Chapter 16

"Article 7 of the protocol of regulation of the legal duels: Any third person to the duel, noble and of higher or equal rank to the initiator of the duel, can intervene if it considers the stake of the duel too important and being able to cause a serious disorder with the intergalactic order, or then like calling into question the peaceful diplomatic relations between the planets members."

After an uninterrupted exchange that lasted more than ten minutes, the angel and the vampire walked away again. Everyone was holding their breath, both in the broadcasting room and in Yousmail's observation room. Inja had taken everyone by surprise, and while the guests expected her to be disarmed within seconds, she turned out to be the one who threatened Sao with defeat.

Yousmaïl, who didn't like the unexpected turn of events at all, frowned as she gripped the arm of her dark leather chair. Around her, the other guests who were watching the fight made their presence imperceptible. Her destructive aura had made the tension in the room more than palpable.

-----

In the fighting room, Sao and Inja were now staring each other down. Their first exchange had been decisive, and the angel felt that the vampire was now taking her seriously. Now the real battle began.

"I see you're not to be taken lightly," Sao agreed, her breath still short. "But don't worry, I haven't given it my all yet. It's not an angel that's going to get me in trouble. The fight ends here. I'll beat you quickly, there's no point in dragging this exchange out any longer."

The vampire looked into the angel's fiery eyes, impassive.

"Come, I'm waiting for you," she replied simply.

Ready to lunge again, Inja positioned herself defensively. This was where everything was at stake for her. She had to keep her promise to the young prince. If Sao raised her game, she would have to play it smart to keep the fight going.

According to her analysis, Sao was a natural energy user of the supportive category. She was therefore infusing her energy into her weapon to make it lighter, sharper and stronger. A common skill among fighters, but she had perfected its mastery by adapting it perfectly with her two daggers. The two short blades were a perfect extension of the vampire's arms. Her natural agility and dexterity made her a deadly fighter.

Without her gift of sensitivity, Inja would have been in great difficulty against an attacker of this type. She had all the assets to put the angel in a dangerous position, even if Inja herself was an outstanding fighter. There was no doubt that Sao was one of the elite Amadean guards. But faced with the angel's gift of predicting her every move to the nearest millisecond, her talent was greatly challenged. Paradoxically, the angel who seemed to have a disadvantage in close combat with her katana, turned out to be a perfect candidate for the close guard thanks to this coveted secret talent she possessed.

Knowing this, Inja felt confident that she had the upper hand and that the vampire would be unable to beat her if she went all out. And knowing this gave her the confidence to fight this fight. For while the guard was also only a supportive user of natural energy, she had been trained from a young age in combat and was also a member of the elite guard. And she would do anything for her prince.

As she made her mental assessment of the situation, the vampire in front of her had crossed her arms, her daggers forming a protruding X across her torso. A few seconds later, the vampire's eyes turned from yellow to bright red. Her daggers were in turn covered in a red aura that encompassed the blades in a flaming sheet.

Inja smiled, "The fury of the vampires!" she thought, slowly becoming excited. Her blood was boiling inside her veins. Finally, she could let off steam. She couldn't wait! It had been a while since she had had such an exciting exchange in the field! Diplomatic missions avoided confrontation as much as possible, which was a great source of frustration for her. Finally, she was going to be able to let go of her nature and give it her all in a dogfight. She who loved fighting so much needed to let off steam.

For a moment, the seconds ticked by with a delectable slowness, waiting for the fateful action. Holding their breath, the audience anxiously awaited the start of the confrontation, hanging on the carnivorous smile that Inja had allowed blooming on her lips, unable to hold back her thirst for sweat and blood any longer.

Without waiting any more, the two women threw themselves at each other with even greater speed than before. They split the air and left red and silver stripes, the only traces of their confrontation behind them, invisible because they were so fast.

