-24-

The bottle of orange juice fell from his hands, clattering onto the floor with the orange liquid pooling. Cerberus stood very still, staring unblinking at his brother and the four armed guards who barged into the house without any notice whatsoever. A dead silence settled over the house. The only sound produced were the crackling of the small fire in the fireplace.

Cerberus's intension of probing into the relationship of his brother and Kera had been rudely interrupted, and dashed. Cranius's arrival was uncalled for; this made both knight and crusader rather uncomfortable. Cranius watched the two with arched eyebrows. Then, pointing the knight leader of Avenger and made a circling motion with his index finger, the three of the guards went for him.

Cerberus wanted to brandish his two swords to fend for himself, but he would not. By opposing the guards would meant more hatred from the citizens, and more trouble would probably prevent him from contacting his childhood friend again. Moreover, he was used to being roughly handled by these Izlude guards whenever he entered the city. Yet, little did he know that things were not the same this time…

"Take him and lock him up," came the command from the imposing figure of Cranius. The man had straight black hair that almost reached his shoulder, dangling loosely past his ears. He wore a simple breastplate that rightly showed his muscular frame. A broadsword hung on his belt stopped clanking against his thigh ever since he had stomped into the house.

That command left Cerberus fumbling for his sword at the last minute, but still it was too late. Two of the guards each held an arm, the third securing a ball'n'chain around the ankles of the knight. The fourth guard stopped Kera from reaching out to the struggling Cerberus, knowing full well that the crusader would object to his lord's decision and help free the knight.

Upon a sharp command by Cranius, the fourth guard released her and went to hold Cerberus still. A click indicated that the ball'n'chain had been secured, and the knight was barred from any form of hostile behaviour.

"Exercise your fists and feet a little. Go on! What are you waiting for!?" Cranius ordered.

The four jumped on the knight and started pounding him, four pairs of hands and legs landing brutal assaults on him. His face was contorted in agony; the knight could only stay down and let the guards beat him senseless. When the assault stopped temporarily, his mouth started bleeding from a loosened tooth and a cut on his lower lip.

Cranius stepped forth just in time to stop his fiancée from assisting the thoroughly beaten knight. He grabbed her by the throat, pulling her closer to him.

"What now, my love? Heartbroken at your sweetheart's state? Huh!?"

"Cranius get your filthy hands away from her!" Cerberus shouted in fury, seeing his brother mistreat Kera. But he was ignored completely. The knight struggled violently, only to receive more vicious punches.

The female crusader glared at Cranius balefully, looking as if she was about to slam a fist in his face.

"Stop this nonsense! What do you think you're doing locking him up in prison!? Its not like he broke a law! And ask your dogs to get away!"

"Is this how you talk to your would-be husband? Being the Lord Cranius I am, I arrest anyone I desire, and nobody in the world can question me. Not even you, my love," he whispered with a hint of sarcasm.

"Damn you, Cranius! Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You know, if I had a choice, I would run away from the wedding, and away from this abomination standing before me!" Kera screamed.

"Now, now, my love. Your beloved sweetheart, he would be locked up as long I deem fit, and the period depends on your behaviour," he said running his hand down her cheek. "Why are you stopping? Carry on!"

The guards launched another series of punches and kicks on the chained up knight, rendering him unconscious before they stopped. As if to join in the "fun" as well, Cranius took the glass bottle lying on the floor and smashed it on the knight's skull. Blood trickled down the side of his head upon the impact. The four guards hauled him up, dragging him out of the house towards the direction of the prison.

Kera's hand was coming down on her fiancé's face, but Cranius grabbed her wrist reflexively, squeezing it tightly.

"Now don't try anything silly, my love. Something untoward might happen to your sweetheart. Our big day isn't too far from now, you should wipe away that grumpy look."

With that said the lord of Izlude landed a rough kiss on Kera. She squirmed, pushing away the strong knight while averting her gaze defiantly. Cranius's laughter rang around the house while he made his departure. The female crusader sat dejected, a single tear running down her smooth face. "How did it come down to this…" she murmured.

-

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The knight sat up groggily, his whole body aching terribly from the harsh beating he received earlier this night. He wanted to check the time, but there were no windows or any openings where he could see the sky. His head throbbed painfully as he felt a nasty cut near his temples. He hardly remembered if something smashed his head hard…

Cerberus felt something was amiss; something about his body. He looked at himself. He was wearing a plain, loose t-shirt he usually wore beneath his armour. That reminded him… his armour was gone! He had been stripped, leaving only his boots. He quickly checked his other equipments; his belt, potions, daggers… and most importantly his two trusted sword that he felt at ease if he held it. However, it was gone too. Everything he had carried was stripped off him! He began to realize why his burden felt so light…

Maybe they put it away in the corner or something, he thought. He searched the four corners of his cell, digging and throwing the hay, hoping to see a glint of metal or even his potions. There was nothing but more hay. The shuffling noise of hay caused crude complains from both awakened prisoners and guards.

A strangled cry from outside his cell had him crawling to the bars. He peered towards the source of it, and sure enough, a guard lay unconscious on his desk. A lone swordsman with blonde hair worked on the guard's belt, detaching the ring of keys. He did look like a swordsman, but there was a certain, unusually immense prowess within him. The swordsman delayed no further when he got the keys. It was as if he knew the keys assigned to each cell better than the guard.

