Chapter 186 [Bonus ] Vengeful Knight (2)

The impact sent shivers through his body, as cracks spiderwebbed through the icy surface beneath him. He raised his head again and repeated the action, each hit causing more destruction to the already fragile structure.

"I FAILED YOU ALL!" He screamed even louder.

"BAMMM!!"

As Knight Boris was about to release a deafening scream of agony, a booming voice interrupted him with a forceful shout, "KNIGHT BORIS!".

In a split second, a loud and jarring "BANGG!" echoed through the silent graveyard, jolting Boris out of his mourning.

Knight Borris turned his head to look at the person that had intruded in his hour of mourning.

Slowly, Knight Boris turned his head to face the intruder, his eyes narrowed with anger and confusion. "What do you want?" he demanded, casting a sidelong glance at the individual.

The man stood silently, his gaze fixed on the unturned soil in which Boris had buried the frozen corpses. His eyes flickered back to Boris, and he bowed low to the dead with a reverence that caught him off guard.

And then, with a tone that Boris had never heard from him before, the Grand Duke spoke words of sorrow and sympathy that echoed through the stillness.

"I am sorry for your loss".

Beneath Boris's anger, denial, and self-induced imagination, a fierce battle raged as he struggled to process the emotional weight of what he was experiencing. And yet, when the words finally came, they were not the furious outburst he had expected, but a simple expression of gratitude.

"Thank you".

Grand Duke Liam nodded solemnly, his expression grave as he cleared his throat and spoke once more.

"But, you didn't have to leave the meeting like that" He said, his words gentle but firm.

"Like what?" Knight Boris couldn't hold back the frustration behind his words. "You heard what she said, didn't you?".

The Grand Duke nodded slowly, his expression grave. "Yes, I heard her" He replied. "But that doesn't excuse your behaviour. You should have waited for the meeting to be over before taking off into the skies and destroying a portion of the meeting room".

Boris shook his head, his eyes flashing with anger. "I led them to safety with my own hands," he retorted. "I will bury them in their deaths with these same hands".

The Grand Duke sighed heavily, his eyes closing for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. "I understand how you feel," he said softly. "But there is more to this meeting than you realize. Don't you want to hear what the rest of it entails?".

"Does it contain anything that won't desecrate the bodies of my people or help me avenge their deaths?" His voice was strained.

"No. But --".

Then it does not concern me" Declared Knight Boris, rising to his feet with a flourish as he sheathed his sword, which had shrank back to its regular size on his waist. "I am not bothered about the Queen's schemes or her lofty plans for the recovery of our lands. What I do know is that I, and only I, possess the power to deliver--"

But before he could complete his sentence, Grand Duke Liam interjected with a sharp interruption "Revenge!".

Knight Boris nodded his head in affirmation. "Yes, revenge".

Grand Duke Liam let out a heavy sigh, disappointment etched deeply into his features. "You disappoint me, Boris" He muttered, shaking his head in frustration. "If you truly desire revenge, don't you realize that our best course of action is to unite our forces and fight them together?"

"No" Boris immediately cut him off.

"I will do it myself".

Grand Duke Liam arched an eyebrow in disbelief "You plan to take on Captain Crimson Eye and his entire fleet, on their own territory?".

Knight Borris nodded resolutely. "Yes, that is my plan".

The Grand Duke let out a deep sigh. "That has got to be the most foolish decision I have ever heard you make".

The Grand Duke continued, his tone taking on a hint of exasperation. "What about being good for the sake of goodness? Are you really willing to throw away your principles as a powerful ascendant, and make such a reckless decision that will affect us all, just because of ....one bad day?".

With a sharp turn, Knight Borris fixed his steely gaze on the Grand Duke. "Yes" He replied, his voice heavy with conviction.

Undeterred by the intensity of Borris's stare, the Grand Duke stood his ground. "In that case" He declared firmly, "I cannot allow you go. We need your strength here".

Boris bristled at the Grand Duke's words "Are you --".

The Grand Duke's response was swift and unyielding. "Yes. And if it means knocking you out and waiting until you've finished wallowing in your grief, I am more than willing to do it".

Wordlessly, Knight Boris unleashed a surge of magical energy that illuminated the surrounding area. His hand trembled as he withdrew his sword from its scabbard and began to channel his power into the blade, causing it to grow in size and weight.

"The sword of the knight's tomb" Grand Duke Liam remarked, undaunted by the knight's deadly display of might. "An incredible Tier Six artefact, bestowed upon you by King Kanit himself. Remind me, what were its abilities again?".

Boris paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "It's an unfathomably heavy sword capable of bonding with one's soul..." He replied, "... But its weight decreases in proportion to the purity of one's heart, and the strength of their belief in its power".

The Grand Duke chuckled at the thought. "So if anyone else, apart from a child were to attempt to lift it, their hands would be crushed under the weight of the sword," he said, a note of amusement in his voice. "I see why King Kanit gave you such a priceless gift, and why no one has been able to take it from you?".

However, the Grand Duke's expression suddenly shifted from one of mirth to one of doubt. "But why are your hands shaking?" He asked, his frown deepening. "Do you doubt yourself, or your sword?".