The inner duel

LOREN POV

The next morning, when I woke up, nate was still asleep. It was already dawn, he was still sleeping soundly however waking up to see a black mask really startled me. I hope he's breathing well.

Later on,igot back to my room, dibengi was already awake.

"You stayed there overnight?",he asked worriedly.

I glanced at him as i remove my clothes, "yes, and you woke up early".

"I didn't sleep. you stayed overnight at a prince house, I know he's your friend but he is still a prince, it is highly inappropriate and the inner duel is coming up, are you even practicing!!?".

I chuckled," yes mother",I reassured him.

Dibengi sat up abruptly,"What?mother?who's your mother?!".

"Let's have one on one sword fight this evening",I suggested.

"Perfect!,it's been long",he said.

" Who is the one making noise this early",vitskit said with a sleepy voice.

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It was the first day of the sword fight In the palace.The king,consorts, concubines and the courtiers residing in the capital were present.

The unknown warriors against the golden horse new entries.

The unknown warriors wore white while the golden horse wore black.

Loren, dibengi,non and vitskit,walked together in the same pace.

"Today,we will show them our talents,the unknown warriors are not a joke and we won't be put to shame",non said boldly.

"Our training won't go to waste",dibengi said as he glanced at them.

"Okay,but why are we walking in a slow motion?",vitskit asked looking confused.

"To look cool,our younger one",dibengi smiled.

" A crazy horse is on the loose, watch out! ",a guard yelled.

Loren, dibengi, non and vitskit saw the horse coming their way so they separated and ran.

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The golden horse warriors were sixty, do on the first day, they fought against themselves. Killing was not allowed but injury was allowed. A person can win if the opponent is gives up or he goes off the arena.Girls and boys fought in the same arena.girl and a boy or boy and a boy or girl and a girl can fight, depending of the plaque one drew.

The first day,40 remained. The next day 4 golden horse fought against themselves,then they were remaining 36 which was the same as the unknown warriors.Then they fought against each other,it was remaining 36 unknown warriors and 20 golden horse.it was twenty against twenty.

The next day it was 16 against 16,after they fought,it was remaining 20 unknown and 20 golden horse.

People they failed watched as others fought,they whispered within themselves,they didn't know who will win.

The next day,it was 16against 16,after they fought,it was remaining 10 unknown warriors and 14 golden horse.

The next day,it was 10 against 10.After they fought,it was remaining 9 unknown warriors and 5 golden horse warriors.

The next day it was 5 against 5.After they fought,it was remaining 5 unknown warriors and 4 golden horse warriors.since the number where unequal,two unknown warriors had to fight against themselves.The plaque was drawn and vitskit had to fight with one person.He won,then the number were equal.4 against 4.And it was all for that day.The people from unknown who remained were non,dibengi,loren and vitskit.

IN THE NIGHT

Loren practiced his swordplay at night with the air as his opponent.

Then dibengi sneak attacked from his back but loren climbed the wall and backflipped.

Dibengi smiled at the corner of his lips,"smart move,but how can you block my other moves?".

Loren smirked, spinned his sword and held it firmly," show me what you can do,dibengi".

Dibengi turned to him and yelled as he rushed to thrust his sword at loren.

Loren blocked it with his sword against dibengi's.They smiled to themselves at kept thrusting and parrying each other.

Some unknown warriors and golden horses came to watch them as they practiced.

Loren and dibengi showed different skills,and the warriors were in awe.

" What if they fight each other, tommorow",one said to the other.

They practiced till when they were tired and they slept.

THEY NEXT DAY

They drew the plaques and vitskit started first but failed.non was second ,he fought well but failed because he mistakenly went off the arena.

It was remaining,loren,dibengi and four golden horse warriors.

The golden horse warriors fought between themselves to be equal to the unknown warriors.

It was two against two now.Dibengi fought and won.

Then it was loren's turn.The unknown had their hopes on him.

"Loren sorock,right?",the golden warrior asked.

He was known as the ruthless dog of the golden warriors, he's 20 years of age.

Loren held his scabbard in front of him and unsheathed it slowly and threw it to dibengi and he caught it.

Loren smiled,"yes I am,but as for who you are,I don't know".

The golden warrior unsheathed his sword,"I am_".

Loren cut him off,"forgive me senior,but I didn't ask you to introduce yourself,shall we dance!".

The golden horse warrior frowned and thrust his sword ruthlessly at loren periodically and loren was blocking as much as he could.

Both loren and the golden warrior were injured,but loren was the most injured.He was bleeding from different places but he still carried on.

The golden horse warrior thrust his sword to attack him from below but he jumped,held the the golden horse warrior shoulder and landed behind the warrior still parrying the trust of the golden horse warrior.

Loren was in pain due to the cuts, especially the one on his arm.He was losing blood.

The other warrior was also injured,he collapsed on the ground from the pain and blood he was also losing.

It was assumed loren won since he was still standing.loren held his arm,holding the pain and he waited for the bell to be rung since the other person gave up.

Loren was breathing heavily and he crouched.

Nate was scared as he watched loren but wasn't able to do anything because the match wasn't over.

Then suddenly the golden warrior hit him with a heavy kick at his back and loren rolled on the arena in pain but he didn't cross the line.

And as he tried to stand up,the golden warrior thrust his sword the same place that he was injured in the war.

He screamed in pain as he fell to the ground.

And the bell  rung to declare the golden warrior the winner.

Nate panicked from where he sat.

A guard went to call the the physician.

The unknown warriors whispered among themselves.

"It's not fair,why ring the bell now!", dibengi yelled.

"Who is the one that spoke rudely in front of the royals and the noble officials,not respecting his majesty!",the chief of palace guards yelled.

Dibengi knelt in the king's direction and bowed," I am dibengi!".

The king did not say anything.

" You arrogant peasant!" ,how dare you!",the chief yelled."The golden horse warrior didn't say he gave up,your friend just didn't understand the rules!".

"And neither did I!,and didn't the bell ringer understand the rules!" .

Everybody turned and saw loren trying to stand up with pain.

"I never give up!,I am LOREN SOROCK!",loren yelled.

The royal advisor frowned," you refuse to give up and take care of yourself,right now even if you die,the golden warrior will still be qualified,your life is in your hands,the duel begins!".

Loren clenched his fist,and he dragged his sword as he walked,then he ran and thrust his sword at his opponent.

Thrusting his sword recklessly,he kicked his opponent on his front repeatedly and the opponent fell off from the arena.

Loren glared at his opponent,still bleeding.

"The bell! ",loren glared at the bell ringer.

The bell rang,and he won.

Nate rushed to where loren was and held  him because he almost fainted,"you're bleeding",he said as his breath shook.

"we should call a physician",dibengi said as he panicked.

" I am a physician,I will treat him",nate looked at some guards," quick help him inside my carriage,we are going to my residence".

Loren smiled," your highness,I am fine,I am loren so_".

" Oh shut up",nate carried him to his carriage as he tried to  stop the bleeding.

"The duel between dibengi and loren will be in seven days",the chief guard announced.