The Duke's Passion

812  Poor guy

"No way…"

Lilou's eyes dilated, staring at the plaza. People were scattered in the plaza and in every street of the capital. Some were on the ground, unconscious. While others were just going in different directions, like zombies looking for their prey. There were even people below the church. But unlike those in the distance, the people below the top of the church where Lilou was standing were simply looking up at her. They weren't doing anything and just staring at her without blinking even once. "Damn you, Zero…" Lilou breathed out heavily, keeping her eyes on the ground they were standing on. Lilou didn't notice it until now because everything was just too dark. The darkness surrounding the Spade Kingdom covered the moonlight, hindering it from giving them some light. The only reason they could see was that they were vampires… and that wildfire from some other parts of the land. Only now that she paid attention did she notice that the darkness wasn't only covering the sky, but also the ground. And from the ground, she could see shrouds that looked like hands holding the people's ankles, draining their life.

The numbers thronging the streets camouflaged this mass execution. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The sight of it made her entire body tremble but felt stuck at the moment. "Just how will I deal with this?" she wondered to herself. Jumping off from the roof would guarantee a battle against these innocent people, but staying on this vantage point was the same. These people would still die without them knowing. Her heart ached at this, sympathizing with them, but at the same time, her anger toward Zero reached its peak.

"God…" she whispered, keeping her eyes on the blank eyes gazing at her from below. "... may you help these people. They did nothing wrong."

******

Meanwhile…

CLASH!

Samael bent his knees as he plunged his sword deep into the ground to stop his body from flying away. Thick dust and smoke ascended in the air while the ground showed tracks of his feet and his sword. His eyes glinted, watching the smoke thin out.

A silhouette appeared behind the smoke until it grew clearer by the second. The corner of Samael's lips stretched into a smirk, spitting out some blood on the side while keeping his eyes on his enemy. Ever since Lilou left, Samael didn't have a second to breathe as he exchanged blows with Zero and that gigantic black thread coming at him. Only now did he have the time to take a breath, gasping as if breathing in as much air as he could before another intense exchange would take place. "I am so out of shape." Samael let out a dry laugh, pushing himself up lazily. "Was it because this body of mine still feels like it just came out of thousands of years of slumber?"

"It is just that I am stronger than Samael," Zero spat back arrogantly, unfazed at his severed hand, which Samael cut clean moments ago. Samael's eyes fell on Zero's severed hand, catching some dark shroud forming on the end of his wrist. The dark shroud seemed to heal Zero's severed hand at an insane pace.

"What a troublesome power-up," mumbled Samael, wincing when he flexed his shoulders. He glanced over his shoulder, only to see a slash across his back. "Damn it!"

"Samael, I always wanted to have a chat with you for obvious reasons," said Zero, making Samael arch a brow as the latter set his eyes back to him. "To tell you the truth, I do not mind calling a truce. You are capable and smart and your combative skills are incomparable."

Samael snickered. "What is this? After trying to kill me, you're now admiring the amazing me? Can you make up your mind?"

"I must admit that if this battle happened earlier, I would be at a disadvantage. But our hours of exchange already proved you no longer have the upper hand," Zero continued, ignoring Samael's sarcasm. "Why don't you join me, Samael?"

"Quentin, let me tell you something. There were more interesting topics we can talk about while you and I are stalling each other's time." Laziness washed over Samael's countenance as his eyes fell on Zero's hand once again. "I mean, I know you're stalling time so your hand can recover. However, even if I want to attack you, I am dead. So tired…"

Zero chuckled in amusement, still not used to Samael's carefree nature. But he knew what Samael said was nothing but the truth. Samael wouldn't miss the chance to let Zero recover unless he, too, needed some time to breathe. That was the very reason Zero hadn't stopped attacking him until now. He needed to exhaust Samael to have some time to chat. Zero had something to tell him and he didn't want to regret not offering an alliance with him at least once.

"All I want is for you to give up Lilou," Zero shamelessly offered, making Samael's face scrunch up in dismay. "I didn't plan to let you and your children live at first, but if you take my offer, I will let you live with your children. I won't even bother you or look for you, leaving you people alone for as long as you don't cause me trouble."

"You know my answer to that, right?" "I was being hopeful that you will use your head for once."

"I always use my head… although it's the other head," the rest of Samael's reply came out as a mumble, suddenly feeling fear at the thought that Lilou would hear his perverse remarks. He cleared his throat, setting his eyes back to Zero while his heart calmed down.

"I know my wife is beautiful and simply divine. So I won't ask for an explanation why you wanted her from then and now, and by means or foul," said Samael as his tone grew solemn. "However, there was no way in hell I would sacrifice my wife just so I can live with my children. Those little devils… although they're mischievous and had this natural talent to make my blood pressure hit the sky, would rather die fighting for our little family instead of sacrificing one just so the rest of us would live."

The side of his lips stretched, lifting his sword, which he rested on his shoulder. "What am I doing? Even if I go on and on here, preaching about family values, you will not understand the concept of family. You don't have one. You killed all of them. Poor guy."