Chapter 142 - The Challenger's Pride

As Apollyon trotted to the barricade's edges of the battle arena, the military general, who acted as the official umpire of the sword duel, took the center field and bellowed, "Duellists. Take your places."

As Cederic introduced the Feline King to the audience, three of his men-at-arms from the Feline King's envoy entered the battle of the arena all of a sudden.

They covered the Feline King in plates of armor so bright they seemed to reflect the fires of the forge that had molded them.

Luna arched an eyebrow as she scanned him from head to toe.

It was peculiar to see that Panterra could be armored in full flamboyance despite him going to war with the Vampire King vis-a-vis.

Luna narrowed her eyes at King Panterra. 

Was Panterra's pretty armor a hidden insult for them to decode—that he was wearing them since he wouldn't think her husband could do no damage to his steel plate, anyway? 

The Feline King was full of himself.

When King Panterra fixed his helmet, Luna noticed that there were black and red feathers attached to it.

"I will see to it that I will win over you, King Apollyon, to redeem my honor." King Panterra yelled as a parting shot.

The Feline King took up his sword and shield from his envoy, tilting his head from side to side as if stretching the muscle cords on his neck.

Panterra dappled his mount to the opposite end of the arena.

Cederic had glanced from his left then to the right, nodding in approval for the duellists were ready.

Now that both of the Kings were on their positions, the military general stood at the center and lifted both of his arms. "On your guard."

It seemed like it wasn't only Luna, who was looking forward to the sword duels.

"Fight with honor, Your Highnesses, "The military general exclaimed heartily with excitement in his eyes. "Don't show any mercy to the opponent."

The men circled each other like wolves warily, scenting the blood of a fresh kill.

Luna might have been more intrigued by the spectacle had she not known that the victor would have every right to make her feel like she was in debt when she was in the middle of it all.

There was a possibility that if the Feline King won by a slim chance over Apollyon, perhaps, he would ask for something she wouldn't be ready to give.

She wasn't here when the duel was agreed by the two parties.

It could be very well, not her 'honor' which was on the line here.

Of course, her husband wouldn't allow that.

This was why Apollyon was ready to battle Panterra and emerge victoriously.

Full-bodied cheers and cries of anticipation went up as both the Kings pulled on their warhorses' reins as if ready to strike.

The destriers roared towards their inevitable confrontation, their front legs lifting in a forceful forward kick motion so aggressive that it could break human bones.

Both of the stallions charged to each other as the Kings lifted their swords, preparing for an attack. 

Apollyon rode low over his warhorse's mount with the speed and thunder of the magnificent beast.

Drawing his sword, King Panterra hefted it in the air with both hands.

Luna clenched the rails once again with her heart racing over her parched throat, gritting her teeth as she waited for the involuntary suspense of clashing blades.

Based on Luna's observation, the Vampire King outweighed King Panterra when it came to their physical form, but the black panther's slender grace might gain an advantage.

The Feline King had darted like quicksilver, parrying each of Apollyon's mighty swings until their swords clash in a deadly symphony.

Luna recoiled when her husband took a blow to the helm that would have staggered a lesser creature.

A roar of approval went up from the crowd, tipping the scales into the Feline King's favor.

She turned her head and scowled at them. 

When she turned her gaze back to the battle, a downward slash of Apollyon's blade drew a dark bloom of blood on Panterra's thigh.

Panterra gazed down at how the Vampire King's sword broke through his steel plate in patent disbelief.

Apollyon increased their distance before Panterra could have his revenge.

He tipped back the faceplate of his helm.

"Shall you yield?" Apollyon invited in a mocking smirk. "I fear hacking you limb from limb might offend my wife's delicate sensibilities, Panterra."

"I would not." King Panterra insisted in a shout.

Everything happened so fast that it felt like it was just in a split second before Luna saw her husband lifted his lance and they collided.

The next thing they knew, the Feline King dropped from his mount and tumbled head over heels to the ground as he clutched his bleeding torso. 

