The Duke's Passion

Gnash teeth, eyes ahead, galloping my way back to the palace. Yes. In the end, I didn't listen and returned to where we came from. I might see Fabian on the way back, but I would never listen to him ever again. 

'Even if it means fighting him…' I swallowed down a mouthful of saliva as the wind grew harsh with my speed. "Get out of the way!" came out a yell as I took a route to where there were people.

Screams and curses reached my ear as the people jumped to make way, but that didn't faze me. Killing one or two people didn't matter. That wasn't what important to me right now. It may sound selfish and heartless, but my gut feeling was screaming at me, telling me something bad would happen to Sam.

'I shouldn't have listened in the first place.' I told myself, gripping the reins tightly. 'I should've fought beside him no matter what he said.'

But more than regret, my heart was being filled with anger. This fury building up inside just kept increasing while my patience was getting shorter. 

"Out of my —" My eyes narrowed as there were two people who turned up in the middle of the road. I caught some house from the direction they came from, shaking as if it would crumble down.

Fabian? I gnashed my teeth as soon as I recognized him fighting someone. My eyes fell onto the other person, and immediately recognized her. Maxine. 

Maxine was a member of the Divine Order. However, Maxine and some members were receiving direct orders from Stefan. So, I wasn't particularly close with them, nor did I care about all the people under Stefan. 

'Whatever.' I thought, speeding up without a care if I run over them or not. 

As I approached, both of them turned their head in my direction. I saw Fabian's eyes dilate, seeing that I didn't listen to him. 

"Out of my way!" I roared as a warning, speeding up even more, as I would truly run over them if they don't make way.

In no time, I got past them as both of them realized I wouldn't stop. I heard Fabian called, "My lady!" but I didn't stop and continued. 

"I'm sorry, Fabian. I really can't just do what you want me to do," I whispered as I continued.

*****

"My lady!!" Fabian hollered, watching Lilou gallop her way back to the palace. "No…!" 

Just when he was about to follow Lilou, Fabian crouched to dodge the sword coming at him. He kept dodging, hopping by his feet, then hands to create distance. 

"It seems we didn't need to drag her back." Maxine smirk, stretching her stiff neck as Fabian was no gentleman. "So I guess I can finally focus on you, Mister Butler."

This time, the smile on Fabian's face disappeared. His eyes opened; they were sharper than ever as if they could pierce even metals. 

"Little girl, I'm done playing with you." Fabian raised his dark spear and Maleficent sucked the air around them. "I feel sorry for you, so I won't kill you. However… I don't leave a fight empty-handed." 

Maxine smirked, spatting blood that clot inside her mouth. She had known the difference between her and Fabian; she knew that he was just playing since the beginning. However, she had taken an oath to her king, and nothing could stop her, even this demon in front of her.

"Bring it o…"

She couldn't even finish her sentence as Fabian suddenly disappeared in front of her. There was a second delay in her mind before pain struck her eyes as they bled.

"The next time you stand in my way, I guarantee your death," Fabian uttered as he landed behind her, gazing down at Maxine.

On the concrete ground, she writhed in pain, holding her eyes as they bled.

"I knew someone… who had blinded himself, saying he doesn't need eyes to see." His tone was cold, tugging his sleeve as he gazed at where Lilou went off. "But you, Maxine, your sight is useless since you can't even see the actual face of the king you worship."

Fabian was unsure if she could hear him as she was screaming her lungs out. The pain was understandable. Maleficent had sucked a part of her, after all.

"Until then…" upon saying so, Fabian bolted, following Lilou's tracks. "My lady, why did you come back? You would've understood…"

A battle between Fabian and Maxine… ended in a landslide victory. Fabian won, as expected.

*****

Meanwhile, in the outer palace, Dominique whisked away, stopping himself from flying away by putting all his weight on his feet and digging his fingers into the ground.

"What a monster," he scorned, finally stopping, and he gazed up to see Rufus saunter toward him. "He doesn't have many people under him, but they're all monsters." 

Dominique clenched his teeth as Rufus was akin to a thick wall. No matter what Dominique did, nothing would move him. Despite the wound that Rufus inflicted, that didn't decrease his strength.

"Your Highness, please don't stay on the ground for too long. I can't keep looking down on you." Rufus' tone was cold, in contrast with his ridiculing remarks. 

"It's such a shame that you're wasting your talent under some unfitting king." Dominique scoffed, shaking his head as he slowly stood on his feet after grabbing a handful of soil. "We could've been friends, you know."

"Friends…" Rufus chuckled at the term used. "… there is only one person I see as a friend, and that is someone who reached his hand out when the entire world turn its back on me."

"Aren't you romantic?" 

"And aren't you ungrateful?" Rufus slid his other feet back, a stance before he could launch an attack. "My friend… he had loved you all, but you turn your back on him."

His eyes flickered with killing intent, rocketing forth towards Dominique. But the latter threw the soil in his hand, then used the other and thrust it forward. 

Rufus squinted his eyes at Dominique's distraction tactic, but that wasn't enough to stop him. Even with his eyes closed, he could feel Dominique's movements. So, when he felt the latter's hand, he unhesitatingly swung his sword down. However, just as Rufus was about to make another move, he halted at the sound of a faint whistle. 

Within the frame of seconds, an entire arm flew somewhere as blood spurting everywhere. The dust that had been surrounding them as they duel slowly subsided.

"Shit…" Dominique cursed, gazing down at his severed arm while blood oozed from his torso. His knees wobbled and soon gave way as he dropped to his knees.

He then slowly shifted his eyes towards Rufus, who stood in front of him. "It was a nice fight, Sir Knight. You have my respect."

As soon as those whispers slipped past Dominique's lips, Rufus slowly collapsed onto his back. Dominique then shifted his eyes towards his other hand, staring at the beating heart.

"Whoever helped me… I'll kill him, Rufus," He murmured, knowing that someone interfered just before Rufus could slay Dominique.

A battle between the kings' swords: One lost an arm, while the other lost his life. Dominique won a pathetic victory.