I am Turf, a copper rank two knight. I am twenty seven years old and have been on copper rank two for ten years now. There is a reason behind it and only few officials of the guild know the reason. I face a lot of criticism by other knights because not being able to rank for ten years proves that I am not cut out to be a knight, but that is not true because I am as powerful as a gold ranking one, it is just that it’s a secret.

“Where are you going, Turf? To kill some goblins again?” said Shrin.

“Yeah, what else can I do?” I said.

“Yeah, what else can you do except some cheap missions.” Said Shrin.

Shrin joined the knights after I joined and he is currently a silver knight of rank three, so he thinks that he is stronger than me but that’s not true. I wonder what will be his response if I say that I am going on a mission to kill a dragon, he wouldn’t believe it to begin with. Thinking that I rode my horse to the potion’s shop of Galida on street 213.

“Hello, can I get some potions,” I said as I slid into the shop.

“Oh, it is you, Turf,” said Galida.

“Yeah, I wanted some water lance, some fire resistance, and a couple of dark frogs,” I said.

“Why do you, a copper knight, want such high level potions,” said a silver knight standing at the corner of the shop.

“Oh, I didn't even notice you,” I said.

“Don’t skip my question,” he said.

“Uhh, I am just buying them for the gold knights, you know how much they hate buying potions,” I said.

“I did not know that,” he said.

“Aren’t you getting late for your mission, sire,” said Galida.

“Yeah, yeah, I just stopped to smoke my cigar,” he said.

Taking a bunch of potions along with him, he left the shop in a hurry.

“Why can’t you just look around before ordering your potions?” Galida said.

“Well, I'll try my best,” I said.

Galida slid into the godown of the shop to search for the potions I ordered and I went through the new potions which came out, wondering how can a brewer brew such potions? Without potions a knight is nothing. I once tried to brew them but the recipes went over my head. I found a unique potion, its name was ‘Veins’, I immediately picked up that potion.

Galida came back holding all the potions I needed and placed them all on the table.

“Add this one, too,” I said, handing her over the veins potion.

She immediately started billing them, though she is my friend since childhood but she still charges me all the money for the potions and I can’t even go to other brewers because they will inquire why I am buying such high ranking potions.

“What is your mission this time?” Galida asked.

“Killing a dragon, on the hills of Gur,” I said.

“Thank goodness, the guild is finally sending a worthy knight to kill the dragon.” Galida said.

“You know about the dragon’s chaos?” I asked.

“Of course, all the brewers are short on ingredients because Gur hills have most of the potion making ingredients but since the dragon showed up there, it has been hard to collect the ingredients,” Galida said.

“I have heard that two gold knights were killed by that dragon, eleven are severely injured.” I said.

“Yeah, but you will be able to defeat it, right?” Galida asked.

“I don’t know,” I said.

“But you are always sure,” Galida said.

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“I only say I can win when I am actually sure that I will win, I didn’t get much information on this dragon, apparently it’s a new breed, so I am not sure.” I said.

“But I am sure that you will win,” Galida said.

“You will know when I will return,” I said.

I took all of the potions and placed all the coins on the table. I headed to the city gate leaving the potion’s shop. Riding on my horse for most of the time but when nearing the gate, I switched to a Foxling from a local Foxling trader, because they are faster compared to a horse. 

“His name is Brux,” the trader said.

Nodding to him, I left for the city gate’s guard, asking for permission to leave. 

“What does a copper knight have to do outside the city?” he asked.

“Some goblin stuff,” I said.

“I think the guild must have sent a silver knight, at least,” he said.

“Why do goblins need a silver knight?” I asked.

“Goblins outside the city are totally different compared to the goblins inside the city,” he said.

“I am not going too far,” I said.

“Okay, here is your permission slip, show it to the grand knights standing outside,” he said.

I mounted Brux and started to descend in the direction of the South. The path was rocky and filled with trees, the city of Gul Han is located on a side of a mountain, it’s very hard sometimes to descend the rocky path. I as usual managed to descend the path but it took me a whole hour. Near the banks of a small river, I stopped to get some water, and they arrived, the Grand Knights. They as always wore long black robes and covered their heads with very age-old custom helmets.

"So, where are you heading, young man?” asked one of the grand knights.

“To the farms of an old man, he complained in the guild about some goblins,” I said.

“Where is your permission slip?” Another one asked.

“It is right here,” I said, handing my permission slip to the one who asked me.

“How far do you plan to go?” One of them asked.

“Close to the forest of Gul Da’ad,” I said.

“Then we will escort you, there is a dragon swarming there near the forest of Gul Da’ad, and the knights of Gul Da’ad might also be there, it is dangerous to go alone,” The grand knight in the middle said.

I did want to travel with them and had no choice but to reveal that I am strong.

“I am officially sent by Lord Dura of the guild to look after this matter,” I said.

“But Lord Dura is the external affairs minister, why did he send you to kill some goblins?” The middle one said.

“The goblin is a bit huge this time, also it breathes fire and can fly,” I said.

“I see but I can’t allow you to go, you will have to prove to me that you are strong,” The middle knight said.

“I surely can,” I said.

“Then get yourself ready,” The middle grand knight said and started to charge at me.

I clearly dodged that one but his lance brushed at my shoulder. His lance was a lot larger compared to any other lance.

He turned towards me and said, “Lance dance,” a spell to enhance the strength, and the effect of the attack of a lancer, he might have drunk the potion beforehand. He charged at me once again but this time it was faster and more deadly, I could barely dodge all of his attacks.

“You are very strong,” I appreciated him.

“I have to or else I won’t be a grand knight, one of the strongest orders of this world,” he said.

“Indeed you are strong but nothing compared to me,” I said.

“Aren’t you a bit too overconfident?” He asked, changing his stance.

“No, it is just my confidence, after all I am an Ulhan,” I said.

“Do you mean Ulhan? That great clan of warriors?” He asked, staring at me.

“Yeah, Great frog emerge!” I said.

A giant dark frog came out of the ground destroying most of the land, scaring most of the grand knights, as it emerged from under the ground I was standing, I was totally on its head. The knight I was battling was impressed, he sheathed his lance on his waist, and got down from the high ground.

“Looks like you won’t need any escorting but if we get to know that you created any chaos with the knights of Gul Da’ad, I will personally execute you,” he said.

“Roger that, get moving froggy,” I said.

The grand knights really are insane, that is an order followed by the world kingdoms, the grand knights do not let any nation or even towns to indulge in fights and that has maintained the peace of the world for five hundred years now! They really are awesome. And I am sure that the knight I fought could easily defeat me in a fight. And like the way a guild’s knight finishes his missions and rises to higher ranks, a grand knight is a different knighthood directly given by the higher authorities to prodigies. 

I kept on walking for the whole day and when the sun was about to set, I set a bonfire by breaking a tree, I ordered the frog to be on guard and ate the little food I had in my bag. Wild animals were swarming in the forest, especially the wolves of Gul Han. They really like to feast on human meat, but I was safe from the frog. 

I cleaned the place and laid down for a moment, I was gazing at the beautiful sky filled with stars who tell different stories. I was about to close my eyes when I heard a growl, that wasn’t a growl of the local wolves, I had never heard it before but I have indeed read about such creatures in the books. 

I quickly stood up and got near the frog, what I then saw was absurd, a flock of night hunters. I quickly unsummoned the frog and started to run away from there. I ran as my life depended on that run. I quickly ran away out of their sight. I had to change my path and had to return to the river of Gul Han. When I reached the river of Gul Han, I felt relieved. I sighed and sat near the bank of the river, laughing at my own plight and seeing my cowardly face in the river.