------------ Dangou ------------

Dangou took a cautious step back.

“In the end, this is what it comes down to, little Elieza.” Dangou said.

“So you do remember me! Oh, I’m so glad Dangou.” Elieza smiled sadistically, “I thought you had honestly forgotten.”

Dangou laughed, then took another step back.

“As good at avoiding questions as ever I see.” He smirked, “I always knew you had a talent for the darker side of knighthood.”

“Darker side of knighthood?” Elieza sniffed, “You mean the cleverer side.”

Dangou shrugged.

“But… seeing as we were once senior and junior, I suppose I owe you an explanation.” Elieza continued, “You see, the empire is ever-changing, power, ever shifting, and your Queen is no longer holds the majority.”

Dangou paused, mauling over her words.

“I follow the power Dangou. And if the power dictates that you should die, then you shall die.” She finished.

“Okay…” Dangou responded calmly, “But is the Queen safe?”

Elieza frowned.

“Yes, after all, if the leader of the Empire were to suddenly disappear, there would be trouble in the nation.” She said, “Not that it matters to you.”

“Good… good.” Dangou murmured to himself.

Elieza nodded, then picked up Osiro and latched the blade to her belt.

“Now. I believe our Q&A has come to an end.” she sighed, “Any last prayers?”

Dangou smiled sadly.

“Yes. In fact, I do.”

Elieza nodded smugly, then watched as Dangou knelt slowly to one knee, closed his eyes and prayed aloud.

“To my lord Osiro, I beckon thee.”

------------ Eadrid ------------

Eadrid stood nervously in the tight grip of the perpetrator, now known as ‘Elieza’, and cursed herself for getting caught. After all, if she hadn’t been taken hostage, Dangou wouldn’t be in such a precarious position now. On the other hand, she wanted to scream at the Queensguard. For an explanation, to understand why. Because it was Dangou’s fault that her family was now in such a dangerous situation. But the man had made his message clear. He needed her to stay calm and avoid in becoming more of a handicap. Still, it didn’t help to abate her anger.

She watched as Elieza drew her sword, and prayed that Dangou could overcome this hurdle and save her along with her mother. But as Dangou gave up his weapon, and shackled himself at Elieza’s command, she found herself believing less and less in a chance at victory. Dangou on the other hand kept himself calm, and ironically, wore a grim smile as Elieza asked for his final prayers.

Eadrid frowned as Dangou obeyed and knelt peacefully into prayer. She couldn’t believe that the man was going to give up, just like that. And so, unable to hold herself any longer, Eadrid finally spoke up in anger.

“Dangou! Are yo-“

But her words were promptly cut short. She felt a sudden rush of air and strangely, she was no longer restrained. Confused, but free, she rushed towards Dangou and tripped into the safety of his arms. As she lay in his firm grip, she glanced up and noticed that the grim smile he had once wore, had now transitioned to an exhausted grin. And finally, she understood that, with him, she had never been in any true danger.

Turning in his arms, Eadrid stole a glimpse backward and gasped. Where she once stood, a two metre baton pinned Elieza, by the belt, against the roof. Hanging limp, the female looked stunned as she grimaced from the shock of the unforetold blow.

“Surrender and leave.” Dangou puffed, waving away the metallic pole, “And I’ll let you live this once.”

Landing gracefully on the floor, Elieza snarled at her opponent.

“Now you’ve got me angry.” She growled, stepping forward.

Then suddenly- “I knew she’d say that.” said a foreign voice from behind her.

------------ Elieza ------------

Elieza spun in response, but found no one behind.

“Behind you.” Said Dangou, sounding alarmingly close.

“Fu- “Elieza cursed, her outburst cut short by a deafening crack as she hurtled through the air, gasping in pain from Dangou’s blow. She landed jarringly, sticking an arm out to stop her tumble. Finally stopped, she slumped, dazed on the cave floor.

“How’s that for a distraction huh Dangou!”

Elieza lay still on the floor, eyes flashing white from the force of her landing. But she knew there was no time to rest and tilted her head to catch sight the Queensguard. The man now stood next to the two-metre pole which had appeared from nowhere, and seemed to converse with it.

“I will admit. That was pretty good use of surprise.” Said Dangou to the pole.

“And the pole form as well! Just admit it Dangou, you’d be useless without me.”

Despite herself, Elieza chuckled quietly. She must be hallucinating from the blow to her head. But then again, the man had always been full of surprises. She felt a stream of blood dripping from her head, and reached back to check its condition. Luckily, it was nothing more than a gash.

“Dangou! She’s still moving!” Elieza heard the annoying serpent girl shout, and sighed. Should’ve killed her while I could’ve, she thought.

Sitting up slowly, she turned to face the man who had put her in this state.

“Are you happy now?” She waved her bloodied hands in the air, “Now that you’ve injured your junior for attempting to complete her mission.”

Dangou chuckled.

“Should’ve picked something more your level.” He replied.

“With you gone, I’ve been recognised as the fourth most powerful knight of the empire.” She noted, “If I can’t do it, there’s not many who can.”

“Then blame your masters for asking the impossible.” Dangou said matter-of-factly.

To that, Elieza kept quiet. For now, she was unfit to defeat Dangou in a straight-out brawl. Despite Dangou suffering the exhaustion of being cuffed, his natural prowess and numbers put him at an advantage. What she needed, was what Dangou had used against her. The element of surprise.

“I… agree.” She responded slowly, “So, allow me to surrender?”

Dangou paused at her request and tilted his head.

“That’s an interesting proposal. “He said, staring dead into her eyes, “But who says that my offer hasn’t already expired?”

Elieza’s eyes widened as Dangou picked up his talking weapon.

“Osiro.” He commanded.

“Yes sir.” It replied.

------------ Dangou -------------

“Osiro.” Dangou commanded.

“Yes sir.” She replied, morphing into his standard long sword.

“W-wait!” Elieza stuttered as she backed away reaching for her sword.

Dangou smiled sadly.

“I’ll make it painless.” He said, raising Osiro.

A sudden burst of suffocating black mist shrouded the room in darkness, and Dangou was forced to cough as the vapour invaded his lungs. Waving the black mass away, he stepped back, realising he had been tricked.

Then, Elieza’s voice permeated through the fog.

“You have always been a challenge.” Her voice said, “But this, will be the last time.”

------------ The Unravelling (4) End ------------