The nearby maids held their hands over their mouths in shock.
Some of them had known the two siblings for years. To witness such words come from one of their mouths.
An official duel...
Lien looked at Emerald, stunned for a few moments. Then. His shock was replaced by a laugh. A bellowing laugh.
"Y-you Fool! You think your level 11 Draxil can put a scratch on my battlemon? Maybe the years away have made you forget, I am not a Nature type trainer, Em."
Their father, Jade, watched from the staircase, his hand palming his face in what seemed to be disappointment.
"I've forgotten nothing," Emerald said sharply. "Do you accept, or will you run with your tail behind you?"
"Of course I accept, you buffoon. At the Sunny City centre, 10:00pm. I'll wipe the floor with you and show you how much things have changed since you were away."
Then, Lien turned on his feet and stalked down the corridor, laughing the entire time as though things had gone exactly as he planned.
The crowd of maids slowly began to return to their duties, chattering about what had just gone down. It would take no time for news to spread throughout the city.
Emerald... tried to hide the smile from his face.
"A foolish decision. Two duels in a day."
Jade stood on the staircase, looking down at his youngest son through glasses. His green hair flowed behind him like waves, and his hand rested in his long coat pockets.
Emerald chuffed. "Foolish, huh? You'd know a lot about that."
"Watch your tone." Jade snapped. "You forget yourself, Emerald."
"Me? Forget myself?" Emerald said, still laughing. "Dad, you know nothing about me, or the man I've become."
Jade regarded his son for a few moments, twirling his green moustache.
"You're thirteen years old. Hardly a man, but I'll put that aside for now."
He slowly made his way down the stairs, dismissing the nobles who were beside him, and stood looking down at Emerald.
"That's right. I know nothing about you, considering you ran away from us."
"You left me no choice—"
"That is why I called you here." Jade continued, ignoring his son. "To ask about your journey, and offer you any help you need. But now, it will have to wait until you've finished your duel with your brother, which by the way, you will lose completely."
"Think what you want."
"It is not what I think, it is what I know," Jade responded calmly. "Your Draxil is strong, I will admit, but you seem to forget that I was once a champion of nature."
He held up his pinky finger, which had a permanent green mark from the years he had worn the champion ring.
"One of Nature's weaknesses is fire. Your brother is a fire type, with the potential to someday challenge Lostlight's champion of fire. You will lose to him faster than Kite lost to you."
Emerald felt anger welling up inside of him. To be spoken down to by a man who only chose to play the role of father now. He had to grit his teeth to contain harsh words.
Emerald let out a sigh. His face softened.
"Then we'll talk after the duel." He said, turning to leave the estate. Jade shook his head.
"Call it off, and apologise to Lien. You can save yourself and your Draxil from the embarrassment. You've redeemed yourself enough from your duel with Kite, do not throw it all away now."
But Emerald wasn't listening, he continued towards the exit.
"You're making a mistake, son!"
———
An hour before the duel...
Emerald sat in his hotel room, juggling his two battlecubes in his hands. Outside, the sun had begun to set, and the moon was high above the lostlight region.
Nerves raced through his body, just as they had done before the Trainer duels. Not because he was afraid, but rather because he had set such high expectations for himself that he had to meet.
He had sworn so many things to himself... and even to his master.
Lien is just another stepping stone on this path.
He had left his hotel door open, to allow in a breeze. However, that seemed to be a welcome for other people as well.
"Emerald?" A voice came from the doorway.
It was his friend Levi, standing there with a worried look in his eyes.
Before Emerald could answer, Levi invited himself in.
"Why are you in the darkness, man? Didn't you used to hate the dark?"
Emerald slid his battlecubes into his pouch and placed his black cap over his green hair. "I still do."
Levi made his way over to the bed and plopped himself down on it with a sigh. It was like nothing had changed for him. Still the same boy from 3 years ago.
Then, the afro-haired boy turned his eyes towards Emerald, concern on his face.
"Look, I don't want to make you nervous Em, but the whole town is talking about this duel. I've heard that even the Lostlight champion of fire has come to watch."
The Champion Of Fire? The trainer that my brother hopes to surpass...
Emerald remained silent, but smiled on the inside.
"I'm not tryna make you nervous. It's just... with so many eyes on you, I hope you have a plan."
Emerald looked over to his friend. Rather than being annoyed at the lack of confidence he had in himself, he felt respect. He appreciated that Levi cared for him even after all these years.
For that reason, he came to a decision.
"In these last three years Levi, I've been to places that most trainers wouldn't dare to tread."
Levi looked at his friends, eyes wide. Everyone had so badly wanted to know where Emerald went, but it had remained a mystery.
Was he finally about to find out?
"Not only did I go places, but I also met people. Powerful people who taught me about the world of battlemon. Things that even my Father couldn't have taught me."
Levi's shock only grew.
What could the former Champion of Nature possibly not teach his son that someone else could?
Emerald rose to his feet and stared out of his hotel window.
The streets were packed as though it were a nighttime festival. At the city centre, he could see a makeshift arena being put together. Battlemon being used to form an invisible barrier around a chalk circle.
His heart beat so hard in his chest that he thought it might fall out.
"Don't worry Levi. If it's against my older brother, Lien, there's no way that I can lose."