----

In the broadcasting room, anxious murmurs ran through the room. Shocked by both the angel's proposal and the action on the broadcast screen, the neutral guests didn't know whether to panic or admire. They who had come in search of thrills and action to get them out of their long and boring stay on the demon homeworld for the most part found themselves completely overwhelmed by the turn of events.

In the center of the room, the great Emperor of Esethea looked down on the little angel from his full height. His gaze as dark as wet sand fixed on this being of no great stature who was returning his gaze with his beautiful emerald irises, he seemed to be in the grip of a major inner conflict. The angel had raised a point he couldn't ignore.

The protocol for the regulation of legal duels was a text appended to the treaty governing the practice of legal duels, a treaty adopted by the intergalactic organisation and whose adherence by member planets had been made compulsory by a vote of the intergalactic parliament. As a trading nation, Esethea hadn't taken a stand against the text itself but had remained neutral in order to maintain good relations with the demons, who were totally opposed to the ratification of the text.

Although the protocol itself had been little used, its legal force was not in doubt. But something was wrong. Something in the attitude of the prince who dared to confront him, a powerful member of the intergalactic nobility, without fear, was definitely not normal. Too many things weren't right. The fact that this little prince was accompanied by a guard possessing one of the rarest gifts in the intergalaxy, and powerful enough to challenge an elite vampire fighter. It was too much for a prince as unimportant as him.

Turning his gaze back to the screen, he continued to ponder, trying to put his finger on what he was missing in order to understand this situation. Before his eyes, a surprising battle was raging. The angel and the vampire were fighting with far more power than before. And unlike the first part of the fight, the vampire seemed to have the upper hand, without really putting the angel in trouble. It was hard to tell, but between the powerful blows the angel wasn't dodging and the dexterity the latter was showing to avoid the rest of the vampire's attacks, there seemed to be a fateful gap that the expert eye of the weapons dealer couldn't miss.

It was as if... she let herself be hit voluntarily between two powerful blows to her enemy. But what could this masquerade possibly lead to? What would the angel have to gain by using her gift to let her opponent take over intermittently? While giving the impression that she could not keep up when she was only playing with the speed of her opponent to limit the impact of the blows she took?

The emperor turned a complex gaze to the angel who was watching him with his serene green eyes, looking for an answer. Niris noticed his tugging at his heartstrings and took the opportunity to advance his plan. Everything was working perfectly for the moment. The only unknown he had to deal with was time. He didn't know how long Inja would last at this pace. He had to be quick.

"As you can see, the outcome of the fight is relatively clear," he insinuated with finesse. "The fact that Yousmail's guard is in a bad way isn't in doubt. A combat expert such as yourself would agree without difficulty, wouldn't you, Your Majesty?"

The emperor did not answer. The angel's tone was polite and respectful of the codes of diplomacy. He couldn't reproach him in that respect. But he could read in his eyes a sly hint of mischief that made his blood run cold. Why did he feel he was talking to a master of the art? Suddenly he had the strange feeling that the one he was talking to wasn't the one he was really facing. Once again, this feeling of dissonance in what he was seeing and hearing tugged at his heartstrings.

"It was only a matter of time before the denouement was played out. Wouldn't it be unfortunate if the outcome of this fight wasn't what we expected? I let you picture the chaos that could cause in intergalactic relations..."

Niris left his sentence hanging in the air, like an echo that rang in the hollow of the Esethian's ear. Plunged in his reflectionos, the matte-skinned emperor finally came out of his silence to answer the sweet insinuations of the angel with a completely innocent air.

"It is true that a victory on the part of your representative would be very damaging and difficult to deal with afterward, but don't you think you are being a bit too alarmist, Lord Jangta?"

Niris had to restrain a wry smile from appearing on his lips. He was approaching the heart of the matter. He had managed to remove the doubt in the businessman's mind. It was a first step.

"Well, it all depends on how the vampires take the situation.... But our friends in Amadea are known to be relatively unpredictable and somewhat impulsive. I wouldn't be surprised if a defeat of Yousmaïl through Sao creates a stir among the vampire population..."

