"There you two are! Come, it's about to start." Cassian called out to Wyatt and Godric who were outside the arena. The structure was large and circular, and it loomed over the vast field and forest behind the keep. Michael mentioned that the arena was originally built as a fortification against attacks from behind, back when barbarians and rebels attempted to overthrow Primera's regime. However, when all resistance was extinguished, it was rebuilt as the Capital's building to be used during festivals or gatherings. Despite the change in appearance, the fortifications still present gave the structure a daunting presence. Godric passed through the halls that led to the seats. He touched the stone walls and could feel traces of mana, most of which were faint.

Michael touched him on the shoulder. "Something wrong, Godric?" He asked. "N-nothing, " Godric responded awkwardly, which caught the attention of the royal guard. "Let's continue. The nobles are already gathered." Michael said as they continued inside and found a place to watch the duel.

Godric spotted the nobles were already situated in different locations. Above one of the combatants' entrances were Lords Dunwick and Coppermouth, accompanied by Lady Alderth. Lord Davenmere was spotted high above the arena, lying on a balcony. He appeared to be sleeping, completely unbothered by the ongoing events. Lady Tryst was seen seated with Lords Hawthorne and Silvermouth, while Lady Blackstone conversed with King Ilithien and the emissaries of the different races.

A horn sounded from a balcony. Sir Byronard emerged from the shadows, accompanied by five other royal guards who looked as fearsome and unique as Michael. At the same time, royal guards appeared from different directions and found places in the stands to witness the event. "I must leave you now. My companions await me." Michael said to Godric as he headed up a pathway that led to where Byronard was. Gabriel suddenly appeared out of nowhere and scared Michael again, leading him to argue with her as they rushed to their destination.

Wyatt nudged Godric on the shoulder. "So, those must be the other members of the Seven?" Wyatt asked as they glanced at the balcony above them. "Most likely. Even Gabriel was too much for me to handle. I wonder how Sir Byronard can manage being surrounded by such an...odd group of people." Godric said, dumbfounded. Soon, the sounds of chains rattling echoed throughout the arena, and the large metal gates of the combatants' entrances opened. On one side, Flint emerged first, lightly armored with a steel mace and shield in hand. His equipment looked old and worn down, which made them worry about how the fight would go.

On the other side, Caine emerged fully armored, his sword still in its scabbard. He carried with him a wooden basket that contained the petals of different flowers and began to scatter them across the field.

"Arrogant bastard," Wyatt said. "Even in a situation like this, he has time for theatrics." Godric looked at the scene, slightly annoyed by Caine. For the first time, he understood why the others found him difficult. Flint looked at his opponent, who discarded the basket. "Are you finished?" Flint said as he gripped his mace and shield tightly. "Ready as I'll ever be, good sir," Caine responded. The noble then turned to Sir Byronard, who looked down at him and understood the message.

"Lords and ladies, friends, and companions in battle, we stand here gathered today as we bear witness to a duel invoked through the sacred vow of Combat and Victory," Byronard's voice boomed throughout the arena. "The challenged has agreed to the set terms, therefore there is no turning back. Only one will stand as the victor, and the other will suffer the consequences. Combatants, are you prepared?" Byronard asked, turning to the two fighters below who stared at each other, waiting for the signal to strike.

Everything went quiet. The tension was palpable in the air. Cassian and Xhiamas watched on intently, as Coraline silently prayed to the Divines for a miracle. The royal guards gathered in the arena did nothing but stare back and forth between the two, gauging which would walk out the winner. It was evident in their eyes that they were no strangers to duels, as they observed with focused looks.

A sharp-toned bell rang throughout the arena. Flint was the first one to make a move. The mercenary dashed toward Caine's position in haste, the light armor doing wonders. He swung his mace upward, attempting to end it quickly but the attack was thwarted as Caine deflected it using his sword. "Predictable. Do better." Caine mocked him as he ruffled Flint's hair and pushed him back. The two then circled one another, their gazes never leaving each other's sight. "Entertain me, mercenary. I haven't had a good fight in ages." Caine said. The noble then moved with surprising agility despite the steel armor as he closed the gap between them faster than Flint had anticipated and swung his sword with force, forcing Flint to block the attack with his shield.

"For a nobleman, he fights well." Godric and Wyatt overheard a few guards conversing as the fight continued. "Agreed. He would have made a good royal guard," said another as steel clashed with iron in the battleground below. "A pity about his opponent. I'll give him five minutes or so." Wyatt looked on in silent despair, as he too could see that Flint was struggling with the fight. A few minutes had gone and Caine had gained the upper hand after he disarmed Flint of his mace, leaving him only with a shield. Caine was laughing as he attacked relentlessly, each blow being desperately blocked by Flint who was slowly receiving cuts from his opponent's sword.

