His sword that he decided to throw into the hall made no sound when it clashed against the polished floors. Jacob realized that someone must be manipulating the sound across the palace but limiting its range for a certain purpose.
"Maria, we need to get out of here and find my dad. Take your helmet with you. I have a feeling this silence is only temporary."
"Yes, my lord."
Maria picked up the shining helmet back up off the floor and followed the prince out of his room. Upon leaving, it was as if they had walked through an invisible veil. Sounds of weapons smacking each other were echoing distantly in the palace, screams were being shouted and loud bangs followed. Jacob made sure to pick his sword back up before starting to run.
"We have to find my dad. He's the only one who knows how to handle this situation. Let's check the throne room first and go from there."
As the pair kept running down the long hall, they heard a loud thumping coming from the corner they were about to turn.
"Do you hear that too or have I officially lost it?"
Maria shook her head.
"I hear it too. It's coming from the end of the hall. It sounds...heavy. Like something big is walking this way."
At that moment, a massive human hand wrapped around the corner of the wall, followed by a larger arm, then a torso, then...
"Oh ho ho. It must be my lucky day! I get to see the king fall from his throne, and I can get my revenge on my least favorite prince!"
The man was none other than Veal, the person Jacob crippled in his fight at the bar.
"Didn't you learn the first time that you can't beat me? Besides, you're exactly half the man you used to be now. Shall I take a leg this time?"
Jacob held his sword out in front of him, ready for any attack that could come his way at any moment. The large man simply let out a low chuckle.
"Yah that really sucked having to lose an arm back there, but I needed to put on one hell of a performance for you to not get suspicious of me being so willing to enter the palace."
The man looked at the stump of his missing arm.
"Besides, one arm should be plenty to finish you off."
"Pft. I'd like to see you-"
Before Jacob could finish his sentence, the man teleported to him in a blink. His knuckles were already rocketing towards Jacobs face at speeds he didn't think possible for someone so huge.
'How did he-'
Jacob didn't have time to think, he threw his head back trying to lessen the impact, but it was far too late. The fist collided with his nose, sending a shockwave through his entire skull. He was thrown back dozens of feet and landed on his back. Blood was gushing down his mouth through his nostrils, he struggled to breathe, his head was throbbing from the force. His sword flew across the hall and crashed through a window, disappearing from sight.
'Can't... recover... in time.'
The man never let up on his initial assault. He grabbed the prince off the floor and threw him into the air. As he began to fall the large man jumped up to meet him halfway, sending a knee straight into the prince's stomach. Jacob threw up piles of blood and collapsed to the floor, writhing in pain.
"What's the matter daddies' boy? Can't play rough anymore? HAHAHA!"
A barrage of kicks descended on to Jacob, aiming to break his fragile ribs. His steel armor was a complete mess of shards, more of them flying out with each punch and kick that hit him. No matter how many times Jacob tried to block, his opponents attack always overpowered his defenses.
'Something's wrong... He can't be this strong with one arm... It's not...'
Suddenly, a surge of anger coursed through Jacobs veins, and when another punch was thrown his way, Jacob caught the man's arm and sent a counter punch straight into his chin. Now, it was Jacob's turn to attack.
He went after the man with deadly precision. Each attack landed right where he wanted, seemingly slowing the man down for a moment. However, these attacks were meaningless. Veal shrugged off every attack the prince was able to connect with his massive body. Eventually, the large man sent a massive kick right into the center of Jacob's chest, causing a cracking sound to reverberate around the halls.
The princes limp body was thrown all the way against the wall where his sword had broken through a window.
'Can't...breathe.'
In a desperate attempt to save his life, Jacob willed himself to stand up then hung himself over the broken window in hopes his sword was close enough for him to grab on the other side. Shards of glass plunged deep into his abdomen as he struggled. It felt like all of his insides were being set on fire with the slightest movement.
A dark shadow slowly loomed behind Jacob, encasing his whole body and the area in front of him.
"It's over Crimson Prince. Or do you even deserve to be called that anymore?"
Jacob still laid motionless on the broken window, not a single part of his body moved hearing these words.
"That's what I thought. Consider your death a mercy, to prevent you from seeing what's to come."
As Veal prepared to send a final punch through the back of Jacob's skull, something unexpected happened. Jacob turned around with his sword in both hands and used the last of his strength to gamble on a final attack, aiming to behead the giant.
Strangely, as Jacob's blade got closer to the man's neck, all the muscles in his arms seemed to be growing weaker and weaker. By the time his blade reached the skin, all that was left was a shallow cut that allowed a little bit of blood to paint the blade.
'No...'
A malicious grin flowed on to Veals face.
"So, you did have a little left in you after all. Seems like I really underestimated you."
With that, Veal sent another kick colliding with Jacob's skull. He was thrown once more across the hall, smearing blood as he rolled on the cold, stone floors. Veal slowly walked over to Jacob, who was hardly conscious. That last attack revealed something to Jacob that made him realize the fight was pointless from the start: the man was the carrier of a blessing. The power to weaken others.
"Oh man... I can't wait to see the look on the king's face when we break him the news!"
One final punch was sent flying towards Jacob's temple. A loud clap echoed off the walls of the hallway.
"What the-"
The man's arm was stopped by a pale, delicate hand. His arm suddenly started twisting and his bones started groaning like they were about to be torn into shreds. Veal desperately shook himself from the grip, his arm still throbbing when he reeled back.
Maria walked over to the prince and put her steel helmet on his head.
"I'm sorry my lord. I know you wanted to settle this yourself, but I can't let you die."