Mortal Duel

all the Guilds are summoned to the Coliseum. in there Hero and Fallen Heroes alike, were awaiting for Zeus. the Deity comes forward.

"welcome be all mortals."

there is a great silence.

"now I will speak business. there is going to be a small change for the course of the following two chapters. there are more active Guilds of what we expected. the number of Guilds went down before. and even so, somehow more Guilds came forward. the math is simple, neutral players took the opportunity to come forward....."

there are some whispers on the Coliseum. everyone is suspicions of the course the story will take. some are skeptical. some are coming up with theories.

"...so as I was going on. I came up with an idea. all Guilds will fight among themselves. Hero versus Fallen Hero. the rules are simple. kill the Leader of the opposite Guild. the Leader dies, and the loser either becomes part of the winner's guild or goes neutral....."

Zeus said with malice on his face & words.

some players are arguing among themselves. some don't like this idea. for others this is an opportunity. not even the Deities can agree on what they think about the matter. for some this is just some dirty trick from Zeus.

others think age has finally taken a hit on Zeus. no one can understand what Zeus is thinking right now. he has been slightly changing rules at his suitability. he can't keep the rules clean without adding changes. the other Deities are angry with Zeus.

".....from now on. those who go neutral are forbidden to come back to the game. I had being letting 'Offerings' using holes on the rules to go from neutral to player, from player to neutral at their will. but that ends now. or you are in or you are out. no other choice."

Zeus keeps talking. the other Gods are listening to his every word. this is mostly Zeus playground, but things are about to change. the other Deities will take part on the upcoming 'Duels.'

yes the next phase of the games are 'Duels.' is how the Gods call it. it sounds mortal, it looks bloody. a massacre is written between those words.

Zeus leaves the center stage. everyone stays on their seats. there are many things to swallow from this. they all know what the Duels will do. the road will be painted red, as bright as blood. the walls will be dirty with flesh and bones.

Beau is on his seat. he is eating chips. Leah is touching his left hand. she softly caresses his fingers. she gets closer to him. she bites his ear. Beau blushes. he wants her to stop, he doesn't want to look weird in front of others, jet he wishes for her to continue doing that.

"you know there are people looking."

"I know. but you are so cute, I especially like how your face looks so red. I didn't know you were so fragile with my touch."

Beau couldn't accept that statement, even so he couldn't deny it either. he is not fragile nor weak. jet every time Leah touches him or speaks. Beau feels like he is about to break.

"no, please stop. I feel so ashamed."

"the more you try to refuse my affection, the more I want to touch you. the more I want to expose your sensitivity. I want them all to know I am the only one who can make you moan with simple caresses. I am the only one inside your heart."

Leah bits his ear. Beau moans loudly. others look at him. he puts his right hand on his mouth instinctively. he tries to hide his reaction. Leah bites him on the neck. Beau moans once more. he can't stop himself. his face is a literal tomato by now.

Beau has little experience with woman. he didn't expected to have a dominant lover. she looks innocent. jet she knows how to make a man tremble. Beau regrets nothing, well maybe there is something he actually regrets, not meeting her sooner.

Leah puts her hand on Beau's leg. he trembles. he asks her to stop. he is practically on tears right now. if Beau has a super sensitive point, it has to be his legs. Beau pleas for Leah's mercy. she refuses on giving up.

"please stop. you are making me moan again."

yields Beau loud enough for everyone to listen clearly to every word.

others are looking at Beau weirdly. they look at him, like if he was a perv. the ladies are whispering some nasty things. Beau doesn't care. as long as he has Leah's love, nothing else matters. no one else is more important than Leah.

Leah stops. she stands up. she pulls Beau's hand. Beau stands up. he follows Leah like an obedient boyfriend. Beau ignores everyone else. the earth can burn, the universe can die right now. it doesn't matter, Leah is at his side.

if Leah was an evil enchantress. if she says she is a saint, he will believe every word. 'love is the drug of the idiots.' those are words that he remembers. he doesn't remember from where he heard those words. he just takes those words for what it means, the truth of the human heart. love is the idiot's drug.

the wind moves Beau's hair. he laughs like a boy. the night is bright. the moon is there like a witness of the never ending romance between those two. the night only belongs to those who take it. Leah can't see her self loving another man.

"I love you more than anything on the world."

"I love you more than the eternity."

Beau is holding Leah's hand. the two are looking at the bright blue moon. the visible stars on the night makes it look even more romantic. this scenario belongs to them. they feel like two lovers who have lived eternities together.

"I love you beyond the infinite universe."

"I love you four times more than that."

they argue. they can't decide on who loves who more. Beau & Leah look like two kids. everyone can see their laughter and joy.

"no one else loves you more than me."

"no one will ever love you more than me."

they keep going with their stupid argument. Beau forgets about the world for now. Leah and the now are the only things that matters. she is everything to him. she is a whole universe that brings warm emotions.

Beau stops walking. he is serious now. he remembers about the executioner. Leah looks at him with curiosity. she is confuse for his change of behavior. Beau whispers on her ears some dangerous words.

"I know who the Executioner is. he is close."

those were the words he had to share.

