Chapter 13: Valor

Night has befallen and most of the population gathered in the small but big enough colosseum-styled arena, a place events and games are usually held, but today a contest of combat is held.

The seats in the arena weren't too different from a regular game stadium. The ring is an oval and a greater area yet separated from the area by a gap.

In the middle of the ring displayed a young lady with hazel eyes and long blonde hair that were braided in twin tails. She wears a black strapped top with lots of frills, ribbons, and hearts, blue short shorts, black and white striped stock and black boots, she also bears lots of flora tattoo in her skin.

"Ladies and gentlemen, The Luciana's Gladiator Match is now underway!"

With the girl's cheery announcement, some of the crowd in the arena loudly cheered.

"I am your cute trusty announcer Abigail Hart." She chirped with her hand raised.

"And I am here to present you a treat of carnage, violence and bloodshed as our contenders struggle for dominance to claw their way to victory."

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Meanwhile Alex stood in the shadows, running his whetstone along the blade.

"What are you thinking? I get you're trying to protect her but if you lose this match, he'll humiliate you and never let all of Luciana forget." Miriam scolded.

"I fought foes greater than him. And besides, it will be all the more reason for him to leave us alone" Alex simply said with his eyes narrowed.

"That's not what I mean. His mastery of the spear and lightning speed is unrivaled, I rarely seen anyone touch him."

"I got a little trick in mind, he won't be an issue."

"So you have a plan?"

"I do." Alex answers with absolute certainty.

"All this just to protect the girl, but I know you're too proud to admit that...unless there's more to it is there?"

Alex stayed silent for a moment before answering her. "Miriam why does the dead receive more flowers than the living?"

Moment of silence befell and Miriam could not say a word. Before she could, two people entered and she took the hunt that this conversation ends.

"Just be careful." Miriam worded before she left. The two people that were Lana and Naomi.

"Heya! How you doing?" Lana asked.

"I'm fine. Waited long enough to put this guy into the ground."

"You don't have to this for me. I could take care of myself."

"Then why hasn't he left you alone?" He countered.

"Ok you got me there. But if it gets tough I could pitch in with you. I may be a healer but I pack more of a punch." She offered.

"I appreciate the offer, but this is something I have to do myself. If I show that I can outmatch him, then it'll shut him up for good."

"I just don't like the idea of you going in alone."

Alex put his hands on her cheeks.

"Do you trust me?"

Alex's red eyes stared at her green eyes. Lana resisted the urge to blush given that they're this close, but she sees the seriousness in his eyes, and she had to relent.

"I do."

"Then I need you to tell me you have faith in me."

Lana stay silent for a while before finally giving her answer.

"Alright, I have faith in you. I'll cheered you on."

Alex let up a small smile. "Thank you. Now go, my match is about to start."

Lana nodded before she left with her guardian, but not before Naomi stayed to say something to him.

"I guess you're not as bad as I thought, going through all this for her. Make sure that bastard gets what he deserves."

Alex nodded before she left. He could hear crowd cheering and Alex gave a sigh.

"Let's get this over with."

He took his scythe-rifle and proceeded to the waiting area.

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The spectator seats encircling the ring below were alive with electrifying energy, the swarms of most of the gathered townsfolk, including Lana herself, were either talking, cheering or just plain shouting.

The duels between hunters wasn't always this lively, but most of the townsfolk gathered because this duel held a special case. Charles' pompousness and narcissism is no secret, but this is also a debut of the mysterious hunter that came to their city.

"Alright folks, it's time for the match to begin."

"In the east corner is the son of the noble soon-to-be mayor of Luciana, the galiant Charles Mane!"

On one end of the oval's ring, Charles stepped up with his head held high and a golden spear in his hand along with a grin.

He twirled his spear, creating lightning sparks before ending it with a pose. While some had cheered, there were some who just applauded, for it would seem they favor his downfall.

"And from the west corner is an interesting opponent: a mysterious stranger who killed the monsters on his first appearance in the city, then lives in the shadows who slays the monsters at night, the Night Hunter, Alex Crowe!"

Alex stepped forward onto the ring and the cheers broke out, and of course, Lana joined the cheering. Some had yelled, encouraging him to beat Charles.

Charles stood opposite him, staring him down with a smug on his face, confident that he would win. While through it all, Alex kept his eyes focused forward and his expression taut.

"I know I'm the least favored of Luciana, but I know I'm going to beat you."

Alex said nothing in response, instead he enters a combat.

Charles flashed a grin before doing the same.

