"a duel... of Honor?" I said confused. If I guessed what it was by comparing the words to my homeland but I could be wrong. Princess Twilight then spoke up.
"a duel of honor basically means his honor has been stained and he risks everything to be able to regain it."
"excuse my rude comment princess Twilight... but when did he have honor?" she opened her mouth to speak before closing it as I heard her murmur.
"good point..." I gave a soft chuckle as both of the princesses soon walked over.
"a duel has been issued." Princess Celestia said. "do you accept?"
"yes princess," I said with a small bow.
"please clear the floor!" she then yelled out as she approached me. "you know what you are risking correct?" I shook my head as she sighed.
"he stained my own honor as well when he harmed princess Twilight in front of me. I am mad at myself for not foreseeing him doing it though."
"not many can tell what my nephew will do next." I pity her for having a nephew like him. "but you have put your position as being the personal guard to Twilight on the line. He has put his place as a prince on the line so he will fight hard to keep it. Whoever loses will be banished from Canterlot and wherever there own is... you will be banished from Ponyville and Canterlot while my nephew will only be banished from Canterlot. Are you sure you wish to do this?" I gave her a nod.
"as I said, Princess Celestia... he has harmed not only my own honor but that of Princess Twilight's... if I brought my clans customs into this I would have challenged him myself." she only gave a sad nod. "if its any consolation princess..." I turned around. " I apologize." I walked into the open area as I could see nobles giving me looks of disgust. I could see Princess Twilight's friends watching from all around the room. I stood on one side while prince Blueblood stood on the other.
"there will be three rounds!" yelled out a guard. "first round ends when first blood is drawn. The second round ends when somepony is knocked to the floor. The final round ends with either one pony dead... or unconscious." I widened my eyes as I fixed my mask. "the stakes are as normal all the titles that both ponies have. Prince Blueblood's, of course, being his title of prince! And Hanzo Lucifer's title of the personal guard of Princess Twilight Sparkle! Are there any more stakes to be added!"
"my entire fortune." Prince Blueblood spoke up with a smug grin on his face.
"Hanzo Lucifer do you have something that you deem of equal value?" I was stunned... this was probably another rule that I have to give out of an equal fortune and I am going to be disgusted with myself for offering it up... I was confident unfortunately for him.
"my clan's secrets," I stated.
"and those are worth an entire fortune?!" Prince Blueblood laughed out. " I believe I have already won!"
"he said that I deem equal value... I would bet my life if it wasn't for the final round." he looked towards the referee and saw him nod. His smug grin leaving his face as a scowl replaced it.
"very well..." a guard brought a rapier over to him which he quickly took into his hands. "this will be an easy fight against a one-armed pony." he then growled out as I raised an eyebrow at him.
"did you not see what I did to those guards?" OK, and my arrogance is coming out to say hi... calm down Hanzo... don't let your own anger get the better of you.
"be silent peasant!"
"begin!" he charged at me in hopes of catching me by surprise. I quickly brought my hand to my katana and whipped it out. Deflecting his rapier as he slid underneath my katana's blade. Switching to a reverse grip I spun to the left as his rapier caught my katana. We engaged in a power struggle as I stared in amazement at the durability of the rapier.
I jumped back to avoid him disarming me of my blade and as soon as I landed he was upon me delivering quick thrusts with the rapier. I could barely deflect and dodge them as they almost got into the chinks in my armor. Thankfully the ones I couldn't block bounced off of my armor. He was becoming more and more enraged until he stomped his foot in anger. "what is your armor made of peasant! My rapier is enchanted to go through steel!"
I stopped moving back about 6 feet away from him as I smirked.
"its made of obsidian and hardened rubies... a gift that was given to me by my previous lord and lady," I said getting into a stance for laido. He gave a small war cry as he charged me... with a final thrust as I appeared behind him thanks to my speed... although it was all for naught as I knew something happened and not to him. "how did I miss..." I asked as I felt a small amount of blood go down my left thigh. "ref..." he turned his attention to me from the smirking Blueblood "he has won the first round. I have been wounded under my armor." he gave a nod and I could see the respect in his eyes.
