The crackling of electricity filled the room containing a large man wielding a hammer and a thin man holding an oddly shaped mace.
The two objects were channeling electricity as the two fighters charged at one another.
Clank! Thud! Clank!
The two massive weapons collide sending sparks all over the room.
These two have been fighting for nearly forty minutes now without rest.
"Former district commander Vorus, your talents precede you."
The thin-looking man commended his opponent.
This man was Falkner, wielder of the Vajra relic.
In Hindu mythology, Vajra is the weapon of Indra, the god of thunder and king of the devas.
The vajra is a powerful weapon having the combined features of sword, mace, and spear.
It was created out of the hard thigh bones of sage Dadhichi who gave up his life willingly for a noble cause so that his spine could be used to build the weapon.
Truth to the legends, the vajra now was in the form of a mace and was trading blows with the mighty weapon of another god of thunder, Mjolnir.
"To think that my opponent would be someone that controls lightning, just as I can," Vorus said with a big grin on his face.
He was always one who enjoyed a good battle, a true warrior feared throughout Ernia as "Nature's hunter." Today he has met an equal in so many ways.
The two legendary weapons kept clashing with neither side easing up on their assault or even trying to dodge. It was simply a context of 'you hit me, I hit back.
At times the vajra will strike Vorus and at times Mjolnir will hit Falkner.
The two fighters kept trading blows with broad grins on their faces.
If there was a third party watching this exchange they'll be awestruck.
The screen showcasing their fight in the security room was becoming unstable due to the high discharge of electricity.
In another section of the mansion, Rohan was about to confront the fifth and final member of the enders clan, Jake.
The blond-haired swordsman came face to face with another swordsman.
"It's been a while, Ro-ro." The red-haired swordsman said as he bowed to his childhood friend and current foe.
"Tsk. Don't call me that, Jake!"
Jake bursts into laughter as he looked up at Rohan.
"Why? I'm just happy to be reunited with my childhood friend." He said with a wide smile on his face only for his expression to darken in a split second.
Rohan upped his guard as he quickly drew his sword.
"The same childhood friend who ended up becoming the strongest swordsman in the country and got the title - mad swordsman for his relentless style of fighting. Where's your alter-ego now?"
"The same friend who used to play all sorts of games with me when no one would, not even Rhea."
"The same friend who saved my life all those years ago."
Jake drew his sword relic. It was a pure white blade with strange markings on it.
He pointed his sword at Rohan as he continued.
"The same friend who betrayed us and left us for dead!" Rohan lowered his head and clenched his fists.
It was about six months ago.
"I refuse to further align myself with the likes of those accursed relic users, even if they were your companions at some point in time, Rohan."
"They are not just my companions. They're my friends, brother. We grew up together, learned together, trained together, and played together."
Rohan was arguing with his brother.
Rada Khan had asked Rohan to help him in his plot to oust "the accursed relic users" from the kingdom. He has had enough of working with them.
In truth, ever since the five soldiers were chosen to become SOAR's very own unit of relic users a year ago, he has had nothing but resentment and malice towards the system and the team.
He finally decided to take matters into his own hands.
"All I need to do is to make sure that these devils will be castrated from the region and deemed as traitors to the nation."
"I'm sorry brother, but I won't be helping you with this deed, best you let it go."
Rohan walked out of the room they were in, leaving Rada Khan to his thoughts.
Rohan had figured that his brother would drop whatever it was that he had planned if he decided not to be a part of it, but he was wrong.
A week later, the king summoned the Generals, Rohan, and the unit.
He said that somebody had been communicating with the enemy region and that it was one of them. He then added that prior to their summoning, he had ordered a thorough searching for evidence in all of their homes and that the traitor has been exposed.
"What! No! My liege, I swear it wasn't me!" Rhea was grabbed by the guards following the order of the king to subdue and lock her up.
"Your majesty Rh-"
Before he could object to anything, Jake was struck in the head by one of the guards. The king ordered the execution of Rhea by sunset tomorrow.
She was locked up in a special section of the region's prison.