"Alright everyone! With our fighters assembled, the time has come!" Abigail declared proudly.

Alex and Charles stared at each other with intent, deciding on their first moves.

"Ready... FIGHT!!!"

Alex makes the first move by sprinting towards Charles and jumps in the air ready to strike him. Charles only flashed a smirk which only made Alex angry and descended with the blade aimed at him and just when he was about to touch him.

"Whoa there." Charles exclaimed as he sidestepped with a flashing speed, leaving lightning trails.

Alex had stabbed the ground as he finishes his first attack, then he then pulls the trigger. But nothing happened, not a single shot. He then proceeds to continue his assault against Charles, who dodges his attacks with literal lightning speeds.

"So slow!" Charles taunts as he dodges his attacks with ease.

Alex finishes his sequence of attacks with a stab to the ground and pulls the trigger, which nothing happens again, and charges at him again. Every swing Alex makes, Charles dodges them with literal lightning speeds, all while throw a barrage of insults.

"Where did you learn to swing!"

"Slow as a turtle!"

"I should slow down but that wouldn't make me look good."

But every one among those swings, Alex had been repeating the same routines. Stab the ground, pull the trigger, nothing happens, move on and repeat.

"Alex Crowe keeps trying to attack but Charles Mane keeps dodging him with ease. Doesn't he realize he can't catch the lightning?" Abigail commentated.

"You know you're starting to bore me, and I'm unmotivated to trash like you, so let's make this interesting." Charles says while Alex halts, gripping his rifle in case he tries anything.

"If you win, I'll stay away from Lana, if I win, Not only you stay away from Lana, but you'll also grovel at my feet for the rest of your life." Said Charles with his insufferable smirk.

"She is not a prize to be won." Alex grimaced.

"Then you forfeit?"

"No, I just want you to shut up." Alex drew out his scythe-rifle and entered a combat stance.

"Very well, have at you."

Alex charge once more, but as he overhead slashes at him, Charles dashes away with lightning speed. Alex's blade stabbed the ground and pulls the trigger again then looked at Charles at all directions.

It wasn't dashes anymore, Charles is running around so fast that he becomes a yellow blur leaving lightning trails.

"Still think you can catch me?" He taunted.

Alex tries to lock his sights at him but that prove difficult. But then suddenly he felt a spike of pain in the back of his leg, which he yelped.

Charles stops in his tracks, and twirls his spear, which had blood on the blade.

"Did that hurt? Maybe I should consider slowing down." He mocked.

Alex remained unwavered, he stands up, using the rifle as a crutch and shrugs off the pain.

Charles only winced at this relentless display. "You are really annoying me."

Charles lunges foward with speed. Alex brings up in rifle to block the attack, then Charles horizontally swings which Alex jumps back, but Charles chases him with a barrage of stabs. Alex did his best to block and dodge but some went through his defenses and grazed him. Charles then finishes up with a hard thrust which Alex block but was push back, sending him flying and crashing to the ground.

Charles' expression turns from cockiness to irritation. "How long are you going to continue this pathetic farce?!"

Alex got up on his one knee with his rifle used as a crutch. But then he did what anyone didn't expect him to do.

He cackled.

"What's so damn funny?" Charles demanded.

"Fool. I wasn't aiming for you." Alex said, right before he push a mechanism with his rifle.

Then all of the sudden, red light glows underneath Charles' feet, along with everywhere else in the ring. And just before Charles and the audience realize what was going on, they exploded. Charles yelped and was sent flying straight to Alex, who wasted no time to catch him by the face and slams him to the ground, leaving a crater on his fall due to his inhuman strength. Before Charles could process it, Alex stabbed his blade into Charles' leg, earning a scream from him. Alex removes his weapon and Charles immediately clutched his injured leg.

"Holy crap! Do you see that? Alex really got him! But where did those explosions come from?!" Abigail cried with a surprised look.

Miriam was among the spectators and the whole time, she noticed what he was doing. Every single time Alex stabs the ground, he changed his shots. Instead of firing bullets, it acts like a mine. He had been planting them all over the ring so he would detonate them if Charles stands on them.

"There! Now you can't run, or dodge my attacks." Alex said coldly.

In that moment, Charles could feel it, like had awaken within the pale hunter the moment his prey is now within his reach. He felt coldness in his spine and his hairs on his skin standing up. He looked at Alex's face, his scowl prominent but his red eyes brimmed with murderous intent.

Charles gets up and tries to speed away, but halfway through, he tripped and crashed back to the ground. The injury in his leg had restricted him from escaping.

