"The battle isn't over yet!? Don't get so cocky!!" Lancelot shouted as he raised Caelum once again, there was killing intent on his eyes for the first time in that battle. Until now he had only a serious expression, that of someone who was going to fight giving his all, but that didn't hold any grudge or negative feelings against his rival.
Nonetheless, after Tobey's provoking and petulant attitude, the paladin lost his cool. He wasn't a common person, he was a warrior; it was only natural that he had his pride and nothing could touch it without getting burned. Tobey had not only touched but hit it squarely. It was only natural that his ex-friend would lash out.
The spear descended towards his face once again. Now, even if Tobey defended with the handle of his dagger, it would only get broken as a result. The handle wasn't unbreakable after all. However, there was something else that he was planning for sure. Tobey's eyes still had that foxy gleam within them; the cunning gaze of a trickster who always had an ace up his sleeve.
'No matter what he pulls now, it is the very end. There are no outs for him. He can't do it alone!'
Just as Lancelot thought about that, he remembered something... and then a chill ran down his spine as he felt a huge amount of Dark Energy coming in front. He stopped his spear several centimeters away from Tobey's head as the latter's lips curved in a sly smile.
Lancelot moved his blade in front of him and barely defended an attack aimed at his throat. The attacker parried his defense, opening his guard, then swung his weapon again in another attempt to take his life.
The spearman skillfully spun Caelum, taking advantage of the momentum, then placed its metallic shaft in front of the horizontal slash aimed at him, and yet blocked another vertical one.
When he realized, he was defending himself against a figure that seemed nothing more than a shadow, parrying and blocking a blade that he could not see due to this incredible speed, and being pushed back.
A last attack could pull through his defenses, but hit his armor, shattering it in one blow and sending him flying away.
Lancelot stuck Caelum on the ground while still in mid-air, using it as a break to make him stop. He fought to maintain his balance meanwhile, so he wouldn't get open to another assault.
The paladin could stop at the right moment. He was a step to falling from the rooftop. Of course, that fall wasn't lethal for someone like him, but it was better not to get injured. Not when the situation unfolding currently was so serious.
"Never, ever dare to touch my brother again," a voice echoed, overlapping even the strong winds of that cloudy afternoon. "I will take each of your limbs with me and will hang your head in a pole so everyone will understand what happens to those who dare to touch MY family.'
Lancelot took off his spear from the ground in a brusk movement. He spat on the ground, making a disgusted face. Gritting his teeth, he skillfully spun Caelum and took a fighting stance again.
"So, you were holding me all this while in a seemingly pointless fight only to be able to draw the attention of your brother, right? That's why you let me use all my power at once without interrupting me, that's why you unleashed so much Dark Energy, that's why you had been struggling to death. You knew he would notice it..."
Tobey didn't need to answer his old friend. Just the smile on his face and his eyes told him that his conclusion was more than right.
"So, we see each other again, huh, Bloodseeker?"
"For my disgust, yes. I would like to have killed you before on that conflict of years ago. If only I knew that backing away would make me leave a semi-dead paladin who in the future would give me so much trouble..."
"And I am very grateful that you left me behind after giving me such a beating, to be honest. It made me turn into the paladin I am right now! The strongest one to ever live in this city! I have a long way to go until I can reach the Seven Crowns, but I am way better than I was before!"
Mark took a step forward, then glanced over his shoulder at Tobey. The latter gave him a thankful yet careful smile. He knew not the intentions of that man, but for a while, he would trust him.
"I will explain everything to you once I am done with him. For now, take several steps back if you can still walk. If you cannot, crawl. I don't want you near us when we start to fight."
Tobey chuckled, struggling to get up. He was still firmly holding his dagger and looking at Roger (Lancelot) with an unwavering determination.
"Do you think that I fought until now just to run away and let everything on your back? Don't joke around. You are not my leader or something. I barely know you. Also... that's a battle I need to fight because he is a human that I respect a lot and the very first paladin that I rivaled so much."
Mark pondered about his words for a while. He didn't know what was Lancelot's identity when he was a human, but he most likely was someone close to Tobey.
'I don't like the idea of an ant taking part in a battle of titans, but nothing is helping it,' he thought, sighing lightly.
"Well, see if you can follow our pace. Attack when you see an opportunity. I am going," Mark said as he placed one foot half a meter away from the other, bending it. He positioned Lamia, his vampire scythe, beside him.
"Oh, just one more thing before starting our fight, Mark...", said Lancelot. "Don't you think that your arrival here has meaning only for you and your brother, okay? I have been planning to attract you as well, but not so soon... Anyway, you and Tobey being here isn't a bad thing at all. I mean, while you are here, who is the one going to stop the coup? Or do you think that we would give up just because you could make Clementine go there to protect that church?"
Mark felt tenser all of a sudden. He frowned hard and gritted his teeth, showing that Lancelot's remark got him furious. Tobey noticed it and, linking some points, also as excluding some suspects, he could guess who Clementine Welcome, the last name of the list, was.
'Grandma...', he thought, feeling both worried and confused.
"I won't need to worry about Clementine. I will rip your head off so fast that I will have enough time to go there and help her, if needed. Also, if you think that this shitty coup can really make the difference, go ahead and try. However, while I am still alive, the fall of Aslam is just another reason for me to slaughter all the paladins of this region without any concern!"
"Let's see if you are really the monster that they claim you to be, then!" Lancelot Yoder shouted as golden flames began to cover his body, also as lightning tendrils danced around Caelum.
Mark's Lamia began to attract the fresh blood spread on the ground, on Tobey's body, and from Lancelot's few injuries. It didn't choose the people it would use to feed itself. The Bloodseeker didn't seem to care about it, so Tobey tried not to play it any heed as well. As long as he didn't fall unconscious from blood loss, he would be okay.
Tobey threatened to start rushing forward, but Mark stopped him with a strong denial.
"Don't do this, bro. When battling against this guy, it's better to let him take the lead."
"W-Why?"
"Caelum is the heaven piercer. The only condition it needs to activate its skill is a delay of some seconds and utter concentration from its user. The result is lightning speed and explosive strength. Also, it can stun enemies it passes by, though it's not a chance of 100%. It's better to wait for what he will do and dodge it. The consequence of this attack is that he himself gets stunned for a while."
Tobey remembered how the man moved in a start after their first clash. In truth, while Tobey was being tortured by his own pain, the paladin was stunned some meters behind him. He couldn't notice due to his wound.
'So, I didn't get paralyzed by luck, huh?'
"He is coming!" Mark shouted, waking up Tobey who was lost in his thoughts.
Lancelot Yoder had long lightning tendrils around him, some of them striking the ground and leaving marks there. He stomped the ground with all his strength while maintaining Caelum in the same position beside his body, holding it with both hands.
His speed increased from 0 to 100 in a second. Soon, he crossed all the distance between him and them in a matter of milliseconds.
The true battle was going to begin! And the timer was running as the fateful coup took place under the covers!