Marcus sat there completely stunned of what he just heard from his sister. Announcing that she wants to be queen of the Demal and is asking for his help, he who has a lot more responsibilities. Even though candles provided warmth for Sarah's entire chamber, it seemed as though Marcus is seating on ice because he can feel the unnerving chills crawling up his spine back and forth. He scratches his head and looks at Sarah's hair. 

"What happened to your hair Sarah?" He said. pointing out the long white and silver hair on her. 

"Um well...there is no easier way to say this so I'll just say it now" Sarah takes a deep breathe and says. "When I first showed my powers, the high lords tried to take it away from my body but they only enhanced it and as a result my body changed. I became a bit more Demal" 

"So they hurt you?" Marcus sighs and closes his fists. "I swear I'll make them pay"

"You're changing the discussion brother. Will you help me?" She eagerly asks and makes sure that Marcus doesn't change the topic again. "Or else I will do it by myself"

"Tell me first why do you want to be queen? You're barely fifteen and know the ways of politics" Marcus bluntly says to his sister even though it might hurt her feelings. 

"I know enough. Yes I'm fifteen but I'm the only human in Perion who understands the Demal" She sits down beside Marcus and takes their grandfather's journal book. "Grandfather himself wrote in the last few pages that the Demal are also people worth fighting for"

Marcus' attention is caught by what Sarah said and wondered if it is truly possible, that the Demal could be changed or everyone could be persuaded to live together but suddenly all of his thoughts turn into worry for his little sister. If Sarah wants to be queen that means she wants to lead the Demal into a new age of living with humans but all of that would mean risking a lot and that's what worries him.

"I can't risk losing you Sarah, you're the only family I have left" Marcus says to her as he holds her hand. "I can't face father and mother ever again if I lose you, I promised mother when she was dying that I will save you and protect you"

Sarah lowers her head as she remembers her beloved mother and that she wasn't there when their mother died. "If I die, I'll tell them that you are the best brother in the world"

"I wish we could just runaway and leave everything behind" Marcus said. 

"i wish that too but I can't help but feel responsible  for all that died in this war and those that will die in the future. I know we can stop this" She says. "Both of us are powerful because of our parents but we couldn't protect them but..."

"But we can still protect those that are dear to us now" Marcus continued. He sighs and stares at his mark and remembers the events that happened in Icehold and what happened there could happen anywhere else. "You always cared too much for others dear sister and I think you'll be a great queen"

Sarah smiles greatly and hugs her brother tightly. She jumps stands up and hurries to the door where Mordin and the others were waiting. 

"Damn demons, eavesdropping to a private conversation" Marcus whispers. 

"What is your command high lord?" Mordin asks. 

"Assemble our forces and send a message to the high lords. Tell them that I am denouncing their titles and by right as a high lord, I am challenging them to prove their power!" Sarah announced to her followers and they all nodded eagerly and left immediately to prepare. 

Marcus couldn't help but laugh his shock away, Sarah never did asked for small favors from him. He laughed like a madman for awhile until he stopped to catch his breathe. 

"Four years apart and you still know me very well" Marcus says. "I'm guessing we are to fight these high lords?"

"Not we, just you" Sarah says as she goes to her armor. "I'm going to change, go stare out the window for a while big brother"

"Why am I fighting alone? I'm not even Demal" Marcus says as he walks to the window. 

"You are half Demal, like me" Sarah says as she puts on her armor. "A high lord can either fight on their own or choose a champion to represent them"

"So I'm the unlucky man for the job"

"You're the best suited for the job big brother"

"How many will I be fighting anyways?" Marcus worriedly asks. He doesn't even know if he wants to know the answer to his question. 

"fifteen if all the high lords accept my challenge" She says while finishing her armor pieces. 

"Fifteen!?" Marcus shouted in his head. 

"Do not worry. I assume four of them will not fight and pledge themselves to me and their champions will help you fight the rest. Killing four or five would make the other high lords rethink their decision" 

"What happens if I win?" 