The crease between the emperor's eyes deepened. He could not deny what the angel was saying. Everything he said was true. And yet... what he was proposing was risky. He was risking his credibility if he invoked protocol. And at the same time, if the fight did not have the expected outcome....

He raised his hand to his chin and watched the fight unfold on the broadcasting screen with intensity. Always between powerful blows and masterful dodges, the two women seemed to be in a status quo that didn't point to a real winner. And yet... His seasoned eye couldn't fail to see the growing fatigue of the vampire, and the game of the angel who had more and more difficulty managing the situation and suffered powerful blows that threw her against the floor of the room without walls.

She seemed to hold back at the last moment, limiting her attacks and letting herself be hit at times on purpose. It was a particularly strange fight that was taking place before the eyes of the esethian. And unpredictability was bad for business. Very bad. It was a source of uncertainty, tension, and could lead to poor choices under the pressure of an uncontrolled situation. Everything the rational mind of the walking emperor hated. Gradually, the latter began to release a heavy aura around him, betraying his own inner tension.

Attentive to the emperor's reactions as well as to the course of the fight between the two guards, Niris felt the pressure of the situation weighing on him. Inja seemed to be in trouble. A powerful blow threw her to the ground and she took some time to get up. Her attacker seemed to gain confidence and attacked her relentlessly, making it increasingly difficult for her guard to defend herself against the vampire who was losing patience.

Holding back against such a powerful enemy was difficult. The longer the fight went on, the more likely it was that she would no longer be able to avoid the actual confrontation. He had to put an end to this situation as soon as possible. He had hoped not to resort to such a stratagem, but the situation left him no choice. He had to risk everything. He was about to speak when the emperor interrupted him before he could open his mouth.

"Lord Jangta, I hope you understand the magnitude of the risk I am taking by invoking article 7 of the protocol for the regulation of legal duels," he began, giving the little angel a dark look. "If I understand your fears about the outcome of this fight, I hope you will understand that I am not as interested in your suggestion, even in the event of a negative outcome of this fight. The risk you are asking me to take is out of all proportion. The stakes are not worth it. I apologize, but I must reject your proposal."

Niris closed his eyes. He had no choice. He pressed his identification chip for several seconds and it changed colour from light blue to bright yellow. The air around him and the emperor became denser and darker. An airtight bubble formed around them, cutting them off from the rest of the room, visually and phonetically.

"You have requested an imprint reveal." a robotic voice said. The system's artificial intelligence had triggered the process Niris had selected via his chip. The Esethian looked around in surprise.

"Lord Jangta, what are you doing?" he said, a hint of stress in his voice.

"Please proceed with the revelation." the voice continued. A rectangular box appeared before them and two panels containing a small resting place for a bookmark-sized object slid in front of each of them.

"Time is short and I cannot afford to waste any more time while Inja risks her life in the battle room," Niris said in a much less solemn tone than before.

Confused, the emperor stared at him with his dark eyes, waiting for an explanation. He had noticed the change in tone of his interlocutor and was caught off guard by the latter's sudden invocation of an imprint disclosure cell.

"I think you've noticed, Your Majesty," Niris continued, staring at him with his green eyes. "Something is wrong with this fight. It isn't going as it should. My guard has the upper hand, yet they aren't fighting to the best of their ability. The reason is simple. I asked her to buy as much time as possible."

He paused. The emperor listened intently. He continued.

"This fight must not end at all. You must stop it at all costs."

"But what..." the merchant began when Niris cut off his protests.

"You will understand everything once you have the revelation of my mark. You have nothing to lose in this process, I already know your identity. The mechanism will not reveal anything new to me. That's why I suggest you use it so that I can give you the clearest possible explanation. Do you agree?"

Niris kept it short. He was desperate to resolve this before the demons decided to intervene. If the other guests realized that he had started an imprint revelation mechanism, his safety in the palace would become compromised. He was taking a huge risk and the slightest misstep would put him in danger.