Leah follows Beau's eyes. his eyes are looking at everyone around of the streets. there are many suspicious silhouettes. there are strange and known faces. there are unwelcome glances.

"what is the Executioner?"

asks Leah innocently.

"sorry, forget me my love. I had being so paranoid I forgot who knows, and who doesn't. there is an extremely cruel men named the executioner. be aware of his poisonous lies."

said Beau with a melancholic smile.

tears fall. tears are covering Beau's face. a smile can't hide the melancholy. he looks away pretending everything is right. he can't cry in front of her. there are emotions we all avoid showing to our lovers. there are weaknesses we avoid in front of our lovers.

Leah hugs him. lets him know she loves him. it isn't important if he is weak or strong in front of her. she will love him forever. Beau will always be the man on her heart. Leah kisses his chin. she kisses his neck.

"you don't have to hold back. I am here, so please loose everything that hurts you. I am here for you. I am here to be your shield. to be your sword. to be your confident. to be your royal adviser. I am here to be all I can, or who I can be for you."

said Leah with a soft peaceful tone of voice.

Beau is speechless. there was only one person. one human who was before, as important as Leah is now on his life. Hunter was a brother. he was a great friend. now he can find that comfort on his girlfriend. on his lover.

Beau calls Leah his lover. one may say it is for the physical contact between the body. the real reason is much more simple. there is no other word, no word apart from lover that can describe what she means to him. his love, his lover.

Beau is more tranquil now. Beau rests his head on her shoulder. he makes weird noises. he refuses to speak. Leah speaks softly. all her words are sweet and nice. he stops making those noises. he breaths loudly.

"you are the greatest thing that has ever happen to me."

said Beau with a stupid smile.

Leah feels guilt, guilt for loving this stupid man. she didn't earn so much love. her past is a crime to remember. her life was wrong and a mistake. she can't believe how much love she gets from Beau. on her eyes, he is the most perfect man.

life can be sadistic, until the point that it breaks spirits. time can be cruel, until the point that it breaks the body. we need of courage to walk forward. to move against a world that tries to break you one way or another. that is what she learned long time ago.

love can be the cure for many things. but love isn't just a cure, it can also be a condemnation. it can be deadly. love can bring the best or the worst from humans. it is so clear what it can do. for that same reason, Leah had trouble accepting her own love.

Beau and Leah found each other.

they walk around of the town. it was a date. a break from the typical things they do for the guild and for them. it was a quiet time for two. every couple needs fresh air to dedicate to each other. and to themselves.

"I love you."

there is a grimace of sorrow on Leah's face.

Beau looks at her surprised. he can't find the right words.

on the opposite side of town:

Federico walks around the town. he has some informants around the town. he is careful with his conversations. he walks carefully on the streets of a rotten world. basically a lawless place.

Dog-Boy and Cat-Girl are two meters away. they follow the trail. there is something That Dog-B wants to do. he wants to fight the Executioner. he needs of Federico's help. Federico stops walking.

"come out fuckers. you aren't any good at following others. here is a tip for the next time. next time make sure who you are following. I don't want you to be found headless on some random river."

Dog-Boy & Cat-Girl come out. they kneel in front of Federico. they ask for forgiveness. Dog-Boy asks him to have mercy. he cries loudly.

"I meant no offense. I want of your help. someone named the Executioner is threatening me. if I help, they will kill Lord Golden Ass. if I don't help, it will be me and my girlfriend who dies. only a strong man like you can fight this monster. only you can help."

said Dog-Boy crying loudly.

Federico has enough experience to know a man like Dog-Boy is useless. he is just a hazardous extra weight, that can cost more of what he is worth. the wise thing will be killing him now. one problem. Federico's reputation is bellow salvation. if he kills Dog-Boy he will add reasons to be hated by the others.

"what else is there to know?"

said Federico avoiding them.

"oh, Lord Gold... Beau, he knows there is an Executioner after him. and Joaquin knows about me. he wanted to kill me first. lucky me he hates you more, so if he haven't kill you jet, then why should he start with me. his words not mine."

said Dog-Boy feeling proud for being on Joaquin's hate list.

Federico takes his gun out. with his left hand he covers his eyes. he starts to count from number 25 backwards. Dog-Boy and Cat-Girl leave running away. Federico smirks. he did this on purpose to scare them.

"fuckers. there is no fucking respect man. no respect for me."

said Federico to himself feeling disappointed for his comrades.

someone is clapping. like a coward he walks on the darkness of the street. he hides himself among the shadows. he keeps clapping. he laughs in a stupid way. the man doing all this is no other than Rotto Mentalita.

he whispers incoherence. he babbles about a sacrifice to be done. his sharp eyes meet directly with Federico's eyes. a twisted smile becomes visible. he didn't came to fight. he isn't here just to be. there is something else hiding behind his behavior today.

Federico takes a step forward. Rotto Mentalita takes a step backwards. he demands for Federico to stay away. he has change. he has become less mentally stable. he became the embodiment of fear.

Rotto Mentalita warns him one last time. whatever happened to him. whatever he saw it is irrelevant. what is important is to know that a proud man like him is broken. someone or something broke him.