Chapter 2: The Long Fought Duel

5 years ago...

In the Yornald Palace's garden, sword's clashing sound could be heard clearly from far distant, the sound could be recognized as the duel between Halius and Pelot. This is none ordinary duel but a training, Pelot logically was on the upper hand during this duel, Halius's stamina rapidly burnt out yet Pelot sturdily stood there and no breath could be spotted from him. Halius's lacked stamina and led him on his knees with a heavily pant.

"Such high name, yet low composition. Even you become a king, it would only lead to its own demise. You shown none you are capable of."

Pelot menacingly stare at Halius with a bitter and serious tone. Halius tilted his up and displayed an anguished face with tears around his eyes. He replied with snuffing,

"It is not fair! You are suppose to train me! Not oppose me as my opponent! You must be just some random guy my father hired to torture! Why does he desires to devastate my mind-set, my belief. My brothers receive the special treatments while I was suffering through difference devilish training! It was not fair!"

His teardrops exploded through the air as he ferociously shouted at Pelot.

"This is not fair!"

He lowered his head as he agonizingly sobbing.

"Fair? Such word never existed, it only existed through your vulnerable mind-set of yours, forged it with envy and jealousy. Anguish yet envy mind-set of yours, only led yourself to crumple. You needn't fairness to overthrow the opponent. Weak against the brute force, how about outwit their play?"

"Outwit?" Halius responded with a curiosity voice of his, as Pelot continued with a grin,

"During the rule under King Tornald, a war commenced out of nowhere between Kingdom Torona and Yornald. This war was nothing but the greed affection of Kingdom Torana against Kingdom Yornald's rich resources. Objective of conquering Kingdom Yornald was none other than the riches in resources, industrials and markets. Kingdom Torana doubtlessly thought of having immensely superior advance weapons, sieges, and magics. Kingdom Yornald was left no matched against him."

"At the beginning of the war, Kingdom Yornald was in great danger. But in the end, wits of King Yornald already took a step ahead. A sly move of king Tornald exterminated King of Torana by the assassination from his own general. The spy was sent by King Yornald before the war commenced. The assassination may exchange King's live for victory but his also costed the spy's live. It was never born to be fair, the others celebrate while the spy sacrificed his own lives for the greater good. All this year of his doing just ended right there, the years of grieving, the years trying and finally he met his soulmate yet became the general of King Torana but for what cost? He was never meant to enjoy his own life, as he was elected to be ultimatum by King Yornald. He could just choose to run away and disappear without traces. But it was his decision, he knew fairness was never existed, the life of a kingdom was all under his control. One sacrifice could save thousand of lives from the bloodshed. This also meant that King Torana was never fair when against King Yornald. So fairness is only a delusional but your goal is what really matter. So what is the goal you want?! Remains weak? Continuously put the blame on fairness? So it is the time to prove your worth, Halius!"

Halius quickly wept his tears, he gazed at Pelot as Pelot gradually bestowed his hand toward Halius with a faint smile. Halius immediately switched his mood from distressed to confident. He grasped Pelot's hand and stood back on his feet, he triumphantly responded,

"I am going to be King no matter what! I will become something others wont believe! I am going to be better than anyone else my brothers even my father himself!"

Such confident words came out from Helius's mouth touched Pelot. Pelot replied with a genuinely smile on his face. Both of continue to clash their sword with each other till the King Pernald, Halius's father arrived and watch their training. The serious look of King Pernald somehow made Halius uneasy and losing his ground once again. Pelot then realized King Pernald was watching their duel as he knelt down and responded,

"Good evening, your highness."

King Pernald informed Pelot to stand with a gesture of his hand. King Pernald advanced toward Pelot and asked him for a private conversation. Halius was confused by his father sudden approach and yelled,

"Father, we are in the middle of training, don't interrupt my training."

"Silence Halius, your opinions are none compared to your father's desire."

King Pernald replied with his anguished tone. Halius was silently left standing at the garden as he clenching his sword tightly. Halius was holding a grudge towards his father for disrupting his personal life. After a private conversation with King Pernald, Pelot returned to Halius who was sitting on a bench with a displeased appearance. A toneless voice questioned Pelot,

"What did my father say to you? Another demand?"

"It is no demand or obligation. Our training is over, Halius. There is nothing you can learn from me anymore."

Halius was shocked by unforeseen answer from Pelot and relentlessly replied,

"Is it my father again?! The tortures he designated on me wasn't enough, the great pain I suffered from such training, yet destroy by his filthy demand. I demanded you to proceed our training."