Luna narrowed her eyes in confusion, making sure that she had truly witnessed Panterra's downfall.

The Vampire King's 'Sword of the Black Rose' had pierced the Feline King's armor and penetrated his body.

Luna couldn't imagine how much vampire strength Apollyon had embodied for making it so quick and clean-cut.

Her husband didn't even break a sweat, his face cool and calm while his body was rigid with inner tension.

Sometimes, she forgot the fact that Apollyon wasn't a man to be messed with—that he was a powerful, immortal, pureblood vampire who had experienced a lot of hardships in his life along with being possessed by a ruthless Archdemon for centuries.

If Panterra thought that he had swift reflexes as a panther, then the Vampire King was swifter than him.

This kind of supernatural abilities must have been an inbred talent of his, enhanced by the stark disregard of a creature's life.

Truth be told, if Luna had fought with Lady Catriona in this battle arena, she would have given it her all to win, but she would also hesitate before giving Catriona some real blows—not just intended to hurt but to decapitate.

The Vampire King fought so valiantly well, but the intensity of their sword duel had the intention of slaughtering each other--not just a duel but a fight to the death.

Lady Catriona might be a bitch, too, but she knew a bitch can still have that conscience flashing quickly in her eyes before she slew one.

The Vampire King had none.

Her husband didn't really have to think it through or which part of the body he would maim.

Apollyon was cold and calculated before he slowly relaxed, his body taking its time to realize that it had done its job.

It didn't feel natural to Luna that her husband had the killing instinct.

The Vampire King's body language felt like it was natural as dancing.

His moves were graceful yet brutal.

Mindless.

This was why it was better for the panther to stop bragging from the beginning of the sword duel because the Feline King had to swallow his words back, promising the crowd the victory that was never going to be his.

He did not only make a fool of himself because of his pride, but he also made the Feline Kingdom a laughingstock for promising things when he couldn't even deliver.

Luna bit her cheek in pity for Panterra.

They can all say that it wasn't Luna or her husband's fault that Panterra had lost and torn down his reputation as the King of the Felines in tatters. 

The Feline King climbed to his feet with regret as he picked up his fallen helm and shook the dust off its black and red plumes.

Luna winced at the chorus of jeers and boos, which greeted him when Panterra walked back to his elevated throne, limping back and clutching at his left rib. 

As a casual observer, Luna would immediately know who were part of the Feline King's envoy, for they only had their head bowed down to the ground as if they mourned for their Alpha's loss.

It was a wonder why the Feline Kingdom's Envoy had still respected Panterra enough to do that despite the humiliation,

There was a muffled rejoinder from behind Luna that was too low for her ears to catch.

"Did you know that the Feline King was a pussy?"

That statement provoked a round of naughty titters from the women in the crowd.

Luna knew that Catriona might have heard it if that scowl of hers (which could rearrange her pretty face into a nasty one)  alone was any indication.

Leopard shapeshifters had sensitive ears.

The Vampire King hurled his shield to the ground, tore off his helm, and plunged from his own mount.

Despite that, her husband was no less threatening without his warhorse and his sword.

Apollyon strode towards the center of the battle arena as he smirked at King Panterra's retreating back to his elevated throne, into Lady Catriona's arms.

Will the power-hungry concubine swallow her pride and comfort the loser Feline King despite the second-hand embarrassment she must have felt?

The military general shook off Apollyon's hands with a mutter of 'congratulations' before Cederic raised his hand, announcing Apollyon's victory over the sword duel.

There was a terse silence broken only by the rising chorus of amazement from the crowd of onlookers. 

Apollyon's crooked smile was a dazzling flash of white.

Luna didn't know she was holding her breath when Apollyon slammed back the faceplate of his helm as if to hide from the people's view while his unflinching blue gaze never left hers.

Shaking sweat from his eyes, he bellowed, "I would be waiting for my reward on the bed chamber, wife."