Bang!

“Get up newbie! The Cap wants to see ya’.”

Casey lurched up from the bed utterly confused. The room he had been taken to the night before had just been invaded by an ape of a man kicking in the door.

“Wha- who ar-”

“No time, put these on. You do NOT want to keep the Cap waitin’.” The man interrupted him while thrusting a bundle of clothes and a pair of boots into his arms. He then turned around and left the room. On the way out he tried to close the door only to flinch when one of the hinges broke off leaving the door hanging at an unnatural angle.

“What in the-” Casey stammered “Wait, where am I again?” As he looked around the room, his memories of the night before slowly returned. Turned out, the night had not in fact been a dream and he did not wake up back in his bed back home. Instead, he woke up in a room barely the size of a large master closet. It was mostly bare with walls made up of stone bricks. There was a single arched window on the wall opposite the door. The only furniture in the room consisted of the bed he had been sleeping in, a chair, a desk, and a wardrobe. His sword was resting in its sheath hanging on the bedpost.

“I guess I’m stuck here.” Shaking his head to clear his thoughts before they turned dark, Casey then looked at the bundle of clothes he was holding. He set aside the boots for the moment and unwrapped the clothes. They consisted of a pair of shorts that resembled boxers, a pair of long socks, black trousers, an off-white shirt, a black vest, and a dark grey cloak. As he dressed himself, he realized that the clothes fit surprisingly well. The trousers were a little short and the shirt was a little snug around his shoulders but they were still manageable. Leaving the cloak on the bed, he went back to the boots. They were also black and were shined almost to the point that he could see his reflection. Putting them on over his trousers he found that they also fit. Again not perfect, a little large, but still surprising considering he hadn’t been measured. At least not while he was awake.

Shivering at that thought he bent over and picked up the cloak. “I should probably try to figure out how to get the clasp to work” He reached for his clasp which he had placed on the desk beside the bed. Again he was struck by how cold it felt in his grasp.

The clasp actually consisted of two pieces connected by a short chain made of the same bluish metal as the main pieces. The second piece wasn’t molded into the same fox head as the first one but was instead a plain disk about the size of a silver dollar. On the back of both pieces was a pin that would secure it to the cloth. Wrapping the cloak around his shoulders, Casey attached the clasp and secured the cloak.

The man from before chose that moment to barge in again. “Come on, move it. We’re already late.”

“Hold on-” Before he could finish speaking the man grabbed him by the collar and pulled him out into the hall. He easily fended off any of Casey’s attempts at freeing himself and took off down the corridor at a brisk pace.

“Wait! Could you at least tell me who you are before you drag me off to god knows where?”

Glancing down at Casey with an annoyed look the man said “Gods, not god they hate being singled out. The name’s Conrad, Conrad Baro. And I told you already, I’m taking you to see the Captain who asked to see the new guy, which is you.” Letting go of his collar the man continued “Hurry it up or I’ll start dragging ya’ again.”

Dusting himself off Casey followed behind him and tried to remember what the book said about this Conrad Baro. As far as physical descriptions go he stood easily five or six inches over Casey at around six-foot-eight. He had dark hair kept in a short style similar to modern military men. He had dark skin, dark eyes, and a long silver scar cut across his nose and under both eyes. He was wearing similar clothes to Casey, only his cloak was different. His was a dark crimson matching the one Ronin wore. There was also a sword hanging at his waist. According to the book, he was one of the Senior Riders in charge of training the new recruits in combat. Apparently training under him was not a pretty sight. “Wait if I’m supposed to be a new Rider, does that mean I have to go through his training” Thinking of this possibility caused his steps to falter slightly which earned a glare from the Senior Rider.

His thoughts drifted to recalling what the book said about the Captain that Conrad was taking him to. He remembered that her surname was Rowan but couldn’t think of her first name. Most of the riders just called her Captain. Despite this nickname, she was not actually a captain. Her true title was the Knight Commander of the Order of the Fox. This meant that she held the highest position in the Order, second only to the Queen and, in certain circumstances, the King. She also had one of the rare fox clasp artifacts that gave her another ability beyond the base enhancements. This was the ability to see the inner character of anyone she meets. She also happened to be one of the few who knew of the affair currently taking place between Sara and Ronin. Thinking about how he so bluntly blurted out that he knew of said affair to the actual participants he flinched slightly.