"All the defeated high lords will be executed and their followers will join me. It is their law and they are very serious about their laws. And yes, if you lose. I'll die too"

Marcus is now asking his very soul on what madness made him agree with his sister's plan. His hands tremble and feel numb at the same time. His body feel heavy as it is from the hard journey and his mind is being filled with doubts and fear but suddenly Sarah places her hand on his back and says some words which he didn't understand and mysteriously a surge of unknown energy flow in him, making him calm and clear headed, his body slowly feels lighter and regenerated. 

"What did you just do Sarah?" Marcus asks as he moves his body, stretching and twisting. barely feeling any fatigue. 

"You have a lot to learn big brother" Sarah laughs and Marcus sees her beautifully made armor. All black of course and the black coat and hood. Her long white silver hair make it even more stunning.

Sarah leads the way with a small army of Demal behind her with Marcus and Mordin by her side. They make a lot of turns, the hallways of the huge fortress could lead to various places and one could easily be lost. 

They reached a great corridor, its ceiling is so high that the corridor might have been made for giants. At the end of it, a huge staircase leading to who knows where greeted them. They followed it down to the deep until they saw fire pits and loud clamor of voices reached their ears. 

They reach the bottom of the staircase and they reached the ancient arena of the Demal. A huge underground coliseum built to hold thousands of spectators. the coliseum was divided into fifteen equal parts which could only mean that is the separation of the fifteen high lords. Just near the bottom, a few feet higher than the actual fighting grounds was a grand chair where all fifteen high lords sat and waited. 

Braziers and fire pits made the coliseum warm but it made it harder to fight in, especially with thick and heavy armor. The coliseum is already filled when they arrived, it seems that these kind of events is not something to miss. 

Sarah takes her seat on the grand chair and she is surrounded by bodyguards, handpicked by Mordin himself. All the other high lords are also heavily guarded but when the outcome of the challenge is clear, the loyalties of the bodyguards will change in accordance to their laws. Only a few will be brave enough to disobey their laws and protect their defeated lord. 

Unknown to Marcus and the other high lords. Sarah's bodyguards are all willing to fight for her to the death no matter what the outcome is because most of her followers are those who were saved by her grandmother and grandfather when they were just babies. Mordin hides behind the scenes, securing escape routes for both Sarah and Marcus but even though they will be safe, if Marcus loses and Sarah is announced as a traitor all hopes of making peace between the Demal and Humans will vanish and the war will continue. 

Marcus enter the fighting grounds where he is joined by fourteen other champions. He couldn't see their faces for they are hooded still but he could feel the blood lust in some of them while some are just quiet, Marcus wishes that the quiet ones are on his side. Even though there is a chance he has allies in the arena, there is also a chance that the other champions will still fight each other and not just him because Sarah explained that each high lord wants a chance to become king and this is their perfect chance. 

"I'll win this not just for you sister but for our family and for the people who have suffered to this day. Both human and demal" Marcus whispered. Moments later they all drew their swords and prepared to fight. Since Sarah was the challenger she is the one to announce when to begin the fight. "I have to survive the first clash" he continued, thinking of a plan.

Sarah stood from her chair and stood proud and raised her hand and she cleared her throat and gathered as much strength as she could. "Champions!...Begin!" She sliced the air downward with her hand and suddenly the champions including Marcus disappeared. 

Sarah sat down and eagerly waited, pinching her fingers one by one trying to calm down but suddenly the fifteen champions reappear in the center and their swords clashed and every high lord stood up from their chairs in shock. Sarah grinned and clapped her hands proudly. Everyone in the coliseum watching fell silent and are stuck to their seats. 

HI THERE! THANK YOU FOR READING! WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED? WHY DID THEY ALL STOOD UP IN SHOCK? PLEASE VOTE AND COMMENT IF YOU LIKED THIS CHAPTER :)

NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE POSTED SOON! :)