Monster

“The winner is Champion Minerva!”

The moment d'artagan lost, Sanakia turned on her heels and ran away. “H-hey!” I barely managed to catch myself from commanding her to wait. However, I couldn't let her run amok either, so I took up the chase.

Killed fighters get resurrected right away. However, even with state of the art resurrection magic, it takes on average about one hour before resurrected combatants are able to move again. There was an infirmary inside the Colosseum for that purpose and it was hence not hard to guess where Sanakia was headed.

Supported by his comrade Mueller, d'artagan was already leaving the infirmary when we caught up with him. As expected, his tremendous fortitude was on full display here.

“M-my Lord...I...” Sanakia didn't seem to know what to say. As such she merely stood in front of him, stammering. “I...I...you fought well.”

Mueller seemed to be somewhat hesitant but the golden knight spared Sanakia little more then a glance as he moved past her.

“My Lord!”, Sanakia cried out, her face flush with exhaustion. “A word, please!”

Mueller exchanged a glance with his fellow knight and d’artagan finally relented. “What do you want of me?”

“I..I...” The Galmon gulped. “I lost in my bout as well.” D’artagan remained silent, which urged Sanakia on. “I...I accidentally surrendered...please, My Lord. I need your aid to get rid of this foul curse.”

For a few seconds there was only silence. “I failed my mission. Do you understand the gravity of this?”

“O-of course, I do, my Lord.”

“No, I do not think you do. Otherwise how could it be that you trouble me with such trivial issues?”

The words seem to strike a core. Sanakia was only able to squeak out a timid apology.

The golden knight didn’t appear interested in it. “If you realized your folly, bother me no longer. I will have to return to the holy seat at once. I don't have time to squander on you.”

Sanakia trembled. “B-But what...what should become of me?”

“That is not my concern. I have no more use for you.”

I could no longer remain silent.

“Hey.” I walked up to them. “I appreciate what you did for me yesterday and I understand that this is a hard time for you, but aren't you a little too harsh on her?”

“A hard time?”, d'artagan grimaced. “This is the end of my dream and the beginning of a nightmare for humanity.”

“That’s a bit much, isn’t it?”, I retorted. “You can always try again.”

“Try again?” For a moment, the golden knight had an almost baffled expression on his face. “What utter drivel. No, of course. How could a baseborn simpleton like you possible fathom to comprehend even a single iota of the immense weight I am carrying? The guilt I am feeling is tearing me apart.”

“Perhaps your suffering is that great”, I admitted. “But even if it is, that doesn’t give you the right to treat Sanakia like this.”

D'artagan stared at me blankly for a few short moments.

“Who?”

It was just a single word but it made Sanakia recoil in horror. “M-My Lord…?”

“Ah, yes, that pet name she fancies herself with”, the golden knight gave a short nod towards his comrade. “I believe you gave her that one, Sir Mueller?”

“I did”, Mueller confirmed, his face a grim mask.

The golden knight sighed. “You where always too much of a romantic. Well, some knights are fond of naming their mounts, I suppose.”

“Mounts? She is your squire!”, I replied, barely able to even comprehend what I was hearing.

“Don’t be absurd.”

“What?”

D’artagan scoffed. “How could a Galmon be the squire of a knight? To be sure, I humored her delusions and allowed her to serve me. A drunken flight of fancy it was, nothing more. Truth be told, I have grown tired of her a long time ago. She is useless. I am quite happy that you...”

I punched him.

D'artagan grunted and crumbled against the wall.

“Enough!”, Mueller shouted and put his shield between us.

“Don't”, Sanakia screamed. I could tell that even now she would draw her sword and defend her wretched master, if it weren't for the safety orders.

D'artagan however merely chuckled. “I could get you disqualified for this.”

“I don't care”, I spat back. “And Sanakia is mine. I’m not handing her to you, even if you begged me to.”

“Begging? For a Galmon? Now this is an absurdity.”

“Sir d'artagan” Mueller spoke with as much dignity as he could muster. “I believe we should not escalate matters further. We have to report back to his Holiness.”

“That we should. I had my fill of this filthy city anyways. The Dark Lord can turn it to rubble for all I care.” Slowly, the golden knight rose up.

At this point Sanakia was shaking like a leaf. “M...My Lord...please, don’t…”

“Didn’t you hear? I am no longer your Lord”', d'artagan replied, he did not bother to look back. “You serve this low cur now. Keep the armor though, a monster like you needs all the protection it can get.”