Peter felt nervous.

Oddly enough, not because the fight with Serina was about to begin.

But because of the crowd they had attracted.

His challenge had zero spectators.

Right now, the bleachers surrounding the field were nearly full. On one side it was filled with members of the Church of Pura. Whether Serina had brought them herself to watch or they decided of their own accord, Peter was not sure.

On the other were a handful of tamers alongside their primals. A crowd begets a crowd, it seemed. Did they know of the origin behind this battle? Peter felt that the spectators were treating this as a live execution.

Indeed, to a tamer, having to give up all existing bonds and further bonds for life was the death of your existence in some capacity.

A thought occurred to Peter. Maybe they were waiting in case he lost to try to snatch up Kalista and Gaia. After all, there was no direction given on what would happen to them after this battle. Just that Peter could no longer remain bonded with them. Peter's eyes narrowed in annoyance. Although he didn't want to imprint such motives on others, he couldn't help but feel this was likely the right answer. He felt angry, but did his best to steady himself. Peter could feel Kalista's gaze burning into his back. Calm. He needed to remain calm.

A woman stood up from the bleachers containing the members of the Church.

“This battle is in accordance to the contract that this primal set forth.” Her hand extended towards Kalista. “The details were, the assistance of Paladin Serina and her companions in the rescue of her tamer. In exchange, a duel would take place between the primal and Paladin Serina. When-,” the woman coughs. “If Paladin Serina is victorious, the tamer must sever all bonds with current primals and will bear a holy mark absolving him of any further bonds with primals.”

Serina stepped onto the field. “Kalista, was it?” She pointed her sword towards her. “When last we fought you were confident yet easily overwhelmed during battle. Now you hide behind your tamer's shadow. I hope this means you will put up a good fight.” A few ooh's could be heard coming from the bleachers.

Kalista averted her eyes, and then felt a hand rest upon her shoulder. She looked up to see Peter with a gentle smile looking towards her, and her heart stirred. She stomped onto the field and paused for a moment. “I can't think of anything witty. But you will lose.” A few of the tamers laughed.

“Good enough.” Serina smiled. She raised her large sword overhead, in a stance that Peter could only describe as terrifyingly nostalgic. Kalista held out her sword and shield.

The woman who had revealed the contract to the audience turned to look at each of them. “Ready?” She shouted. Both Kalista and Serina nodded, Serina still smiling while Kalista appeared focused. “Begin!”

The two slowly began to walk towards each other. Each of them eyeing the other, waiting for them to make a move. As Kalista neared Serina, she raised her shield closer and closer to her center.

“Pilgram's Charge!” Serina charged forward with a thrust, her movement so fast it appeared as if she slid across the dirt.

“Shield Slam!” Kalista raised her shield and began to swing. The head of Serina's sword met the center of Kalista's shield. Kalista twisted her only defense and let the blade slide off it and cut through her side as she then shoved the heavy metal into Serina's still fast moving form.

A loud bang of metal on metal filled the air, as loud as a boulder crashing down from the top of a mountain. Serina was sent back a short distance, her front armor now dented. Kalista's expression did not change as blood began to drip from her wound.

“Better.” Serina said. “How about this?” Serina leaped towards Kalista. “Judgement!” Serina's large sword glowed as she swung it down towards Kalista.

Kalista narrowly dodged the attack. “Double Cross!” Kalista sent two quick swings against Serina.

“Pious Defense!” Serina swung twirled her sword around, a small golden barrier appearing in front of her. Whether it was the sword itself or the barrier doing the blocking, neither of the two swings reached Serina. Kalista was dismayed while Serina laughed. “You're not the only one who's been improving!”

Kalista backed away from her, unsure of what Serina was going to do next. Serina stopped her movement and the barrier dissipated, resting the blade of her sword over her shoulder.

Serina grinned. “You're bleeding, you know?”

Kalista grimaced, and began to run towards her.

“Divine Storm!” Serina used her blade to begin spinning in a destructive whirlwind, Kalista narrowly avoiding being cut across her stomach.

She waited a short while, but Serina showed no sign of stopping, and slowly moved towards her in a whirl of blades.

Kalista took a few quick steps backwards, then began to run forwards. “Vault!” She leaped high and over the spinning sword. “Shield Slam!” As the front of Kalista's shield managed to impact Serina, the spinning blade suddenly twisted upwards and sliced Kalista, sending her flying backwards.

