Chapter 44: Battle To The Death

"I cannot kill Merrick," Prince Sunrei was horrified. "He is our cousin. Killing him is not right."

"Killing will never be right but that is the only way you can own that body."

"But still…"

"No more buts," Aries firmly stated. "If you want, I will teach you how to kill him."

"Like how you killed my sister?" Prince Sunrei glared at Aries.

"I told you," he glared back at the hesitating prince. "The only way you can avenge her is if you stay in that body. If you want to surrender without a fight then that only means you had given up the chance to seek justice for her."

Prince Sunrei was silenced by those words and Aries had taken that as an agreement.

"Train for a week and then fight him."

"You can also train with us," Alfred kindly offered.

"Win that battle to the death," Princess Pieffer pleaded but the prince did not reply. He was just staring bitterly at the stone floor.

"While Prince Sunrei is practicing, we should also train in penetrating our heavily guarded manor," Lira clenched her fist over the long table. "We should succeed in taking that book."

^########^

A week had passed so fleetingly. Aries was busy memorizing the blueprint Lira had given him. Princess Pieffer joined him in familiarizing every detail of the blueprint because she would provide backup for Aries in case it was needed. Siorre would only study the blueprint whenever Lira was with them. It seemed that the Scorpio House Leader had taken great interest in the future Scale House Leader.

Those two instantly became best of friends. They frequently spent their time together whether it was for training, patrolling, or simply chatting over a meal. Lira even allowed Siorre to sleep in her room.

Prince Sunrei was practicing all day with only four hours of sleep and a few minutes of mealtime. It seemed that he was no longer hesitating. They were all counting on it. He had to win.

"Are you ready?" Aries asked the prince now that they had gathered at the chamber of Lira for another meeting over a simple yet delicious dinner.

"We cannot extend our stay here. A week is long enough," Prince Sunrei said with a heavy sigh. "I need to accept that duel now."

"Win it," Aries insisted.

"I know," the prince glared at him.

"I can't believe another week had passed," Siorre looked sad. "I don't want to return yet. I need to see our plans succeed."

"Stay as much as you want," Aries smirked. "Pines can wait."

"He can't," the royal siblings and Siorre had chorused.

"I'll stay here until we get that book or until Pines comes," the Scale House Leader smiled.

"I think you should head to the quadrangle," Lira reminded the prince who nodded with a grave look in his eyes.

^######^

Though Prince Sunrei told them to wait for his return, Princess Pieffer was still restless. She wanted to follow her brother through the shadows but Aries stopped her. He told the princess that he could observe the fight alone. He did not promise anything because he had this belief that the prince would go home victorious.

Aries found a steady shadow being cast by a pillar underneath the balcony towards the wall of the manor. There was also a guard standing right next to that column and he was adding more shadow to accommodate Aries.

Watching the fight in the shadows was not his only reason for coming into the quadrangle. He also wanted to try penetrating inside the manor. He was hoping that they could hit two birds with one stone.

Prince Sunrei was standing at the platform below the balcony. The present house leader and Merrick were looking down at him from that veranda. Guards were scattered at the perimeter of the quadrangle and were roaming the area carefully. It appeared that they tightened the security because of what happened the last time Prince Sunrei was in there.

"I accept your challenge," Prince Sunrei was staring fiercely at Merrick. "Let's do this now."

The prince unsheathed his silver sword as Merrick jumped from the balcony and landed gracefully at the platform. He slightly raised his right hand and a golden blade materialized from his palm.

Aries noticed that Merrick had squinted a bit when he released his weapon. It seemed that the vessel was having difficulty sheltering three souls. That gave Aries more confidence in the victory of the prince.

"What are the rules?" Prince Sunrei asked.

"There is only one rule in the battle to the death," the old man answered. "Stop the heart of your opponent from beating. Whatever method you use will be allowed. Are there any more questions?"

It had been answered by silence.

"If there are no more inquiries then Prince Sunrei and Merrick will begin the battle to the death!" the voice of the old man rumbled all over the quadrangle.

Merrick rushed towards Prince Sunrei, his blade was aiming for the heart. The prince sidestepped and dodged the attack then swiftly slashed his sword at the face of Merrick. The possessed vessel managed to jumped away but his cheek had still been grazed.

The two dashed away from each other with their weapons raised and pointed at one another.

Aries was glad to see that Prince Sunrei was not wasting his training. He had no doubt improved.

The opponent on the other hand had somehow weakened. His mobility decreased and the intensity of his attack had lessened. Though it was only a subtle change, the vessel was certainly wearing away. And with that, Aries would not be bothered even if he left the prince alone. He should start penetrating the house.

As Lira had said, the inside of the manor was closely guarded and according to the blueprint, the interior had lesser furniture than any ordinary mansion. It was a good thing that there were still shadows around the house. Aries was cautiously passing through the shadows and carefully examining each room.

