The Duke's Passion

"Everyone! Fall back right this instance!"

My voice went through the loud noise of the war. But that was because everyone finally noticed what was going on. They looked up, only to see that the dark sky was slowly being replaced by a dark veil. This darkfield that was this huge and stable only spoke danger.

"Fall back!" I repeated although I knew we all had nowhere to run or hide. But at least they weren't surrounded by the rebels. None question the order, as Glory also shouted. Even though they didn't dive deeper into the rebels' temporary base, retreating was still a challenge. 

It was a good thing that Fabian was with them, so he could watch over them. Meanwhile, I tossed the bow to the person standing in front of the gates as I jumped down. 

"This won't do," I said as the effectiveness of backing everyone up with a bow and arrow went down to negative zero. "Lakresha."

I called my scythe once again, which instantly took form in my hand. I marched forward while those in the back lines rushed back, passing by me while yelling to retreat. If not for the torches, normal humans wouldn't see a thing inside this void.

  This darkfield gave off Stefan and Zero's aura. Hence, that only proved that those two were in here. Fabian and I had to at least reduce the rebels in half. My gut feeling told me things would just get worse from this moment on. 

"Arghh!!!" 

I leaped to the source of the yell to rescue him. In an instant, I slew a rebel from the back, tossing it to the side. As soon as I saw the victim, my eyes landed on his arm. I hadn't even processed how his arm looked as if a monster bit him when the person I stabbed rose once again. 

'Oh no...' I could hear a hiss as I slowly turned my head to the side. 

Black sclera, black fangs, while black liquid dripping from the corner of his lips. Veins from under his temple protruded angrily. His fingers revealed sharp claws as he curled them, producing a distinct cracking sound. 

Undead. 

My horror had come true. These rebels turned out to be guinea pigs, used to be undeads slash abnormal vampires. If my senses were correct, this monster wouldn't live tomorrow. But their survival wasn't the goal in here. These people were nothing but disposable pawns.

"Ugh..." the undead ground his fangs at me, but his eyes seemed to be in pain. "...help...."

My heart instantly dropped to my stomach upon catching his muffled cry for help. These people... these rebels that we had been fighting to death... were they simply deceived? For a moment, I froze at this possibility that rose in my head.

The possibility that not all rebels wanted to rebel. Instead, some of them seemed they were lured to be in this situation. Mind control could do all that, especially if the person controlling them were... as capable as Stefan and Zero. 

My grip around Lakresha tightened as all I saw was red. In an instant, I ended that undead by slicing him right in the middle. I watched it slowly get separated, dropping on either side with a blank expression. 

I looked down, wide-eyed. My entire body shook, not from excitement or from fear, but from intense anger. The word furious was an understatement of what was swelling in my chest right now. Neither was guilt nor remorse for fighting possibly 'innocent' people.

I couldn't pinpoint the feeling of what it was exactly. But one thing was for sure, I would kill Zero and Stefan. The people passing by me continued while I just stood there, gazing at the split person. 

An army of undeads and abnormal... I scoffed before laughing in ridicule. 

"Your — Your Majesty?" called the one I save while pressing the wound in his arm. He looked scared, but not in this situation. The way he looked at me was as if he was uncertain if I would save or kill him. 

I extended my arm to him. "Get up and run. Get treated."

He hesitatingly took my hand, and I pulled him up. He thanked me nervously, but I just jerked my chin up.

"Go and never look back. If a rebel approached you, make sure to smash their skull to pieces," I said coldly before turning my back against him, facing my people who were running in my direction. 

As I said, this war was something we could no longer turn back. Even if the fact that the rebels weren't all rebels were laid on the table, I steeled my heart before it broke. The only thing I could do to them was to end their sufferings by a quick death. 

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, gripping Lakresha tightly. I entered a calm state of mind, shunning the voices and figures running past me. My shoulders relaxed and so was my breathing. Once I slowly opened my eyes, I guided Lakresha to my other palm, slicing across from it.

I raised my eyes, batting it ever so slowly as I watched the rebels pause and sniff. Unlike previously, these undeads and abnormals would prioritize the aroma that would make their stomach grumble. 

"What... why did they stop?" someone from my side slowed down as he spoke in confusion.

"Don't stop. Keep retreating and regroup in front of the gate," I replied solemnly, without casting the person a look. "Tell everyone to crush their heads if they approached."

"Your Majesty?!"

"Fabian." I Ignored the confused person as Fabian approached me. His eyes fell on my bleeding hand before raising it to meet my gaze.

"I won't conserve energy. I will end these rebels while you look after them."

"I can't." His expression was unchanging and aloof. "Your Majesty, if you are going to fight the rebels all on your own knowing they were --"

"That's an order." He abruptly stopped as my gaze veered past him. "I'm not on a suicide mission. I am simply asking you to take a rest since Zero and Stefan would be here any moment. Take care of them first. I will join you shortly."

His lips parted and closed a couple of times. Fabian was displeased about this, but he ended up bowing. 

"Your wish is my command, Your Majesty.." He planted his palm across his chest before I leaped forward, luring the rebels away.