The sun dipped westward, casting lazy, golden rays across the tournament grounds.
The Magic Knight and the Knight of Flowers guided their horses to opposite ends of the lists. The final joust of the tournament, its climax, was about to begin. The audience poured all their enthusiasm into this last contest, roaring the names of the two young heroes.
As he waited for the signal horn, William reflected on his journey to Highgarden. He had accomplished almost everything he set out to do: reached an understanding with Willas, made a winning wager with the Little Rose, secured a promise from the Prince of Dorne, defeated the Red Viper and the fearless Barristan... Though not perfect, it was satisfying enough.
He couldn't help but glance skyward. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in his visor, warming him pleasantly.
The horn sounded, and the warhorses charged.
"Crash!" "Crash!"
The horses thundered past each other. The first pass, a probing attack, seemed to end in a draw. The crowd cheered enthusiastically, but those with a keen eye spotted something amiss.
In the stands, Willas clapped twice. Noticing his brother Garlan's troubled expression, he asked, "What is it, Garlan?"
"Strange. William's fighting spirit seems low. Could it be he wants to..." Garlan trailed off. 'Throw the match?' That didn't sound like the William he knew.
Willas thought for a moment, then smiled slightly. "William just had a grueling victory against Ser Barristan, and his two wins before that weren't easy either. After such intense focus for so long, it's natural to be a bit fatigued. I believe he'll readjust quickly."
As William reined in his horse, cold sweat covered his forehead, but he felt immense relief. Had this not been the first, cautious pass, and had the Knight of Flowers not been holding back, he might have just said goodbye to forty thousand silver stags.
'*The revolution is not yet complete, comrade; we must still work hard!'
William collected himself and quickly entered a state of intense focus. The horn sounded again.
"Crash!" "Crash!"
The second charge again ended without a clear victor.
Garlan frowned once more. Seeing Willas looking at him curiously again, he explained, "This time, Loras was too reckless. If William had been fully focused, this pass might have ended it."
Willas glanced at the Knight of Flowers preparing for his next charge. "The first exchange probably led him to misjudge. He wants to win, and win impressively."
On the field, William inwardly cursed himself for missing a perfect opportunity. He had seen the opening but thought it a feint. Only after it was gone did he realize his mistake.
He also noticed a more serious problem. While his own "Restore" ability kept him fresh, his horse was tiring from the continuous, intense combat. Clearly, a prolonged struggle would put him at a disadvantage.
'I must win quickly!'
Jousting was different from fighting on foot, relying more on technique. William's advantages in speed and strength were largely neutralized. On foot, with 'Wrath of Justice' active, he was confident he could overwhelm the Knight of Flowers.
But in a joust, the Knight of Flowers surpassed him both in horsemanship and lance accuracy. With the momentum of the charge compensating for any lack of raw strength, a well-timed, precise strike from Loras could easily unhorse William.
After the third pass, Garlan nodded with a smile. It seemed both knights had found their rhythm. The Knight of Flowers displayed superior skill, but William compensated with his superhuman reflexes. The exchange highlighted their respective strengths perfectly.
Turning his horse and taking a fresh lance from a squire, William calmed his slightly agitated steed, muttering under his breath, "Patience. We'll rest soon."
When the horn sounded for the fourth time, Garlan noticed William adjusting his grip on the lance. An instinct told him something was different, but before he could pinpoint it, the knights charged.
As the horses were about to cross, both men thrust their lances. The Knight of Flowers was, as ever, impeccably steady, his timing and angle perfect—an seemingly unavoidable attack that forced the opponent into a purely defensive stance.
"Crash!"
The Knight of Flowers's lance shattered against the small round shield on William's left arm with a crisp crack. But Loras felt no impact from William's lance on his own shield. A thought flashed through his mind: 'Had the Magic Knight made a mistake? Is his stamina finally failing?'
Before this spark of hope could ignite, a tremendous force slammed into his chest. Accompanied by a loud "Crash!", he felt himself flung into the air. The world spun before he landed heavily on the ground.
A short, sharp blast of the horn announced the champion of the entire tournament. Cheers for the Magic Knight once again echoed through Highgarden.
There was no time to celebrate. William threw aside his lance, dismounted in a flash, and sprinted towards the Knight of Flowers. He had just risked activating Wrath of Justice, and if he had seriously injured the brother of the Little Rose, it would be difficult to explain to Willas and Garlan.
Up on the high platform, Lord Mace and Renly were utterly astonished. Nearby, Randyll looked rather awkward; he had just finished stating how evenly matched the two were, and that William's horse was clearly tiring, meaning the Knight of Flowers would likely win eventually. He hadn't expected William to end the fight so decisively the very next second.
The Red Viper's lips twitched. Though his face wore a proud expression, the appreciation in his eyes was unmistakable. "What is your view, Ser Barristan?"
Barristan laughed. "I suspect it was a desperate move born of necessity, but it makes sense. I've heard that in the earliest days, lances didn't have vamplates."
Renly also looked at Barristan with curiosity. "Ser, what exactly happened? How did the Magic Knight win so suddenly?"
Barristan glanced around at the lords on the platform. Apart from Randyll, whose stern expression gave nothing away, the others indeed looked rather bewildered. He explained, "Essentially, William gripped the lance *ahead* of the vamplate. This effectively shortened the lance, altering the angle and timing of the attack. Loras likely failed to notice this change, creating the opening."
Most of those present had undergone knightly training and were experts. Upon hearing this, understanding dawned on their faces almost simultaneously, and they couldn't help but silently marvel at William's strength.
Renly's face showed admiration. "Even knowing how it was done, it still seems incredibly difficult. The Magic Knight truly seems aided by magic."
The Red Viper looked at Renly in surprise.
Barristan also fixed his sharp gaze on Renly, who quickly laughed it off. "Just a joke!"
The other lords obligingly joined in the laughter.
William solicitously helped the Knight of Flowers to his feet. Though Loras seemed somewhat dazed by the impact, he remained gracious. "Thank you, William. I'm alright."
Seeing that he indeed didn't appear seriously hurt, William felt relieved.
Meanwhile, the crowd began to clamor, shouting about the Queen of Love and Beauty, Lady Margaery, and so on. The most excited were undoubtedly the bards and singers; the Battle of Ten mile Town and the story of the Magic Knight and Lady Margaery had already provided ample material for their creations. One could imagine many new tales and songs would be spun from this tournament.
William did not keep them waiting long. After helping the Knight of Flowers to the side, he quickly mounted his horse and rode before the main viewing stand. Amidst the congratulations of the lords—some sincere, some perhaps feigned—he took up the wreath adorned with various flowers.
He then approached Margaery. The two shared a knowing smile.
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