There were plenty of guards, a few housemaids, and no immediate family. For a few minutes of searching the manor, Aries had not seen anyone that seemed related to Lira. But he was still on the first floor and moving on to the second.

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The upper floor had plenty of doors and Aries warily checked each room. It appeared that the people in that big manor had a siesta time. It was only one in the afternoon but most of the residences were dozing off on their beds. Some were sitting on the couch and staring drowsily at the fireplace.

For a moment, Aries had this urge to see if they were possessed or not but his cautiousness got the better of him and he stayed well hidden behind the shadows while checking the rest of the room.

There were only five chambers left and the Book of Balance was not yet to be seen. Lira told him that he would immediately know if it was the one he was looking for, but as of that moment, he had only seen ordinary books.

He was about to enter the next room when he felt a stinging pain in his left shoulder. No one had stabbed him but the throbbing made him anxious. He had to check on the prince, yet before he could move, another piercing pain had shot from his left abdomen. It was more agonizing that he dropped on his knees and rolled out of the shadows.

A stab wound had never been that painful. Aries felt his organs throbbing as if needles were repeatedly pricking each of them, making him dizzy and out of breath.

"Who are you?"

Though writhing in pain, Aries glanced up. His dread was instantly replaced with confusion. It felt like he was staring at the spitting image of the future house leader.

"Lira…" he breathed before losing his consciousness.

^######^

Aries sensed himself floating in a thick dark liquid. Its coldness was worsening the throbbing that had spread all over his body. He looked around but could not see anything aside from pitch-black darkness. He was hearing distant voices and could not understand a word. Straining to comprehend was giving him a headache.

Prince Sunrei, what is happening to you?

Aries was annoyed. He reminded the prince plenty of times to immediately send a signal if trouble arose in the battle to the death.

He closed his eyes and ignored the pain all over his body. He focused and let his consciousness drift towards those distant voices.

Slowly he was getting there.

"Stop struggling."

Aries finally understood the voices he was hearing. It was from Merrick. He opened his eyes but still could not see anything but pitch-black darkness.

"It will only worsen the pain. Just let me make it quick for you. Consider that as my gratitude for taking care of my body."

The prince did not reply with words but with his silver sword.

Aries heard swords clanking. Their footsteps sounded swift and faint. Prince Sunrei and Merrick resumed their intense battle until Aries sensed another agonizing stab in his body. That golden sword Demise felt like it was sending tiny needles the moment its blade entered the body.

"Let me fight!" Aries immediately sent his thoughts towards the prince.

"Stay there! I will handle this."

That voice of the prince thundered in his mind, adding pain to his already aching head.

"Your stubbornness will get you killed! Let me fight!"

"I said stay there!"

"No!" Aries squinted as he focused on finding the connection he had made with the prince.

They both agreed to let him fight if things had gotten out of hand but now the prince was pulling back on their pledge.

Aries ignored the escalating pain in his head as he searched through the pitch-black darkness. It took him a few exhausting minutes before he glimpsed that tiny light of hope.

He finally found the connection. He swiftly drifted towards the light until he bathed on it and when it vanished he found himself out of the pitch-black darkness and into the body of Prince Sunrei.

'How can you let yourself get wounded by this much?' Aries sent those thoughts to the soul of Prince Sunrei that was trying to push him out of the body.

'I told you I can do this!' the prince yelled in his mind.

"You cannot defeat him alone.' Aries bluntly opposed. 'We need to help each other. So stop pushing me out of your body. Don't add more pain to the wounds you had inflicted in my soul.'

Those words had finally silenced the stubborn prince.

Aries thought he would be having difficulty moving in a body that was not his own. Fortunately, his assumption was wrong. There was only a slight strangeness, like wearing garments from a stranger with the same clothes size as yours. There were only a few minutes of strangeness but you would just quickly get used to it.

He needed to familiarize himself quickly with that vessel because Merrick was rushing towards him with his golden sword and ready to strike right at the heart.

"Vermillion," he called on to his sword with a smirk that widened when he noticed the surprise in the face of Merrick.

That distraction was enough for Aries to swing his crimson dual blades against the golden sword Merrick was gripping. The collision was too intense that sparks formed in between their clashing swords. Aries stepped forward and pushed harder against the weapon of his opponent. Their arms were both trembling with the force they were exerting until Aries managed to shove the golden sword away from his path and he swiftly dashed forward. His blade was aimed at the neck of his opponent.

Merrick managed to pull the golden sword in his direction and deflect the crimson blades. He pushed the dual swords away from his neck and the rest of his body but the clothes over his chest had still been shredded.

He took a few steps backwards and gazed furiously at his supposed body.

"You…" he seethed.

"Right," Aries grinned. "I am who you think I am."

^######^

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