The Crimson Fang
Chapter 23 - The Crimson Dragon

Joseph felt a horrible pain as he watched his father’s head roll in front of him. “Father? You bastard!” He struck at Sephithos, missing by a margin. “You cannot defeat me, boy. Not this time.” With that, he struck his blade into Joseph’s face and vanished, thinking he had killed him. Lady Seraphina ran out of the house, hearing Joseph shout. When she saw Reinhardt’s lifeless body, she let out a scream of agony that broke the hearts of every animal within a thousand leagues.

Reinhardt’s ceremony was followed by a funeral march, led by Lady Seraphina and her son, accompanied by Ser Gandos’ warrior elites. After the ceremony, Sakura and Ami approached Joseph. “How are you holding up?” Sakura asked. “I will be alright, eventually. I’m just confused.” “What is confusing you?” “What did Sephithos mean by ‘this time’? That was the first I had ever met him in my life.” “Umm…J…Joseph, Sakura?” Ami’s voice rang out, catching her friends completely off their guard. “Ami, since when can you speak?” “Since I have come to a decision. I have been fighting this for long enough, and it is time to tell you.” She lowered her voice. “In private.”

The three of them met at Joseph’s house after everything was over. “I have to tell you,” Ami started, “that this has all happened before. Not exactly in the same manner, but the results have been similar, every time.” “Every time?” “Please, don’t interrupt me. I have to get this all out, before I am unable to continue.” “Sorry,” Joseph replied. “Where was I? Oh, right. Joseph, your father was killed by the Grand Master of a race known as the Altros. Sakura, your mother was slain by the same fiends. The Altros have taken over the world several times, only to be thwarted in the end. Everything starts over, though, once it happens. Sephithos created the Altros using Ancient, forbidden abilities. The High Lords were created from vices that he possesses, ten in total, to aid him in his conquest of the world.” She then proceeded to give the two of them a history lesson, including her somewhat selfish wish that it had never happened. She ended with, “And now it’s happening again.”

This is it; the moment that I have been training for. Joseph thought to himself, as his opponent moved toward him, mace in hand. Just wait for the right moment, like father taught you. Ser Samuel raised his mace, bracing it with his left hand. There! Joseph struck at the armour under Samuel’s arm, which was exposed to allow freedom of movement.

Cheers erupted from the crowd, as King Artemus approached Joseph. “I would like to congratulate you on your victory. Your father would be proud of you.” Joseph bowed. “Go join the other four champions. I will speak to you after the festivities.” The rest of the day passed, precisely as Ami had told them it would. Until, that is, the sky darkened.