Chapter 99: The Rite of Battle, The Realm of Duel Ego's Reflection

Ego found herself engulfed by a bright light. It illuminated everything around her, which blocked her sight. Ego sighed as she began thinking about herself and her Sister. It has been a long time since Ego left her Sister's mind. Was it a Month or Two? Though it was a long time for Ego. The responsibilities forced upon her when she got her body and the simple fact that she rarely met her Sister were rather infuriating for Ego. There was nothing she could do about it as Ego continued waiting for the bright light to dim.

The bright light that illuminated everything around her disappeared as Ego could finally see everything with her sight. She opened her eyelids which revealed her Golden Amber Eyes as she slowly took a look around her. She furrowed her eyebrows as she found herself back within the Plaza where she got born. It was an Important Place for Ego as it was the first place where Persia and herself met. She smiled at seeing the Plaza and began walking around. While walking around within it, Ego squinted her eyes and thought to herself.

'This Plaza is not the same.' Ego calmly thought to herself as she stopped herself from her entranced state. She sighed as she almost got pulled into the beautiful Plaza. Despite looking like a perfect clone, Ego could instantly find the difference as it was her home. Ego carefully looked around as she waited for the attacker to appear. While carefully gazing at every nook and cranny of the Plaza, Ego noticed something different once again.

Her Current State was closer to the Original, which means that It won't be a simple duel about Skill. Such a theory gave Ego a Serious expression as it would probably cause a lot of problems. The Heavens atop her slowly gathered Clouds as Thunder echoed within it. She calmly turned her gaze upwards as she stared upon the heavens with her Golden Amber Eyes.

*Ego, The Sub-mind of Persia, You got chosen as one of the contesters within the Rites. Completing the Realm of Skirmish, You will now reach the Realm of Duel. I would remind you that a Duel isn't a simple as fighting and defeating your opponent. You must reach and understand your reason for why you fight and defeat your opponent. Would you like to be free, Ego?* The Ancient Distorted Voice spoke as the Gathering Clouds began expanding. It then faded within the Heavens as the Blue Azure Skies replaced it.

Ego didn't release a single word from her Mouth as a Mirror fell in front of her. She raised her eyebrow as she took a glance at everything around her. There was no change, and she couldn't sense anything, which meant that the Plaza was clear. Did she have to enter the Mirror to start the Duel? That was what Ego thought as she stood in front of the Mirror and touched it with her pale finger.

Her pale finger didn't pass through the Mirror, which meant that Ego wasn't supposed to enter through it. The Result of her Theory made Ego furrow her eyebrows and carefully look around the Plaza once again. She could sense anyone around her from over hundreds of Kilometers. Though Ego quickly noticed her Reflection on the Mirror didn't change. Such discovery made Ego hop back and retreat. She never knew that she had the same reaction as her Sister though she discovered her Reflection faster.

"A Reflection. Is that the one I'm fighting?" Ego questioned with her monotone voice as she prepared her Daggers. She then charged towards the Reflection and disappeared from her spot. Reappearing behind the Reflection, Ego then proceeds to swing her Dagger towards it. The Reflection easily dodged it and prepared its Daggers. Ego retreated, and the two of them began staring at each other.

'She looks exactly like me.' Ego calmy thought to herself as she also looked like Persia though she had the length and color difference. It was her first time dealing with a clone, which was unexpected. From the Clone's movements and actions, It seemed that they were the same in both physique and intelligence. Which also was a problem. Ego shook her head and squinted her eyes towards the Reflection.

Ego had no reason to talk towards the Reflection, so Ego charged once again towards it and began her second attack. The Reflection smiled as it began charging towards Ego. The Two of their Daggers hit against one another as they began attacking with every swing and kick. They used every part of their body though it never hurt anybody. Ego sighed as she retreated, though the Reflection didn't want to give her a chance.

"Tsk..." Ego clicked her tongue as she used her Daggers to block the Reflection. The Reflection smiled and spoke towards Ego with a mocking voice. "You're simply a slave. I'm the real you. The one that wants to be free." The Reflection charged as Ego also charged towards it. The two of them began their third attacks as shockwaves formed around the two of them.

It was chaotic as the two of them kept disappearing and reappearing into numerous places within the Plaza. The Plaza found itself under the destruction of the two Ego's as they continued without any plan of stopping. "I want to be free. I know you want to be free. Why don't you accept it." The Reflection shouted towards Ego as Ego shook her head and released her emotions for the first time. "I want to be with my Sister."

"Sister? Do you think she cared about you? Such foolish thought." The Reflection replied as Ego felt anger swelling within her heart. It was the first time she took a full brunt against something called Emotion. She didn't know why, and Ego didn't know how? Though Ego didn't want to feel something called Hatred as it hurts her heart.

"Don't you dare slander, my Sister!!!" Ego shouted as she finally transformed onto her Monster Form. The Reflection smiled as she also transformed into her Monster Form. Two Lesser Demon Phoenix fought within the Heavens of the Plaza. They were Gigantic Phoenix as Hellfire engulfed their bodies. They began screeching as they fought with all their might.