Charles looked back Alex walking to him with murderous intent made him froze in fear. Alex points the barrel at his face.

"Yield, you'll lose this fight conscious or unconscious."

Charles' heart beats faster. He had never met anyone whose mere sight of him can be deadly.

"Yield, final warning." Alex growled, pressing his barrel further.

"OKAY I YIELD! I YIELD! JUST DON'T KILL ME!" Charles yelled subconsciously.

Then the buzzer sounded through the speakers. "Then the match is over. The winner is Alex Crowe!" Abigail the commentator's voice boomed, followed by the spectators of the arena erupted with roars of cheers.

"Amazing!" Abigail lauded through the speakers. "Alex had outsmarted the fastest fighter of Luciana."

The stands were alive with acclimation, even Lana joined in on the cheering while Naomi clapped.

Alex dismisses his weapon and turns around without paying mind to the cheers around him. Just when he was about to leave, he paused and looked at Lana. She smiles in congratulations which Alex slowly returns with a small smile of his own.

Charles had his head hung low, contemplating on what just happened.

'How?...How could I... surrender...?' had played in his mind over and over.

Charles' clear weakness was his ego. He held his standards too high, thinking he had the power to dominate and get what he wanted. He questioned what he felt when he face the pale teen in black, and his fear won out. He surrendered without even realizing.

Now that his ego was threatened, he could not stand a single day remembering it. His face turned to anger, mustered all his strength, and grabbed his spear.

"Where are you going?! I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU!!!" Charles roared as he pushes himself to lunge.

Despite using his lightning speed, he's still slow due to the wound in his leg, but he chose to ignore the pain and pressed on.

Lana became alarmed with Charles' sudden action. "Alex look out!" She yelled, hoping he would hear.

Even if he didn't, Alex is already aware. Time seemed to slow down from perspective, but Alex pulled his rifle out and aimed at Charles as he gets closer.

But just before Charles thrust his spear and Alex pulls the trigger, Charles was struck by yellow lightning from out of nowhere, blind to attack and screamed. His shriek died down and fell unconscious.

Alex became dumbfounded and looked at the source of that lightning. He saw a man with long-combed blonde hair with matching beard, tan skin and blue eyes, his expression signifies that he's not happy. He also wears a brown suit with matching furcoat, his hand extended with lightning sparks before they died. Alex became perplexed yet kept his aim at him in case he tries anything, which Mane gave him an undaunting threatening look, yet he seems to understand that the pale teen would only attack if given a reason to, which he respects.

It's not just Alex. The mayoral candidate making his appearance had surprised everyone in the arena, but half of them were nervous that he came at the bad time. It was even awkward at the fact they cheered for his son's downfall.

"Mr. Mane, what a surprise that you would be, it's not like we were to rough with son or anything hehe." Abigail glammered nervously when she sees him approacing her.

Unexpectedly, he took the mic from her and makes his say. "I hope you're all entertained. Because I shall take responsibility for my son's actions. You may rest easy, and that is all."

Another surprise hits the audience like a bullet. Never had they expected an apology from him of all people, even if he has a unique way of saying it.

He gives the mic back to Abigail and walks over to pick up unconscious Charles.

Then Miriam enters the ring. "I'm surprised you're considerate, given most of us betted your son to lose."

Mane slings his son on his shoulder and faced Miriam with a serious look.

"You deemed I think highly of myself as my son. But unlike my son, I want to earn it without having any doubts. What he did goes against what I believe in."

"Henry." Miriam mumbled. She almost wanted to believe it, that there's wisdom underneath that moxie she knew he had.

"But mark my words, Miriam. Luciana will be mine."

He walks away with his son on towed, but not before he stopped and face Alex, had his weapon down but gripped tightly.

"Night Hunter was it? Do not relish this victory too much. He only lost to you because his arrogance blinds him. I would not be the same way should you face me."

Alex only nodded in response as walks away. Some of Charles' traits were visible, but compared to his son, he seems more respectable and reasonable. Even more surprised that someone like him would have something to believe in.

"This has been quite eventful night. But the fight has been concluded. I am Abigail Hart and this is you cute, budding announcer saying Goodnight and live wonderful!!!"

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(Timeskip)

When the duel was over, everyone packed it and called it a day.

Lana had accompanied Alex back into the bell tower of the abandoned church where he has taken residence.

He's currently sitting on his sleeping mat, shirtless save for his black pants and grey boots, while Lana's using her magic to heal his wounds from the fight. He could just heal on his own but knowing her stubbornness, he allowed her.

