Chapter Nineteen: The duel of Families

Once, Aaron Beau and Iolene left. It was just Okimi, Lei and Ponderrah. However, the small dragon stayed away.

Jona stands in a defensive position with his katana. He looks at Lei and laughs. "You do actually have balls. I usually know men like you to be effeminate and soft. Your mother tried to make you marry my youngest daughter… But she didn't have the right parts, didn't she? I remember when my spies saw you and your guard that day… Not a normal interaction between men. Your mother and father should have killed you with shame."

"Don't you dare bring my father into this! You had him murdered!" Lei gritted his teeth. "Whatever I have done cannot be compared to what you have done!" He wanted to throw the spear into his heart.

Okimi like her father imitates his defensive stand. Where is her sister? Mai? She demanded. Out of anyone she misses in this world. It is her sister… She is all she had. Thinking of her every moment of every day. Okimi became a bit of a mother figure to Mai. She loves and adores her. Mai is the graceful one of the two. Iolene reminded Okimi so much of Mai. Kind and naïve. Mai loves to dance and play the koto. It's just too bad their parents never noticed...

The fight begins to both of their surprise as Jona quickly changes his form, letting go of his sword he claps his hands together and breathes slowly. Then pushes forward as he releases a blue draconium power beam from his hands. Both Lei and Okimi get pushed onto the door and then slammed face-first onto the ground.

"You have no honour…" Lei gasps as he clumsily stands back up. He then helps Okimi up. Jona has immediately broken the rules of the duel.

It was then Okimi and Lei run to Jona. The Daimyo using draconium skills aims at the two again. Lei reflects the steam by spinning his spear. A trick he learned from his short time in the priesthood.

Okimi runs to her right as she sees her father is preoccupied with Lei. Hoping to swipe him at his side. However, the plan failed as Jona breaks the one stream and aims a smaller stream at his daughter. The stream hits her however the beam formed a restraint around her. The beam wrapped around her arms and body tightly. No matter how much she struggled she couldn't free herself.

Lei races to Jona. Jona is focusing most of his power on restraining his daughter. However, Jona jumps backwards as Lei tries to stab him with the spear. Balancing Okimi in the air with his left hand. Okimi screams with frustration. Jona picks up his katana with his right hand. Shocking Lei… He had no idea of how strong Jona is. Jona repels Leis attacks with ease.

Lei in his mind screams at himself. He should have trained longer… But nothing he can do now. He is in this fight. He can only go forward…

Jona's eyes glowed a powerful blue. As his katana began to flow with his energy. Lei stands back in shock. How does he have so much power without a dragon? Lei all of a sudden is defending himself against sword blasts. He dodges every hit as he notices a sword blast can cut a pillar.

Okimi still high in the air tries to wriggle herself out. But it was futile. She ends up relaxing… She is wasting so much energy trying to escape. She looks down at Lei as he dodges Jona's attack repeatedly. Okimi had faith in Lei… He is stronger than he realises. Then she looks at her mother and brother. Her brother decides to sit on the throne. As his mother stood next to her son watching the battle.

Her mother looks up at Okimi for a moment and shakes her head in disappointment. As usual… She doesn't say anything. Okimi kept looking at her. She could have done so much when her father was imprisoned. But instead, she was a doormat… She played face to the Empress… And then once Jona came home, life went back to normal.

"Mother!" Okimi shouts. "Where is Mai!?"

Her mother looks up at her, said nothing and looks back at her husband.

"SHE'S DEAD! SHE'S WAS A TRAITOR JUST LIKE YOU!" Sana replies back to her. He said it without care almost mocking. Their mother looks at Sana and shakes her head no. Jona has a quick look back at his son.

Okimi's world went blank. How? How can it be? Tears began flowing from her eyes. She screams with grief. My little sister…

Okimi's shrill of grief caused enough of a distraction. This is Lei's chance he races forward with his spear and manages to pierce through Jonas right shoulder. Jona screams in agony as he collapses to his knees.

"Father!" Sana yells.

The draconium beam connection between him and his daughter severed and she falls to the ground. With no thought to how she was going to land she fell on her back. She couldn't move.

"Okimi…" Lei says with sincerity. He knows how she feels… He lost his father and sister. By the very man they are fighting against.

Jona groans as the spear remains pierced through him. Sana runs over to his father and stands in front of Lei.

"You want to go through father! You go through me!"

"No! SANA!" His mother shouts. The first time she has spoken through the battle. She runs to him and grabs him out of Lei's way. Fearing that Lei was going to kill him. If anything she will fight leniency for her son. He is the heir in her eyes.

Okimi crawls over to them. The place is silent again. Only breathes of exhaustion can be heard.

Then the mother screams for guards. But none came… Like Lan-Se many guards are away fighting the war. She then screams for General Emiliano. Lei guesses it was the man who was standing next to Jona who left without a word.

Lei then thinks back to his home. The war ends here, he hopes.

Lei then with sudden anger punches Jona in the face. Sana screams out father as Okimi eventually joins in. Such anger and savagery could not be hidden. Jona couldn't even defend himself. Ponderrah standing nearby shrieks at Lei. Something is wrong with Lan-Se Prince.

Lei looks back at his dragon. The dragon walks up to him and nudges Lei's head. Lei stops his punching rampage and hugs Ponderrah. Even shedding a few tears. He is so exhausted… Of grief… Of anger… Of everything.

Okimi makes Jona sit up. The Daimyo wanted to say words. But now he is at the mercy of Zhen's third son.

"Why did you kill my sister?" Okimi asked trying her hardest to hold herself together.

"She vouched for you…" Jona said as blood started to flow from his mouth. "You a future Daimyo? No… You are a girl. You were selfish in brainwashing her… Sana is my son. He deserves to be the leader. Mai became a traitor and left… While you were in the sweet comfort of the enemy. She started a rebellion against me… but it did not bode well… We found her and her "friends". And as you do with traitors… I executed her publically." Jona sounded so emotionless. He sentenced his own child to die…

Okimi then punches her father so hard in the face that his teeth fell out.

"Did you honestly think you were going to win this war?!" Lei says with anger.

"Shows what you know…" Jona said mockingly. " Winning a few battles doesn't mean you win the war." He then smiles with a destroyed smile.

It was at this moment a loud explosion can be heard. The whole palace shook underneath the throne room. Everyone looks around in alert…

"No…" Jona whispers.

Okimi drags her father on the ground as they quickly move out of the throne room. The explosion felt as if it was coming from behind the throne room.

Sana runs away with his mother as Lei and Okimi move after him.

Lei and Okimi had many more questions for Jona.