"Enough Halius! It was not your father demand or request, it was mine motion to drop such training."

"What do you mean your motion?! You are just as delusion as my father is! Unless you are forced to speak such words to cover that filthy King!"

"Stop criticizing about your father Halius, your father is a great ruler of Yornald. You shouldn't hold such grudge against him instead learn from him! I am departing for good, as for your journey to become a king, Halius. Good luck."

Prince Halius was left there filled with hatred and despair. Then Pelot repsonded,

"It is not your fault for the hatred you had on him, he was just tried to improve your capability throughout the future. I am no one but fulfilling his task. The truth about you is you have no reason to rely on me, because you will find a way anyway, Halius. You are the smartest after all."

Halius remained silence as Pelot casually departed from him. He clenched his fist, as his hatred toward his father remained. Halius gazed at the sky, he murmured,

"I am the smartest huh... , vanquish your enemy with wits?" He ended the sentence with a desperate laugh of his.

"The hell I could..."

The next year a funeral ceremony was held at Kingdom Yornald, in memory of the fallen of King Pernald himself.

"He was once our merciful and mighty ruler, our guidance, our king. He shown mercy toward lawbreakers; he empathize the refugees; he protected us with the force of warriors that stronger than ever. The fall of our King may brought sorrow to us, dread toward the destiny of our Kingdom but fear not, as the blood flow from our king, one of these three princes may bring us a great destiny to our kingdom! A new will arise, as the old will fall. Now, a moment of silence for the loss of our all mighty King Pernald himself. To honor his guidance and benevolence."

Funeral ceremony of King Pernald concluded, residence of Yornald dismissed with grief and sorrow. Three princes left aside by the grave of their father's at the memorial of kings, Halius, Jornald, and Pernald II.

"The decease of our father vaguely reunited us isn't it, the converge of ours was as rare as hens' teeth." -Jornald

"The intention of my toward the converge doesn't applied. It was improvised." -Pernald II

"We are adversary of King after all, the none appreciation of yours toward this converge was unexceptional." -Jornald

"Halius in the other hand, prospect of becoming king is highly exceptional. " Pernald II mentioned and grinned with ease. Jornald responded follow by a belittle laugh of his. Halius wickedly laughed as he answered,

"Me? Exceptional? Buffoon intellectual of yours, simply abated the prospect of becoming a king." Halius replied.

"Buffoon intellectual of ours? Your weak doesn't oblige the right of such speech, intellectual of yours was none comparable as a donkey. The strengths of yours was none comparable as an insect. For what qualification of yours allowed you to renounce us." Pernald II ferociously retorted.

Halius wickedly laughed as he casually took his leave. He unconditionally added,

"A kindly reminder of mine, brothers. Undervalued of someone led nothing, but vanquish."

Both Pernald II and Jornald apprehensively gazed at Halius as he casually took his leave.

A moment of stroll later, Halius was on the route to return his room located in castle, a familiar deep tone voice burst out from the shadow at the side of the corridor,

"The demise of King, is it your doing Halius?"

"The words of yours doesn't conveyed anything to me." as Halius turn toward the mysterious yet familiar voice.

"Regicide, as I recalled. Halius, such imprudent act may led to a demise of yours. A penalty of death."

"Unbelievable accusation I received. I demand evidence for such accusation, Pelot."

The mysterious man concealed in the shadow was none other than Pelot himself.

"I obtained none evidence, but witness. So stop deceiving the truth Halius, I demand an answer!"

"It was none imprudent act but an act of catalyze." he responded then added,

"As your witnessed, father of mine was gravely ill during that period. It was just a matter of time for his own demise. What I have done was nothing but to catalyze the relieves of his suffering and agony. If it is none of my action, a leak information of an ill king could undoubtedly attracted war declaration from the invaders, as the kingdom may competently vanquish. So, I wouldn't prefer the act of my as regicide but a wise decision."

"I don't fancy the answers of yours. You have none desire to catalyze disclosure of your father's suffering but a catalyze to attain a selfish desire of yours, the desire of none other than reign as a new King of Yornald."

"Though it may seem unlikely to you Pelot. But still, it was your perspective Pelot, not mine..."

"I believe our conversation was concluded here Pelot, I have an important matter to attend. I will be looking forward to our next conversation, Pelot."

"I intent not. You've changed, Halius."

