As you can see, I'm not a fan of drawn out fight scenes with characters that are a means to an end. This gets a little... gross halfway through, but there's a reason for it, I promise! Second, I'm aware the character's name is "Rafael" but even when you're trying to kill each other, nicknames are a thing.
Special surprise at the end. Well, depends on your definition of special and surprise.
Bella crashed through the temple and landed hard on her left arm. She felt the bone snap and cried out in pain but didn't have time to wallow as her brother appeared over her, and she had to avoid his booted feet. Bella jumped up and ran to the portion of the temple not destroyed. She hid behind a column to catch her breath. The column exploded from Rafi's fist, and Bella ducked her head as pieces of rock flew in her direction. Bella slid behind a half-erect wall and repeatedly slammed her arm into the concrete until the bone snapped into place. Bella grunted in pain to keep from screaming.
"This is not a fight you will win, sister!"
Bella knew that. They'd been going at it all day. The sun had set, and the temple was in ruins. Bella sported several bruises, burns, and her broken arm wasn't the only bone on fire. Her ribs were cracked, her knee was shattered, and she was running out of steam.
"You and I both know in magic and force, I am superior."
Bella scoffed inwardly. Magic, no. Force? Without a doubt. Still, Bella pulled herself off the ground and made sure she was in plain sight. Her brother spotted her and smirked. He had a black eye and a few scratches but nothing serious like her. Yomi's battle ax was on the ground just a few feet away, and Bella calculated how much force it would take to get there without being obvious about it. Bella groaned when the decision came to her, and she prepared herself as Rafi took off across the rubble. Bella ran toward him, forcing her left arm to cooperate as she threw a punch. As expected, Rafi ducked it and elbowed her in the gut, breaking the ribs he'd already cracked. Bella flew through the air, landing right next to the battle-ax. Bella went still. She waited and listened as Rafi stomped toward her. She had one shot, or she'd be dead.
When the time was right, Bella grabbed the ax and swung it. It sliced Rafi's knees clean through, and he fell over. Bella belatedly realized she'd cut off his legs and chalked that up to blind luck. She got to her feet and hopped around to get her balance. The hit she took also caused her to land awkwardly on her ankle, and it was a bitch trying to stand straight. Bella had no energy to prolong it like she did with Yomi, so she leaned on the ax and put her good foot on Rafi's neck. Bella added pressure until his spine snapped. Once dead, Bella fell to the ground beside him. She stared up at the night sky, seeing the Universe in totality. Why the fuck did her father make more than one? Could she not have been an only child?
"I sincerely hope this is not what you have been doing the past month."
Bella twisted around in shock. Rosalie, covered in dirt, stood over her with a hammer in hand. Her eyes fell on Rafi's body, and Bella quickly stood. She then lost her balance as she fell into Rosalie's arms.
"You look…" Rosalie trailed off and swallowed roughly. "Alive."
"More than it appears, yes. But how are you here?"
"No idea. One moment, Emmett and I are rebuilding the library. The next, I am in… Heaven?"
"Sort of," Bella murmured. She caressed Rosalie's face. "Rose, I'm sorry about what I did. I couldn't-
"I know," Rosalie interrupted, sighing. "At first, I was pissed, but after three weeks of taking my anger out on the castle, I realized you were right to do what you did. Especially since… Bella, your stomach!"
Bella looked down at the massive bruise growing across her torso. She groaned, "Damnit. I knew that the last hit did some damage."
"What hit? What are you talking about?"
Bella pushed Rosalie back a little as she coughed up blood. It splattered against the stone, and Bella took a jagged breath before she fell to her knees.
"Isabella!"
"H-heart," Bella panted.
"What?"
"Heart. His… heart," she said.
Rosalie bent down and didn't even hesitate to plunge her hand into Rafi's chest. She tugged out his heart and carefully handed it to Bella. Bella hated what she was about to do, but she needed to heal the fastest way possible.
"What do you plan on doing with it?" Rosalie asked warily.
"Eat… it."
"What?"
"Don't- watch," Bella ordered weakly.
Rosalie looked away, and Bella dry-heaved before she bit into Rafi's heart. As soon as his blood touched her lips, Bella's wounds began to heal. Her ribs reset in her chest, her bruises faded, and her bones melded back together. She forced herself to keep going until she couldn't anymore. When she finished, she mushed it in her hand and wiped the rest on the ground.
"I condemn and damn this soul for all eternity," she muttered. "May it…may it never find peace."
Bella closed her eyes and took a moment before she got to her feet. Rosalie helped her stand, and Bella stretched her arms over her head. She loosened up her muscles. Rosalie wiped the blood away from Bella's mouth and jaw. Bella felt tears well in her eyes at the gesture, and Rosalie shook her head.
"Not now. How many more?"
"Just two," she sighed.
"Then you better get your shit together and find a way to beat them. You have to end this. Please. I-
Bella put her finger over Rosalie's lips.
"I will end this. I promise."
Rosalie wrapped her arms around Bella's waist. She tucked her face into Bella's neck and whispered, "You are my reason for living."
"And you are the purpose for my existence," Bella whispered back.
"Come home to me."
"There is nowhere else I would rather be."
Bella kissed Rosalie's temple and subtly removed the chain from around Rosalie's neck before she was left holding nothing but air. She thought about calling out for her, but it would make no difference. She was gone. Bella clutched the chain until it left an imprint in her palm and glanced at the sky.
"Thank you," she murmured.
A gust of wind blew gently around her, pointing her in the direction of the woods, and she put the chain on and grabbed the ax.
"Two down, two to go," she grumbled.
Rosalie blinked and found herself back in the library. Emmett looked up from where he'd been sitting on a bench and slapped his legs as he stood.
"Good. You're back. I finished the library," Emmett said.
"What? When?"
"You vanished for like a week, Rose. I just I figured it had something to do with Bella, so I waited here in case you returned."
"Did you say a week?" Rosalie asked.
"Give or take a few days. Jane and Alec were scared, so I would call them before we tackle the courtyard."
"Yeah, I-" Rosalie reached up to her neck and found it empty. She exclaimed, "That sneaky bastard!"
Bella hopped from tree to tree with a soft smile on her face. The ring around her neck felt warm and reminded her of what she was fighting for. Bella kept the smile even as she landed on a cliffside that looked eerily familiar. Her other sibling, Noel, swung his legs as he sat on a rock. He bit into an apple and waved at her.
"Come." Noel patted the spot next to him and added, "We need to talk."
"About?"
"Conceding."
"What?"
Noel finished the apple and threw it over the ledge. "I do not want to fight. I realized at this point in my existence the desire for power has waned. So I have a proposition for you."
Bella warily watched her brother get to his feet. "What is it?" she asked.
"Kill me but allow me to return in the future," he said. "And I will pass a message along from our father, one that never reached the ears of our dear sister."
Bella still wasn't on board. Noel rolled his eyes and held his hand to the sky.
"I swear on my life and my immortality that I am not lying nor deceiving you," he said flatly.
The flash of light signaling his honesty nearly blinded Bella, and she moved back when Noel appeared in front of her. He stuck out his hand and cocked an eyebrow.
"Do we have an accord?"