The sky was red as it entered the horizon. The green grass of the meadow was waving along the dusk wind as if they were dancing. It was the ultimate beauty of nature. However, the dusk felt strangely erie today.

A woman in her fifty walked alone on the open meadow as she resisted against the strong wind.

"Angry wind, a red sky, dark clouds in a far. A bad omen."

Mrs Borger muttered herself as she stared at the sky. She had been walking since noon, searching Ethanial to convey her lady letter.

She had a bad knee since a year ago. The pain in all her joints feels like hell. Yet she kept on walking without rest for the sake of Leila. It was a matter of life and death for her lady. She must reach before the end of the trial or she would miss the chance.

As she predicted, raindrops started to fall from the dark clouds carried by the winds. She searched for a pocket where the water would not reach to put the letter. It must not be soaked. Unfortunately, there was no space as such on her dress. She scanned the surroundings. There was nothing useful to cover the letter from rain in the open field. She desperately looked for a space or something useful again in her clothes. There was none. Except for the water bag and the letter, she had nothing on her clothes.

She saw the rain was getting heavier in the far and coming straight to her. So she decided to put the letter in the water bag. It was made of pig bladder so the rain would not reach inside.

It was the only source of water for her on the long way to return but this was a matter of urgency. She threw away the water inside and put the letter in it.

After she secured the letter, the clouds reached over her head. The rain soaked her entirely.

"You may hinder me your best but I will not fail."

She challenged as she glared at the dark red sky. Under cold and pain, she resumed her mission.

"Fight!!"

The loud and clear voice from High Templer Ferde pumped up the adrenaline inside the two warriors.

Templer Clement made the first move right after the start. He jumped in swinging diagonally which Ethanial blocked with the sword broad by two hands. But it happened to be a faint and his real target was the legs. He crouched down and stabbed the left leg of Ethanial.

Luckily Ethanial took a step back with his left to withstand the jumped-strike. Ethanial intended to block with minimal force and swayed like water to avoid the clash instead of directly resisting with a step forward.

He was in prison for nearly a month. He believed he was no equal in strength against a well-nourished warrior. So he used the water-step technique taught by the old inmate and it became the right choice.

Ethanial saw the opportunity and seized it. Only by the finger breath, did Templer Clement dodged from entering the next life. It grazed the neck and blood oozed out.

He felt the cut with his hand and saw the blood. It made him mad.

"You lowly peasant? You dare try to cut the throat of a royalty!"

"I have to win, my lord. You don't give me other choices. But this mean I won. If I hadn't refrained at the last moment, I would have cut your throat. High Templer, may I request to declare victory?"

"Bullshit. I dodged your attack myself. You didn't refrain shit. Let's continue the dual. I will cut your throat for the crime of spilling the royal blood."

"Accused, be known that although this is trial by combat, the rule of dual applied here. Let this be the last time you point your sword to the throat or the heart. Remember that lord Mordu' has invested power to decide your fate in me. Cross the line again and I shall end the dual immediately, execute you myself in his name."

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

The warning from the high Templar was loud and clear. He would interrupt any lethal strike from Ethanial while Sir Clement could execute Ethanial should he see a chance. It was clearly one-sided.

Suddenly the sky turned dark. Everyone looked at the sky and found that a storm was coming. Winds started to blow and a little rain dropped.

"Sorry to say this but it seems like even God is not on your side."

Templar Clement laughed maniacally as he showed off the ice he made from the rain. "I win." He proudly declared.

Ethanial could not believe how messed up his luck could be. To fight an ice-spell wielder in the rain was something he never imagined. He did not have much time. Before the rain reached them, he must beat his opponent.

He changed his stance immediately since he had no time left. The rain was coming in fast along with the north wind. Clement would create an ice-shower and kill him mercilessly.

He sprinted toward Clement and swung up vertically with all his might. But his attempt to disarm him failed as Clement swayed to his side and dodged cleverly. Clement could see through all the desperate moves from Ethanial. He was taking his time jesting Ethanial. He had no intention of defending with his sword and risked being disarmed by Ethanial's heavy attack.

