The Duke's Passion

While Fabian dashed to catch up to Lilou, he paused as his heart clenched. He clutched his chest, eyes slowly dilating.

"Ru…" came out a whisper as he gazed at the palace's direction from his standpoint. "You…"

Fabian could not move for a few minutes, he couldn't even blink. There was just tightness in his chest while his lungs constricted.

"Hah…" The veins on the back of his hand protruded as he tightened his grip around his dark spear until it trembled. He always had this little connection with Rufus, but now, that was broken, and that only means… death.

"Who did it?" the side of his lips slowly hooked up into a sinister smirk. Fabian closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. When he opened them, his eyes were devoid of emotions. There was neither rage nor sorrow, just nonchalance. 

"Maleficent," Fabian called, and Maleficent's size doubled. He lifted it up, pulling his arm back, and narrowed his eyes to see which direction he would throw his dark spear. The roof under his feet cracked as a violent gust of wind blew past him.

"No one will get away from this," a whisper slipped past his lips and then threw Maleficent in a certain direction. His dark spear traveled just as fast as a sound, creating dark lighting around it, and then Fabian disappeared from his vantage point.

******

"Whoever helped me… I'll kill him, Rufus."

Dominique stayed on his knees for as long as he could remember. His victory didn't give him satisfaction, knowing he wouldn't attain it without anyone's help. He just simply couldn't stop his attack at that moment.

"That humming…" his ear twitched as he looked up before he leaped away out of instinct. Something crash-landed on the spot he was kneeling earlier, causing thick clouds of dust to stream up. He narrowed his eyes as the smoke cleared up, seeing a dark spear surrounded by dark lightning as it crackle.

His eyes then shifted to the person who arrived a minute later. "Another monster appeared… damn it."

Dominique clutched his bleeding torso with his eyes on Fabian, who was staring down at him from a distance. When Fabian took a step, the ground under his feet cracked, leaving shallow holes as dark shrouds enveloped him. 

"Your Highness," called Fabian under his breath, but his tone instantly sent a shiver down Dominique's spine. He shifted his eyes to Rufus, who was lying on the ground.

"Ru." Fabian approached his brother's body, squatting down, and scrutinized him. He placed his palm on the hole in his chest, brows wrinkling. 

There was a long moment of silence as Fabian didn't talk, nor did he move. Dominique knew he had to flee; he couldn't fight Fabian in this state. However, he couldn't move. All Dominique could do was stare at Fabian in silence.

"Your death will not be in vain." His other hand reached for Rufus' eyes, closing them to rest. "You had done your purpose. May you rest now, brother. I am… always proud of you."

As Fabian mourned for his brother's death, Noah, who had rushed into this place, stopped in his spot. His eyes scanned the area; it first landed on Dominique and then he slowly shifted them to Fabian and the man on the ground. Noah's eyes dilated as he immediately grasped the situation.

"Sir knight…" Noah's breath hitched, taking another step, but halted once again. He gazed up, feeling this deadly aura around the three of them. Not good, he thought. Fabian… they had touched that maniac's bottom line, and Samael wasn't here to calm him down. 

'Mister Fabian… this is not the plan. Where is Her Grace?' Noah asked in his head, unable to utter them with the tension in his throat. 'How can this happen and Sir Knight…'

At that moment, Noah knew something changed in their plan. It just made an enormous turn… for the worst.

"Noah." Noah jumped when he heard Fabian's low but clear voice. "Take my brother with you. I will arrange a proper burial for him."

Fabian cast Noah a look, bearing no emotions in his eyes. The latter swallowed down a mouthful of saliva before he nodded, teeth clenched as he entered the thick atmosphere surrounding Fabian. 

While Noah scurried towards Rufus' figure, Fabian slowly stood on his feet, hand inside his pocket and eyes on Dominique. His eyes scanned the man, noticing his severed arm and complexion. 

"Your Highness…" Fabian sauntered towards Dominique while the latter could only watch him approach. He squatted down in front of him, staring at him in pity.

"You don't look happy in plucking out one of the thorns in your king's throat," uttered Fabian in a deep tone. 

"It's not an honorable victory." Dominique swallowed the little saliva in his mouth, smirking bitterly, as he had figured this would be as far as he goes. Without Rufus, no one could keep this demon down.

"Honor, humility, dignity, valor, justice, mercy… I never understood those, your highness. For me, if I win even if it's by means or foul, it's a win, regardless." Fabian explained, raising his hand and reached for Dominique's hand, that was clutching his torso. Dominique gnashed his teeth when Fabian clasped his hand and put pressure on his wound.

"But this victory… it not that it's dishonorable." Fabian paused, smiling at the sight of him. "It's just simply not a victory, at least, not yours."

"Urgh…!" Dominique ground his teeth as he attempted to struggle away from him, but Fabian didn't budge. 

Fabian squeezed his torso tightly before letting him go. "Who killed him, your highness?"

His question was a little confusing, but Dominique immediately knew that Fabian's question was about the person who interrupted their fight. How did Fabian know that? Dominique was unsure, but that didn't matter.

"I… don't know."

"You don't?" Fabian cocked his head to the side, snapping his eyes as he heard a faint humming. He studied Dominique's slight change in expression and that told Fabian that was who he was looking for.

Dominique gazed up when Fabian suddenly stood on his feet. "Aren't you going to kill me?"

"Why would I?" Fabian cast him a nonchalant look briefly. "I want you alive, your highness. Death… will be the only wish you will desperately seek but... for as long as I live, you will never have it."

Fabian's remarks sent a chill down Dominique's spine and, within a snap of an eye, Fabian disappeared. The only trace Fabian left was the enormous crack on where he had stepped on.