Yohan’s eyes opened wide in disbelief. “They're all gone. Thousands of my men turned to ash in the blink of an eye. All of their lives were snuffed out by a teenage boy. Impossible.” Yohan began to cry, he wept for his fallen comrades. Artorus’s head snapped in Yohan’s direction, Yohan painfully aware of his inferiority he stood up and decided to fight. “Muscle manipulation — BODY OF THE BERSERKER!!!” Yohan screamed in desperation as his body quickly morphed. He went from a six-foot tall man all the way up to a staggering ten-foot tall behemoth. His muscles rippled through his clothes as they grew to the size of stacked watermelons. His body became stronger than steel. He took a fighting stance as Artorus slowly floated toward him. 

You could cut the tension in the air with a knife as Yohan’s heart pounded in anticipation for the monster’s next move. “Fuck. JUST GET IT OVER WITH! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR YOU DECEITFUL BASTARD!?!?” Yohan shouted in desperation as he began to sweat. Artorus’s body disappeared only to pop up right in front of Yohan a split-second later. Artorus tilted his head to the side like a possessed doll, his hair floating unnaturally upward aura leaking through his very pores. 

“I’m here now, is this what you wanted?” Artorus asked in a sarcastic tone, his voice still distorted sounding eerie and demonic. Now in a desperate panic Yohan closed his eyes and wailed on Artorus with all the strength he could muster. Each blow that landed sounded like a lightning strike but Yohan soon realized his punches had no effect. It was as if he was punching an unbreakable wall. Yohan dropped his fists to his sides in defeat. His eyes almost popping out of his skull I horror. 

“I-it h-had n-no e-effect. Not a single blow dealt him any harm.” He whispered to himself in disbelief as he began to pull his hair out. He let slip a shriek that sounded more like a wounded animal backed into a corner than anything human. “FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK….!!!!” he rambled terrified. 

Artorus lifted his arm aiming a finger at Yohan as a small white magic circle appeared at his fingertip. “So are you done?” He asked Yohan in a calm demonic voice. Yohan went silent as he looked up at the finger aimed at him. “Goodbye.” Artorus said in an emotionless cold tone. “Holy magic — divine punishment form two. Oh, heavenly light obey my command and turn thy enemy into a pillar of salt.” A ray of light shot out of the magic circle slowly turning Yohan to a salt statue. As he began hardening from the feet up Yohan begged and pleaded for mercy. 

“Stop! Please no! Waaaaait! I beg you damn it!” The petrifaction sped up reaching his chest in moments. Just as his neck began turning to salt he recalled the beginning of the fight and the promise he made. “I CONCEDE!! I CONCEDE DAMN IT! YOU WIN! ON MY HONOR I’LL KEEP MY PROMIS-” just as the salt covered his entire body up to his nose Artorus snapped his fingers. 

“Disperse!” Artorus commanded as the salt cracked falling off of Yohan’s body into a pile on the floor. Yohan fell onto his knees weeping in happiness. 

“Thank god, I’m still alive” Yohan stated tears streaming down his cheeks.

Artorus landed on the ground in front of Yohan, his aura gone, his hair down and his eyes back to normal. He chuckled as he leaned over smiling wholesomely resting his hand on Yohan’s shoulder. “Gods dead. So thank me instead you silly man.” Said Artorus happily. “So did you mean what you said?” He asked. 

“Huh wha-?” Yohan looked up at Artorus still in shock, rivers of tears in his eyes. 

“Don’t tell me you already forgot? Father always said a real man should keep his word, Yohan.” Artorus’s cold eyes betrayed his upbeat tone of voice. 

“N-no o-of c-course n-not, I’ll do anything you ask! I swear!” Yohan choked out in a fearful stutter. 

“Great big fella!” Artorus responded sarcastically. “In that case go ahead and grab your armor because we’re heading for the south gate.” Yohan put his armor back on and the two warriors began making their way toward Edward. 

Now with all thirty-thousand knights defeated in one fell swoop our heroes march toward Edward together. Asher took the lead with Maximus and Artorus close behind.