"It is because you taught well Pelot..." as Halius turned and waved farewell from back of his as he left. Pelot was left silently glared at Halius's back and regretted his lesson toward Halius.

A week before the reign of new kings, Pernald II was killed by the bandits during the journey to establish a mission of renewal of non-aggression agreement with the neighbor kingdom. In the other hand, Jornald was abnormally resigned from reigning as a new ruler of Yornald. After a week, the reign of new ruler was none other than Halius himself.

After the ceremony of the new ruler, the contact between Halius and Pelot once occurred.

"It's been awhile since we met, Pelot."

"I have none intention to meet you, Halius."

"I believe the address of mine is amended as King Halius, Pelot."

"I have no desire to address you as King, Halius. You are not qualified enough to allow me bestow you as a my King."

"Suit yourself, Pelot. Since it was your lesson who led me to triumphant. It was an honor to be your student, Pelot. You have my gratitude."

"I need none of your gratitude and needless as my student. You are a failure, Halius."

"Failure? I am a successor, Pelot! I succeed what I desired, I become a King, all mighty ruler of Yornald!"

"The reign of yours does not applied as succeed but as cheat. You won under none circumstances of fair and square."

"Fair and square? It was your words Pelot! "Fair" is nothing but a delusion! You taught me to outwit my brothers and my fathers without applying the thought of "Fair"! Is it because who I am, Pelot?! You never wanted me to attain what I desired from the beginning. You wanted me to despair just like my father did to me is it?!"

"No, I was keen to witnessed your success, but not through the corrupted ways you manifested. To consider yourself as a successor of mine, you are wrong. After all, what I taught you was none other than a sword fight."

"Then I will challenge you to a duel! If I won you would respect me for who I am now! But if I lose you could disrespect me as much as you desire."

Pelot stared at Halius for awhile as he was hesitating for the duel. A moment of hesitation, Pelot accepted Halius's duel.

Back to night of the duel, the moon shine brighter than ever, illuminate the ponds with a soft moonlight. The bonfire around the coliseum was lit, crowd was surprisingly quiet than usual. The silence of crowd may because their concern for King Halius by challenging such monstrously powerful adventurer, Pelot. A moment of preparation later, both participant entered the arena with a dummy sword and a leather suit. Rules of the duel is simple, first to pinch down the other or first to unarmed his opponent wins the duel. The crowd were quiet, the breeze of wind was cold, both participant were grimly stared at each other.

"Unbelievable isn't it Pelot? The duel of ours continue..."

"But it is always one sided." Pelot responded.

"If I were you, I wont be as confident as you are now, Pelot. I trained and trained just to comply to this day."

"Prove it then."

The horn sounded,

As the Halius swiftly thrust toward Pelot chest with his sword as Pelot easily dodged it. Halius dash toward Pelot and ferociously swing his sword but none able to reach Pelot. Halius began to lose his stance as he is getting tired.

"You are as good as ever, Pelot." he spoke while panting harshly.

"Not exactly, you are just not capable to defeat me."

"But this time I will..." as Halius finished his sentence, Halius quickly changed into a stance. He then began chanting some words,

"Inheritance of sword style..."

He then thrust toward Pelot as he finishing his chant,

"Hundred Slashes"

Halius instantaneously slashed Pelot hundred of times. The crowd immediately went crazy by such move from Halius. But Pelot single handily deflected all the attack without a flinch. Halius was left shocked with his mouth agape as Pelot rapidly thrust toward Halius hit Halius right into his chest and pinched Halius down on the ground with his sword. The crowd lowered their excitement and brought up a face of unruffled as Halius lay flat on the ground leak out a sighed and indicated a smile of disappointment.

"You are right, it was a one sided match after all."

Pelot sheathed his sword and pulled Halius back up on his feet.

"Well trained and impressive trick you pulled."

"Not much of impressive when opponent is able to deflect single handily."

"About the contract, I may consider it. You did well back there."

Halius astonished by Pelot acceptation even though he lost the duel flawlessly. Halius responded with a relief and delighted tone,

"Very well, details of contract shall discuss in my palace. Your visitation will be expected, I will meet you there."

"All right."

As Pelot about took his leave, Kylie ran toward Pelot with a heartwarming smile on her face.

"You did it, Pelot."

Pelot contented by her smile as he gently pat on her head. They both departed from the coliseum while Halius gazed at sky and mumbling,

"I lost again... huh..."