"Cough! Cough!"

Deep inside the forest, a man is running while limping. His breathing is a mess due to the serious wound on his left knee, a gigantic cut to the back and some cuts to his face and arms. 

"Dammit! Those bastards must be happy seeing me in this state. " 

While lamenting his current state, a storm was brewing over the forest. Seconds later, lightning struck a tree near him. 

The tree was struck down and was falling down to his direction. Luckily, he evaded in time but lost his balance and fell down. He groaned in pain but tried to stand up, only to stop midway. 

"He's here..."

He muttered with an air of resignation after suddenly feeling a presence above him. Rain poured down and the roar of thunderclaps filled the air instantly. 

"Have you given up? "

A man in white armor is shown under the flashes of the lightnings, exuding the aura of danger. His voice sounded so calm yet the young man below knew it was filled with rage and extreme hate. 

"Well, it's not like I can do anything anymore." 

Silence fell and both of them stared into each other's eyes. The rain poured down harder and the wind started to get ferocious. Both didn't move in the slightest, but the wounded man spoke again after what seemed like an eternity.

"You know.....  this is not right. Are you going to waste our years of friendship because of your jealousy?"

"It was never about jealousy.  I was never jealous. I'm just protecting what is rightfully mine."

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! Maybe because of that attitude of yours is the reason why she was more interested in me.You're too full of your-!"

'Crackle'

Before he could even finish speaking, a sword covered in lightning stabbed him in the chest. He screamed in pain and was gasping for air.

"Gaah! Arrghhh! You-! "

"Say that again and I will kill you." 

The man kicked the wounded and still coughing man and pinned him down using his sword. 

"Kuhuk!"

"You're lucky I need you to be alive. If it wasn't for 'them', I would have killed you immediately. Now sleep, your suffering is just about to begin."

The wounded man immediately lost his consciousness. He finally reached his limits after sustaining too many injuries. 

Out of nowhere, an old man in black robes appeared. He approached the man in white armor.

"So you have finally captured him. Well done! This should make the Great One help you gain the favor of the High Goddess."

The man didn't speak and was only staring blankly at the distance. He then inhaled deeply and faced the old man. His face with a smile fitting to that of a knight in shining armor. 

"Bring him to the Divine Hall for trial. They should have already made a decision as to what should happen to him."

"As you wish, then I shall see you at the trial."

After bidding his farewell, the old man entered the shadows and disappeared along with the unconscious man. Soon after, the white armored man left the forest.