He noticed that Lana was flustered the whole time because of his bare physique filled, he's well-toned despite the skinny build, along with a lone scar on his chest. He finds it all little bit amusing but paid no mind.

Then the green glow had faded with his wounds healed.

"There! All done! Ahem!" She says in relief while composing herself.

"I could just heal on my own, but you still have my thanks." Alex admitted while putting on a black shirt.

"Well, it is the least I could do for my knight in shining armor." Lana chimed with the emphasis on the last part.

"I don't make a good knight." He grimaced.

"But you do seem to have a knack for it though, it's almost as if you've done this sort of thing before."

Alex remained silent. She has no idea how true that is, and how it ended.

"Whatever. At least I won't have to hear from that guy's narcissism." He huffs, looking out the night sky.

Moments passed, she joined him in his gaze on the town. Feeling the breeze, Alex exhaled in a relaxed state.

"I don't think what it is." Lana mutters, breaking the silence.

Alex turned away and faced her. "What do you mean by that?" He asked.

"Your reason for standing for me. You know what I think? I think you protected me out of regret. Like you're trying to make up for something you failed at."

Alex stiffened in shock. He had tried deny the subject in hopes she wouldn't press further, but he didn't expect her to hit him where it hurts. Seeing no point in avoiding this, he may as well bare it. He gave her trust anyway.

"You're right. This isn't the first time I protect someone."

"Oh, so there is someone?" He now got her attention.

"Her name was Melanie, she was my first girlfriend."

"I didn't know you had a girlfriend."

"When we were young, my family moved in a town where few would accept us, a town where you became one with everybody. But I was never the type to fall in line, so they shunned me and my family. Melanie was the first to accept me, she admired my rebellious way and my passions, we became friends and eventually became more. As we grew, we were treated as outcasts, I swore I would protect us, protect her...."

Lana had become engrossed to his story, but his mood became somber.

"...but it didn't matter anymore...she died...I kept fighting to protect the people...but in the end, I couldn't save her, I couldn't save my family."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." Lana apologized.

"It's fine. When I left my home, I found I didn't care anymore. I stopped caring so I would never feel that pain again."

Lana had to process. She thought his brooding loner was an act at first, but now she really felt bad for him.

Then Alex's power began to flux. His right hand glowed red and a red orb appeared floating on his palm. But the orb didn't have any black tinges, it was bright and brimming with gentleness. Having an idea popped up in his head, he would give Lana a show. He levitated the orb and it slowly moved forward and stopping at a certain distance. He waved his hands to create a separation gesture, then the orb exploded, multiplying into more red orbs. Feeling from his heart, he manipulated the orbs to move in a synchronized flow, leaving a streaming trail as they go.

Lana was awestruck at the soothing lightshow, she became so amazed. Alex smirked a little as he pulled all the orbs together then expanded, the shining red light surrounded them like stars. Her expression tells as if she drifted into a dream.

He noticed the atmosphere wasn't getting hot, then they both looked at each other and she look was bedridden with joy. Alex on the other is in awe, he noticed how beautiful she looked under the moonlight.

He noticed her leaning towards him slowly, it seems she too recognized the air around and decided to go for it.

Alex had conflicted whether he should take it or not, if he's deserving of it. Despite his thoughts telling him that he shouldn't, he found that he could no longer deny her and gave in.

He slowly leans closer until finally, their eyes closed and their lips meet in a warm, gentle kiss. Alex had forgotten this feeling, the longing of warmth and passion, and Lana could feel the same. They remained that way for more seconds until they had to break away for air.

Alex slowly opens his eyes, "Lana, I..." Alex trails off.

She responds by putting her finger on his lips.

"I don't think you really stopped caring. I think you were just hurting that you convinced yourself you stopped caring. But whether you see it or not, you care for me, and you never stopped fighting for that you cared. I knew there was something I like about you, since the moment we met."

Alex had to contemplate her love, he didn't expect to have earned her affections he knows he couldn't deserve, but deep down he knew that wasn't his choice to make.

"If you would have me, then I swear to you I would always be there for you." Alex says, placing his hand on her cheek.

Lana slowly smiles as she feels his hand, "I know you will." She says.

They decide to have one more kiss while they still can. Alex knew...

...he had truly fallen for her.

What the two don't notice is a mist made of darkness with glowing purple eyes leering a from the rooftop at a mere distances, watch them them for a moment before it takes off into the shadows.