Coraline, Xhiamas, and Cassian looked on, concerned as the other heads of the great houses were convinced that the mercenary was in over his head. Lord Dunwick, however, looked on in anger. "You dolt!" Dunwick shouted. "This is where recklessness gets you. Stupid boy!" Flint blocked an attack and stared daggers at the warden. "I thought I told you to stop looking down on me, old man!" The mercenary shot back, as he screamed and pushed Caine back with a newfound strength, knocking his armored opponent to the ground.

Caine sat up grunting and surprised. "Finally. I was starting to get bored, mercenary." He looked at Dunwick with a wicked smile as he stood up. "I'll make sure to make this as slow as painful as possible. Not only for him but also for you. Call it a token of my thanks, Lord Dunwick." The warden looked on, clearly annoyed. "Now, where were we--" The noble was unable to finish, as he was immediately struck with a hard punch to the face, knocking him off balance.

The gathered crowd was now invigorated. What first started as an apparent massacre now turned into a slugfest as both combatants fought with a newfound intensity. Flint at some points used his shield as a weapon, using it to bash Caine each time he attempted to strike with his weapon. After receiving serious damage as the fight dragged on, Caine put down the sword and wrestled Flint for control over the shield, which led to him winning as he kicked him in the stomach and threw the shield across the field. The two relied on their fists, exchanging blow after blow. Caine kneed Flint on the groin, causing him to fall to his knees. However, he too would fall to dirty tactics as Flint gathered dust from the ground, blinding his opponent after he attempted to pick him up. Coraline covered her eyes at this point as violence was now too much for her.

"By the Divines... when will these two end?" Cassian asked, somewhat impressed but appalled by the lengths the two had now gone to. "No one knows for certain," Xhiamas said. "When men fight with everything to lose, nothing is left but pure instinct. Flint has done well thus far. I believe he will find a way to win--He has to." Xhiamas continued as the crowd cheered on the combatants.

More minutes passed, and the two were nearing their breaking points. Caine was bleeding profusely from the head after receiving a clubbing strike. He was also clutching his left arm as fatigue had now settled in. Flint on the other hand had cuts and bruises all over his body. The mercenary struggled to maintain balance.

"Y-Yield..." Flint demanded wearily.

"I admit this... you're tougher than you look, but it appears that our game has now come to an end," Caine responded as he laughed. What on earth is he laughing about? Flint thought to himself, but he was suddenly caught off guard as he began to cough up blood. His vision began to blur and he fell on one knee. "What--what did you do to me?" Flint asked after he felt the cuts seared with an indescribable sensation. It slowly spread throughout the rest of his body, causing him to writhe in pain.

"Flint!" Wyatt cried out. "What did you do to him?!" Caine picked up a petal from the ground and presented it to Wyatt. "Did you honestly think I would invoke a sacred vow and enter unprepared?" Afterward, the crowd noticed that Caine's bleeding had stopped, and all his bruises were slowly fading away. "My magic allows me to take the properties of each flower and increase their potency. What I hold now in my hand is a petal from a medicinal herb. A moment, if you will." Caine proceeded to pick up another, which Godric immediately identified as a petal from the Damali flower.

"Oh no." Godric spoke in horror. In a matter of seconds, Caine was now healed. Not fully, but enough to move around more efficiently. "Much better," Caine said as he cast away the petal and picked up his sword from the ground. "How fares our mercenary? Has the poison finally begun its work?" Caine sarcastically asked.

"Trickster! This shouldn't be allowed!" Cassian shouted out to Sir Byronard, who looked on, unmoved.

"The terms were laid out. You heard it yourself, boy. No one ever said that magic was prohibited in this duel." Byronard responded coldly. His words were brutal and direct, however they were the truth. Cassian looked on in disbelief. "Get up, Flint!" Cassian and Coraline shouted in support of their companion, but things looked grim for the mercenary.

"D-damn..y-you...!" Flint said as he slowly rose to his feet, still in pain. "It was fun while it lasted, Flint. You were tougher than I assumed you'd be, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I believed myself capable to defeat you without resorting to magic, but alas, you proved me wrong." Caine said as he raised his sword. One thrust after, and his sword pierced Flint's body, wounding the mercenary but not enough to cause death. "I win." Caine said with conviction.

