𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐌 || 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐇𝐘𝐔𝐂𝐊

[𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧]

Chapter 13: Chaos

"You can do this, you can do this" Donghyuck chanted quietly before stepping inside the loud and dusty arena filled with civilians from Helianthus and a couple of soldiers from Cethin.

"Go Donghyuck!" The people chanted while smiling widely, believing in their king to win.

The tanned male looked at everyone and smiled slightly, nervousness written all over his face. He shook his body to ease it out a bit and waited for the announcer to call on his enemy.

Soon the announcer raised his voice as he called on Cethin's champion...more like a terrifying beast. It was manticore but in a shade of black with purple smoke surrounding itself. It was growling in hunger and it's bright orange eyes looked at the tanned male's like as if it wants to eat him alive. The guards of Cethin cheered loudly including Erubus but Koeun watched silently, sitting with manners as she eyed Donghyuck's physical state.

'Oh he's nervous, too nervous' she thought as she bites her finger.

"In this showdown, we will see if our king Lee Donghyuck is strong enough to fight Cethin's one and only powerful beast, Manticore in a death battle—" The announcer spoke, smirking after, "—now there are only two rules in this showdown, no magic—" he pointed to the glowing runes that sealed Donghyuck's powers and the Manticore's fire breath off of them. "—and of course, no dying...well if that rule is possible, knowing either one of them is strong as a lion or as weak as sunflower"

It's that line again, and Donghyuck hated it. He tightened his grip on the handle of his sword that is still inside his sheathe. He looked around and saw his parents, sadly smiling at him with Jaehyun and Niki right beside them. Mark was beside his own parents but there was one person missing...

Sunoo.

He was nowhere in sight and it made him confused, Sunoo was gone and for what reason?

"Now champions" the announcer held a red flag on his hand, his head then turned to Donghyuck, "your majesty" he bowed, "BEGIN!" He shouted as he lifted the flag, everyone in the arena was shouting for their life.

Donghyuck's heart started beating as the Manticore growled louder, charging its way to Donghyuck with its claws ready to slice him into cubes.

Donghyuck jumped back but never attacked using his sword, he ran far away from the beast as it followed him, soon he found him running to a wall but he forced his legs to run up to the wall and tumble back.

The manticore who didn't know Donghyuck's plan, harshly crashed into the wall, stunning himself. It became angrier.

It rammed into Donghyuck making the poor boy crash to the ground, wounds from his cheek and neck started to appear. His parents were worried and Mark surprisingly is too...

Minutes have passed and a lot has happened, the Manticore has already took many hits on Donghyuck but the tanned male doesn't retyrn it back, all he does was run and try to stun the beast but it has already learned from Donghyuck, everytime it would try to hit it to the wall it would smack Donghyuck's body.

"Donghyuck fight! Get up you can do it!" Jaehyun cheered, clapping his hands as he stood up with Niki.

Donghyuck smiled at Jaehyun and stood up, this time he pulled out the sword and charged to the Manticore to slice it but the beat kicked him back as he met himself with the wall.

"This is no use he's getting beaten up" Jaehyun told the parents, "sir allow me, I need to help Donghyuck-"

"Sit down," Mark said sternly. He glared at Jaehyun for saying he'll help Donghyuck, "let me do it, sir"