SPARRING

Santaliel laid on his bed, in his room, staring at the golden ceiling. The room was centered around a grand bed that was impossible to miss, The bed's frame was covered in detailed gold designs, giving it a luxurious feel while the headboard was black with gold highlights. The bedspread was a rich black, adorned with golden stitching that added a touch of elegance. 

He continued to stare at the ceiling letting out a sigh as he thought about the conversation he had earlier with his dad.

"Staring at the ceiling and taking deep breaths won't solve your problems, Master," Orly spoke up breaking the silence in the room

"I guess You're right Orly" Santaliel agrees as he sat up on his lavish bed . "Let's go" Santaliel said as he jumped out of the bed 

Orly spread her wings as she flew up, following Santaliel behind, curiosity etched on her face. "Where are we headed, Master?"

" You'll see" Santaliel smiled and his green eyes had a glint of excitement and mischief in them.

As they walked along the corridors of the Mansion,they got to a corner where the sound of clashing steel and the scent of sweat that signified hard training grew louder and stronger, and as they continued walking they arrived at the training ground.

The training ground was a grand place that had soldiers and guards training and sparring with each other and at the center was a raised platform where two guards were sparring each other,the ground of the platform was made with polished obsidian that would give a good fitting for the feet when stepped upon.

On each side of the training ground, sturdy racks held an array of weapons,swords, spears, and shields, all meticulously arranged and ready for use,each forged with divine craftsmanship.

The scent of sweat hung thick in the air, mingling with the faint metallic tang of weaponry.

Santaliel and Orly stood at the entrance of the grand training ground

Orly raised an eyebrow, "I expected a more... intriguing destination, Master."

Santaliel chuckled " This is an intriguing destination "Santaliel's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I may not have my Celestial Aura, but I can still sharpen my swordsmanship, it's the only skill I'm good at." 

" How wise of you Master" Orly responded with a touch of sarcasm in her voice

Santaliel walked into the training ground with Orly following behind and walked up to Deran, the captain of Ares Elite guards and his Closest friend.

Deran was tall with broad shoulders, his physique sculpted with the strength of countless battles,His skin color was a rich bronze that caught the light in a way that emphasized the hard lines of muscle beneath with pitch black hair that framed his face, falling in thick, unruly waves, With crimson red eyes that had a burning intensity that hinted at both power and an inner fire. His strong jawline and chiseled features gave him an aura of rugged handsomeness, the kind that drew attention and respect in equal measure.

"Greetings Master" Deran bowed as he caught sight of Santaliel

""Hello, Deran," Santaliel said, his warm smile spreading across his face. "And I've told you to stop calling me that."

 Deran's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled, "Master Santaliel" he teased

" That's even worse, I know you're doing it on purpose" Santaliel chuckled

" What brings you here today, young master" Deran asks.

"Care to spar with me?" Santaliel smiles mischievously and Orly rolled her eyes "Here we go again." Deran has been training Santaliel since he was little and everything Santaliel thinks he's strong enough, he challenges Deran and ends up loosing.

Deran's face split into a wide grin. "Ofcourse... Santaliel," he said, deliberately omitting the title. "I'm ready when you are, don't wail if you loose." 

"I should be telling you that" Santaliel smirked.

"Master, may I remind you that you've never won against the Captain " Orly reminds Santaliel with a hint of mockery in her voice

" I have a feeling I will win this time." Santaliel chuckles as he made his way to the platform at the center of the training grounds and Deran followed.

The two guards that were sparing left the platform making way for the both Santaliel and Deran and they both picked their weapons and entered the platform.

Santaliel picked a sword while Deran picked a double edged spear.

The guards and soldiers present all gathered up to watch their masters spar with each other,it was something they enjoyed watching.

Unlike other gods and goddess, the guard and soldiers are a group of angels who have nothing but respect and admiration for Santaliel and Deran

" Don't let him defeat you today Master Santaliel." one of the guards yelled and the others joined In cheering the both of them

Their loud thick voices could be heard through the corridors of the Mansion as they cheered on the both of them

" Are u ready Deran?" Santaliel asked as he smiled 

"I'm always ready." Deran said as he swung his spear and took his stance and their sparring started

Deran swung his spear carefully and gracefully as he aimed for Santaliel torso and Santaliel defended with his sword clashing with Deran's spear and they both smiled with excitement and this time around Santaliel attacked aiming for Deran's neck but it was swiftly dodged,their movements were fast and swift and the other guards and soldiers present, watched in awe and cheered as their weapons continued to clash with each other.

Their cheers were loud enough to draw the attention of Ares who was standing at a corner and watching with admiration and a touch of excitement in his eyes,his presence completely hidden.

Their sparing continued and they were both covered in sweat while Huffing and Puffing as they continued to dodge and block each other's attack.

"Hope you're not going easy on me or you'll get hurt" Santaliel smiles as he tried to catch his breath and swung his sword towards Deran.

Deran scoffs and blocks his attack while smiling, " ofcourse not."

"Looks like you're both having fun." Eris who had heard the sound of the cheers and walked towards the training ground said interrupting the two men's duel.

They both paused and turned their attention to her and the whole guards and soldiers present bowed in unison.

" Didn't your mother ever teach you never to interrupt two men fighting," Santaliel smirked

"No, but atleast I have a mother" Eris shot back.

