Awkwardly dangling, slowly climbing down the rope as his stamina quickly bottomed out, forcing him into a few rest-pauses to catch his breath and to allow his muscles to rest. Artemis finally step foot upon the stone-ground as he strode forwards, towards the men who were pointing, laughing and ridiculing him.

Seeing as the baron's son was wearing only a breastplate that protected his vitals, in addition to gauntlets. As his lower half was left to the defences of only thin-cotton, and with no helmet to protect his dull-white hair that was tied into a small pony-tail. Knight Timothy left his kite-shield behind, as well as his own helmet, bringing forth only a two-handed longsword that rested upon his shoulder.

 

"I admit, I never once thought the parasite of house Dignitas would have balls big enough to fight his own battles. Tell me boy, have your balls dropped yet?"

Rather than listen to his taunting and the laughter that surrounded him. Artemis could only hear the thumping of his heart, pounding away within his head as both adrenaline and fear fought over his body.

Seeing the young-boy unresponsive, Timothy kissed his own teeth before brandishing his long-reaching weapon.

 

"Good luck Artemis! I believe in you!" Scream Melody, from the safety of the high stonewalls. As she leaned over the stone, she unintentionally knocked over a pebble that crashed into an iron-shield down below. Echoing and ringing as it clanked around.

 

With a large horizontal swing, the knight's deadly longsword swiped the area before the young-boy's face. Who had instinctively pulled his face back in an attempt to create distance, leaving only his long-greasy fringe to be cut.

 

With thoughts, demands, orders thundering through his mind, commanding his arms to block or parry the longsword that spun and twirled like a dance. Artemis failed to launch a single attack of his own, as he only managed to dodge, slip and run. Climbing upon corpses, shields, and wooden-crates, the aggressors laughed whilst the defenders within hid their faces in great shame.

Unable to watch any further, the windows were once again boarded up and closed, as Melody was the only person remaining who forced her emotions to remain in check, ensuring she didn't miss a single second of Artemis' grand moment.

 

"Stop running you rat!" Greatly annoyed from the ever-fleeing target, that so far only managed to perform feints, committing to zero attacks at all. Timothy raged as he kicked, swiped and destroyed the obstacles in anger. Causing limbs, wooden-fragments and even bottled-glass to shatter and fly around like shrapnel.

It was only after the knight had filled his front-delts, his shoulders and arms with too much lactic-acid from the sudden exertion of strength, did he finally slow and become sluggish.

Whilst he wasn't exactly aiming for this moment, Artemis took his chance as he entered close-quarters-combat, with so little distance between the two that the longsword became entirely worthless.

 

With their laughter and cheering fading into silence, the hostile-knights paused with bated breath as they watched their companion collapse to his knees. Rather than gripping his two-hander tightly, Timothy was clutching his own neck as crimson-red liquid pooled out.

Their eyes finally shifted away from their companion who had collapsed, back up towards the greatly exhausted Artemis who hadn't the energy left in him to even hold his iron-sword.

 

With anger and rage filling their mind and urges, they were second away from acting upon them, surging forth with weapons in arms. Onwards to annihilate the young-boy who had bested their friend.

 

"HONOUR! AND DIGNITY!"

 

Artemis screamed out loud, a short and precise reminder that caused them all to pause before falling to their whims.

 

They all knew that if they were to act in vengeance, then they would be no better than the common beast or bandit. Adhering to no rules, no values and no honour. Rather than ruin the dignity and honour of their fallen-companion by desecrating the sacred noble-challenge, they accepted their loss, as they inquired the demands of the victor.

 

"Leave! If you wish to challenge my house again, then send Justin Nowen himself! Tell him to fight his battles himself, like a man with honour! Not like a rat!"

 

Whilst some of the knights were greatly tempted to remind him, just how exactly he had fought and obtained his victory, the others who were more disciplined saluted the baron's son before turning and leaving. With lacklustre energy, they began their march back to their own barony, where a thorough punishment would surely be awaiting them for accepting the noble-duel.

 

Having no energy left in him, with bated breath and increasingly heavy eye-lids, Artemis simply laid upon the cold stone ground, within the pool of blood and fell asleep.

 

[Artemis Dignitas: Lvl 2->3]
[Title: Useless Trash]

 

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

Hearing none of the usual ruckus of battle, and with Melody's persistence in removing the barricades, the knights sworn to the baron slowly emerged out of their small castle. 

Catching sight of their young-lord laying within a large pool of blood, unmoving. The men could only begin to craft up nonsensical excuses, such as Artemis suddenly becoming suicidal upon realizing his fate, and throwing himself off the castle-walls. With a collective-unspoken decision made between them, as they were paid in coin by the baron, not his son, they felt no loyalty or sympathy for the young-boy.

 

Slowly unsheathing his sword, a soldier crept up towards the maid who had clutched their young-lord into her small-bosom.

Before he could strike and decapitate the maid who was much too loyal to trash, and would no doubt refuse to follow along their fabricated version of Artemis' death. The supposed corpse of the young lord raised, as his middle-finger remained upright, facing him.

 

Melody turned, following the weak-gaze of her young-lord.

"Sir?"

 

"O-oh? This? I'm just performing my duty ma'am. You never know, enemies could be hiding anywhere!"

Hearing of such dangers, Melody dragged the boy onto his feet, before carrying him over a shoulder, back inside.

 

The men stood around awkwardly. Collectively changing their story to one of success, that surrounded themselves mostly. As surely, it was the best way to obtain merit and coin.