By foot, we traveled down a paved road to the capital city, Iseul, of the country of Sul. It covered the horizon as we headed towards it. A world that was completely foreign to me and unlike anything I could have ever imagined.

Towering skyscrapers pierced the sky like giants, their mirrored surfaces reflecting the sun's blinding rays. Claire kept me close as we walked amongst the bustling crowd at the city's threshold, they felt dwarfed by the sheer scale of the architecture, a world where technology had cast a magic spell in the form of gleaming spires and futuristic designs. The metropolis city stood as a testament to my ignorance of the world. It intricate tapestry woven from steel, glass, and the ceaseless hum of activity. A place I thought science fiction.

But it was the symphony of sounds that truly overwhelmed my senses. The distant drone of strange vehicles merges with the rhythmic beat of footsteps, creating a melody of urban civilization. Bright signs cycled through strange images like magic, each highlighting some object to buy.

I saw people for the first time, each lost in their own world. Their faces were illuminated by the soft glow of shiny rectangles and tablets. Conversations hummed in the air, an incoherent mess of a foreign language that all drowned out each other. The diversity of faces, the array of clothing, and the vibrant energy of the crowd fascinated me. I watched with keen interest as people hurried past us, their expressions ranging from laughter to contemplation.

It was almost too much to take in. I knew if I strayed too far from Claire I would get lost. Luckily, she allowed me to hold on to her sleeve so we wouldn’t get seperated. Claire paid no mind to this city. To her, this was normal.

We walked until we arrived at a small open square that led to a small and round white stone building. In the middle was a grey statue of a woman just as tall. A woman with her hands together in prayer and wearing a knight’s armor. The helmet covered all but the face but it was unmistakably Claire. The diamond almond eyes couldn’t belong to anyone else.

“That looks like you,” I pointed it out.

“Does it now?” Claire brushed it off.

In front of the statue was a line of people waiting to stand and take photos. Families lean in close, capturing shared moments of joy against the stone backdrop, while solo travelers extend their arms for the perfect selfie angle. Laughter and camaraderie meld with the hum of the city, as each snapshot immortalizes the statue's grandeur.

I’m not given the time to fully admire this statue. Claire hurries us to the stairs that lead to the building’s entrance. Two men dressed in a black and red uniform guard the door. They stand just as still as the statue behind us and held up a long polearm to their side. The reflected sun’s light from the metal edge of the weapons blinded me. As a single unit, they move aside when Claire held up a plastic card in front of them.

-

We were taken to a brown room, a break from all the monotone gray and white that dampened the building. The back wall was decorated with a large bookshelf. Along with the thick books, it was filled with framed photos and medals. I sat on a leather couch in the corner while Claire sat across the table. A large man with short black hair sat across her. He had a visibly deep scar that ran down from his cheek to his chest. The bags under his eyes aged him a decade. The width of his biceps was the size of Claire’s head. Even sitting in a chair, he towered over her.

“I didn’t expect you to come back so soon. I wouldn’t mind the extra help, however,” he opened. He then turn his attention to me. “This the kid?”

“I’ll keep it short. I want you to register her as a Knight.”

“Introductions first. Hello there, my name is Earendel. And you, little one?”

“Rae! Nice to meet you!”

“Nice to meet you too,” Earendel turned his attention back to Claire. “Little on the nose don’t you think?”

“Just do what I asked.”

“She’s too young. I don’t care if the number of Plaguebearers has increased, we’re not so desperate as to employ a child.”

“It’ll be under my supervision.”

“No.”

“She’s more than ready. I’ve trained her myself.”

Earen sighed and leaned back on his chair. “I’ve not gone as mad to send a kid to her death. You of all people know how brutal this job is.”

“Rae can handle anything you throw at her. Even if you don’t register her, I’ll have her take on my hunts. Plus, you owe me.”

There was a long silence. Earen closed his eyes and held his bottom lip with his yellow teeth. I’ve only just met this man but I could feel the history he had with my babysitter. A testament that Claire had a long and complex life that I was now barely dipping my toes in. It just fascinated me. It only strengthens my resolve to be just like her.

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“I better not regret this. People are already losing faith, I don’t need her death to be added on top of it.” The rugged and built man took out a piece of paper and filled it out. “What an interesting name,” he said to himself. “Rae R-”

“Nonborn. Rae Nonborn.”

Earan raised an eyebrow. This was the first time I was called by that name. The concept of family names was foreign to me. The characters who were related all shared a common name in the books I read and it just made sense to me. I liked it. I felt like Claire was acknowledging me as hers.

“Nonborn? Really?”

“It fits.”

Earan sighed. “Whatever. Date of birth? Country of birth? Blood type?”

“I don’t know. Her birthday’s today turning 8, I think. Born in Nocturne, town of Amat. Type R negative. And for next of kin, I guess you can write my name down.”

“Happy birthday, Rae. Try your best to have a good one,” Earen chuckled. “You’re officially now a Knight, Fifth Class.”

