The Duel
The man in the center suddenly casts a magic circle in the air. One I recognize from my mother's teachings. It will amplify his voice for the surrounding people to hear. Typically used for speeches to address the public in cheerful times, this seems to corrupt the spell.
"My name is Leonius Blade. Bastard child of Arminius Bellona and Katlynn Blade." My father stops in his tracks, shocked by the revelation my half-brother brings upon him.
"Run." The voice urges again. But I can't. I must watch, like a moth to a flame my attention is drawn and captured.
"I am the leader of the Divine Order, and we are here to remove any impure races from the Primus. No longer should we have to fear the repercussions of the devils. The bloodline of Cassius Bellona has been tainted since Arminius Bellona married the vampire-spawn Aelia von Meynard."
"I will deliver justice for those of us who remain in Prima's and Helion's light rather than embrace Malum's darkness. Should any of you feel the same, join my ranks. We will clear out the demonic forces and bring peace to the Primus, something my father failed to do 16 years ago."
"If you wish to clear the impurities, you hail from the same lineage, so start by killing yourself!" Julius Crassus, Praetor of the 13th legion yelled. Julius's only response was the removal of his head by a random soldier.
"That is the fate of all who follow these corrupt leaders who destroy the purity of the Primus. I am lucky to have grown up with my mother in the Ariya Woods alongside the elves rather than being led by you humans.
You have heard my speech. Those of you who have ranking positions will be captured and put to work at Fort Senra while the others will be given a choice. The choice is simple: join or die.
Now Father, unsheath your blade and prepare for the duel." My father who had been meditating this entire time stood up, his golden aura no longer surrounding him. Instead, the Sun Blade lit into a golden fire the second he removed it from its scabbard.
Both warriors continued circling around each other waiting to strike the other. Looking for any weakness, any flaw in their defense or stance.
The tension in the air is palpable as my father, Arminius Bellona, faces off against his bastard son and my half-brother, Leonius Blade, in a duel that threatens to unravel the very fabric of our family's legacy. As I stand on the sidelines, a silent witness to the unfolding drama, I can feel the weight of history bearing down upon us, casting a shadow of uncertainty over the battlefield.
My gaze is fixed upon the combatants, their movements fluid and precise, as they circle each other with the poised grace of seasoned warriors. Each step, each strike, is a testament to the years of training and discipline that have forged them into formidable adversaries.
The magic circle amplifies Leonius's words, his voice echoing across the courtyard with an unsettling clarity. His proclamation of allegiance to the Divine Order sends a chill down my spine, its implications reverberating through the ranks of our beleaguered soldiers.
As Leonius speaks of justice and purity, I cannot help but feel a surge of anger and defiance rise within me. His words are a twisted distortion of truth, a perversion of the ideals that my father has fought to uphold throughout his reign.
The memory of my sister's lifeless form flashes before my eyes, a stark reminder of the stakes at hand. We stand on the brink of war, caught between the forces of light and darkness, with the fate of our people hanging in the balance.
My father's resolve is unwavering, his gaze steady as he meets Leonius's challenge with a steely determination. The Sun Blade gleams with righteous fury, its golden flames casting a defiant glow against the encroaching darkness.
In that moment, I am overcome with a sense of duty and purpose. The legacy of House Bellona weighs heavy upon my shoulders, urging me to stand tall in the face of adversity, to fight for the principles that define us as warriors and guardians of the realm.
As the duel reaches its climax, the clash of steel and the crackle of magic fill the air, a symphony of chaos and determination. With each strike, each parry, my father and Leonius dance upon the razor's edge of destiny, locked in a struggle that will shape the course of our future. My father gets a clean strike across my brother's eye, blinding him. Leonius returns in kind, stabbing my father in the forearm of his left arm.
I can feel the tension building, the anticipation reaching its zenith as the final blow hangs suspended in the air. In that fleeting moment, I offer a silent prayer to the gods, beseeching them to grant us strength and courage in the face of adversity.
And then, with a flash of steel and a surge of primal energy, the duel reaches its conclusion. My father's blade meets Leonius's with a resounding clash, the force of their collision sending shockwaves rippling through the courtyard.
In that moment, time stands still. The world holds its breath as fate hangs in the balance. And then, with a thunderous roar, Leonius's blade crashes through my father. Opening his stomach and ensuring a quick death. My father's blade shined no more as the last of his breaths died with the embers of his blade.
Leonius picked up my father's sword and with it, the golden flames reignited themselves far stronger than my father had ever used them. The flames wrapped around his arm and up towards his left eye, where my father had sliced it. It licks the wound, cauterizing it, and healing it.
"Nooo!" I scream as tears blur my vision. Leonius's pointy ears perk up and then his face turns in my direction. The cut my father gave him has stopped bleeding and the only thing left is a scar and the now milky white eyeball. His one remaining gold eye locked onto mine and he smiled. He ordered the soldiers to chase me down and bring me before him.
"Run. Now!" The voice yelled again. This time I did. I ran. Away from my father, my mother, and over the mush that is my sister. I turned my back to my people, my city, and myself. I am no Bellona, I am no hero like my father. I am nothing but a boy running from danger.
"There he goes," Leonius spoke through the amplification magic. "The last scion of the House of Bellona. A coward. House Bellona's Failure. The golden dragons are no more, all that is left is the whelp."
"Left," the voice said, guiding me down the passageway I had only been to once as a young lad. "Right. Stop … Go."
Finally, I made it to the hidden passage in the castle wall and snuck inside, closing it behind me. As the wall locked back into place I heard the heavy footsteps of armored soldiers running along the hallway.
"Use your aura and light your way," the voice advised and so I did. The aura went from my entire body to just my eyes. However, while I could see, the pain was excruciating; it felt like a hot rod was stabbed into my eyes. I followed the path trying to hear what I could from above as I descended the stairs. But this far below the castle I heard nothing and the pain from my eyes made it hard to focus on anything else.
Finally, I saw an exit, another secret wall this time built to look like a natural part of the cliffside. After it moved I raced out blinded by the combined light of my aura and the daylight.
Daylight? Looking around I realized the eclipse was over and I lost the cover of darkness. Racing down I crossed the river we used to throw waste out and into the forest. The one place that I had been limited in visiting for my entire life.