“Weird, I feel like I’m forgetting something very important about her though” After thinking for a moment, he just shrugged and continued walking. He’d meet her in a moment anyways.

As he was collecting his thoughts, they came to a room that looked a bit like a reception area complete with a desk and an attendant. Behind her were two large wooden doors, presumably the commander’s office. The attendant looked up from her papers and pushed up her glasses as they walked in.

“Ah Senior Rider Baro, I will inform the Commander that you have arrived.” She got up from her desk and walked to the doors. She knocked and stuck her head in while saying something to the person inside.

A loud shout called out from within the room. “Oh they’re finally here? Well send them in already!”

The attendant turned to them and said. “She is ready for you.”

Conrad led Casey into the office as the attendant closed the doors behind them. The strong fragrance of tea leaves hit him as he crossed into the room. The office was very spacious with bookshelves lining the far wall. On the wall to their left was a large map that seemed to be of the country of Decra. To his right were three tall windows that looked out over the maze and fountain below. In the center of the room was a large desk and several chairs. Sitting behind the desk with her elbows resting on the wood was a stern looking woman with graying hair and blue eyes. Also in the room were Sara and Ronin who were sitting in front of the desk enjoying morning tea. In contrast to the noble ball gown she had been wearing the night before, Sara was now wearing the same uniform as the others in the room complete with a crimson cloak and fox clasp. Now that he thought about it, in the book she had been a Queen’s Rider long before she was called by the Queen’s artifact. Something that has never before happened in the history of the kingdom.

Commander Rowan studied Casey for a moment, giving him a look that seemed to see through all of his faults. Then she turned to Conrad. “Thank you for bringing the new recruit. You may leave, I’m sure your trainees will begin to miss you if you stay gone too long.” Ronin and Sara shared a bemused look, and Conrad just smiled before giving a knight’s salute and left the room.

Seeing that Conrad had left she turned to Casey before continuing. “You must be Casey, the newest Knight of Frost. I’ve heard some interesting things about you.”

“Ah yep that’s me, though I do wonder just what interesting things you’ve heard about me?” Something seemed very off in the way she was watching him as he responded.

“Hmm? Just that apparently you’re from another world where everything that’s happening here is recorded in one of your books. Oh and also that you knew about the actual relationship between these two.” She said with a smile that went nowhere near her eyes.

“Ha… right yeah there’s that. Uhh I’m really sorry about the whole knowing something I shouldn’t know, but I can’t really help it. I didn’t exactly expect to suddenly end up here when I read the book.” Casey struggled to find some way to appease the woman who seemed far more threatening than Ronin did the night before. Even if she wasn’t currently holding a sword to his face.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Hahahahah!!"

The woman who seemed so threatening a moment ago was now doubled over her desk howling with laughter, leaving the rest of the room dumbfounded. Including Ronin and Sara whose jaws had dropped practically to the floor.

“Ahaha… sorry… ha… your face… was too perfect.” She managed to wheeze out between laughing fits. Wiping tears from her eyes she finally calmed down enough to say. “I just love scaring newbies, maybe it comes with the job?”

“Captain? Shouldn’t you be taking this seriously?” Ronin, who had managed to lift his jaw from the floor, asked her.

“What you mean by that? Of course I am, you brought him to me so I can judge him didn’t you?”

“Yes that is exactly why we brought him to you, not for you to start teasing him,” Sara said.

“Spoilsport” Commander Rowan muttered under her breath just loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Sooo, what exactly is happening here? Am I in trouble or something…?’’ Casey said while slowly stepping back towards the door.