“Fourth.”

“Fourth? You are trying to kill her.”

Claire taps her finger on the paper, “I looked at the listings, only jobs available are for that class and up.”

“I’m already making an exception, I can’t just start her there, especially as a child.”

“Make another.”

“Tell you what since you’re so confident. I’ll let her take a job and if she clears it without your help, I’ll promote her.”

“It’s a deal.”

-

It took me a long time to ask what a Knight is. At the time, I was just happy that Claire was honoring my wishes to join her on her adventures. I didn’t care about the specifics. All that mattered was I was now going to help Claire.

The Knights of the Goddess are the organization that is held responsible in handling the plague that haunts the earth. They aren’t governed by any country or nation, choosing to work independently. The military might they have rivals and surpasses even the largest nations. Their sole purpose is to protect the world from the plague. Any other conflict is ignored.

I was ranked Fifth Class, the lowest and weakest. They’re only allowed to take jobs that pose minimal threat. Fourth Class requires a team. I was expected to tackle one by my lonesome. The job was to kill a corrupted bear that was rampaging through the farms outside the city.

A bear.

Not a monster. I learned monsters are just animals infected by the plague. Corrupted and mutated to be grotesque abominations. Lives being stripped away from nature’s cycle.

Before we set out, we stopped at a small shop on the outskirts of the city. It smelled of ash and iron. A room hidden behind curtains was radiating dry and warm air.

A short and fat bald man greeted us, or rather, Claire.

“Is it ready?”

“Are you doubting me?” The man was bubbly in his laughter. “One second, my dear.”

He came back from out the back holding a case, giving it to me. “It might be a little loose, but she’ll grow into it.”

“What is it?”

I answered my own question when I opened it.

A set of leather armor with chainmail underneath. I didn’t waste a second and tried to put it on. Claire put on the helmet for me once I did. I ran over to a nearby mirror to check it out. I looked like a knight with the head of a dragon. I thought I couldn’t look any cooler.

“Do you like it?”

“Yeah! This is the best!”

“Happy birthday, Rae.”

It was odd hearing that from her. My birthday was never celebrated until now if I can even count it. It was these small moments of affection from her that I chased. I stared right through the mirror, confident that I wouldn’t disappoint her. I knew I was being tested and the anxiety from it was slowly growing.

-

The farmlands held a scene of desolation. The aftermath of a bear's destructive rampage becomes painfully evident. What were once neatly furrowed fields, laden with the promise of a bountiful harvest, now lie trampled and torn, their vibrant greenery reduced to a chaotic tangle of broken stalks and upturned soil. Corpses of cows and sheep were littered and scavenged by ravens. Paw prints were imprinted in the soil. The many jumbled prints eventually became collected into a path leading inside nearby woods.

.

“Are you nervous?” Claire asked while we followed the trail.

Now that my assignment was becoming more and more real, I was giving the logistics more thought. I thought of the bears from my home. No other animal was bigger than them.

“A little…Can I even kill a bear?”

“As long as you don’t panic and remember your training. Fighting an animal is much different than fighting against my sword, act accordingly.”

“Who’s stronger? This bear or Snow’s Dad?”

“The cat.”

Hearing that loosened up my body. I didn’t want to encounter anything that fast ever again. I thought about why the cat terrified me so much but this hasn’t. My life was on the line. I should have been scared. All the bears I met before were all friendly. I thought all bears were. I guess that false blanket was keeping me calm.

We entered the forest and immediately heard the roar of my target. It didn’t sound anything like a bear. It was hoarse and demonic. Painful.

“My sword! I don’t have one!”

Claire unsheathed hers and held it down to me. “Use mine.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s the only thing that’ll kill it fast. Anything else would take too long.”

Her sword is unlike any other. The hilt was made out of dark wood and wrapped with white leather and was comfortable to hold. Under it was a pummel of a strange white symbol I didn’t recognize. There was only one guard that wrapped around the hand but didn’t connect to the hilt. The guard and hilt met, there was a small curved spike housed in a square. The blade connected to a metal rectangle that with lines indented through it that looked like it could detach. But what made it special was the blade’s edge. Long enough to be as tall as me and sharp enough to cut through anything. There was no curve, unlike the opposite end. And it glowed a faint white line through the base to the tip.

“Treat her well.”

This type of weapon is what’s able to kill the plague. Any other type of weapon is too ineffective to be used. The weapons imbued with the magic it had are world treasures. Godly artifacts that are only given to the highest-ranking Knights. Now I had one in my hand. It felt alive. There was a pressure around my hand that made it hard to hold, like it didn’t like me holding it.

“Will I ever get one?”

“If you prove yourself.”

I thrust the sword forward, posing for Claire. “Do I look cool?”

“Try cute.”

The bear roared again, this time much closer. A flock of crows frantically fled from the trees as soon as the bushes started to ruffle.

“It’s here, get ready!” Claire jumped back.

As I turned, the monster was already charging at me.