The God of Victory and the Prince of Blood (TodoBaku/BakuTodo)

Victor

The midnight moonlight illuminates the land which was chosen for the duel by the court. Plain solid ground surrounded by tall stony walls in the middle of forest. Probably to prevent the wolf from running away. But Shouto knows better… the wolf warrior has no intention of running. It’s quite the opposite, he is in it for the fight. The wild light in those crimson eyes promised him such.

He is not backing down that easily either. He is going to give it his all no matter what the outcome going to be. He is going to honor his comrades’ names by giving it all he had.

He refused to meet Yaoyorozu’s eyes after the gathering and went straight to prepare himself for the upcoming duel in few hours.

Taking his royal long silver sword and two hidden short blades in his sleeves, he puts on his armor and covers his ruined arm with a pair of long leather wristbands.

With the last look at the big mirror on the wall and adjusting his appearance, he goes out of his room saying farewell to the good and bad memories that this place held in itself, in his head. Especially the ones with his mother. After tonight he might be able to see her again if the promise of the afterlife was true for his already dead body and soul.

“My prince!”

The familiar worried voice makes him stop on his track. Yaoyorozu catches up to him before he can make his way out of the castle.

“My prince you don’t have to go. Your body is weakened severely. You have no chance against that monster. Please reconsider my lord. The men have received the blood and are recovering rapidly. There are begging you to not sacrifice yourself for their sake.”

He stands there for a moment deciding against turning around to face the tearful knight behind him.

“Are you asking me to crawl away in fear of death Yaoyorozu? It that how you see me?”

The black haired woman is taken off-guard by the Prince’s question.

“No, that wasn’t what I meant.”

“Then are you asking me to step over my dignity by not holding my end of the deal and give the beast the chance to humiliate me even further by calling me a coward that can’t even fight for his people when they need him the most and has wasted all of their sacrifices to save his own pitiful life?”

The knight breaks down in sobs.

“No, I… I didn’t…”

“Don’t worry Yaoyorozu. Even if it is my end I have no intention of running away from it.” There is a pause as the sobbing sound makes the prince’s heart ache in his chest. He couldn’t turn around to add more guilt to his already full hands. So he continues in his most reassuring tone. “It is better to die as a hero than live as a coward.”

With that the prince has walked away and towards the chosen battle ground, leaving his royal guard starring at his back with eyes full of tears.

And now under the bright moonlight he stands on the edge of the stony walls surrounding the field of his last battle, staring at the wild mass of the giant wolf on the other side of the field looking up at him with expectant eyes. It was as terrifying as it was beautiful. He swings his sword in his hand and leaps down the edge.

“You ready to get down on your knees and beg for your life?”

He hears a deep growling voice coming from the wolf’s throat.

Unpleasant as every time that the wolf has opened his mouth to say something to him.

“Shut up beast. I will fight with my last dying breath but I will never kneel in front of you nor beg for my life.”