"winner of the first round! Prince Blueblood!" the nobles cheered as I stood up and sheathed my blade once more. My blade somehow missed him. How I have no idea but it damn missed him. I watched the blade but it somehow went around his body.
Wait a minute... his horn had lit up with his magic. I forgot he was a unicorn temporarily. Considering his station as a prince he most likely has had training in many kinds of combat magic. The only thing that can be affected by magic on me is the very blade of my katana. I scowled as I put the latches on the hilt of my sword so I could use my sheath on my blade. While it may throw me off a little this next round is first one to hit the ground.
This is no fight of honor if he has used his magic... so I won't fight honorably. The next round began as he charged me once more. I grabbed his rapier when I dodged to the right and then snapped it with my full strength. He looked astonished as I then kicked with my right leg and made him fall onto his back. I then quickly stomped on his back as I growled. "you fight without honor... so I will do the same..." and with that, I stepped away as the ref called it in my favor this time. I noticed princess Twilight was giving me a smile but her eyes showed worry. Princess Luna also looked worried but not as much as Princess Twilight... while princess Celestia stared impassively at the fight that was occurring.
I pulled my blade and sheath out as I held it towards prince Blueblood who stood back up. His horn was sparking as I narrowed my eyes. He had thrown the remains of his rapier to the floor so I could tell he was only going to be using magic. His body wasn't fit enough to add close combat to that list so all I could do was hope and pray the sheath would dispel nearly any spell he sent at me or else I would have to reveal my trump card early. As soon as the ref said begin my eyes widened as a hail of ice was sent flying at me.
Elemental magic was one of the things I was less resistant towards it and it heavily damaged my armor... my sheath on the other hand...
I quickly ducked and swung my sheathed blade into the lower projectiles before quickly rolling to the right and then leaping towards him. His horn lit up again as this time a fireball was sent flying at me. I rolled to the left this time as it exploded behind me as I started to charge him. He sent a beam of magic at me but I only leaped into the air as he smirked. "I have you now peasant!" he yelled out in triumph as he sent a barrage of small spells at me... and I recognized them to as they collided with my armor. He started to laugh until I spun in the air and his head was colliding with the floor. I could swear his horn now had a crack on it as I landed where he used to be standing.
"you were saying, prince?" I asked in a mocking tone as he stood up enraged before he gripped his head in pain. "your horn is cracked. I may have no idea what it means..." I put my sheathed blade back on my side as I approached the prince who was now on his knees as my arrogance got the best of me. " I guess the prince is now kneeling for a peasant... how intriguing." he snapped his head up with a face full of rage just as my fist collided with his face. Knocking him out and sending him flying until he landed in the middle of the floor.
"winner! Hanzo Lucifer!" I stared at my hand... my anger got the best of me tonight. I was never this quick to anger and I was always able to reign in my arrogance when it popped up... what has my newly obtained magic done to me.
"you did it!" princess Twilight said in excitement as Prince Blueblood was dragged away and the party resumed like normal.
"I am hurt to think that you doubt me, princess..." she blushed a little. "forgive me for starting the scene princess... if I had done as asked none of this would have happened." I bowed to her.
"you have nothing to be saying sorry about Hanzo." I heard Princess Celestia speak up as I left my bow. "you were merely following what was asked of you. I should be apologizing for my nephew's behavior..."
"it was my fault it all started in the first place... my own arrogance got out of my own control for some reason. I could have been a good sport and still fetched him a drink princess since the table was behind me. But I must ask princess... give him another chance I ask to still be a prince." she looked at me with shock in her eyes as well as princess Twilight but she stayed silent.
"very well Hanzo... but he will still lose the entire fortune he has behind him... I will send it to Twilight's castle." I shook my head.
"I request you use it for your own purposes."
"Hanzo... just take the bits as recompense for what my nephew has done?" I sighed knowing I wouldn't be able to get out of this.
"very well princess." she smiled as princess Luna joined us.
"I believe we should have our talk now don't you think so Twilight?" Princess Celestia then asked princess Twilight. She nodded in response as I followed the three until we were no longer in halls with nobles.
"Sir Hanzo." Princess Luna spoke up. "may I ask why you haven't been sleeping the past week?"
shit...