Orly frowned at her mean remarks and Santaliel's expression remained unwavering.

"Please refrain from such Remarks, my Lady" Deran spoke up defending Santaliel

Santaliel place his hand of Deran's shoulder "It's ok Deran, I started it."

Eris scoffed and picked up a sword and walked up to the platform, " how about sparring with me brother,"

" You shouldn't master" Deran whispered to Santaliel. " I have a bad feeling"

Santaliel looked at her mischievously, "ofcourse Sister,I would love to spar with you"

He accepts completely ignoring Deran's warning.

Deran sighed 'i didn't expect him to listen to me anyways' he thought to himself as he left the arena, making way for Eris.

She waved her hands over her body and a warm violet glow flowed from her hands to a her rich, plum-colored, corseted gown that complements her curves, turning it into a black jerkins with golden designs engraved on it and black pants that accentuate her fine legs and her long silky black hair packed up in a ponytail.

" Alright brother, let's get to it,don't blame me if you make a fool out of yourself." She Sneered

"I'm pretty confident in my skills." He responded

" We will see about that." She shot back as she charged toward him with her sword, aiming for his neck,and he blocks her attack and attacks back.

Their battle wasn't like the previous filled with fun and laughter,instead it was filled with malice and tension, every move was sharp and deadly.

The Spectators watched in silence as they could feel the tension and heat of the battle,and worried for Santaliel who was already worn out from his previous duel.

Eris charged first, her sword whistling through the air with deadly precision. Santaliel barely managed to raise his blade in time, their weapons meeting in a violent clash that echoed through the training ground. Sparks flared at the point of contact, showering down like embers from a dying fire.

Their movements were swift, no wasted steps, no mercy. Eris's blade striked with malice and a brutal force. Santaliel gritted his teeth, his arms aching from the force of each blow, but he refused to falter.

He spun low, slashing for her side, but Eris twisted out of reach, her ponytail whipping behind her like a serpent. With a wicked grin, she came down hard, her blade barely grazing his cheek, leaving a thin line of crimson in its wake.

"Getting slow, little brother," she sneered.

Santaliel panted, sweat dripping from his brow. "You wish."

Santaliel surged forward, their blades locking once more. The sheer impact sent tremors through the platform. For a moment, it seemed he was gaining the upper hand, pushing her back inch by inch, until Eris's eyes gleamed darkly.

She poured her celestial force into her blade which glowed with an ominous violet light. Santaliel's eyes widened a second too late. The next strike wasn't just steel.

The moment their weapons met, an explosion of force erupted. Santaliel was flung backward, the shockwave cracking the obsidian beneath his feet. His sword was shattered and it's fragments scatterred like falling stars. His body hit the ground with a bone-jarring thud, breath knocked from his lungs as pain lanced through him.

"Master!" The audience yelled in unison.

"Master!" Orly's voice rang out as she darted forward, her wings flaring wide as she tried to reach Santaliel. But before she could get close, Eris flicked her wrist sharply and a sudden burst of violet energy shot out, slamming into Orly mid-air.

A sharp yelp escaped her lips as her small body was hurled backward like a ragdoll. She crashed hard against the stone floor, wings crumpling as she skidded across the ground before coming to a painful stop. A faint whimper left her as she struggled to rise, but her limbs trembled and gave out.

Eris walked towards Santaliel that was crouched on the ground with bruises all around, the force of the clash made him weak and unable to move as he had used up all his strength to weakened the force of the blast.

" I knew you were up to something." he muttered weakly while smiling 

" I'm just having fun." She said her voice laced with malice 

" My lady, I think that's enough." Deran spoke up,with his eyes narrowed 

" And who do you think you are to stop me, since when did a mere elite guard have the audacity to tell me what to do." Eris looked at him,her eyes dark with disdain 

She pointed her sword towards Santaliel and was about to pierce his torso but she was stopped by the extraordinary heavy aura of Ares who had been watching from a distance

" Enough!" He said,the weight of his voice was heavy and it had everyone in the training ground going on their knees and bowing with sweat dripping from their face as fear swept through their whole body .

" Greetings Father." Eris knelt and bowed 

"Deran," Ares called

" Yes, My Lord." Deran responded with a bow, his voice calm and fierce 

"Take Santaliel back to his Chambers and Orly as well." He commanded ignoring Eris's greetings.

" Yes My Lord." He bowed as he went to Santaliel who was still on the floor and helped him up and out the the platform and carried Orly as well and took them away.

Ares looked at Eris with a piercing look which sent shivers down her spine and sweat dropping from her face and he turned away to leave not saying anything but his piercing gaze was enough warning for her.

" I guess I lost to my sister" Santaliel sighed as he released himself from Deran's grip and took Orly from his hands.

" Thank you Deran but you can head back now" He smiled at Deran

"But Santaliel you're hurt." Deran said with a worried look

" Don't worry,it was just the impact from her attack that weakened me for a bit,I'm fine now, see you later." He assured as he held Orly swifly and walked away 

Deran bowed and returned to the training ground, respecting his Master's feeling

"I'm sorry you got hurt Orly,I guess I should work harder on my sword skills." Santaliel smiles as he whispered to Orly and headed toward his chambers