Ansel Vangray

"Wait wha? You mean you want to start right now?" Louis asked, frightened.

Instead of answering, Indigo rushed to start attacking. Left, right, left right, she swung punches and kicks at Louis, who was barely able to evade them. Louis was nearly losing balance as he was rapidly blocking the continuous strikes. With each one he avoided, he was being forced to take steps back.

"Wait!...I didn't..have time to prepare." Louis tried to explain.

The attacks didn't stop.

"There's not always prep-time in a battlefield." Indigo replied, kicking Louis against a tree.

Bmp. Thump!

She didn't waste much time, sending a palm-strike towards his face.

"Shockwave." she chanted.

By an inch, Louis managed to dodge as the tree behind him was struck instead, bursting into splinters wood.

"Hey! That's 'Shockwave'! You're really not going easy!"

Indigo took a leap and tried to kick Louis in the head, but missed and destroyed the floor instead.

Smash! Crackle!

"Okay, okay! Seeing how you're not giving me another choice. I'll start trying, too." said Louis.

He aimed out his hand, chanting "Spirit Grab!"

An invisible force reached out to grab Indigo, but she side-stepped with ease.

"Lightning Beams." She whispered.

Many magical circles formed in the air behind Louis, and electric beams blasted him repeatedly.

ZZZzzzzzzzz. Sizzle.

This was a smart move from her end. She knew to cast Lighting because it wasn't necessarily a projectile, but a traveling shock.

Indigo stepped up to finish the fight by swinging at her opponent's chest.

Louis's body erupted in a burst of speed and he weaved backward, grabbing Indigo's wrist, gently flipping her to the ground. As soon she tried to get up, Louis poked his finger against her cheek.

"Check-mate."

Indigo pouted in loss and disappointment, "How do you always win?"

"Louis patted her head, speaking the truth of the matter. "If it was a real fight, I know you probably could've beat me with the stronger magic."

From the side, Diane clapped her hands.

"I was actually starting to think she was going to beat you at first. You're definitely not as skilled as you once were."

It was true. Even though Louis's body was back in shape, his way of thinking wasn't. Still, his ability to be a naturally good fighter helped him succeed just barley.

"I thought I did alright." said Louis.

"You did decently." Diane replied.

Indigo stood up, brushing the dirt off her uniform.

"Since I didn't mean, does that mean I did below decent?"

"Wait, that's not what I mean." Diane tried to clarify, but Indigo only sneered and ignored.

"Mhm. You're just trying to cover it up."

Louis yawned and strode back for the mansion.

"Wait, where are you going?!?" Indigo and Diane questioned.

When Louis yawned again, his eyes had a slothful look to them.

"I'm just feeling tired. Just like I've been feeling all day, so I'm gonna go to sleep. I think I'm willing to take that earful from Leo. See ya guys later...or tomorrow." He finished with a yawn.

Indigo and Diane watched him walk away, wobbly.

"You act like you are as tired as an old man. You're barely 24."

"When did you become so lazy?"

"It's just a hobby I picked up. It also happens to be one of my favorite abilities." said Louis.

"There's no way that's actually an ability. Is there?" Indigo asked.

Diane shook her head, knowing full well that the lies were being told.

"Nope. He's just lying."

Louis yawned once again, before disappearing into the distance.

_________

Back at the front door of the mansion, he walked in.

"You! I've been waiting to see you!" a voice aggressively shouted.

Louis had been welcomed by a young teen boy with grey hair and green eyes. But, it didn't really feel anything like a "Welcoming"

It actually felt like this boy had a hostile attitude.

"And you are?" Louis asked.

The boy gasped, "What? You say you don't know me? I am Ansel Vangray, the son of Antares Vangray. For you to be disrespectful if unforgivable. I shall let my f-"

Louis roughly interrupted, "Okay, okay. I get it. That's cool...I guess. Get to the point. I get the feeling you don't just plan on standing here and nagging."

"You must be good at predictions. Very well, then, I'll get to the point. I, Ansel Vangray, have come to challenge you to a duel."

A duel? Why was the son of Antares Vangray trying to duel a former Royal Knight? It wasn't a smart decision for anyone to make.

Leo overheard this and became involved in the talk.

"Ansel. Just so you know, Louis used to be a Royal Knight as well as be a part of the Slandian Special Forces. Are you sure you want this?"

A sweat ran down the face of Ansel. Yes, he knew well before issuing the challenge who Louis was. Still, this was Ansel's chance to prove his strength to his father , but the best way to do that was to beat The Royal Killer in a duel.

"Of course I know that. That's the main reason why I want this."

"Suit yourself." said Leo.

It was not a good day for Louis, he was beyond tired and on top of that, he previously had a sparring match with Indigo, Now, he was going to have a duel against Ansel Vangray.

This was not in Louis's favor, he was already feeling as if he was going to fall asleep while standing.

'First that slaughter girl, Alys, fought me, then Indigo and now I need to fight the son of the Vangray family. Just my luck today.'

The doors swung open as Indigo and Diane, both casually strolled inside. But they stopped as they felt the tension in the breeze.

"Huh? What's going on?" Indigo asked in confusion.

"Yeah. You guys seem a little off." said Diane.

Leo turned his gaze away nearly snarling, "I'm okay. It's these two. They're about to duel."

He was, of course, talking about Louis and Ansel.

Indigo's eyes opened in surprise, "Whaaa?"

"A duel???" Diane asked.

What could Louis and Ansel possibly gain from fighting? It didn't make sense. Diane didn't really know why, but she knew that it was pointless and had to be stopped.

"It's not a fair fight. Louis is just more experienced. Ansel, I can't let you continue, the duel could be dangerous for you."

She then looked at Louis and spoke to him as well, "And you. You're a former Royal Knight. Don't you have any shame?"

Louis let out a tired sigh and explained himself, " I never said I agreed to spar. You're just assuming things. I just want to sleep."

Ansel rudely stomped forward, stating why Louis didn't have any choice.

"You're under the Vangray family's order. You don't have a choice because I am ordering you to duel with me."

Louis faced the situation with seriousness and his full attention.

"If that's what you really want. But let me ask something. What is it you want to be when you are older?"

"That's none of your business. But I see no harm in telling you. I plan to grow strong and join the Military. Then one day, I will become a Royal Knig-"

"-Not gonna happen." Louis interrupted.

"I didn't finish."

But Ansel didn't have any finish. It was obvious he wanted to grow strong and become a Royal Knight. Unfortunately, it didn't look like the right career choice for many reasons. If a person with that job keeps an attitude and way of thinking such as Ansel's, they were bound to cause death to themselves or their allies.

"You don't need to finish. I'm going to be clear. That's not the right job for you."

"Don't act like you know what's right or wrong for me." Ansel complained.

"If someone like you has the goal to become a Royal Knight, they'll be dead before they even come close to their dream. It's just the truth. I'll be waiting in the yard."

Louis headed out the door, where he would be awaiting the duel.

Both Indigo and Diane wanted to do more to de-escalate the situation, but Louis and Asnel showed no intention of backing down. Their minds were set. The only thing left to do was hope everything turns out okay.

"What is Louis doing? He'll destroy a boy like Ansel." said Diane.

Indigo had worries as well, "He doesn't have a choice, it's an order. I just hope Louis doesn't do too much."