Hestia's Wish [2019 ONC Longlist]

18 | Severed Bonds

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Aries' eyes widened in surprise as she watched her sister clasp her hands together. She conjured a javelin-like flame and attempted to throw it, but was roughly thrown forward. A wave of nausea tore through her as the ground below her feet shifted to where the sky once was. Libra didn't seem to care that the flames continued to sear her body because now they were hitting her as well. She hissed in pain, what was her weapon was now her enemy.

Cosmic fire was a tricky element. Although she was capable of wielding it, it didn't go without consequences. She had still felt its uncomfortable sting when it hovered just above her fingertips. She stared at her sister with unrestrained hatred, she couldn't stand her spatial disruption abilities. Even when they were children, her sister stood haughtily as if she were some untouchable, higher deity. It was sickening and it gave Aries all the more reason to want to burn the ridiculous smile off of her face.

The silver insignia on her sister's palms eerily lit up, as she was channeling her affinitive abilities. The light beneath Aries' feet matched those of her sister's palms, effectively rooting her to the ground. She resisted against the gravity that was painfully pressing down on her. Every breath was a struggle, coming out short and shallow. Her flames dwindled down to almost nothing, having no oxygen or energy to fuel them since they were born from their host. They were nothing more than annoying fleas to her sister now.

Her hand reached out towards her sister, shrieking in frustration because her victory was within her reach but she had made a mistake of underestimating her. She dug her other hand into the ground, attempting to gain some footing so she could rise once again but it was to no avail.

"Tsk, tsk. What would father say if he could see you now?" Libra asked coyly. She flew towards Aries until she was floating just a few inches from her face.

"Ai gamisou," she spat at her sister, which earned her a swift slap to her face. Her vision became blurry and spotty as she drifted in and out of consciousness. Her hands weakly trembled, clawing at the air desperately. In her current fiery form, she stood no chance against her sister. Like any other flame, it required oxygen in order to burn fearlessly.

"Such a disappointment, I thought you were going to make me pay. What happened? Has the little ram gone off into hiding?" she yelled hysterically, slashing at Aries with strong gusts of air. Each blow jostled her violently, reminding her that like the mortals, she was capable of feeling pain.

She closed her eyes, feigning loss of consciousness and placed her hands on the ground to channel the volcanos. She concentrated on her other form, willing herself to become wholesome flesh once again. However, each attempt fell short, hitting against a seemingly impenetrable wall.