smile. She knew it imbued her brother with fear to see her grin in such a manner. She knew all of his weaknesses and she used them against him even now as she stepped on his shoulder. "Speak."

Silver winced, relinquishing his hold on Avian. The sword vanished, sensing his master no longer required his assistance. Silver's fingers twitched furtively. Tempest knew he ached to remove her foot from his old wound. She pressed harder and he went rigid when Clarent sliced another inch into his skin.

"The boy in the lake, I didn't know it before I made the deal, but he's a Pendragon. He could be the one."

Tempest whipped her head to the side. Her heart jumped to her throat. Hope sickened her rage and Clarent placated the cold flames in her blood.

She snatched Silver by the collar, dragging him through the blades of grass. His limp body weighed next to nothing. Her own will fueled her, giving her the strength to table their grudge match and hauled his ass into the lake.

Tempest didn't protect him from the cold element, forcing Silver to hold his breath to survive. She breathed in the water and swam towards the unconscious man floating in a delicate daze. Her small hand wrapped around his thick wrist. As they descended into Lake Glass, Tempest contemplated letting Silver die in a watery grave to atone for his negligence.

She decided then that if Silver turned out to be wrong, she would do just that.

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QOTD: Who do you think "she" is and what is it about her that could've caused such a rift between the siblings? Thoughts on this new side of Silver? What is it about Kane that you think makes Silver believe he could be "the one?"