Ego released her Dark Hellfire towards the Reflection as the Reflection did the same. The Reflection then used its talons as it threw Ego back to the Plaza. *BOOM!!!* An explosion echoed as Ego turned her head towards the Plaza and found it destroyed. Despite it being a fake, Ego's eyes turned cold as she charged towards the Reflection with Hatred.

*BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!* *BOOM!!!*

Fiery explosions kept echoing within the sky as Ego started creating thousands of Dark Translucent Barriers. They formed sword-like Barriers as they began thrusting themselves towards the Reflection. The Reflection then screeched as it also made its shield-like Barriers that protected its body. The Battle continued as the Two Ego's kept fighting without any sign of stopping.

"Why can't you see it? Persia is simply using you! You're powerful, and you should be free!!!" The Reflection shouted as Ego continued fighting and scratched the Reflection with her phoenix talons. "You don't know what you're saying. You seemed to be forgetting the first time I met my Sister." Ego replied with her monotone voice though it had a tinge of anger while talking towards the Reflection.

"Heh? Isn't she simply faking it? Did you fall into her tricks? Have you forgotten the fact that she's a serpent.?" The Reflection smeared as Ego slapped the Reflection with her Phoenix talons. "Don't you dare talk to my Sister like that!!! Do you think you'll be enough?" Ego lost her monotone voice as she finally spoke with an Angry tone. She shouted towards the Reflection as the two of them Pummeled back to the ground.

The two of them found themselves back at the Plaza. Though, it already got destroyed from their fight. The two Ego's were panting as they looked at each other. "Can't you see? Why don't you want Freedom?" The Reflection covered its eyes as Ego turned her Golden Amber Eyes towards it. Ego sighed as she stood up from the ground. The Reflection stood up as she looked at Ego.

Ego slapped the Reflection and shouted towards her. "You're the one that can't see. You got so covered with your Negative Emotions that you couldn't see the positive ones. Don't you dare speak such words to me!!!" The Reflection touched the red spot on her face as she found herself in silence. She couldn't counter a single word as Ego continued speaking with her breaking voice.

"Don't you see? I love my Sister? I want to be with her. It might be enslavement to you, but I am doing this under my choice. My Freedom with my choice to make." Ego said as she fell to the ground while panting. Tears began dripping from her eyes as her pent-up emotions began escaping from her heart. She didn't want to be alone. Ego didn't want to leave her Sister even if her mind wanted Freedom.

The Reflection couldn't think of a single word as she laid on the ground while staring at the skies. Everything around them got destroyed though the two of them never got severely hurt. The Reflection turned its head towards Ego and spoke. "I apologized. I forgot that it is also your choice to make. I have no right to speak of your Freedom."

Ego stopped crying as her dripping tears flowed through her face. She looked upwards towards the Heavens as her Emotions closed once again. "That was embarrassing. That was the first time I exploded." Ego spoke as she began chuckling. It was a surprising yet strange feeling, though Ego wouldn't want her Sister to see her pathetic self.

"Are you sure about that, though? I'm sure that Persia would love to see that side of yourself. After all, It would make her realize that you also had feelings deep within your heart. I'm not the one to talk about pent-up feelings as I'm the one that got overwhelmed by the Negative Thoughts." The Reflection chuckled and spoke with a calm voice.

Ego looked at the Reflection and began thinking about it. If she loves her Sister, Wouldn't hiding something release the opposite effect? Even if it is embarrassing and shameful, Ego would want her Sister to see it. Ego then spoke with her monotone voice. "I guess that you're correct. It seemed that my ways also had their problems."

Ego stood once again and spoke towards the Reflection with a grateful tone. "Thank you for giving me insight. Though, I still don't forgive you for shaming my Sister." The Reflection stood and chuckled. "No need to forgive me. I am also quite angry for shaming Persia. But still, I would want to apologize for that, Original."

The Reflection slightly bowed as Ego replied. "Apology accepted." The Reflection raised an eyebrow and spoke with a teasing voice. "Eh? I thought that you weren't going to forgive me? That was rather fast." Ego avoided the Reflection's gaze as she started looking around the destroyed Plaza. The Reflection sighed and spoke with a genuine voice of care towards Ego.

"Ego, I hope that you will have a good life. It was interesting meeting you, Original. And also, I want you to be sure that you must not abandon the lessons you learned, okay?" The Reflection smiled as she hugged Ego tightly under her pale arms. She then walked towards the distance as she faded along with the Breeze of Wind. Ego looked at the last scene where she saw the Reflection and smiled. "Thank you."

The bright light slowly engulfed Ego as she began looking around her body. It seemed that she completed her Realm of Duel. She took a last look at the destroyed Plaza as she could see a figure of the Reflection waving at her. Ego also waved her hands towards the Reflection as the bright light fully enveloped her sight.