"Revenge, the sweetest morsel to the mouth that ever was cooked in hell." -Walter Scott
__________________________
LIONHEART|
I continue to run until I vanished from her sight.
I looked at the sky and sighed in relief...
"I manage to tell her my feelings didn't I?" I said to myself and chuckled.
I guess I don't have anymore regrets...
It's time for my revenge...
Noone can quell my anger except for taking the heads of those filthy demons...
My heart, eyes, and body are burning with rage.
I'll be taking your life today, even if it kills me...
Abaddon...
I summoned my sword, Gladius that dwells within my soul. Noone knows that Gladius is inside me except brother Ronald.
Before I execute my mission, I took out the letter that Master Kojiro left behind and read it.
*To Lionheart,
Lion-kun, my good child. I know that you've already received the letter that both your brother and sister passed away. Me and the kids are on our way to my hometown, the country named Reishen.
Even if we're far away, keep in mind that we'll always be thinking of you. Don't do anything foolish, I don't want to lose any of you anymore. And lastly, Azrael-chan wanted to thank you and said that you should continue to protect the world they wanted to protect.
It might take a long time but I know, someday, all of us will meet again. 'Till the day comes, please be careful. See you next time, Lion-kun.
From your Master,
Kojiro. *
I took another deep breathe and closed my eyes as I feel the cold breeze of the wind...
"That's right... I'll see you guys soon..." I said to myself.
Just like what Brother Roland and Sister Azrael always told me, I should keep the flames inside my heart burning.
I continue to walk towards to where the lair of that bastard demon is.
I hold unto Gladius tight, and prepare for battle. This time, I'll take it with my own hands. I will not be tricked again...
*Flashback an hour before the Demons attack Enthopia.*
"Your highness! This is an emergency! Demons are preparing to attack the Kingdom!"
"What!?" I was shocked by what one of the scouts said and quickly head to where my Father is to report.
I saw him sitting in his throne while reading a book. I kneel before his presence to pay my utmost respect.
"Father, I have come to report." I stated.
"Rise, my son. What is it that you want to report?" He asked. I stand up and walk a bit closer towards him.
"One of our scouts reported that there was a sightings of demons preparing to launch an allout attack against us." I reported.
He remain silent for a moment and gave me his orders.
"Assemble the army and take command. Don't let any of those filthy demons near our gates!"
"As you command, Your Majesty." I said and bow once more.
I took my leave and immediately assemble an army of seven thousand and wait for the enemies at the border.
We waited for hours but there's no signs of enemies approaching. It feels weird, something inside me tells that this whole stuff is a fraud, but me and my men continue to wait.
It's been half a day but there's still no signs of enemies crossing the borders. Somethings wrong, I can feel it...
I ordered my men to return to the Kingdom, and I alone waited for a while. And finally, I realized something...
The scout who reported about the demon attack... I can't see him anywhere... Just then, I realized that I was tricked by the demons to make me come here and wasted my time.
But if the demons didn't attack out Kingdom... Then that means...
"Damn it!" I rushed back to the Kingdom as quickly as possible just to see the Minister talking to my Father...
"Come here, Lionheart. You might want to hear this..." Father called me and I walk towards them and he hand me a letter.
The letter said that both my brother and sister died in the battle against the demons... They never found their bodies, and all that remains are my brother's sword, Durandal, and my sister's scarf...
I'm too late aren't I? I wasn't able to save them... Even though I realized that there is something wrong going on, it's still too late...
I lost them. They aren't coming back anymore...
But there's only one thing left for me to do. My tears doesn't have to shed... The one that needs to shed are the blood of those demons who took my brother and sister from me...
I will have my revenge...
*End of Flashback*
I can still feels the burning rage inside of me... I will never be able to forgive them, that is why, I will take this matters into my own hands...
I can feel his magic inside this forest... That bastard, Abaddon... I will kill him today...
Before completely entering the forest, I started to chant my spell...
"I, who carry the flames of wrath, the spirits dwell within my soul, burn evil that gets in my way-"
"Soul breakthrough! Flaming body!"
This spell is like what brother Roland often used, just like limit breaker, this spell of mine grants me a boost in my strength and set my whole body on fire. But the difference is, as long as I have mana left, I can use it as long as I want without being concern about it's recoil.
Using this spell, I'll burn everyone who gets in my way...
"It's time for you to die, bastards!" I scream as I rushed through only to see that bastard abaddon sitting under the tree surrounded by the animals of the forest.
"You're here atlast, Hero of the Flames, Lionheart Pendragon." He stated as he stand up and pick up his sword.
"Prepare yourself, Abaddon. You will die by my hands." I said and rushed towards him and slash him but he manage to block it using his sword.
"I understand that you want to avenge the death of the Hero of the Light, but let me tell you this-" I cut him off before his finish his sentence by rushing towards him and continues to attack from all directions.
I have no reasons to listen to what he was about to say, I'm going to kill him!
"Shut your mouth! You have no rights to talk!" I said and starts to chant another spell.
"Blazing sword!"
I rushed towards him without hesitations. Using my full power, I will pierce his heart and cut off his head!
"You are a fool, hero! You said that you wanted to save the world! But all you ever do is destroy it even more!" He shouted as he swing his sword that manage to push me back.
I can't utter a single word... I looked down to the ground and slowly lifts my head to look at him dead straight in the eyes.
"You think I didn't know that!? I've known that all along... I said that you'll die here right? But did I tell you that I'll live?" I grin at him at attack him with barrage of 'fireballs'
"You're really sick in the head aren't yah?" If I took off his mask, I could say he's also grinning at me right now.