A trail of blood soared through the air from the wound inflicted upon Kalista. Serina, who had taken the force of the shield while rapidly spinning around, slowed to a halt and rubbed her head, blood dripping from the side.

Kalista landed on her back with a thud. She dropped her shield and used her hand to trace the painful outline now etched into her front. It spanned from her right hip to just below her left breast. She brought her hand to the face, and stared at the dangerous amount of blood dripping from her fingers.

Kalista looked past her hand to spot Serina rubbing the trace amounts of blood off of her. Although Kalista had managed to land a hit, the two injuries were completely incomparable. Serina soon began to walk towards the laying down Kalista.

Kalista couldn't bare look at her. Her head twisted and turned in every other direction. She saw the faces of the church members in the bleachers with their malevolent smiles. She saw the hungry gazes of the tamers sitting off to the side. Those were the easiest expressions to see. But what she sought was the most difficult. Kalista twisted her neck, turning her head as far back as she could, her eyes just barely able to spot out Peter's face.

He was smiling. It almost looked like he was chuckling. Despair filled Kalista. She had failed him again. Who wouldn't laugh in the face of such absurdity? She had spent so much time begging for his comforting words. Acting so confident and determined in front of him. Only to fail anyway. She deserved to die here. In a moment, Serina would soon arrive. Raise her sword. And end her miserable existence.

“Don't give up!”

A voice knocked Kalista out of her stupor. She sat upwards, and twisted her upper body. Could it be? Peter looked at her with a mixture of determination and concern. Lips slightly tilted downwards, trembling, eyes completely focused ahead. He, had not been smiling. Nor laughing.

Stupid! Peter had never given up on her before. Why would he do so now! Kalista gripped the hilt of her sword and stabbed it into the ground, leaning upon its weight to stand up. Her legs shook as she stared down the approaching Serina. She couldn't give up.

Harder. She must swing harder. Serina was not someone she could beat while being defensive. She must push to her limits. Then dismiss them, for they were not enough. Power. She needed more power!

“You should have just given up.” Serina bluntly remarked. “At least that would let your tamer say his goodbyes to something other than a corpse.” Serina raised her sword above. Kalista breathed heavily as she watched the long blade begin to shine. She thought about her match against Maly. How she had given up and practically let the flames consume her. Her grip upon the hilt of her own grew tighter. And tighter. She focused all her muscle and strength in her arms. Soon, a creaking noise could be heard.

“Judgement!” Serina shouted as her glowing blade swung down.

Kalista quickly pulled her sword from the ground and gripped it with both hands, abandoning any thought of picking up her shield. With not even enough time to stand, with one heel and the other leg's knee against the ground, she swung the blade to meet Serina's. Kalista suddenly recalled Peter's words. Tomorrow is not today.

Kalista's face contorted. “I won't give up!” she roared. “Not today! Not ever again!”

Clang!

The sound of metal upon metal rang out through the field.

Serina's glowing blade.

And now, Kalista, whose blade, and body, both glowing as well. A white light enveloped her figure completely, leaving behind a bright silhouette which outlined her figure.

An excited and intrigued murmuring began to take place along both sides of bleachers, but Peter ignored them. His vision focused solely on the figure which stood where Kalista had just been. The light began to alter in shape. Where her shoulders should have been, began to extend outwards. Around the waist and thighs and calves, grew thicker. Even her height seemed to increase slightly.

“She's, evolving...” Peter mutterred. “To a Templar?” As if in response to his question, the shield which Kalista had dropped on the ground and too was bathed in light shattered into pieces and broke, before disappearing completely.

Peter's attention turned towards her sword. Wider. Longer. It first began to extend as if attempting to copy the shape of Serina's blade, then boldly grew beyond that.

A searing pain began to appear in Peter's head. He clutched his forehead tightly with his fingers, and Gaia quickly turned to comfort him. “Peter!” her voice shouted in concern.

The known becomes unknown.

The familiar now forgotten.

Yet still, Kalista.

The light begins to fade, and a woman clad in red and black armor now stands before Serina, blocking her attack with an impressively large red and black two-handed sword.

~~~

A Squire had always been meant to learn the ways of chivalry.

Yet what becomes of the person tempered by blood?

Some hearts will not withstand the pursuit of power.

So hand it over to your prince for safe keeping.

So thinks Kalista.

The Blood Knight.