Peril Of The Fates

DECIDING DUEL

Ren stood in the arena, his armor firmly in place, a smaller flamberge sword in his hand, as he looked toward his father. He was wearing very little armor, with a broadsword in his hands. He twirled it a bit, the large head on the sword bringing the end down far faster than he could have hoped to achieve on his own.

Ren looked up to the stadium, Zeak was on the first row, looking at him, he had woken up shortly after the duel was announced, and was silent, when Ren tried to talk to him he would either nod or shake his head. This was the first time that Zeak had shown any emotion. It was pure worry.

Finally an announcer shouted of the top of his lungs, "WELCOME! THE DUEL ISSUED BY KING CEDRIC AND REN LI WILL COMMENCE IN A FEW MINUTES! PLEASE REMEMBER TO NOT THROW ANYTHING INTO THE ARENA, AND HERE ARE THE STAKES ONCE MORE. SHOULD REN WIN, HE WILL BE CROWNED KING OF THE OSAMU DYNASTY! SHOULD REN LOSE, HIS CLAIM TO THE THRONE IS FORFEIT! MAY THE SOUND OF THE GONG BEGIN THE BATTLE!"

Ren took in a breath, holding his shield up on his left arm, as he flipped the visor on his helmet down. He was now completely covered in steel. As he looked out to his father again, the gong rang. It was like a harsh and thundering reverberation. Immediately Cedric entered combat, swinging the broadsword down as hard as he could, and Ren held his shield out, only for the sword to hit the steel, and bend the shield.

As the sword slid down, before Ren could do anything, Cedric swung again, and Ren would have dropped the shield had the steel bent into his arm, cracking the bone. He opened his hand, falling on a knee as he took in a breath of pain, only to move his arm up again as Cedric swung again, and the sword pierced the shield, and went into Ren's arm.

As Cedric pulled the sword out of his son's arm, he took a step aside. Hoisting the blade up. Ren fought the tears on his face as he tried to move the shield off his arm, only for it to send a lightning bolt of pain straight through his body. Cedric chuckled to himself, "Just yield. You can't win."

Ren looked at his father, and jabbed forward, the sword barely missing Cedric as he stepped aside, and kicked his foot up, kicking him in the head. Ren fell to the ground, stars surrounding his head as it was smacked into the back of the helmet. Ren struggled up to his hands and knees, his blood covering the steel of the shield as he swiped at Cedric again, trying to cut him.

Again, Cedric stepped aside, and this time he instead stomped down on Ren's head, caving the steel helmet in. Ren lay on the ground, blood running out of his nose as he pulled the helmet off and got on his hands and knees, the shield digging into his arm further as Ren screamed in pain and swung the shield. The broad side of it struck Cedric in his chest, bringing him to the ground.

Cedric stood up, as Ren swung his hand wildly, striking him in the jaw. As Cedric recovered from the blow Ren swung the shield hitting him in face, cutting open the side of the face. Blood ran down Cedric's face as he grabbed Ren by the side of his head, and slammed his head into the ground. Ren could barely move, his entire body trembling as Cedric spoke up, "Yield so I don't have to kill you."

Ren pushed himself up, he wasn't going to let him fail Zeak. He wasn't. Cedric paused, sighing as he said, "Fine then. I'll kill you." Cedric grabbed the broadsword, drew it, and walked over to Ren. He readied the blade, and swung it down.

~~~~~

Zeak watched as Cedric kicked Ren's head down into the ground, and knew that Ren wasn't going to win the duel. He immediately ran towards the closest blacksmith he could find, he was going to have to be quick. As soon as he got to the door he threw his entire body at it, breaking the hinges and bringing the whole door down.

Zeak stood up, grabbing a sword off the wall, hefting the blade slightly, before running back. By the time he got to the arena, a guard went to stop him. Zeak simply just jumped off the seating areas, and landed a sheer foot away from Cedric as he hoisted the blade and swung it. Between the loud crash, and the shouting, Cedric's attention was drawn, and the sword hit Ren in the back, bending the armor, but not killing him.

Zeak slowly stood up, sword drawn, as Ren pushed himself up. Cedric looked at the two of them, and held his arm up, and all the guards froze. Cedric smiled, he was going to have fun after all.

Zeak swiped at Cedric as Ren swung the other way. Cedric ignored the two blades and swung the sword as hard as he could. Ren's blade cut through his lower abdomen, as Zeak's swing froze, as the arm swinging the sword was chopped of by Cedric.

Zeak screamed, falling to his knees, grabbing his bloody stump on his shoulder as he screamed again. His left arm was gone. Completely gone. Cedric readied the blade to swing again, as Ren swung again, cutting his upper arm, making him drop the sword. Ren picked Zeak up, and rubbed his nose, blood smeering his hand as he said, "I'm leaving."

Cedric paused, "Get the fuck out of my kingdom. Now."

Ren threw the flamberge sword at his feet, "I dont intend to stay on this stolen ground any longer." With that, Ren and Zeak left the Laelan Dynasty, leaving Cedric alone in the arena. He stayed there for almost half an hour, looking at the bloody arm on the ground.