LUNA: The Witching Hour

58: Acceptation

"I, Eliseo Miraghan IV, King of the Dragons, Head of House Miraghan of the Champions, accept your duel, Sahar Hades Mondrantoa of the Dead" There was this offensive calmness in his voice that I didn't like.

If it weren't for the dragons' responses to their king's statement, it would have been dead quiet around us. Makikita mo sa mga mata ng mga mandirigma ang gulat at pagtataka. The generals of the Amadeus Forces kept their warriors at bay, so did Midnight to ours. I caught a glimpse of Killian hovering in the sky far from our place, his black and white wings beating. Tartarus and Kaimana on the farther left. Radu on the opposite side. Sugatan ang apat at hinihingal hingal. Vlad and Day weren't on sight ngunit may hula na ako kung nasaan sila ngayon.

It was safe to assume that Scorch's poisonous gas had been washed over by the open air but the lifeless bodies that scattered around were still too many to behold. I have never seen so many deaths in the night nor would I ever imagine myself in the middle of it. What had happened in the Mountain of Dainty was incomparable to this. A wave of nausea hit me.

The wind blew our way as the Dragon King gestured to the battlefield, his golden armlets glinting. I observed warily, unconsciously tightening my grip on Midnight's hand. "I may have disturbed an important occurrence but please do continue. Sahar Hades, we will have our duel after this"

"That is not necessary," Midnight have finally spoken and it was as though everything was going to be more complicated. Marahan niya akong hinila sa likod niya, at kung hindi ko lang nasulyapan kung gaano ka delikado ang ekspresyon sa mukha ni Midnight ngayon ay aangal na sana ako. "Since continuing will only hinder your plan to save the Amadeus forces from mine"

A deadly silence blanketed the entire battlefield. Even the dragons above were rendered speechless from Midnight's remark. They could all fool the warriors here but never a Midnight Zagreus. Not in front of his face would he allow you to play him.

And it seemed that King Eliseo was easily pushed to the edge that he could not contain the disdain on his face. "I've heard rumors about you. Whispers about how dangerous you are have traveled quite far. But do not speak to me as though I am lower than you. For a new king, hindi mo ata alam kung ano ang ginagawa mo"

There was nothing in Midnight's dead eyes. "A pawn is lower than a king"

"You dare continue to speak to me that way?"

"My apologies," he said, no sincerity in his voice, "My language tends to turn vulgar if I hear someone talking bullshit"

The dragons snapped their teeth at Midnight. King Eliseo silenced them with a hand. Beside me, I heard Arius stifle a laugh. When I cut him a glance, he was clamping a hand over his mouth. Nang magtama ang tingin namin, biglang nanlambot ang kanyang mga mata. His concern crashed into me and I turned my attention back in front, didn't know how to respond to him.

King Eliseo's muscles looked tense as if he was only restraining himself. "Midnight Zagreus, let's do this your way then," He said, "Your accusation of me has no evidence. Meron nga ba?"

"I have none" Simpleng sagot ni Midnight, "I only have my brain"

"Then this is foolish"

"But it is more foolish for a king to go all the way here just to grant my court member an audience, more foolish for a king to go all the way here when his own kingdom is at war against Lapetus"

"Perhaps," The edge was there in King Eliseo's tone, "It would be wiser for me to back the Amadeus forces up, pero hindi ko ginawa"

"You don't want to back them up"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Because you don't want to fight me"

There was another wave of silence before the Dragon King broke into a laugh. Binalot ng tawa niya ang katahimikan ng buong paligid. Ni hindi tinanggal ni Midnight ang tingin sakanya. "Sinasabi mo bang takot ako sayo?"