Chapter One:

       She grunted in pain when the little demon lurched at her unexpectedly. It wasn’t fair. Sian was a swordsman, not a punching bag. Her weapon was a sword while others had their cards. It wasn’t fair that Sian had to do hand-to-hand combat with her fellow peers’ creatures and whatnots. To Sian, it was ridiculous.

       But then again, Sian understood where they were coming from. Lee Sian was known to be the strongest Inane in the closest vicinity, and so she took it upon herself to protect those that could not protect themselves against ruthless Elites, but her peers were afraid to even lay a single finger on her for her brother was the famous Lee Sihyuk in the senior class and her father was Councilman Lee Jinwook. She knew people in high places, so hurt her out of sparing battles and you were to be forever expelled or destroyed by Sihyuk… well, at least that was the rumor.

       So, maybe that was why Kang Jura was using Sian as a punching bag with her five little demons she had summoned before Professor Ryu could even yell fight!

       Sian heard a guttural growl approaching from her left. Knowing that she wouldn’t escape without any wounds, Sian groaned and threw a fist at the ugly little thing. It was not more than three feet tall. Small black horns protruded from it’s head that was twice the size of her fist. It’s red haggard skin was littered with scars that never healed right. Though the demon was trying to kill Sian, she couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for it.

       For the five of them. They came in a package.

       The demon flew a few feet away and landed on its back with a whimper. Sian could have defeated two by hand, maybe three, but five? That was basically asking Sian to fight to the death.

       And, just as Sian predicted, while she was focused on that one demon, another rammed into her abdomen, causing her to lose her footing and fall flat onto her back. She was sure that she had already broken a rib or two, but that one really did it. The demon jumped onto her chest and rammed punch after punch into her face with fire in his eyes.

       Sian tried to force it off her, but she felt the other four demons taking hold of each of her limbs.

       “Oh, come on, Sian. You need to try harder! You try so hard to hone your sword skills, but that won’t do you good if you don’t have a sword and an Elite suddenly tries to attack you!” Professor Ryu screamed at her.

       you.

       Sian wanted to say that out loud, but she was a bit preoccupied with five demons teaming up on her, bashing her face in. Sian gave up on fighting back when she felt the demon holding onto her left arm snap one of her fingers backwards.

       She stifled a scream… well, maybe she just couldn’t because a second later, she was unconscious, having succumbed to her injuries.

       “Okay! Fight’s over! Call back your nasty little demons, Jura!”

       Jura smirk, staring at the bloodied and unconscious Sian.

       “That’ll teach you to act all high and mighty, Lee Sian. You’re an Inane. Act like one.”

       Sian knew where she was before she even opened her eyes. She had been in enough sparring battles against Elites to know how they ended.

       “And, this is why I tell you to not only focus on sword fighting.”

       Sian groaned as she forced herself to sit up.

       “Shut up, Sihyuk.”

       A demeaning laugh rang in her ears as she imagined herself strangling her older brother.

       “You want Dad’s affection? Then grow the up and learn other fighting styles. Professor Ryu is right. You won’t always have a sword with you, but an Elite will always have their cards with them. Just because Mom was the best swordsman in the world, that doesn’t mean that living up to her name will impress Dad and the world.”

       “ off, Sihyuk,” Sian winced when she felt pain in her chest.

       “Oh yeah, doctor said you broke three ribs,” Sikhyun rolled his eyes. “Wants you to take it easy for the next six weeks.”

       Sian sighed and slowly got off the bed and dusted off her clothes.

       “You pretending to care about me is getting real tiring,” Sian grabbed her bag and sword resting at her bedside.”

       “Well, I’m your big brother. People expect me to be caring for my little itty-bitty weak sister.”

       A nerve snapped in Sian. She ignored the shouting pain in her body as she swiftly grabbed onto Sihyuk’s shirt and pulled him down to her eye level.

       “I’ve never thought of you as a brother. I may be deemed as weak in yours and everyone else’s eyes, but know this, brother,” she spoke the word with disgust, “if it wasn’t for your little playing cards, you’d all be dead by the hilt of my sword because you,” Sian took in a deep and shaky breath, trying to keep her emotions in check, “you are the weak one.”

       Sihyuk’s eye twitched. Sian knew he was calculating her death in his head with the cold black eyes that bore holes into her head.

       “Without your cards, you are nothing.”

       Sihyuk’s jaw tightened. He bit back a retort and cracked his neck before deeply inhaling and exhaling.

       “Well, little sister. Shall I grant you revenge on Jura?” he spoke through gritted teeth.

       Sian scoffed and pushed her brother away.

       “Do what you will, Sihyuk. Pretend to be a caring brother. You only use that as an excuse to abuse other Elites. It’s all a game to you. How pathetic,” Sian shook her head in disapproval before taking her leave.

       “Little bastard,” Sihyuk muttered under his breath. “You’ll bow down to me one day.”

I know it's a short chapter, but I really wanted ot share it! I'm excited for this story!