SPELLBOUND

Blood suddenly sprayed out of the huge man's body without him realizing until Gavriel's powerful fist crashed into his face and he was sent flying away from the troops only to drop to the ground not unlike a chunk of huge stone. Following the tremor of Gallas' collapse, there reigned a few seconds of dumbfounded silence from both armies who were watching this awe-inspiring exchange.

Watching the fight and being able to follow their moves, Gavriel's men smiled. "There he goes," Samuel smirked and then lifted his sword as he shouted out at the Dacrian soldiers. "Our prince is the strongest, so don't falter! Kill them all!" he roared, and the Dacrians' morale soared as they too roared along and attacked with an even higher and renewed vigour. Their roar was so loud that the crown prince at the far back heard them and his darkened face went even darker.

Leon, the half-blood Gavriel sent away in one strike, who stayed back to observe was now back. Jumping in front of Gavriel and blocking him before he could leap over to where Gallas had fallen. He was not done with the man yet.

The look in Leon's eyes were different. Unlike Gallas, Leon had a calm and dangerous look in his eyes. He was the type who does not get easily affected by emotions. One glance and Gavriel found him much more dangerous than his huge haughty fellow friend.

Leon attacked. As expected, he was fast and precise. Gavriel could tell that this half-blood is definitely a class above the big lug he had fought with earlier. It was clear that his moves were well thought out and were executed with intelligence. They clashed fiercely for a long time. Dancing away from each other's jabs and thrusts in a seemingly endless exchange.

Gavriel's crimson eyes were blazing with excitement. It had been a long while since someone could withstand his moves for this long. This Leon was good. He liked the look in his eyes.

As their blades locked and their faces came close, Gavriel spoke. "If you lose," he started, "swear your loyalty to me and serve under me."

Leon blinked in surprise, but he was also quick to respond. "And if I win?"

"That's never going to happen." Gavriel grinned and then they both pushed against their blades and leapt back.

Their gazes locked on each other as Gavriel cocked his head to observe his opponent while Leon furtively took the chance to catch his breath. This so-called traitor prince was better than expected. A split second later, they leaped and crashed against each other. Leon was starting to get overwhelmed by Gavriel's sheer power. They were both fast and powerful but there was just something else that the prince had that was missing in himself. He did not know what it was, but clearly, he was being overpowered by whatever it was that he lacked.

Never in Leon's wildest imaginations had he thought that there could be someone who could make him lose his sword in a fight. Not until this prince. Just who was he? How could he beat a half-blood?

Gavriel smiled at him as if he had just sealed the deal that Leon did not even want to acknowledge yet. As Leon's sword clanged to the ground, his eyes widened, knowing that a powerful strike was coming at his head – when Gallas intervened.

The raging half-blood came at Gavriel like an enraged beast – all bloodied and feral from his last attack – and Leon cunningly took the opportunity to join him. The fight suddenly became even more intense as the two half-bloods came at Gavriel all at once.

As the night waned on closer to dawn and the pinkish light of dawn peeked its way at the horizon, Gavriel's army started to push the enemy back. Gavriel too was holding his own. Because of a mistake mainly caused by Gallas' blind rage, Leon had suffered a lethal blow from Gavriel and fell. Leaving Gavriel and Gallas fighting again.

Gallas, consumed by his pride and rage was then tossed back with one hit from Gavriel's sword, sending him flipping through the air like rag doll. He crashed against the wall creating an even larger depression.

Gavriel approached the pile of debris slowly. The half-blood had crumpled from the impact.

"Get up," Gavriel said. His voice cold and flat. "I remember you saying you'll be taking my head?"

What Gavriel heard from this man a while ago was the last straw that had provoked him to take action. He initially wanted to toy around with them and wear them down slowly and make it look as if he had beaten them by pure luck. He planned it such as he thought it was too early for him to show his real strength, especially when the crown prince was still cowardly hiding at the back of his troops and surely had been watching him.

But hearing this bastard talking about taking his wife broke whatever restraint and whatever plans that had been made earlier. He had originally wanted these half-bloods to be under him because they were meant to serve the true royals not the wannabes. But what this man had spouted was unacceptable. And the price of his punishment cannot be anything else other than death, right here, right now.

Gallas stood on his feet, wobbling. He lunged desperately at Gavriel, hoping to land an attack, but the prince effortlessly dodged and smote him with the hilt of his sword, then kicked him hard.

The half-blood spat out blood and fell to his knees.

"Get up. It's time for me to claim your head." Gavriel said once again, looking down at him with fiery but deadly eyes.

Finally realizing that Gavriel had been toying with him all this while, fear began to fill his insides, coiling intensely like a serpent in his innards. He had never felt such genuine fear in his entire life.

Screaming, the half-blood rose and attacked – a desperate and pitiful last-ditch attempt fuelled by fear. "Monste –"

But Gavriel did not even grace him with the time to finish what he wanted to say before Gallas' head was already dangling in Gavriel's hand which was clenched in his hair while the half-blood's body rolled lifelessly to the ground.