Leonard stood motionless, his heart hammering fiercely as he stared down at the fallen body of his mentor. Alaric lay sprawled amidst the cracked, scarred earth, his white armor shattered, blood pooling gently beneath him.

Leonard knelt beside him, breathing deeply and trying to calm the surge of grief that gripped his heart. Oh, how did it come to this? You stubborn old fool.

He gazed at Alaric's face, frozen in death yet eerily peaceful. There was no sign of agony, no anguish etched on his features. Instead, an expression of joy and fulfillment lingered there, an ecstatic satisfaction that caught Leonard off guard.

"Only you could find happiness in being killed by your student." he murmured, feeling a tear work its way down his cheek.

His hand hovered above Alaric's chest. The temptation to reach into the ether, to draw his mentor's soul back from beyond, tugged fiercely at him. He knew he had the strength and the divine connection necessary to resurrect him, despite how at ease he'd been with his death.

Yet, to do so would betray everything he had stood for. Alaric's final act was filled with purpose and fulfillment; he had faced death bravely, even joyously. Pulling him back now would dishonor the very essence of his noble sacrifice.

I'm sure he would simply tell me to respect his choice. He was an old man, even for a Champion. He might have had another decade, maybe two, if he stayed away from battle, but would he truly want such a life?

He hesitated briefly, reaching out to gently close his mentor's eyes while whispering softly as he prayed for the old man's soul.

With a heavy heart, Leonard withdrew his hand, accepting the bitter truth: his mentor had chosen this end willingly, and he had to honor that choice. Yes, he is with the Light now.

The ground soon ceased shaking, and the cloud of dust settled gently around them. Silence briefly enveloped the battlefield, only to be shattered by an eruption of noise as reality rushed back in.

Leonard rose slowly, turning toward his knights, whose cheers and cries resounded through the air, echoing across the desolate earth.

"Long live the Revolution! Hero! Hero!"

Their voices merged into an overwhelming tide of admiration, respect, and fierce loyalty. Across from them, the royal knights stood in stunned silence, their faces pale with disbelief and shock at the swift, decisive end to what they had assumed would be a lengthy and grueling battle.

If Leonard were a regular Hero, someone whose power only came from his Class, he would have lost. Despite being born a mortal man with little talent, Alaric had climbed the ranks with a burning will. Anyone who could still be considered a mortal would have lost to him. Leonard was not, and only now were the Royal Knights starting to realize this.

But Leonard barely heard them. His eyes, hardened by grief and resolve, moved slowly toward Bernard. His old friend sat astride his horse, his face cold and calculating. Gone was the camaraderie and the youthful warmth Leonard had once treasured. Now, there was only icy detachment and a readiness for betrayal that Leonard had anticipated but deeply wished to deny.

The distance between them was vast, but such concerns didn't matter much beyond the Master rank. Eyesight sharpened more than an eagle's, and miles could be traversed in moments. Both understood this, just as they recognized that the duel wouldn't be honored.

Bernard barked something Leonard couldn't quite hear over the rush of blood in his ears. But he saw the effect instantly, felt the sudden surge of murderous intent ripple outward. A hundred knights unleashed their attacks simultaneously, weapons glowing brilliantly as spells and martial skills sliced through the air. Bernard's lance glowed silver, its piercing strike approaching faster than sound, leaving behind broken earth.

For an instant, Leonard appeared defenseless. Yet, he had known this betrayal would come, and although his heart ached deeply for the friend he'd lost, his resolve was unwavering. With fierce determination, Leonard channeled the Light, summoning an immense wave of radiant power, cloaking himself enough that a hint of his true presence could filter through. The oncoming barrage shattered upon contact, scattering harmlessly into the ether.

A few knights—older and more experienced—held back, waiting for precisely this moment. They attacked swiftly once more, aiming to get him in the instant his guard lowered.

Once more, spells and skills blasted towards him, lesser in number but greater in power, only to be intercepted by the explosive retaliation of the Revolutionary knights. Amelia's shadows surged forth, forming walls and tendrils of darkness that smashed into their foes, protecting Leonard and driving back the oath-breakers.

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All these men had been supposed to stand as witnesses to the duel between the two champions, and their attack meant they could be treated as curs without honor. The Revolution would show no mercy this time.

Leonard felt renewed strength and pride watching as his people fought back. These were his comrades, loyal warriors bound by honor and sacrifice. Their presence steadied him, anchoring him firmly even amidst betrayal and sorrow. Amelia unleashed a blast of darkness that effortlessly crushed half a dozen knights, her presence a comforting shadow behind him. Leonard took a breath, preparing to rejoin the battle and exact justice.

Before he could advance further, the earth beneath him cracked violently, showing that Bernard's plan had not been as direct as he'd imagined.

From the fissure erupted a squad of assassins, their blades immediately drawing Leonard's attention as they dripped with the vile corruption of the Void. His eyes widened slightly in surprise; their presence had completely eluded him. They had managed to conceal themselves while he was distracted by his mentor.

The moment he engaged and found his initial attack rebuffed, he recognized Bernard's true strategy. This group had been specially trained to hunt paladins, their dark blades and vials of Void essence countering the purity of his Light. Every time Leonard unleashed his power, they scattered vials of the foul substance, neutralizing his attacks just enough to evade harm.