Hours later, Jake and the others sort out Rohan to help them in saving Rhea.
"You know her just as well as we do! She'll never betray this nation."
They pleaded to the king but only got thrashed by the guards and threatened to be executed with her.
They pleaded to their childhood friend but all he could say was.
"Give it up, her faith has been sealed."
Rohan clenched his trembling fists as he recalled the terrible memories of how their friendship ended.
He truly felt sorry. For not believing in his friends, for not lending them his help, and most importantly, for not calling out his brother.
"Jake..."
"Enough chit-chat now! Rohan Khan, I shall be your opponent and you shall pay for your sins against our beloved captain and friend!"
His sword glowed brighter as he slashes the air and sends a white energy wave at Rohan who easily deflects it.
Rohan looks up to see no one as he quickly swings his sword around to block a strike from his blind spot.
"I have seen that teleporting technique more than once, you're gonna have to try something else."
Jake had used the ability of his relic to teleport.
This was none other than Hofund, the famed sword of the Norse god Heimdall which was said to have the ability to teleport the user.
The two swordsmen traded and deflected each other's attacks barely dealing mere scratch wounds. They both jumped back and took a similar stand readying an attack.
" Dai style." They both said in unison as their swords glowed
"White arc!"
"Eclipse slash!"
The white energy wave collided with the black energy wave resulting in a mild explosion as the two swordsmen quickly charge at one another again.
"It doesn't have to be like this, Jake."
"Yeah well, it's too late now!"
Jake made a feint and teleported. As Rohan was ready for an attack from behind.
"Up here! White arc!"
"Tsk. I barely dodged that one. Jake has gotten stronger."
Was it that he was driven by hatred and wanted revenge so badly?
No.
Jake had truly gotten stronger from the last time that the two of them clashed.
There was always a rivalry going on between the two even when they were children.
Rohan recalled how they would race each other to the dining and see who could finish their food first.
How they both trained together and competed to see who can do more sit-ups.
The two would turn something as simple as flower picking into a contest.
Rohan smiled recalling these moments as he dodged another one of Jake's attacks.
"You've gotten stronger Jake. How long has it been since we had a duel? A year perhaps."
Jake didn't care to reply to his foe as he swings his sword repeatedly but not carelessly. He was fueled with anger but he also knew firsthand just how powerful Rohan was.
He earned himself the title mad swordsman and was the strongest swordsman in Cronoa.
Although the last time they clashed was a day after Jake got his relic as thus could only exert a portion of its true powers.
This time was different. Jake had a whole year to train and the motive strong enough to drive him to exceed his past limits.
He was not going to lose to his rival this time around!
"Dai style: Blinding rush!"
Jake moved at light speed and teleports even more than ever as he attempts to pierce Rohan with his glowing sword.
Rohan could barely dodge the attack on instinct as he jumped out of harm's way. But Jake didn't ease up one bit as he kept pushing him with a flurry of well-executed and timed combos using his relic abilities and his refined swordsmanship.
Suddenly, Jake halted his assault and was staring down at his opponent.
"Are you mocking me!?"
"Huh?"
"You are not fighting with your all. Do not insult me any further!"
Rohan had been fighting defensively since their duel began. It wasn't that he was doing that on purpose, he didn't even know. he was lost in his guilt and self-pity.
If he had backed his friends all these won't have happened.
After the gang helped Rhea escape and ran away together, the king ordered the capture and execution of her fiance. that was what gave Rhea the final push she needed to resort to taking on the path of vengeance.
Rohan had locked away that thought for a long time now, but he can't seem to keep lying to himself anymore.
He drops his sword and spreads his arm apart.
"Jake, a thousand apologies will never be sufficient to change the things I've done. I am sorry, I truly am. "
He kneels and closes his eyes.
"What better way to repent than with my own life? Do it, Jake."
The red-haired swordsman looked at him with eyes as cold as the Arctic, his entire body was shaking with rage as he tightened the grip on his sword.
"As you wish."
Without a second to waste, charged at the disarmed swordman.