Arlo readied his sword as Altina prepared her own.
"Serot, hand me the blade."
Altina grabbed the sheath and slid it off, revealing a blade made of a similar material with which the shield he had given Pierce was made.
Arlo watched as Altina's blank expression turned smug.
"As I had said, this will not be to the death." she said loudly.
Arlo nodded and waited for her to attack, positioning his sword.
"Vaequilian tradition has it that the one whom is of a lower class strikes first." Altina stepped forward.
Arlo scoffed.
"Fine."
Arlo attempted a vertical swing from above, which Altina easily sidestepped.
Altina rotated to Arlo's left as he regained his balance.
Arlo tried to stab her in the shoulder and she used her sword to redirect the attack beside her.
Arlo blinked to find Altina rushing towards him.
She's fast!
Altina struck him in the stomach with the bottom of her sword before he could even react.
He got knocked backwards, clutching his stomach.
What...?
She pointed her blade up, revealing a terrifying grin on her face.
Impossible!
She slammed the sword down in the direction of his head, but Arlo managed to move out of the way.
"Arlo!" Sara called for him. He looked to find her looking through her tome.
"No, don't!" he yelled as he dodged another attack.
This is important to Altina.
I can tell...
She wants a respectable defeat.
"You're rather lucky. I'm not used to dueling against such a rodent, scampering all over the floor."
Arlo dodged another attack, only to be met with another one.
At this point, Arlo was just constantly dodging and blocking her attacks as he they ran around the center of the throne room.
She's too fast! I don't have time to-
Arlo tried to block another attack with his sword, but her sword completely shattered it.
She kicked him in the chest, knocking him onto his back.
Altina raised her blade.
"Die." she whispered.
Arlo's eyes widened as he realized she had meant to kill him.
Time slowed down around him.
He felt null, and he noticed a blue aura appear around him.
Clang!
Arlo opened his eyes to find Pierce covering him with the shield.
Who is this? I have to win for Serot. Just like it had always meant to be.
Altina grunted as Pierce kicked her in the stomach.
"How did your shield...?" Altina was lost.
That couldn't be...
The... the dragon shield...
And the boy...
Blue fire...
"You tried to kill him!" the boy who had interfered shouted.
The leader, Arlo, stood up, still engulfed in those..m blue flames.
The boy who had interfered the duel with his shield pointed his finger at her.
"You. You lied to us."
Who...?
Arlo, took a step toward her.
No. Die...
Altina went for another strike, and he caught her wrist without any difficulty.
"What...?" Altina was overwhelmed.
"Your skill... it does not matter..." he spoke. His voice... it did not belong to him.
What...?
"Get your filthy hands off the Empress!" Serot yelled, then pointed to the interceptor, "And you, you traitor! You're breaking Vaequilian law by interfering with our duel!"
"I am no longer Vaequilian." Pierce said.
Arlo stood beside him, still with that mysterious blue flame.
Again, he spoke.
"Altina. You are nothing without that sword. Your god, Vaeryn, has forsaken you."
Altina froze.
It was clear. That had not been the Arlo she had just fought speaking. That was a god.
Several soldiers came up to her to restrain her, and she made no attempts to fight back.
She watched as Arlo turned around to face the soldiers, and there was silence.
