Dueling Fate

Chapter 8 - Wolf and Serpent

How art thou my good fellow readers and authors? Doing well I hope. Onward to cringe land!

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Chapter Eight - Wolf and Serpent

Halflight's PoV

I sat next to Shinoa in the dining hall. Her mother and father sat just to her right as I was to her left. Apparently, King Eldritch was hosting this party in honor of the fall of the old Sentinel along with the victory of claiming Fort Hraggstad, one of the demon's main bases of operation.

I started thinking for a bit. If my memory is intact, the demon's have eight secondary bases, four main bases, and then Kingdom Corozin. Corozin was massive as all hell. It was a little larger than all of the four great Kingdoms combined. The demon king, Lucifer, lives within the heart of Corozin, making any direct attack on him nearly impossible. Just beyond Corozin was a massive valley covered in ash, due to the constant eruptions of Mount Nosferatu. It was called the Valley of Swords, because buried under the ash are thousands of weapons from past battles. It wouldn't be difficult to find a weapon by just kicking the ash around. Ah, damn. What am I going to end up in, being Sentinel? I'm going to have to start raiding demon forts soon...

"Halflight?" Shinoa tapped on my shoulder, snapping me back to reality. "Are you alright? You've just been staring at your food."

"Sorry, was just a bit deep in thought." I replied. Shinoa gave me a slightly worried look before returning to eating.

Soon we finished eating and the children were released into the courtyard. Obviously, like always, I followed along behind Shinoa. Though, I couldn't help but to feel on edge out here. The incident back at Rayven's Peak was still slightly lingering in my mind.

"Hello~ Princess Shinoa."

Damn... this guy again...

"What do you want Serpico?" Shinoa asked as we both turned to face him. "I thought Halflight made it clear to leave me alone."

"Tch, like that peasant could keep me from you. Back at Rayven's Peak I went and fetched the guards the moment after the smoke had went up. That coward you call friend ran off to God knows where when I returned to the ball room. If I hadn't gotten the guards you could've died, so technically I saved your li-"

"Enough Serpico!" Shinoa cut him off. "Halflight isn't my friend anymore. He-"

"Well if he's no longer your friend then why do yo-"

"He's my darling now you idiot!"

"Preposterous! How could you possibly fall for that filthy, low life, coward of a peasant?!" Serpico shouted.

A few guards overheard Serpico and gave him the evil eye. I could feel the amount of respect he would lose after that spreads among the guards. Afterall, I am the Sentinel... I need to not let this Sentinel thing go to my head.

"Your not the one that saved me that day!" Shinoa Shouted back at him. "Halflight did! He never ran off. He came after me and nearly died getting me back safe!"

"How would you know that?! You were knocked out. That was probably a lie he to-"

"Shut the fuck up." I interrupted Serpico, my anger visible. "Instead of running your mouth and wasting you breath when Shinoa clearly doesn't like you, why don't the two of us settle this dispute like real knights?"

"Oh, and what do you suppose we do then? Play a game of chess?" Serpico asked sarcastically, mocking me. "You don't have the right to challenge me. With no higher status than a common mercenary, you never will."

I've had one hell of a stressful and annoying day. From the bickering during the conference to Serpico pissing Shinoa and me off, he's brought out my rage. I would oh, so love to whip his ass to oblivion.

"Actually, I do have the power to challenge you authority. As of today, I have become the Sentinel of Winterfall. If you want Shinoa's hand in marriage, you have to gain my permission or defeat me in a duel. Neither of which you will achieve." I said, a bit of darkness in my last words.

"Fine, I accept! We'll have a duel. Once I beat you, Shinoa will finally see who's more worthy between the two of us." He replied, drawing his rapier. The blade was made of crystallite. A deadly sharp thrusting weapon, but with one wrong move, it could be easily broken. What an overly cocky dumbass.

In minutes, a crowd consisting of guards, royal children, and servants surrounded us. People within the crowd began murmering as I drew the Blade of Eden.

"Isn't he the new Sentinel?"

"That's the Black Swordsman, right?"

"I heard he slew over a hundred demons in a single night..."

"You'll regret this!" Serpico screeched, thrusting his rapier at me.

I simply leaned my head to the side resulting in him missing his attack. I leg sweeped him, knocking him over. He got up and began thrusting wildy. It was like a snake trying to attack it's prey. A few time's when he was off I did things to piss him off to try and get his attacks to be even more inaccurate.

"Legs apart." I said, striking the side of his knee with the flat of my sword.

"Grah! You piece of shit!" He shouted, thrustings his rapier at my face with an intent to kill.

I decided to end it with that as I grasped the end of his rapier with my left hand, a mere inch before my right eye.

"How foolhardy. Mistake of a beginner." Serpico said, amused.

"Fool? Not as much as you think." I replied.

"Idiot, if I pull back my rapier your hand would be- huh?!"

He did indeed try to pull back to cut my hand. The blade didn't budge from my grip though, nor did it cut my hand. One of the few tricks Isidro had taught me during my time with him. He was a smith, and so he made rapiers.

"Your the only fool here Serpico. You see I have my strength, and my reflexes. All you have is your sad excuse of the title 'Prince'. Your not fit to rule, nor even fit to be a jesture. Don't ever come near Shinoa again. Got that?" I told him, swinging Eden into the side of his rapier, effectively smashing it to smithereens.

"You lose Serpico. Now get out of my sight." I said, sheathing Eden and turning away.

The moon had begun to rise and I stepped towards Shinoa. Everyone was in total shock and awe.

"Looks like he hopefully won't be bothering you again." I said, taking Shinoa's hand.

"Thanks for that Halflight, but is your hand alright?" She asked, concerned.

"I'm fine. Just a little stressed and tired."

"Then lets go to bed, cuddle, and sleep, my darling."

"Is that my new nickname?" I asked with a grin.

"Heh, you guessed it." She replied, smiling.

"Alright then, let's do that."