The Duke's Passion

840  What a humor n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

[ COLOSSEUM ]

"Samael!!" A loud, heart-pounding roar reverberated across the Colosseum, which was slowly falling apart. Samael, who just landed on top of the powerfully built wall, grinned wickedly. He licked his lips, eyes glowing brighter.

"Quentin… what a fool," he snickered, jumping off the wall as another dark and gigantic thread smashed the wall down. The Colosseum was one of the most unguarded places in the entire Spade Kingdom. Yet, this penitentiary that was disguised as a place for entertainment held capable knights hostage for years. Despite the lack of security, its study and towering walls were enough to keep the exhausted knights within it. But now, this place that imprisoned countless men and muffled their painful cry for help was falling apart one after another. What was silly was that the person who was destroying it was also the person who ordered to build it. Boogsh!

Samael landed on a broken wall, snapping his eyes at the thick smoke ascending to the dark sky, surrounding everything. Yet Samael was unfazed, watching the tentacle slide back from the ruined wall. He lifted his head, searching for the monstrous eyes behind the fog that was glowing in red. But just as he saw a red glint behind the fog, a dark suddenly bolted from below him. Samael leaned back, dodging the blade that was coming at him. He somersaulted in the air, spreading his fingers as he touched a huge piece of debris that was falling, hopping until he reached the rocky ground. "Right… I nearly forgot about you," he remarked when a figure landed several meters from his vantage point. "Quentin, I didn't say it before, but how could you?"

A look of disbelief dominated Samael's face as he assessed Zero in the body of his bastard son, Tristan Willow. "If this had happened before, I would commend you for having such a brilliant idea. However, I am now fathering a son and a daughter, and thus, I am utterly disgusted at how you raised your bastard just for you to take his body." Samael shook his head mildly. "You surely secured a spot in hell with this, Quentin."

Zero, who was in the body of Tristan Willow, chuckled. The threads behind him that looked like a Kraken roared, making the ground shake.

"I've always known there's no amount of repentance that could give me a chance to enter the pearly gates of heaven, Samael. We both know we might not uncover what was there after death, but surely, it wasn't a paradise." Tristan smirked. "Therefore, rather than being enslaved in the eternal damnation, why not make sure you will go there as a legendary so that even Satan would tremble at the thought of your presence?"

"I see…" Samael narrowed his eyes while the corner of his lips curled up. "... I presumed you had such a thought because you are not sure you will succeed, huh?"

Tristan raised his brows, cocking his head to the side. "I mean, it seems you're doing all this because you're anticipating your death." Samael sported a knowing look, giving him a piece of his mind. "I used to think that way. If I'm going to hell, I'd rather go there in the most flashy way. But now that I am a married man and fathering my children, the thought of death doesn't even cross me."

"I can't die — that option isn't even available, especially with people like you who walked the same ground as my children," he continued, shaking his head mildly. "Until my wife and my children are alive… I won't die; it's non-negotiable."

"Good for you." Tristan nodded. "Should I clap?"

"Please."

Tristan laughed, clapping slowly while Samael playfully planted his palm across his chest, bowing. "You truly have a sense of humor, Samael," Tristan mused, receiving a playful, "you are welcome," from Samael, before he added, "the only redeemable thing about you."

"I could say the same to you, Quentin." Samael slowly lifted his gaze to the monstrous thing behind Tristan. Despite the thick fog surrounding the area, he could see the dark and giant silhouette waving its destructive tentacles. "For instance, I can't help but recall an adventure I had many years ago. It almost slipped my mind since my head is filled with how I am going to make love to my wife after this arduous task I must finish. But the more I fight you and think of the situation of this poor land, the more I remember a particular story I had written in my book of adventure." He shifted his eyes back to Tristan, only to see the latter smirk defiantly. "In one of the adventures I had, there was this place. It was a small town, so small that everyone knew everyone. Therefore, they knew when a new person moves into the town. I was new back then and got a lot of attention."

Remembering one of the experiences he had during his vagabond days, Samael couldn't help but smile. "They were friendly people. Kind, hospitable, and generally polite. They welcomed me with warmth. It wasn't hard for me to adjust to this temporary life; though I was a little guilty of spewing lies about everything about me." Samael paused as his countenance grew firmer. "Sadly, that town was plagued by a disease. Everyone got sick, and the consequences were unfathomable. Some died almost instantly, others took days before meeting their end. However, those who thought got healed started having delusions a few days later until they lost their minds. It was crazy that even I, who was willing to help, couldn't do anything. After all, this mysterious parasite already got into their heads."

21:42

"They were friendly people. Kind, hospitable, and generally polite. They welcomed me with warmth. It wasn't hard for me to adjust to this temporary life; though I was a little guilty of spewing lies about everything about me." Samael paused as his countenance grew firmer. "Sadly, that town was plagued by a disease. Everyone got sick, and the consequences were unfathomable. Some died almost instantly, others took days before meeting their end. However, those who thought got healed started having delusions a few days later until they lost their minds. It was crazy that even I, who was willing to help, couldn't do anything. After all, this mysterious parasite already got into their heads."

"It got to a point that some of them would resort to self-harm, eating their own flesh. They remind me of the undeads in this place. There might be a distinct difference, but from another angle, it was the same. They were still running toward their own demise… and it wasn't a natural cause." A dark aura emanated from Samael's back as his eyes sharpened. "Another story that reminds me of these events was when I found a good friend underwater."

"Quentin, you truly have a dry sense of humor — it's hilarious." Samael spread his hand as his blood boiled, assuming Zero was using Samael's words in his books to twist them all. For Samael, the Kraken he met many years ago was dangerous and just as destructive as this one, but it also had a big heart and understanding. They even became friends. But now, Samael had to kill these dark threads that looked like a friend of his. "You can say I am a fan of your work?" humored Tristan, sensing this suffocating aura Samael was pulling on him. "Then don't worry." Samael's irises dilated, hissing. "I will gladly engrave my autograph in that brain of yours."

Tristan smirked, only to hear Samael yell, "Catharsis!" and then a fast-moving weapon came from behind him, grazing Tristan's cheek as the latter barely dodged Samael's weapon. "I didn't get to write some details in my books, but since you are a fan, I'd give you the honor of seeing and experiencing how those adventures truly ended…" Samael bent his knees and in a blink of an eye, he appeared behind Tristan, catching the latter by surprise. "... Zero."

SLASH!

Blood splashed across the already red ground, followed by a limb and severed head rolling on the ground. A/N:

Happy new year everyone and welcome to year 2023! <3 May we have a wonderful year together!