Commander Rowan just ignored him “Anyways, I already judged him. Saw through his character before he even stepped into the room. Completely harmless, odd, but harmless. Besides, you didn’t really need to bring him to me anyways. You both know as well as I do that any fox clasp chooses only people with the required morality before calling them. And he doesn’t have just any random fox clasp, he has the former Knight of Frost’s fox clasp. There is no way that it would choose someone who would actually have morality issues like sending two people to their deaths over their relationship.”

The couple was left speechless after her tirade so she just turned to Casey. “No you are not in trouble Casey, I was only having a little fun”

Relieved at no longer being threatened Casey was finally able to relax his muscles that had been tensed to flee. “Ah ok well that’s fine the- Wait… HEY! Not fun!”

It was then that he remembered that very important detail about the Knight Commander. To the outside world she is a powerful knight with an aura of absolute command, respect, and confidence. However, when it comes to her own knights, she would stop at nothing to tease and manipulate them all to her own enjoyment. Especially the future Queen and her relationship with Ronin. Of course, if any of her knights were targeted by anyone other than her, she would also stop at nothing to protect them.

“Ahaha. I love my job.” She let a loud sigh as her facial expression grew serious. “Alright, enough of that. Casey Bennett!”

“Yes ma’am!”

“You do understand the position you are in and what would happen should you leak the secrets you gained from your book. Correct?”

Casey tried to straighten his back as he answered. “Yes ma’am.”

“Good, and its yes Captain or Commander Rowan not ma’am. Now tell us exactly what transpired for you to end up here and in possession of that clasp. Know that I will be able to tell if you are lying”

“Yes Captain!” Casey then told the story of how he fell into this world and what he was told in that white space along with the events that led him to the armory under the palace.

When he was finished and Commander Rowan confirmed he was telling the truth, all three of them grew thoughtful as they pondered over his story. Sara was the first to speak “So you really did come from some other world, and there is really a book about us.”

“Yeah. I don’t blame you for not believing me at first. I would certainly have a hard time believing it myself if someone told me they were from some other world where there’s a book about me.”

“So what did it mean by finish the story if you want to go home?” Ronin asked.

“Ah I would guess it means that however I’m supposed to get home lies at the end of the book, which in this world hasn’t happened yet.”

Hearing this Commander Rowan practically jumped out of her seat. “Hold on, when you say hasn’t happened yet, you mean that the ending of your book is supposed to be our future?”

“Well yes that would be the current conclusion I’m thinking of. I mean the information from my book was right when it came to their-” he waved a hand towards Ronin and Sara” relationship and it’s also how I knew about the Queen’s Riders and their artifacts to begin with. So if those were accurate than I can somewhat assume the ending of the book should be accurate.”

“So then what is the ending your book is predicting?” She asked.

Casey considered this question carefully. If he told them how the story ended, would that change the outcome? And if the outcome changes, would he still be able to go home? “Damnit! The only thing I was told was to finish the story, would it have really killed them to be a little more descriptive?”

“Honestly, I don’t know how much I should say. For all I know, me telling you the ending of the book could completely change everything. And if the ending changes, will I be able to go home?”

Ronin narrowed his eyes when Casey spoke. “So because you might not be able to go home, you’re refusing to tell us something that has to do with our country as well our lives?”

“I… I don’t know. I don’t understand this whole situation. I’m stuck in a world that’s not my own and I have a family and a home I need to get back to. For all I know, my telling you the ending could result in my never going back.”

“Oh so you’re saying that our world isn’t good enough for you!? That your going home is worth possibly jeopardizing our lives?”

“That’s not wha-”

“Oh really? What did you mea-”

Bang!

Commander Rowan abruptly slammed her fist onto her desk and shouted. “That is enough Sir Galland. That is not what he is saying and you know it!” She took a breath and straightened up her desk before turning to Casey and asking. “Mr. Bennett, am I correct in assuming that you yourself are not a part of the book we are referring to?”

Casey stared at her with wide eyes, bewildered by her question. Somehow, he didn’t even think to consider that his own presence would change the story. He’d been so focused on the fact that he was there that he didn’t stop to wonder what his being there might do to the original story.

