Mid-Capital
A man rides a horse and throws papers:
"The fight will begin in two hours, the fight will begin in two hours!"
People pick up the papers, and there are people talking here and there.
Person 1: "Are they serious about this fight? Has Sir Thanos lost his mind? Sir White will crush him for sure."
Person 2: "What are you talking about? I think White has become weak; he was defeated by a hybrid boy. I believe Sir Thanos would do better than him."
Person 3: "Why don't you two just shut up? Do you want to get kicked around? They are knights, why are you talking about them like this?"
Person 1 and Person 2: "Haaah, what's your problem too? Why don't you get lost?"
And they start fighting...
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The Arena
In the form of large, circular stands, with a large sandy area in the center. There is a private room at the top of the arena for VIPs, an open room facing the sandy area, covered from top and bottom with nothing but glass. No one knows how it was made or how it was fixed there.
---
The Castle
One hour remains before the fight.
White walks through the castle corridors heading toward the king's hall, wearing combat gear full of armor and carrying an iron sword.
He stands before the hall door, the guards open the door, and White enters. The king awaits him along with the other three knights. He approaches the king step by step.
Thanos (loudly): "Look who arrived... the star of the show."
Minalost looks at Thanos with a gaze meaning "Shut up or I'll cut off your head."
Minalost gestures toward White to come closer.
White calmly approaches the king and kneels, resting one knee on the ground and placing his right hand on his left chest:
"Yes, my lord."
Minalost looks toward Thanos, meaning "You too, beside him, kneel."
Thanos steps forward and kneels beside White.
Ban stands next to Thanos, and Thea stands next to White.
Minalost (with a terrifying gaze toward Thanos):
"Are you sure, Thanos, about this fight? Were you not satisfied with the arrangement I placed for you? Do you doubt my judgment?"
Thanos (nervously):
"No, never, my lord, it's just..." (sudden silence)
White looks toward him, smiles, and speaks:
"I'm sorry, my lord, I'm the one who requested this fight from him."
Minalost (looks at White):
"Did I give you permission to speak, White? I asked him, not you."
White:
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interfere, but it seems you were mistaken in thinking he wanted the fight. I started this fight and I want to end it."
Minalost:
"And why is that? Do you think you've become weaker than him? Or because you lost to that demon?"
White:
"No, my lord, I just wanted to give Thanos a chance to prove his strength, that he is stronger than me, nothing more."
Minalost:
"And what if he defeats you? Will you give up your place among the knights?"
White:
"Yes, my lord. I will consider myself a loser if I ever enter here again and speak in the name of the knights."
Minalost:
"I won't forget this, because I will make this a fight to the death."
Here, Thanos becomes more anxious than before. He thought that if he lost, everything would return to how it was, but the matter has become bigger than he expected.
Minalost:
"The winner is the one who brings the other's head. And also, there is no retreat from this fight."
White:
"Understood, my lord. If I lose, I will place my head under your feet."
Thanos (in a nervous voice):
"Very well, my lord."
Minalost:
"Both of you, leave. Don't return until one of you brings the other's head."
White rises and leaves the hall calmly, followed by Thanos who leaves anxiously. The hall door closes.
Thea approaches the king:
"My lord, I don't mean to offend, but you know that Thanos was the one who started the fight, not White. Why didn't you say anything?"
Minalost (chuckling quietly):
"I know, but Thanos crossed the line when he requested this fight. That's why he must fight, and when he fights, he must die. Also, I knew White would defend him. He's always like that, that foolish flirt..."
Thea:
"But my lord, aren't you worried White might lose to him?"
Minalost:
"Worried about who? White? I'll worry about everyone but that fool..."
He steps down from his throne and walks toward Thea, then approaches her ear and speaks softly:
"What if I told you he almost defeated me the first time he came to me?"
Thea (shocked but remains still):
"That's impossible, my lord. You are the strongest person on this continent, or even in this world."
Minalost steps away from Thea and heads toward the hall door, then turns back:
"I know that, and that's why I want him to get rid of Thanos. I don't like him anyway..."
He heads toward the door, the guards open it for him, and they leave with him after closing the door behind them.
A moment of silence, with nothing but the sound of the wind.
Ban:
"He made me nervous when he got close to you. What did he say to you?"
Thea looks at Ban:
"Nothing important."
Ban:
"Nothing important? And he got that close and started whispering to you? He never got that close to anyone before!"
Ban:
"Anyway, I don't care about any of this. I'm leaving now. And make sure you come watch White kick that fool's butt..."
Ban leaves calmly...
Thea catches her breath:
"So that's what he meant then..."
To be continued...