To his great relief, the emperor took out his print and placed it in the resting place without taking his eyes off the angel. With an inward sigh of relief, the angel did the same.

"Analysis in progress," the robotic voice said. A few seconds later, a screen appeared in front of the two participants, displaying the identity card of each of them. Unsurprisingly, Niris saw the Emperor's photo ID with his name, title, and nationality.

In front of him, the emperor almost fell out of his chair. A satisfied smile appeared on the angel's lips. In shock, the Esethian stared at him for a moment. Before his eyes appeared not the identity card of Lord Jangta Okram, son of the Lord of Meripaea, but that of Niris of Egea, son of Aroslan of Egea, the Emperor of the Angels. Amazed by his discovery, he stared for a moment at the little prince with a dumbfounded expression.

"I didn't know that Emperor Aroslan had... a son," he finally said with difficulty.

Niris smiled.

"It's normal, I was raised in secrecy," he replied. "You are the first to know."

The emperor was speechless. The discovery was shocking. Not only did the all-powerful Emperor of the Angels have a son, potentially someone as powerful as him, but this hidden son was now in Yerpena under the identity of Lord Jangta of Meripea. The situation was most explosive. Seeing the questions in the eyes of the powerful businessman, Niris decided to provide him with a minimum of information.

"I am currently on a mission on Ornikarn. I can't tell you more because we don't have enough time, but it's a mission of the utmost importance with the support of the intergalactic organisation. I hope that you now understand that if Inja wins, it will not just be a few complications that may arise from this fight, but a real diplomatic cataclysm that is coming. So I ask you again: Could you interrupt the duel in the name of safeguarding peaceful diplomatic relations by invoking article 7 of the protocol on the regulation of legal duels?"

It was then that the emperor clicked. It all made sense. The emperor's press statement after Yousmail's attack on the angel, the proximity of the angel to the crown prince, the power of the angel guarding him... Everything was explained. It was because he was the only son of the most powerful emperor in the intergalaxy.

The Esethian straightened up and grabbed his imprint. He was slowly regaining his composure.

"I shall interrupt this duel, Lord Niris. Indeed, the stakes in this fight are far too high for us to risk a vampire defeat."

Satisfied with the outcome of their conversation, the angel did the same and the rectangular box folded up and disappeared before their eyes.

"I thank you, Your Majesty. My father will take note of your gesture."

Still a little bewildered by his sudden discovery, the emperor nodded slowly. As the bubble gradually began to subside, Niris finished before he found himself back in the publicity of the broadcasting room, without any visual or audio protection.

"And it goes without saying that my identity must remain a secret until the ceremony is over," he said in a half-threatening voice. "You wouldn't want to have to deal with my father's wrath if anything happened to me."

The two nobles glared at each other. The air was electric. The emperor nodded slowly. He had no choice but to agree anyway. Even if he had crucial information about the angel, he was not in a position of strength against the Emperor of Egea, on whom he was otherwise economically dependent.

"And of course, we were merely in a simple hermetically sealed bubble to ensure the secrecy of our conversation, not in an imprint revelation mechanism," the angel finished just before the bubble disappeared completely.

When they reappeared in the room filled with onlookers, exclamations could be heard from all sides. On the screen, the battle was as tense as ever. Craters had appeared on the floor, signs of an unrestrained confrontation between the two women.

Without waiting, the Esethian rose from his chair, raised his arm, and activated his identity chip.

"I invoke article 7 of the protocol for the regulation of legal duels and wish to interrupt the duel between Sao of Amadeus and Inja of Meripea," he said in a loud voice that made even the most seasoned of guests shudder.

His chip emitted a soft blue light and the robotic voice of the interface's artificial intelligence echoed through the room.

"Legal duel interruption process number 357664895 activated."

A specter materialized in front of him and he grabbed it, looking determined. Time was running out. He didn't have a second to lose. He passed Niris, who bowed as he passed and headed for the exit. It was time to end this explosive fight.