Shattered Destiny : Fate

At just three years old, Ajax decided it was time to reveal his earth magic. His father marveled at how effortlessly he mastered a second element, while his older sister, Arrow, took it upon herself to be his protector. Whenever their father struck too hard during training, Ajax would end up sprawled on the ground, rubbing his nose, while Arrow rushed to his side, fussing over him. Despite their four-year age gap, their bond only grew stronger.

One afternoon, while their parents were busy entertaining guests, Arrow dragged Ajax out to their training grounds.

"Come on, Ajax! You'll never get stronger if you keep hiding behind me," she teased, hands on her hips, golden hair flickering like fire in the wind.

Ajax pouted, gripping his wooden practice sword. "I'm not hiding! I just… don't want to mess up."

Arrow smirked and crouched to meet his eyes. "Messing up is part of getting better. I mess up all the time."

"You do?" Ajax blinked in surprise. In his eyes, Arrow was practically perfect—a prodigy, always praised by their parents.

"All the time," she said with a mischievous grin. "Like when I tried to make an earth shield and turned our backyard into a mud pit?"

Ajax giggled. "Mom was so mad!"

"Exactly! But I kept trying, and I got stronger. And so will you." She straightened and pointed to a glowing practice target in the distance. "Tell you what. If you can hit that target before the rain starts, I'll give you my secret training book."

"You have a secret training book?!" Ajax's eyes went wide with excitement.

"Yup." She winked. "But it's only for champions."

Determined, Ajax gritted his teeth and charged toward the target, swinging his wooden sword with all his might. The blade bounced off harmlessly. Again and again, he struck, but the target didn't budge.

"Focus, Ajax!" Arrow called, lifting him onto an earth platform. "Stop wasting energy. One clean hit—like this."

She demonstrated, throwing a precise punch infused with earth magic. A shockwave rippled through the ground, rattling the target.

"My magic isn't that strong yet…" Ajax muttered, frustration creeping in.

"Then use your heart," Arrow said firmly. "Strength doesn't come from your powers. It comes from here." She tapped her chest.

Ajax took a deep breath, steadying himself. The storm winds howled, and raindrops began to fall.

"I can do this," he whispered.

With a fierce shout, he leapt off the platform and swung his sword with everything he had. The blade struck dead center. A bright flash marked his success.

"I did it!" Ajax cheered, his face glowing with pride.

Arrow clapped, laughing. "That's my little brother! See? Champion material already."

She ruffled his messy hair. "Looks like I owe you my training book now."

"Really?" Ajax beamed. "You're the best, Arrow."

"I know." She grinned, but then her expression softened. "One day, I'll leave for the academy. But you better believe I'm coming back stronger. And when I do, we're having a rematch."

"I'll be stronger too," Ajax promised, eyes shining with determination.

"I know you will." Arrow knelt and pulled him into a fierce hug, rain drenching them both. "No matter what happens, we're family. I've always got your back, little bro."

As the rain poured down, the two siblings stood side by side—bound by victory, shared laughter, and promises for the future.