"To hells with all..." Flint said in a weak voice. "What was that?" Caine asked, but was only met with a blazing stare from Flint, whose eye now turned a bright crimson red. "What in the--" The noble began to pull away from Flint, but was unable to do so as his sword arm was now caught in Flint's tight grip. Soon, an intense heat emulated from the mercenary's body, shocking everyone in attendance.

"What...you can use magic as well?!" Caine asked, angry and shocked. The noble began to use his other arm and punched Flint in the face, but it did nothing except tear off the eyepatch he had worn, revealing a working eye that gleamed in a deep, violet color. "Who...are...you?" Caine asked as the heat was now making his armor unbearingly hot. Flint pushed him away and punched Caine's breastplate. It caused a shockwave that was felt across the entire arena. It also launched Caine toward a wall across the field, breaking the solid surface.

The arena was filled with applause and cheers as it was evident that Flint had emerged the victor. Byronard muttered a few words to Gabriel who sat beside him. In an instant, the royal guard appeared in front of Caine who fell unconscious from the attack. The wall behind him looked as if it were smashed in with a heavy hammer, and his adorned chestplate was now broken as a hole was created by the attack.

"He's out cold." Gabriel said. She then appeared behind Flint and raised his hand. "The winner of this bout, is Flint!" Cheers and applause came from all the spectators. The lords and ladies praised his performance by applauding or showing a simple nod. Godric looked up and spotted Lord Davenmere applauding for the winner.

"He did it. He actually did it!" Cassian said as he, Xhiamas and Coraline celebrated. The festivity was short-lived, though, for the fire in Flint's eyes flickered out, and his body began to collapse out of exhaustion. Gabriel was able to catch him before he completely fell onto the floor. "Uhh...I need help over here!" Godric and Wyatt were quick to respond and run to their friend's aid.

"Raphael!" Gabriel shouted. A royal guard then jumped from the balcony and landed on his feet. He was a tall man with wavy hair and had a quarterstaff for a weapon. His armor was adorned with a white cape that overlapped his shoulders, resembling what priests would wear during ceremonies. Without any wasted motion, he then checked on Flint's condition, along with the wounds inflicted by Caine's sword earlier.

"He's breathing, but barely. That burst of mana earlier took too much of his life essence. The stab wound and cuts have completely closed off as they were cauterized by the flames, so he won't be bleeding out on us. Still, get him to the ward immediately, Gabby. I'll take care of Lord Caine." Raphael said in a soothing voice as he touched Gabriel's palm. Gabriel made a motion with her hand, and both she and Flint immediately vanished without a trace.

"Will he be okay?" Wyatt asked the royal guard as they headed to where Caine was. "Your friend is in a critical condition. Rest assured I will do my best to keep him alive." He then knelt on the ground where Caine was found sitting upright against the wall, still unconscious.

"Lord Dewblossom's actions are questionable, but you have to admit that he is a skilled warrior." Raphael inspected the damage caused by Flint's attack and breathed a sigh of relief. "He was able to gather enough mana around his chest area, which was enough to successfully protect his body from imploding. Flint's attack earlier was a reckless gamble. Luckily, both are still alive. Godric, help me remove his chestplate." Raphael and Godric removed the armor and the royal guard immediately placed two fingers on Caine's abdomen as he began to cast a spell.

"I'd much rather prefer him dead." Wyatt said. "I understand your anger, Wyatt. However, sacred vows are not things that should be taken lightly. The terms were that either a fatal wound or surrender would decide which one wins. If Flint had killed Lord Caine, then not only would he suffered the consequences of breaking the terms of the vow, but the political landscape of the South would have changed greatly. This man is the eldest son of Lord Isaiah, who is already stricken with sickness. Its a miracle that he still does his duties despite his condition. His brothers have yet to come of age. If Lord Caine were to fall, who would stand as the South's incumbent leader, given that Lord Mikhael is missing?" Raphael explained.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Out of curiosity, what is the penalty if the vow of Combat and Victory was broken?" Godric asked.

"Death," Raphael responded. "It is not the kind that is instant, for that would be too kind a punishment--no. It is a death that is physically brutal, mind-breaking, and heart-wrenching. I have seen it with my own eyes and believe me, it is a fate that you would not wish upon anyone, even your enemy." Wyatt thought about Raphael's words, but even then, he still held deep anger against the noble.

