Arcane Bonds

From that day onward, Eve’s focus shifted. Though she still pursued her own studies, her true passion became training Joy. Eve poured every ounce of her intellect and ambition into crafting training regimens for her baby sister. She saw in Joy the potential she could never realize for herself, and in Joy’s burgeoning power, she glimpsed the possibility of redeeming her own failures.

But Joy, with the memories of her past life, understood far more than Eve could ever know. While she appreciated her sister’s care, Joy began to feel the weight of the expectations being placed upon her. She wanted to protect her family, but at the same time, she feared becoming the tool of someone else’s ambitions—first in her past life, and now in this one.

Three years had passed since the thunderous explosion in Joy’s crib, and the Emberheart estate had not known a moment of quiet since. In the aftermath of that event, Eve Emberheart had transformed into a whirlwind of single-minded determination. Day by day, she tirelessly honed her younger sister, pushing Joy toward a destiny Eve was crafting—a destiny to become the greatest mage the world had ever seen.

For the young Joy, still only three, it had been a unique experience. The memories of her past life lingered like a shadow, filling her with an awareness far beyond her years. She saw the world differently, and she understood more than anyone, even Eve, could ever know.

The pressure weighed heavily on her. She loved her sister and admired her genius, but Eve’s obsession with making Joy a prodigy had turned from nurturing care into a form of tyranny. Every meal was infused with special herbs to boost mana absorption. Every play session was a training drill in disguise. Joy’s life had become a routine of arcane exercises, mana expansions, and mystical enhancements. Her power grew, undeniably, but so did her inner turmoil.

One afternoon, after a particularly exhausting session where Eve had devised a complex mana circulation drill for Joy, the younger girl sat in her room, pondering. Three years of relentless pushing had only confirmed Joy’s fear—Eve was using her, shaping her to fulfill her sister's vision, not her own.

The time had come for Joy to take control of her own path.

Determined, Joy sneaked into her mother’s private library. Lady Mira Emberheart had accumulated an extensive collection of rare books on magic and martial arts. Among them, Joy found exactly what she had hoped for: scrolls and tomes detailing the Body Enhancement Path, a method that did not rely on traditional mana absorption through the brain but instead focused on channeling energy through the body.

Armed with newfound knowledge, Joy prepared for a conversation that had been brewing in her heart for months.

Later that evening, Joy approached Eve in her workshop, where the older girl was furiously scribbling notes on magical theory. The air smelled of burnt parchment, and various arcane symbols glowed faintly around the room.

Eve glanced up when Joy entered, her eyes lighting up. “There you are! I’ve been working on a new training regimen for you. It’s designed to increase your mana threshold by 20% within the next month if you—”

“Sister, we need to talk,” Joy interrupted, her tone far more serious than any three-year-old’s should be.

Eve blinked, surprised. “Talk? About what? We have training to get to—”

“No,” Joy said firmly, “not today. Not like this.”

Eve frowned, setting down her quill. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Is the training too hard? I can adjust the—”

“It’s not the training. It’s you,” Joy said, stepping closer. “You’re trying to turn me into something I’m not.”

Eve’s confusion deepened. “What do you mean? I’m helping you become the strongest mage in history! Don’t you see? You have a gift, and I—”

“You’re obsessed,” Joy cut in, her voice rising slightly. “You’re trying to live through me. You want me to achieve everything you couldn’t. But I’m not you.”

The silence that followed was suffocating. Eve stared at her sister, completely thrown off balance. For the first time, her brilliant mind was grasping for understanding.

“I don’t—”

“Let me make this clear, Eve,” Joy continued, her small hands clenched into fists. “I’ll become the strongest mage, but I’ll do it my way. Not yours. You can’t keep projecting your ambitions onto me.”

“But I’m only trying to help—”

“You’re smothering me!” Joy shouted, her voice filled with frustration. “I appreciate everything you’ve done, I do, but if you want me to succeed, you need to stop forcing me down a path that isn’t mine. If you want me to become even stronger than an Arcane Ascendant, you have to let me grow without your constant control.”

The words hung in the air, striking Eve like a hammer. Her mouth opened, then closed, her mind racing.

Joy took a deep breath, softening her tone. “You’re a genius, Eve. Everyone knows that. But if you want me to become the greatest, you have to forge a new path for yourself first. You’re not meant to be stuck on the sidelines, living through me.”

Eve shook her head slowly. “What are you saying?”

“I found books in Mother’s library,” Joy said, her voice steady, “books on body enhancement. It’s a path that doesn’t rely on mana absorption through the brain. You could master it. You could be the first in history to transcend the martial path.”

Eve looked at her little sister in disbelief. “The body enhancement path is nowhere near as powerful as the magic path…”

“Not yet,” Joy replied. “But you’re a genius, right? You can change that. You’re always telling me how brilliant you are. Prove it. Stop using me to fulfill your dreams and find your own way to greatness.”

Eve’s eyes narrowed slightly, though not in anger—rather, in contemplation. The fire of ambition that had driven her to push Joy now flickered in a different direction. “You think I should… take the martial path?”

“I think,” Joy said carefully, “that if you really want me to become the strongest, you’ll realize I need to be free to find my own way. And so do you. I believe you could be the strongest warrior in history, Eve. Don’t tell me you’re not confident enough to try.”

Eve stood in silence for a long moment, absorbing her sister’s words. Her mind, usually so quick to analyze and dissect any problem, felt… slow. Joy, at only three years old, was offering her something she had never considered—a challenge, not for Joy’s sake, but for her own.

For the first time since her failure at the Mana Awakening Ceremony, Eve saw a new horizon open before her.

Eve finally broke the silence with a soft chuckle. “You’re a lot more insightful than I give you credit for.”

Joy, feeling the tension in the air dissipate, smiled cautiously. “It’s because I’m your sister.”

Eve let out a sigh, the weight of her obsession loosening its grip. “Alright, Joy. I’ll back off. I’ll let you take control of your own path. But in return, I’ll pursue this body enhancement path. If I can’t be the greatest mage, I’ll become the greatest warrior.”

Joy nodded, relieved that her gamble had paid off. “Deal.”

As Eve turned back to her desk, her mind already buzzing with ideas for this new venture, Joy exhaled deeply. She had avoided the fate of becoming a tool for someone else’s ambitions—for now. But as she left the room, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Eve’s new path would come with its own set of challenges.

And somewhere deep in her heart, Joy knew that her journey to becoming the strongest had only just begun.