Of course, they could no more stand before his power than a flickering candle could withstand a storm, but they were trained well enough to take advantage of the fraction of a second that their trickery granted them.

But Leonard was beyond such games now. Here, separated from his men and unburdened by restraint, he could finally unleash his full might. Power surged through him, incandescent and pure, burning away the very taint of the Void. It screamed in agony, dissolving under his mere presence.

He swung Dyeus once, and the blazing blade obliterated two assassins instantly. The others scattered, not reacting to the death of their comrades and simply continuing to try and find a gap to stab him, but Leonard didn't give them a second of reprieve.

Bull-rushing forward, he forced one assassin to take his blade through the chest, and he broke apart into atoms, unable to withstand the burning power. Turning to the rest, he smiled when he saw how close they were. "How foolish, to think that numbers will help you."

Imposing his will upon the world, he positioned himself just to the side, so the three remaining assassins were aligned in a single line. Another swing vaporized them.

With burning eyes, he fixed his gaze upon Bernard.

Sensing Leonard's intent, his old friend turned slowly, pale in the face and wide-eyed with the realization of his impending doom.

The chaos around them faded into insignificance, the clamor of battle becoming muted and distant. Leonard stepped forward, his stride purposeful, inexorable, filled with divine judgment.

He thought of the young Bernard he once knew—the honorable knight whose loyalty had seemed unshakable, the boy who had laughed and fought by his side in countless battles. That boy was long dead, consumed by ambition and twisted by politics. Leonard mourned him too, his grief now doubled but resolved into purpose.

It was always going to come to this. Alaric was right to say that today marked the end of an era. I, too, must shed these last chains that bound me to civility. The Kingdom was never going to take our conquest lying down. Anyone who sides with them will fall to my sword, old friend or not.

Each step Leonard took radiated judgment and power. Royal knights scattered desperately from his path, their morale shattered as they watched their champion and commander reduced to helpless terror. Bernard's lance trembled slightly in his grip, its silver glow diminished, pale against the blazing purity of Leonard's approach.

Leonard's voice echoed across the battlefield, steady and inexorable. "You once swore an oath, Bernard. Loyalty. Brotherhood. Honor. You have betrayed them all."

Bernard swallowed hard, lips moving soundlessly before he finally mustered a response, voice shaking. "I did what I had to. For the Kingdom. For the King." To his credit, his spine firmed as he spoke. A hint of pride shone through, and though he must have known the end was nigh, he decided to face it standing tall.

Leonard shook his head slowly, sorrowfully. "The Kingdom you speak of no longer exists. It is an empty shell, hollowed by corruption. You did this for power, Bernard. For ambition."

The First Lance attempted one final, desperate attack, lunging forward, the lance flashing silver. It was powerful and fast—fast enough to surprise anyone else in the Champion tier. Leonard had no doubt that his old friend practiced this exact thrust, so simple yet so deadly, thousands of times.

It wasn't enough.

Leonard parried effortlessly, the immense strength behind his movement shattering Bernard's lance in an explosion of divine light. Bernard fell back, his eyes filled with despair as his last hope crumbled to dust.

"Please, Leonard," Bernard whispered hoarsely, fear finally cracking through his façade. "You know I had to."

Leonard looked deeply into the face of his old friend, clearly seeing the frightened boy who had once fought alongside him. But mercy now would be unjust. Bernard had willingly taken command with a treacherous aim, betraying everything sacred between them.

The greatest gift Leonard could give him now was to stare him in the eyes as he pronounced his sentence.

"You will find mercy in the Light's judgment. But not in mine."

Leonard raised Dyeus, feeling its divine resonance, authority, and justice. Bernard bowed his head, trembling. The world paused around them, every breath held as judgment loomed.

The blade descended swiftly, cleanly. Bernard's body fell quietly, his ambition, treachery, and torment ending with a final, resigned sigh.

Leonard straightened slowly, feeling no joy, only grim resolution. He turned toward the battlefield, where royal knights fled or surrendered, the Revolution's victory decisive and absolute.

His knights shouted triumphantly, celebrating their hard-won freedom, their voices filled with hope. Leonard stood tall and raised Dyeus high. The sun's rays reflected brilliantly upon its blade, casting blinding beams across the battlefield.

"Long live the Revolution!" he proclaimed.

His warriors echoed him thunderously, their voices ringing loud and true. Amelia nodded to him before taking the lead and continuing to sweep the battlefield, overwhelming the few stubborn fools who still fought.

Leonard lowered his blade, allowing himself a quiet moment to mourn—to mourn Alaric, to mourn Bernard, to mourn the innocence lost. But within that sorrow was a seed of hope, for the end of one era heralded the dawn of another. He felt the burden of leadership settle firmly upon his shoulders, knowing he would bear it willingly and honorably.

There will come a day when no one needs to sacrifice as I did. He thought sadly, as his mind went back to Belinda. He could almost feel her warmth in the Light, her smile as she saw what he'd become.

"So, look within, when you my absence cry,

I'm not gone. Our love will never die."

He repeated the last couplet of her favorite poem, feeling it fitting.

"For you, my love. So that the world might one day be just."

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