Taking his silence as an affirmation she continued. “Very well then, it is believable to assume that not going along with the contents of your book completely will not necessarily prevent you from being able to go h ome. That is if your book even can even predict what will happen in this world. Due to a lack of evidence how about I propose a compromise? I am assuming that there are various important events that happen in the book that can easily be predicted?”

Seeing she was expecting an answer Casey replied. “Yeah sure there are. Plenty of them actually, it’s a very long novel.”

“Good. Then I propose that we postpone the interrogation on predicting the future for when we know if the book can actually predict said future.”

“So basically you want to wait to see if something else in the book actually comes true or not?” Sara asked.

“Precisely, and once we know for sure, we can go from there.”

“Ok I’m not against that but for it to work, I need to know where we are currently in relation to the book. Let’s see, Sara, how long ago were you called by the Queen’s Artifact?”

Sara furrowed her brows in thought. “Hmm. it hasn’t been that long, maybe a month or so? Does that tell you anything?”

“Yes it does actually, thanks a lot. In relation to the book, it hasn’t been all that long since the start of the story since the first major thing mentioned was Sara becoming Queen Regent. If it’s been a month since then… ok the next really major event won’t be for about a month and a half so there is still a lot of time.”

“Alright fine, we can wait to see if the prediction comes true, but how will we know that you will tell the truth about what the book predicts?” Ronin asked with a suspicious glare.

Placing her elbows back on her desk Commander Rowan cut in. “Sir Galand, do you really not trust my ability to tell if he is lying or not?”

“No but well…” Ronin guiltily withdrew his glare at her question.

Sara clapped her hands once and proclaimed. “Very good. Now that’s over with, we can finally decide exactly how to proceed with your training Mr. Bennett.”

“My training?”

“Of course, you didn’t think you’d be doing nothing did you? You are after all, the next Knight of Frost and a recruit of the Queen’s Riders.” Commander Rowan said with a chuckle.

“Right, I almost forgot. I will be able to use magic right!?” Casey asked while barely containing his excitement.

“Well that will come eventually, but we’ll have to call a teacher for you which will take some time.” His excitement deflated a bit. “So in the meantime, you will be training as a regular Queen’s Rider under Sir Baro.” Commander Rowan told him.

His previous excitement completely vanished when he heard that and was instead replaced with a shiver of fear. After all, according to the book, training under Sir Baro was anything but pleasant.

“Haha I see you are familiar with Sir Baro’s training techniques. Don’t worry I’ll tell him not to go too hard on you, can’t have our newest knight dying before he even sees the field.” She said while flashing him an evil looking smile. “Speaking of training, where is that famous sword of yours?”

Recalling the events that led to him forcefully leaving his room in a hurry he scratched the back of his head and said. “Right, Sir Baro didn’t exactly give me enough time to equip it so it is still sitting by my bed back in my room.”

“That is no good Mr. Bennett, a knight must never go anywhere without their sword.” She said with a pout, it was quite clear she only wanted to take a look at it.

“Stop that, you’ll get to see it eventually” Sara chided her.

Commander Rowan brought her hand to her chest and gasped in mock offense at her comment. “Still the statement stands. Now that you are a recruit you will be required to have your weapon on you at all times. When you leave here you will return to your room and retrieve your sword before anything else.” She stood up from her desk after saying that. Ronin and Sara put down their tea cups and also stood.

“Alright, I believe we are about done here. I have a meeting to attend so I will leave you with Sir Galland who will give you a tour of the Rider’s wing. Then you will report to Sir Baro at the training ground. You are dismissed.”

Ronin and Sara placed their fists over their hearts in a knight’s salute and Casey mimicked them before turning to follow them out.

“Oh one more thing” She called out to them. “For the moment, let’s keep the whole Knight of Frost thing under wraps. It would not be good if our enemies got wind of one of the Elemental Knights awakening.”

“Ah ok, understood.” Casey said and left the room.

As the door was closing he could’ve sworn that he heard the commander say “Gah, now I have to go to some boring meeting. I hope there’s food this time.” With a smile he continued after Ronin and Sara.