What was inside the chest Enrico left behind? Well, it was a magic stone that was undoubtedly not normal. What it contained looked like an endless field of snowflakes. In truth, it resembled space itself filled with blue stars. When she held that stone she immediately knew it was something that broke the rules of this world in some way, something unique that only an elf could possess and that would appear only once every at least a thousand years.
"Dimensional Ice, a stone capable of making an elf evolve an entire circle, no matter which one… of course except the tenth circle."
"This is… incredible."
Elaris's eyes reflected that stone which appeared almost divine. Even if it couldn't make an elf evolve to the tenth circle, it could still allow her to evolve to the ninth as soon as she reached the eighth circle. It was something so incredible that using it in the war would be a waste when she thought about how much better it would be to use it in the future.
'I could defeat Elithia much more easily if I used this and the necklace at the same time'
Elaris had currently reached thirty-seven percent of the sixth circle after constantly training with Cavirieth and the training cards Enrico sent her. If she used this now, killing her sister would be easier, but what if something worse happened in the future? Wouldn't this be even more useful then than using it now? If you wondered why she thought that way, it was because of Enrico.
'He definitely returned through time'
And if he returned, it must have been because of some possible disaster, right? Looking at the stone in her hand, her eyes shone as she imagined crushing Elithia with pure power… but…
'This cannot be wasted on someone like her'
Her eyes opened as she used her own ice in her body to resist that attack. She was inside the ice that began melting around her, transforming into something else, and with a furious impulse she burst out of that glacier and grabbed Elithia's hand tightly before she could place the necklace around her neck.
"That's mine, you trash."
Elithia was surprised when she saw a hole of water appear before her and Elaris holding the necklace that should now belong to her. Her sister's eyes were filled with determination as she took the necklace from her hand. This was the first time in her life that someone had truly taken something from her. Everything she set her eyes on became hers without any real risk of being taken away. Just like the throne she wanted when her older sister had been destined to have it. Just like her loyal knight who was nothing more than a dog. Just like her childhood friend who was simply someone amusing to keep around.
'…from the very first moment I knew I would hate you'
Elithia's eyes turned black as she kicked Elaris's hand with earthquake magic trying to make her let go, but with persistence Elaris activated the necklace, transforming again and punching the elf queen in the face.
"You became a corrupted elf? How pathetic, sister."
Having been pushed back, her black eyes became even darker than those of normal corrupted elves. Unlike them, Elithia had a deeper synchronization with the rotten part of the World Tree. That was because she had been impregnated with that rot since birth, when she encountered that woman made of dark trees.
'Corrupting a princess will be wonderful'
When Elithia was a baby she saw that arm approaching and the desperate face of the tree-woman. It was the desperation to survive, the desperation to devour everything, and honestly in the eyes of that baby it was pathetic. No one should be mistaken. Elithia had not been corrupted by that woman; she simply wanted to use her because she realized she could become stronger.
Yes, since that time Elithia had been able to remember everything and think clearly. Even if she didn't have the mana potential or body of her family, she had a mind far superior to theirs.
She never truly liked anyone because everyone was just pieces. She would only take interest in someone who possessed a void greater than hers, a void capable of devouring everything, someone who wanted everything as quickly as she did because she was impatient—her only flaw she admitted to having. Even so, she didn't care, because everyone else had a smaller mind than hers. Her father, her mother, and her sister were simply foolish people, and the worst person—the one she hated the most without a doubt—was standing before her.
"You really are a foolish little sister to challenge me this much."
From Elithia's arm black ice emerged and trapped Elaris. With the dagger in her hand she tried to stab it into her younger sister's chest. Seeing the attack coming, Elaris once again remembered the disappointed face of her mother and bit her lips before releasing an explosion of ice from her body that pushed Elithia away.
The two looked at each other with hatred in their eyes. Elaris saw only a monster that should not even be considered a living being, while Elithia saw that baby who dared to challenge her by refusing to die. Both of them having the same thought for the first time in the history of these two sisters.
'I cannot live if she continues living'
Elaris's transformation seemed to become wilder before she launched herself forward. With her claws she tore across Elithia's face. Not falling behind, the elf queen kicked Elaris in the stomach with the tip of her boot, making her spit blood before being launched upward. Creating a platform as she began to fall, Elaris used it like ground to propel herself and punch Elithia in the face, driving her head and body into the ground. The floor beneath them collapsed and both fell into the hall near the garden where they once played together.
"Frozen Devastation."
Elithia began summoning her magic again, this time with greater power than before to end that fight as quickly as possible without caring how much mana it cost. She only wanted to kill the little sister before her, and Elaris thought the same. It was even strange that they had had the same thought twice in a row.
"Frozen Devastation."
Elithia narrowed her eyes when she saw her sister assume the same stance with a serious and dark expression. Did she truly think she could copy it or was it merely deception? A strategy to make Elithia lower her guard? If that was the case, she would not fall for it. This magic was something she had trained for years to master. A brat who had only seen it once could not possibly replicate her magic.
"Let's see your level of prodigy."
Elaris didn't answer. She remained silent, focusing only on the opponent before her. Their mana hearts began to move in the same way as when Elithia first launched the attack. Elaris had managed to copy her sister's magic, but it was still inferior, so she used the necklace's ability to its fullest.
'Sister'
With both of them shouting they released the attack at each other in the center of the hall while the ruined garden froze from the unleashed magic. The attacks collided without either side retreating a step. Or at least that was what Elithia thought would happen. The moment her attack touched Elaris's, she realized she had lost because the ice magic Elaris controlled was greater than hers, all because of that necklace.
'That should have been mine in that moment'
She tried to resist. She could not allow herself to be defeated after everything she had done along the way. She tried until the very last drop to resist the attack, but it was far superior to hers and that angered her until the very… end.
"AAAAAAHHHHHH"
"Goodbye."
Elaris watched her sister being swallowed by the attack while screaming in pain. The ice at the same time froze her and seemed to burn her skin. Elaris observed it without the slightest trace of regret, because to her it was merely a creature being purged from her life.