"Bastard." Ethanial cursed angrily.

Clement smirked as he knew he won. He cast the spell to the rain above him which dropped like darts on Ethanial who was downwind.

Luckily Ethanial was fast enough to cast the fire blast and melt the ice. Even so, a few cut his cheek and shoulder. If this were a full rain, he would be dead by now.

"Oh!! You are good. Let's see if you can keep it up when it is full power. Muhahaha. Good. Good. The wind is blowing nicely." Clement laughed confidently.

The wind? An idea sparked in his brain like lightning. Abruptly he got on all fours on the ground and sprinted toward Clement.

Ethanial's desperate attack made him laugh. He dodged nonchalantly and toyed with Ethanial as he waited for the rain.

Then Clement noticed his mistake. He was too occupied with mocking, he carelessly gave the upwind to Ethanial. He immediately tried to take it back.

The last thing Clement saw was a smirk from Ethanial as his eyes were forced shut by the dirt from the hand of Ethanial.

Before Clement could react to anything, he felt his back touch the ground and the coldness of metal near his throat.

"I win my lord," said Ethanial proudly. Right at that moment the rain fell like a waterfall.

Ethanial looked at the sky and chuckled at his absurd luck. If he were late for a moment, he would have lost and executed.

Clement could not cope with his defeat either.

"You cheat bastard!! Have you no shame!? Have you no honour!? Using the dirt cheap trick and calling yourself a warrior!? I demand a rematch!" He yelled like a madman.

Ethanial did not reply.

"Well done, accused. You have passed the second course of your trial. This is the last course. Pass this and you will be a free man," said the High Templer.

"Thank you, sir High Templer."

"Do not thank me. Pray to lord Mordu' for he the one who shows mercy."

"The Lord is just."

After hearing Ethanial, Clement chuckled. "Just? No. Lord Mordu' took pity on you. The lord felt sorry for a fool who thought he could marry the girl. You stupid idiot. We heard you inside the forest. That girl you spoke of. She is to be wed to an old pervert. The Duke of Rode. Hehehehe."

"The fuck you say? Are you out of your mind because I beat you?"

"Hahahaha. Trying so hard just to see his hopeless dream crumble like a paper. She lives in a different life from you, fool. I pity on you."

His words shocked Ethanial. Clement sounded crazy. But he had no reason to lie. Just what happened? He then remembered Leila's words from the last day of the hearing. 'I love you; no matter what you hear otherwise'. He thought it was just another confession. Now it confused him more. Did it have another meaning? The anguish he felt.

He punched the ground beside Clement.

"And you lost to that fool!" He spat near the face of Clement as he stood up.

Before the argument turned into another fight, the high Templer returned to the initial topic.

"For the last course, it is a little far from here. Get on the cart. We will move to the next location. Templer you may return and rest. Guards! Let's move!"

The guards retrieved the sword from Ethanial and tied him up again. They put him on the cart together with them. As they moved to the last location, he noticed something from the horse High Templer Ferde was riding. It had white rings around its hoofs.

"Rings." He mumbled. It might just be an imagination; he felt the horse looked back when he called the name.

Templer Clement, on the other hand, rode back to town in his own mount. He was so embarrassed, he did not know where to hide his face. When he reached the town, he would become a laughing stock among his peers, a noble who lost the duel to a convict'.

After a short while, Mrs Borger reached the place where the dual took place. But she was late. Ethanial and his company already left the place. Although they were not far yet, the heavy rain blocked the sight from Mrs Borger.

"Is it over already? Did I miss it?"

She looked around. There was no one as far as she could see. The rain was getting deeper and the wind stronger. The coldness chilled through her bones. She decided to take cover in the forest near the cliff.

She approached the forest as she had no idea about a deadly monster resided in it. As she got closer, a root crept toward her unsuspected feet.

As if God took mercy on her, she saw traces of footprints and a track of a cart going away from the forest. A thought came to her to follow the track.

"Right. I should not be lazy. Even a candle time could change the fate of my lady. You can do this."

She braced the robe around herself and marched against the wind, toward Ethanial_ while the shy root of the monster crawled back into the forest.