Moments went by and Caine had finally regained consciousness. The noble groaned in pain as he was escorted out of the arena by royal guards. "I'll be taking my leave now. Goodbye." Raphael followed the royal guards onto the ward, where both were to be treated for their wounds. Cassian and the others went down onto the arena. Coraline hugged Wyatt out of joy, which caused the young man to be flustered, this caused Godric to laugh seeing his friend in such a state.

"What did they say?" Xhiamas asked Godric. "He's alive but in critical condition. Raphael, the royal guard who spoke with us said they'll take care of him and Caine." Godric said. "Good. The important thing is Flint won. This is essential in getting the Polifio troops out of our tails for good." Xhiamas responded, with Cassian and Wyatt nodding in agreement. Footsteps were heard and they all turned to find Sir Byronard accompanied by Michael and the remaining members of the Seven.

"I and the members of the Seven extend our congratulations to you all. Lord Caine was able to find a loophole in the Codex. Were he able to win this bout, then he most likely would have ordered Flint to kill the three of you until he'd died trying. Despite your status, the Capital would allow this." Byronard said. "However, he most likely did not expect the tables to be turned against him. Rules and consequences indeed." The captain of the royal guards then looked back and forth between the Seven and Godric's party.

"Oh, I forgot that you haven't met each other yet. These people you see beside me are members of the Seven. I'm sure that Godric and Wyatt have met Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael." Byronard said as he pointed at each member while calling out their name. "This would be Uriel, Jophiel, Chamuel, and finally Azrael." Each one of them acknowledged Godric and company's presence by either waving or nodding downward. "The royal guard is small in number, but each one is a talented soldier in their own right, and the Seven are what we call the elite, or the Kingsguard. They have their unique tasks aside from protecting the Capital, as have I." Byronard explained.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Uriel said. "Hopefully we'll see each more often." They then took their leave and left Byronard alone with Godric and the rest. "What happens now?" Wyatt asked the regent. "We wait," Byronard responded. "The two of them are in no condition to converse with each other nor with us, the witnesses. Because of that, I've already prepared accommodations for all of you here, in the Capital City. Enjoy the sights for a few days. We rarely get visitors here, so your presence is greatly welcomed. Also, another matter came up just recently, and it is something that I need to discuss with your friend here." Byronard looked at Xhiamas, who looked back at him and sighed.

"He is here?" Xhiamas asked. "He is. Given the situation, your case is quite complicated." Byronard responded.

"Hold on--who's here?" Cassian asked. "The stranger back in the inn at Rosetown. I'm right, aren't I?" Wyatt asked Xhiamas, who nodded in approval. "Yes. But I would not call him a stranger. Ziyad is an old acquaintance of mine." Xhiamas said. "He's quite persistent if you ask me," Wyatt said. "What does he want with you? And didn't you turn him away twice already?"

Xhiamas went silent for a moment and looked at Wyatt. "I am afraid some things are best left unsaid for now. At the right time, you will know. Sir Byronard, I will meet with you in private to discuss matters with him. Where is he now?" Xhiamas asked. "I assigned someone to watch over him. I've been informed that he was last seen walking around the city a few hours ago. He should return anytime." Byronard responded as he shifted his armor. "Also, I'd like to speak with the two of you as well." He glanced at Godric and Wyatt, who looked surprised. "Of course, sir Byronard. We'll be here if you need us." Godric said.

"Good. I'll be seeing you in a few days. I still have to meet with the Great Houses and continue our discussion. Once that's done, hopefully, Flint and Lord Caine are in a good enough condition to talk things through." The royal guard left the arena, his dire wolf-embroidered cape staring daggers at the group before disappearing into the darkness.

"It'd be best if we take a break. This has been quite a day." Coraline suggested to the group. "Since we'll be here for a few days, we should make the best of our time here. Is anyone hungry? I can go and make apple pie for you all."

"...That would be nice. Let's go." Wyatt said as they all left the arena, hungry and tired. The group spent the next hours eating and resting inside their sleeping quarters. Coraline had baked desserts and treats, which were greatly appreciated by the men who had forgotten the taste of sweets. They also caught up and shared each other's side of the story; how Godric survived and spent weeks under the elves, and how Wyatt, Cassian, and Xhiamas came and met Lord Dunwick, Flint, and Coraline.

Night had arrived and they returned to their sleeping quarters after having dinner with the nobles and emissaries. Huddled around a lit fireplace with blankets, pillows, and food to comfort themselves from the blowing winds outside, they reminisced and joked around. "I remember when I first met Wyatt. He was such an odd one back then!" Coraline said while laughing as Wyatt choked on a grape. "I was planning on not revealing anything, you know. We were in a difficult situation and we had to be careful." Wyatt said. "Well, I knew you were lying anyway. I know magic, remember? Silly boy." Coraline responded, leaving Wyatt slightly flustered.

