Henry stood still, eyes fixed on the lifeless body before him. He crouched slightly, studying the strange punctures along the corpses' necks.
Only one thought crossed his mind.
'Bite marks… like those of vampires. Do they really exist in this world?'
Juillet stepped closer, her expression tightening. "What kind of beast could've done this?"
"It's… unusual," said Anninte, her voice calm but cautious. "I'll be taking the bodies to my lab for study. I need to be sure."
Two knights approached, lifting the bodies onto stretchers. Anninte followed after them, her footsteps echoing faintly as they disappeared down the dirt path.
Juillet watched until they were out of sight. Then she turned to Henry. "As for the other two, those arrows where your did right?"
Henry nodded. "Yeah. They attacked me first."
A faint smile crossed her lips. "Good. You handled yourself well."
Henry hesitated before speaking again. "Those marks… I think they're from a vampire."
Juillet froze. Her head turned sharply, eyes narrowing as if to confirm whether he was serious. "Vampires?"
"Well, yeah," Henry replied. "They exist, right?"
She exhaled slowly. "They existed, once. Centuries ago. But no one's seen or heard of them since. The marks might be from something else, a beast maybe."
Henry looked back at the darkened path, unsure whether her answer reassured or unsettled him. The silence stretched between them before they finally continued their journey.
---
The clash of steel shattered the quiet as they stepped into the Duel Hall. The great wooden doors creaked open, releasing a wave of noise, heat, and the scent of sweat and sand. Though it was daytime outside, the hall was dim—lit only by flickering torches that painted the walls in gold and shadow.
Henry followed Juillet down the stone steps, his boots crunching on the sandy floor. All around the wide arena, a crowd of spectators gathered, shouting, laughing, placing bets, their faces burning with excitement under the shifting light.
At the center, two fighters faced each other in brutal rhythm.
One wielded a long silver sword, fast and cautious. The other a towering brute of muscle swung two battle axes . The man with the sword charged forward with speed, but the axe-wielder pressed forward with calm, relentless strength. Every strike echoed through the hall.
Henry stopped beside Juillet, his eyes locked on the duel. "Who's the champion?" he asked quietly.
Juillet folded her arms. "Brag," she said, nodding toward the larger man. "The one with the axes. He doesn't stop once he starts."
As if answering her, Brag let out a deep growl and swung both axes in a deadly arc. His opponent Lairon barely dodged, the blade grazing his sleeve. The crowd gasped, the tension rising with every breath.
Lairon steadied himself, then lunged. His sword flashed, slicing across Brag's shoulder. But the cut wasn't deep enough.
Brag's grin spread slowly wolfish and cruel. With a roar, he caught the sword between his axes and twisted. The metal shrieked as it snapped in half.
Henry felt his throat tighten. He had seen fights before, but this… this was different. Fight till one goes down.
Lairon stumbled backward, weaponless. He barely had time to react before Brag hurled one of his axes. The weapon spun through the air, slicing clean through Lairon's neck.
The hall fell silent. Then, like a storm breaking, the crowd cheered.
Brag walked forward, picked up the severed head by the hair, and raised it high. "HAAAAAA!" he roared. The spectators stamped their feet, their voices merging into a wild chant. Blood dripped from the head onto the sand as torchlight reflected across Brag's sweat-soaked skin.
Henry's stomach turned. "Disgusting," he muttered.
Juillet glanced at him, calm yet firm. "Don't be afraid, Henry. Believe you can win, and you will. That's what I always tell myself."
Henry's hand brushed over the leather grip of his slingshot. His heart pounded, not with fear, but with something positive.
He stepped forward, voice steady despite the roar of the crowd.
"I can defeat you, Brag."
The noise died instantly. Hundreds of eyes turned toward him, and in an instant the hall became quiet.