"You bet I am. But you're no different from me!" I leaped up and using my full strength, I slash him downward but he manage to parry my attack with his sword.
"You're strong, Lionheart. But you're not strong enough." He said and for the first time, he initiates the attack but I manage to stop him using brute strength.
Our swords clashes as two two of us continues to swing our sword at each other.
The two of us locked our swords against each other as we exchange stares face to face.
"With my brother and sister's death, I know what I must do... In order to complete that mission, you must die!" I kicked him in the abdomen try to slash him diagonally but he step backwards and dodge my attack.
"Do you really think I'm the one who should die?" What he said made me stop moving for a moment. He's also not moving even an inch.
"Hero, if you really wanted to kill me, you won't slash me but pierce my chest, using your Phoenix Dive." He stated as he points is heart using his thumb.
"You don't have an intent to kill..."
I undo my flaming body spell, and pierce my sword through the ground...
"I can't beat you, that is why... But I have a reason to beat you." I stated.
He laughed at what I said, but it's not the kind of laugh that's intends to mock me.
"I can see now, I understand what you are trying to pull." He raise his sword again and showed me his fighting stance...
"If you have a death wish, then I'll deliver you to your death!"
"That's what I've been waiting for, bastard!" I pulled up my sword and the two of us rushed towards each other at the same time.
Exchanges of sword clash and magic echoes all over the forest. Our fight continues for hours without stopping. Both me and Abaddon already reached our limits, and one final exchange will determine who will win.
"You're the strongest human I ever fought, Lionheart." He uttered while panting really hard while enduring the wounds that he took from my attacks.
"I could say the same thing to you." I said and spit the blood that has piled up in my mouth.
I use my sword to support my self and keep my body from falling as I try to catch my breathe.
"If only we were in the same faction, we could've become friends." He stated as he slowly walk towards me while dragging his sword.
He's just as badly beaten as me, but I know he still have enough strength to finish me with a single blow.
"But there's the word 'if' Abaddon, as long as that word is there, it will never come true." I said as I use all of my remaining strength to lift up my sword one last time, to prepare for my last strike...
And after that... I, The Hero Prince of Camelot, Lionheart Pendragon, will die...
"That's too bad isn't it? This is my final words, Lionheart. You should always know your enemies, better than your own allies. Who is true and who is a fraud."
"That won't matter, because, I will die here with you... But I'll keep that in mind..."
With the last ounce of our strength, we lift our swords up, and charge towards each other as we... Exchange our final blow...
__________________________
ARTHUR|
"Any news about my son?" I asked one of my men whom I order to find the whereabouts of my son.
"Your Majesty, we searched all over the country, but there's no signs of Sir Lionheart, even in our allied country, Enthopia." So, noone knows where my son is at huh? Just what in the world are you thinking, Lionheart?
"I see, then you may take your leave." I said and the man who reported to me takes his leave.
I stand up from my throne and enter the room, me and my wife used to use. I saw the painting of her portrait hanging beside a mirror.
I took it and dust it off, revealing the beauty of my wife.
She is a great warrior, I could even say she is a better commander than me. She is fearless, feared by all the demon when she's in battlefield. Sadly, she's already gone.
"My Guinevere, if only you didn't enter that forest to fought against Abad-" I wasn't able to finish my sentence and started to have a bad feelings on what's happening right now...
I dropped the portrait of my wife and pulled my hair out of frustration.
No... It can't be... Not Lionheart too!
I storm out of the room, took my sword, and run to the stables. I quickly grab a horse and made it run faster than the wind.
Please God! Please tell me that I can make it! I'll be there in time to save my son!
When I reached the Forest of Death, I charge without hesitation.
There's a pathway that I'm sure it's the same path that Lionheart took because there's a remnants of flames.
As I reached the end of the road, what I saw made my whole body weak making me drop on my knees...
All that remains is the armor that Lionheart wears before he was gone missing... It was all worn out and covered in blood...
This can't be...
I can't lose my son too...
I crawl my way to his armor and hugged it. It's already cold and there's no signs of my son being around here anymore...
For the second time... I lose someone dear to me...
My tears fall from my eyes... I tried to control it time after time but I failed...
I picked up my son's armor to take it home... I can't accept this... Yet I have no choice but to do so...
"Don't worry son, I'll arrange a proper funeral for you..."
I was about to leave the forest when I saw two letters fall from the armor. The one was addressed to him, and the other was addressed to... Me?
I immediately took the letter that was for me and read it's content. This must be a clue to find where he is, or this is his last will...
*To my Father, The King,
Father, by the time you read this letter, you can consider me as good as dead. I must've lost my fight against abaddon, and my body was eaten by the monsters inside this forest. But don't worry Father. This is a good way to pass on...
In order to save humanity, I must die. I will sacrifice myself for the future. I will create a future where my Nephew, Shin, can win against our foes. Without Brother Roland, I can't beat them all on my own. My death is a must. I'm not strong enough on my own. I need everyone's help...
I will fulfill my role as a Hero, take care of yourself. And please, give my armor to Merlin, she's waiting for my return. Tell her I love her, and we'll meet each other again, on the other side...
Your son,
Lionheart *
I see, I completely understand it now...
I brushed off the tears that was falling from my eyes...
My son already made his decisions, I, alone must accept that...
"If that's what you truly desire, I will fulfill it..." I uttered to myself.
And before I left, I pierce my sword to where I found his armor and leave the forest.
"This will be your grave, son. You did well..."
I looked up in the sky and smile...
Up until the very end, you still fulfill your duties as a Hero...
I am proud of you, my son...
I'll see you one the other side as well...
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End of chapter 10.
End of the first volume, Hero of Light arc.