"Speaking of magic, what's yours Godric? Surely the elves taught you a trick or two." Cassian asked, which led the others to be curious as well. "It's a bit embarrassing but I've yet to discover my foundation of magic. I can control mana, but only as an application of sorts. I can use mana to trace remnants of magic if I imbue it to my eyes, and just recently I discovered I can imbue my bare attacks with mana as well." Godric explained.

"Intriguing," Xhiamas stepped in. "From what you have shared, it seems you have the foundation of enchantment. From what I know this type of magic is very rare in nature. My memory is failing me, but I recall great individuals in the past who have wielded what you now have." He continued.

"I have to admit it has its' benefits," Godric said. "How about you, Cassian?"

"Me? If having the sudden urge to dive into battle head-on knowing its' suicide is a foundation of magic, then yes, bravery would be mine." Cassian jested. "But in all seriousness, I've yet to awaken mine. I don't even know if I can even use magic."

"Of course you can. The elves told me that everyone has magic. You'll awaken yours eventually." Godric reassured Cassian, which made the man happy. "How about you, Wyatt? Aside from lugging around old man Dale's hammer, has your mana awakened yet?" Godric asked his friend.

"Now that I think about it, no." Wyatt then remained silent as he stared at the hammer, not wanting to share the weapon's secrets with the rest as he felt uncomfortable with the idea. "Wyatt? You okay?" Godric asked, snapping his friend back to reality. "Wha--yes, I'm fine. Just daydreaming, that's all." Wyatt responded.

"He tends to do that. Even when we were imprisoned, he'd prefer daydreaming instead of resting when we had some time off work." Cassian said. "How about you, Xhiamas? We saw you fight already back in Shire's Eye. We never saw you pull off any magic but you handled dozens of Polifio bannermen easily--no offense, milady." Cassian said as he looked at Coraline.

Xhiamas smiled at the comment. "That is kind of you to say. I can admit that I am an experienced warrior, but I was using mana at the time." This left Cassian and Wyatt confused. "Well then what were you using?" Wyatt asked. Xhiamas responded by pointing to the window. "In five seconds, a Nightfly will pass for us to see." Moments later, the bug native to the dark passed by the window and illuminated the far corner of the room, shocking all of them.

"...Precognition?" Coraline asked in amazement. "I've heard tales of such a foundation, but I've always doubted its existence."

"It is not that impressive. I can only see a few moments into the future. And even if I can predict an attack, I must be fast enough to avoid it." Xhiamas said. "It is also quite taxing on the mind. As you see, all of us are led to different paths based on our actions. If I see a strike and take it head-on, I can see myself lying on the ground five seconds later. However, if I react to that attack before it happens, the scene in my head immediately shifts to the next possible outcomes--thus changing what might have been and showing me what could be. A ripple effect, of sorts."

"...Which explains why you prefer using a dagger and distractions when fighting to not overexert yourself with too much information, and for you to have time to decide what to do next. That's smart." Wyatt said, impressed. "Exactly. We do what we can to survive. I learned that the hard way, Shaale." Xhiamas said as he showed a scar on his arm, which could have been one of many attempts to master his way of fighting.

"I have a request," Xhiamas' tone became serious. "I trust the four of you enough to keep my talents of precognition a secret. No one outside the members of my company and the ghosts of my past know of this. Promise me this." The four of them looked at each other and promised Xhiamas. "I thank you for your reassurance. I will take my leave now. This day had been quite taxing for all of us, and it had been days before I had taken a good night's rest. Good evening." Xhiamas stood up and headed to the inner section of the sleeping quarters, eager to rest.

"Well, I'll be finishing a few of Coraline's desserts here and a few grapes. I'm not going to miss out on quality food, you know." Cassian jested. "Understood. I'll be heading off to sleep as well. Don't stay up too late, you three. We still have more to do tomorrow." Godric said, leaving Cassian, Wyatt, and Coraline alone.

"You're a lucky person, Wyatt," Coraline said. "How so?" Wyatt asked her. "In all my years, aside from the ones at the Whiteflower, I've never met more trustworthy people than those you call friends. Cherish them while you can." Coraline said as she held Wyatt's hand. Wyatt lightly tightened his grip as well, affirming his answer. "Don't worry. I will." Wyatt said as the fireplace flickered with a red glow, somehow illuminating the room even more as the cold, bristling winds of the upcoming winter season breezed throughout the night.