15

"State your terms, 'Your Highness'," Hartmann replied, spitting out the last part as if it were poison.

"No terms," Lelouch swiftly answered. "I demand two things: the unconditional surrender of your forces, and the answer to this question…"

The prince made sure that he was looking the enemy ace directly in the eyes before he continued. "Where is General Rommel?"

Much to the amazement of those gathered, the European Colonel gave a sharp bark-like laugh toward Lelouch's inquiry. "Well out of your reach, Britannian schweine," Hartmann stated. "I find your terms unacceptable and your presence vile. Therefore, I refuse to surrender to you or answer any more of your foolish questions."

While the insults did nothing to affect Lelouch's iron demeanor, he was now especially curious. What is this man playing at? "Look around you Colonel. You are hopelessly outmatched; you have at least fifteen knightmares, eight VTOLs, three Knights of the Round and myself to contend with at once, plus many more to come. Even with that state of the art machine of yours, escape would be impossible."

"I have no intention of escaping, brat," Hartmann sharply answered with a determined glare. "Instead, I wish to throw you a gauntlet."

Suddenly, the Loewe withdrew and replaced its blitzgewehr. "You Britannians are fond of honorable duels, yes?" Hartmann continued just as his knightmare's back sword mounts, similar in design to the MVS on the Lancelot and Mordred, folded down, with the European knightmare grasping their hilts. "If that's the case, I challenge you Prinz Lelouch to a fight to the death. Just you, myself and our knightmares."

At that, the Loewe drew both swords out, their blades shifting into a cobalt blue gleam instead of MVS' familiar crimson glow, and pointed the blade of the right sword toward the Mordred. "What say you, 'Your Highness'?"

Everyone, even the normally taciturn Suzaku, stared inconspicuously at the Loewe, not believing what they were hearing over their respective radios. However, the moment was soon broken as Lelouch, bemusement now visible within his voice as well, spoke up once more. "You do realize, Colonel, that even if you emerge victorious, you lose anyway," the prince pointed out. "My men will not give Tobruk back to you, nor allow you to depart this city alive should you manage to kill me."

Hartmann actually flashed a great smile in response. "I am aware of that," the colonel replied. "But at the very least, I will send one of Emperor Charles' unruly spawn to Hell before me."

The colonel's already present smile took on an even colder effect as he added. "And that makes this fight all the more worthwhile."

Not liking where this was going, Suzaku had the Lancelot step forward. "Your Highness, allow me to fight him in your place," the Knight of Seven said, the Lancelot's emerald eyes gazing at the side of its twin's head. "There is no reason for you to risk yourself here and now."

Lelouch answered by having the Mordred look back toward its brother. "No Suzaku, the challenge was issued to me alone," he said, resting his knightmare's left hand on its brethren's shoulder in a human-like gesture. "Besides, it would be rude not to honor the final request of a dead man."

He then withdrew the hand and looked back toward the Loewe. "Colonel Hartmann, I accept your challenge," Lelouch answered as the Mordred's landspinners both extended. "Should we suspend the rest of the fighting for our duel?"

Hartmann shrugged at that. "I see no reason not to," He replied, then switching over to broadband. "This is Oberst Erich Hartmann to all units. Stand down and await instruction!"

Likewise, Lelouch also switched over to his force's general frequency. "This is General Lelouch vi Britannia. All Britannian forces, cease combat operations and await further orders."

With that finished, Lelouch looked back toward his adversary and drew his MVS. As soon as both blades turned active crimson, Lelouch entered his knightmare into a readying pose. "And now, Colonel, en garde!"

"Möge der beste Mann gewinnen, whelp!" Hartmann answered with a battle cry as he had the Loewe launch forward on its landspinners, a move that was immediately matched by its Britannian opponent.

With a thunderous clanging, both knightmares slammed their blades together, beginning the duel. The Mordred swept at the Loewe's torso, only for the European knightmare to leap back and fire a blitzvulkan burst, which the Britannian unit deflected with its specially crimson colored Blaze Luminous. From there, the European knightmare charged forward again, slashing to decapitate, only for the Mordred to bank to its right and circle around it, moving to strike at its cockpit block. A quick ninety-degree spin was enough for the Loewe's sword to intercept the Mordred's, while its second blade was in turn met, deflected and knocked away by the Britannian unit's second Blaze Luminous, from which the black knightmare moved to impale. The Loewe simply banked to its left to evade the strike, the reopening fire with both blitzvulkans.

At that, Lelouch engaged both Blaze Luminous shields and reversed his landspinners, deflecting the twin bursts of ionized shots while moving outside the encirclement, where he turned around and sped away. Hartmann was only all too keen to follow, brandishing both blitzschwerts as he had the Loewe charge down the street after his adversary. Both knightmares soon moved into the distance, disappearing into a nearby alleyway, where only the sounds of clashing blades and gunfire signified that the duel was still on.

Suzaku sighed in frustration as he and the rest of the gathered knightmares moved to follow, all while the VTOLs returned to high altitude to gain a better view as well as broadcast the duel throughout the battleground. Before he said what he was going to say, he made sure that he switched his comlink over to the Knight of the Rounds' private frequency. "I wish he wouldn't keep doing this," he complained. "It's unbefitting of a Prince to engage in pointless battles like this one."

"Oh don't worry about him Suzaku," Gino replied as he moved the Elyan to keep up, his voice holding certain optimism. "Lelouch has long proven himself to be able to hold his own in a fight. And unless Zero comes back from the grave to aid the EU, then we've pretty much won this battle anyway."

"Recording," Anya spoke from the distance, having activated the Hector's battle recorder while keeping watch over the various vidscreens on her monitors. There was no doubt that she would put it up on her Facebook page after the battle was over, should Lelouch emerge victorious anyway