"Who is that man? I don't believe I've ever seen a vampire like him before."
"How foolish can you be? Can't you tell from his smell? He's not one of us!"
"Then, what is he? He doesn't give off the same odour as the beasts, nor does he smell or even appear like the others."
"You all are just wasting your time. Whatever he is, I'm sure Kael will deal with him before he can do anything. From what I can see, the emperor already has his eyes set on his prey."
"I can see that as well. If not for the fact that I knew him, I would have assumed he was a wild animal, especially with that long hair of his."
The next moment, Kael shifted his feet, disappearing from his position right after. Slade instinctively raised his hands in a cross shape, the crimson blade pressing hard against his arms.
The sharp edge easily pierced through his sleeves, tearing through flesh within seconds. A viscous, purple liquid trickled down Kael's sword, his eyes sparking with intrigue.
"Purple… that's different," he said, applying more pressure.
Slade's eyes swiftly scanned his surroundings, taking note of the mixed expressions of the others present. Then, his attention returned to the emperor.
"I do not wish to involve others in this matter," he said, voice calm and steady, just like before. "If possible, I would like for us to settle this without having any further casualties. After all, it doesn't matter whether I capture you dead or alive. As long as I simply capture you is enough."
Kael hissed as he drew his weapon back, shifting some distance away.
"An idiot who values people's lives. My, an ignorant man like you would've been torn to shreds if you were a citizen of this kingdom," Kael spat. "Just because you show concern for everyone here, doesn't mean they aren't waiting for their change to kill you. If I were you, I'd avoid being sentimental while being in enemy territory."
Slade's eyes fell upon his wounds, the dripping lacerations sealing themselves within seconds.
"I'm not a sentimental person. I just don't want to do more than necessary for the sake of my goal," he replied. "If you are against my request, then it's fine. They're your people, after all."
Kael remained silent for some time, then replied, saying:
"Very well, then. A duel, in the Arena," his voice was loud and infatuated with excitement, the royals staring worriedly at each other as the memories of the past flooded their minds.
It had been ten long years since the battle for supremacy. The Arena hadn't been used since.
And now, its era of unuse was about to be broken.
Kael's eyes shifted to his relatives, his voice deep, cutting through their anxiety as they instantly straightened.
"All of you, to the Arena."
******
The familiar seats sent shivers down their spines. The distant screams of their late relatives harassed their hearing, some of them barely managing to hold back tears as they reluctantly took their seats.
The air was filled with the scent of accumulated dust, puffy eyes staring at the locations where their lost loved ones had been mercilessly slaughtered.
They withheld stifled screams, burying their heads in their chests as they mumbled inaudible words with heavy breaths.
They wanted the throne. They were the ones who challenged Kael.
They battled and lost.
The loosers had to right to be part of the era where the victor was ruler.
They repeated these string of words endlessly to themselves, hoping they would bring them some semblance of stability within this dreadful place. However, their efforts at soothing themselves were hopelessly shattered as the large doors were swung open soon enough.
Stepping in was the challenger, the purple-haired man with purple-red eyes. His steps exuded a disturbing sense of calmness, his gaze focused on the path before him.
The Darkhavens listlessly stared at the figure, their thoughts ravenously frenzied by the tremors of their dark past.
Slade stood firmly within the Arena, guarded eyes awaiting the arrival of his opponent. Not long after, the emperor made an entrance, his posture as confident and elegant as ever. Though, contrasting his appearance to some extent.
Shortly after, they stood opposite each other, neither willing to look away. The spectators held their breaths, goosebumps flooding their dermal surfaces.
Kael brandished his crimson blade, the red luminescence revealing the wide grin on his face. He swung the fiendish weapon a few times in the air, each swing creating sharp noises as he glared menacingly at his adversary.
Meanwhile, something about his opponent suddenly felt different, as though the essence of the energy he emitted had undergone some sort of strange, profound transformation.
Kael carefully observed his opponent, his curiousity growing more ravenous as the seconds crawled by. His grip around his sword tightened, his body trembling in excitement.
Slade's body shook uncontrollably, the sound of something wriggling about within his flesh invading their ears. Right after, dark purple bat-like wings formed on his back, a similar coloured tail with a pointed edge growing from his behind. A pair of purple horns sprouted from his head, bending slightly and stretching upward. His fingers grew into sharp talons, wings flapping as he floated slightly above the ground.
Kael sucked his teeth, admiring the fiendish creatures before him as he said:
"My, what a beauty you are. I believe I saw a creature like you in one of the books I studied in the past. What was it, a demon? Yes, that's right," his grin stretched wider still, fangs revealed as he continued. "Is that what you are, Slade Of The Shadows? A demon?"
However, his question wasn't graced with an answer. The next moment, the signal was given, and the match began.
Immediately, both opponents rushed towards each other, the crowd erupting in pained gasps as they covered the distance.
Slade swung his claws, his movements leaving trails of purple light as they collided with Kael's sword constantly. Their weapons rang out within the massive space, the flames of murder surging within their souls.
Slade's wings flapped violently, soaring himself higher above ground. Gliding all across the terrain, he evaded a cacophony of blood beams from Kael, each blast heavily impacting the sturdy ceiling, conjuring a mass of dust and descending debris.
Then, he opened his mouth wide, purple energy accumulating at a frighting pace. The next moment, a trail of purple energy shot out, barely missing Kael as he jumped away.
A massive explosion followed, Kael shooting his own blood beam in response. Although his attention was fully focused on his airborne opponent, from the corner of his eye, he observed the location where the creature's energy beam had struck.
As the dust settled, the area appeared severely burned and melted, as though corroded by an odious force. Kael's eyes glistened with further excitement, stretching his other hand outward.
A gargantuan mass of convulsing lightning materialized around his hand, rapidly spreading across the Arena like a starving virus. Slade's aerial movements were harshly impeded by the surging lightning, his hardened exterior sizzled by the charged luminescence.
Yet, despite the severity of the lightning against his raging being, he persisted, maneuvering those he could, getting stricken by those that superseded his cognitive ability. He bared through the oppressive pain, eyes glaring furiously at the sadistic emperor.
He unleashed a massive torrent of purple energy, erasing several meters of flooring in seconds. Kael nimbly evaded the eroding blast, twisting the lightning to strike his opponent.
Slade gritted his teeth through the pain, swerving through the coiling lightning as he shot towards the emperor. His claws glowed with a subtle radiance as they clashed with Kael's blade, their attacks intensifying with each clash.
Kael's blade slightly missed Slade's neck, his feet swiftly shifting back as he heaved a slight sigh, his engaged expression heavily intact as he asked:
"Tell me, demon, what crime did I commit that urged you to sneak into my kingdom to capture me? The fact that you were able to bypass my security without being detected is quite remarkable. A being as powerful as yourself, risking your neck to bring me in, it can't all be for a trivial matter," His question was met with silence once again.
Their powers grew more devastating, both individuals emanating a brilliant glow of their respective powers. On one hand, Kael's being was enveloped with a sharp crimson radiance, his eyes burning with intense emotions as me moved with control and bloodthirsty precision. Meanwhile, a bright purple glow shone from Slade, bathing his wings, tail, and claws in their dark luminance.
Then, their respective energies exploded simultaneously, both unleashing colossal beams of power surging towards each other. They added more power behind their attacks, wide eyes glaring deeply into each other through the tapestry of compounding radiance.