The lock of Cerberus's cell clicked open with the first try. The swordsman, with a side of his fringe hanging past his eyebrows, entered and closed the door rather… quickly.

"Who… are you?" the knight croaked inaudibly, shrinking away from the bizarre swordsman.

"I'm the Dop –"he paused after leaking out the first syllabus of his identity accidentally. "Oh sorry, my name is Doppie. Doppie Vuvuboo. Yeah… I suppose you are Cerberus?"

"I am. What do you want of me? And why are you doing this?" the knight asked dubiously, pointing at the unconscious guard.

Doppie ran a hand through his hair before he spoke.

"Look, if you think I'm being Mr. Nice-Guy and get you out of jail, think twice. I'm here to convey three messages. First, I do not like conversing with a man with dried blood all over his face. Clean it up, mister knight."

Doppie brought out a bottle of water and a piece of cloth, placing it before Cerberus.

"Go on, clean. In case you have no energy to talk," the blonde swordsman said, and brought forth some meat.

"What exactly do you want? I do not need your pity," Cerberus asked, reaching a hesitant hand to take the cloth.

"Like I said, I will convey three messages. When I'm done with the next two, I will naturally leave. This place is pathetic anyway. Clean and eat in peace, I promise you that I did nothing to the water and your food," Doppie replied calmly after noticing the doubt Cerberus had for him.

Cerberus rinsed the piece of cloth and began dabbing the wound on his head. He realized that he had several nasty bruises on his body as well. Taking the bottle of water in his hand that was covered in scratches and abrasions, he drank two mouthful of it and poured the remaining over his bloody face.

"Now that's neater," Doppie said with a smile. He waited until the knight started on his food, then he started on his second message.

"Secondly, your brother Cranius, also the lord of Izlude, had been thinking that he may release you. But, there's a condition attached to it."

Cerberus wanted to ask this stranger with an equally strange name how he knew these matters as though he was spying on him all the while. But he knew the answer Doppie would give him, that he had three messages to convey and it was obvious that this swordsman would disclose nothing more. He listened silently, wolfing down the piece of meat he was given.

"Now, he wants to challenge you to a one-on-one duel. No cheating whatsoever. It will commence two hours after dawn breaks. If he wins, you will do to his bidding, and you shall remain in prison for as long as he wants to. If you win, then you may get out of jail and exit this city peacefully."

Cerberus took a while to assimilate this ridiculous event. What in the world is Cranius thinking? The knight never lost a battle to his brother before, as far as he knew. If he wanted a duel now, it is obvious that there is a catch to it…

"May I ask what might be the time?"

"Two hours before dawn breaks," Doppie said as he watched the knight intently.

"That's four more hours…" Cerberus muttered.

"I'm thinking you're thinking what I'm thinking," the swordsman spoke in conundrum.

"Huh?"

"I'm saying, we two might be thinking of the same thing."

"And what is it?"

"That there is a motive to the duel. He did not defeat you once in a one-on-one before, am I not right?"

Cerberus resisted his surprise when Doppie literally read his mind. He did not see this swordsman anywhere before, definitely not among the Izlude swordsmen. He thought he resembled someone he once fought. But this was not the time to reminisce. There was a matter of importance he needed to settle, and that was his release from prison and the duel. And Kera's marriage…

"That man is a beast. To think Kera has to marry this damned brother of mine! This might not had happened if I did not delay her on purpose and play stupid, pretending that I was unaware of her feelings. Now she's going to suffer under him," he said, clenching a shaky fist.

Doppie raised a brow.

"I'm not here to listen to lovey-dovey bedtime stories, knight. As I have said earlier, the lord of Izlude harbours a motive. Let me tell you this," he lowered his voice. "Cranius Twinedge has with him the twin blades, Cerberus."

The knight's eyes widened in realization. So that was why his knightly accoutrements and the two swords were taken away from him! And that was why he was beaten up and locked up in the first place! Anger began swelling up inside him, pumping up, growing…

"The Fireblend and Ice Falchion my father left me… Cranius stole it!? Tell me honestly, how did you know all these?"

"Aye, as for the third piece of news, knight," he said, ignoring Cerberus's question. "The previous news might prove an unpleasant one, I suppose. But this one is something pleasant, I promise."

Doppie unbuckled the broadsword hung on his belt and presented it to him.

"Take this. It might prove useful in tomorrow's battle."

"This is your's. I will not accept your charity," the knight retorted firmly.

"Who said this was mine? Let me tell you this. Since your two elemental swords were stolen, there is nothing you can find here that can successfully hit Cranius's armour that protects him with enchantments of the Ghostring."

Doppie took the broadsword and drew it out of the sheath. To Cerberus's shock, that was not any other broadsword he expected it to be. The nondescript broadsword began to undergo transformation. A chain flowed out of the hilt from nowhere, the hilt itself turning from a plain grey to black. The blade underwent the most dramatic transformation, the straight blunt blade became rectangular with the right side jagged, an unholy purplish glow emanating from the dark sword.

"Its called Talefing. Take this to your battle tomorrow, and win gloriously."

Doppie spoke a command, and the dark sword transformed into a normal looking broadsword once again. Sheathing it back, he threw it by Cerberus's feet. He took the ring of keys and walked out, locking the cell door with a click. Cerberus thought the guard might jump at the sound, but apparently he was still unconscious. The blonde swordsman attached the ring of keys back to the guard's belt, using a butterfly wing to transport himself out of this place.