Chapter 10: The Royal Elite Knights (Part 5)

“By in or out… you mean?”

“Do you still want to be a Royal Elite Knight? Be one of us?”

“Huh? What are you talking about? Of course, I’m serious. Or else I won’t be here despite all the troubles I’d faced so far getting my ass in this room.”

Both Captain Rizzou and I laughed.

“Good to see such resolution from such a young man like you!”

“Now you know what I’m made of. I might be short in stature but I compensate it with willpower and resolution far higher and taller than I could ever be.”

Captain Rizzou smiled at me.

“And you have some self-confidence too it seems.”

I smiled back and nodded. I’m faking my confidence a little for now, but who knows in future, I could accomplish many great things. One step at a time for me.

“Claude, I’m going to ask you a series of tough questions, starting from now on.”

Captain Rizzou face suddenly turned stern and serious.

“You mean… this will be some sort of… what do they call it again? In-In…”

“Interview?” Captain Rizzou completed it for me.

“Yah, yah. That’s the word. Interview.”

“Hahaha! It’s nothing like an interview. Perhaps I just wanted to know you better, that’s all. I want to see what you are made of. We are going to be working together from now onwards so a little detail about you and your experiences would serve me and the Elites much good, right?”

“Yeah, seem reasonable enough. Do ask me then. Fire me with all the questions you have in your mind, Captain Rizzou.”

“That’s more like it. Now…”

Captain Rizzou looked at me without blinking. His change of facial expressions sure did catch me off guard from time to time. I felt a little nervous right now.

“When was the first time you have killed with your own hands? And when I say killed, I don’t mean animals nor plants nor insect nor even monsters. What I mean is a sentient being who is capable of thinking. Human, elves, dwarves… anything.”

“Hmmm…”

I tried to recollect my past experiences. Cold sweats broke onto my forehead. Captain Rizzou looked at me intently, waiting for my answer.

“When I was 7, I get to hold my first real sword or was it a short sword or perhaps it was a dagger? But nevermind. Even a dagger would look quite large at that time for me. The weapon was given to me by my master, Sun Master Blizzard Hawk.”

“It was the first time that I can remember that I touched a real weapon, capable of hurting and killing others. Although it was more of a practice and for me to get used to the weight of a real weapon in combat. However, I never had the chance to use it in real combat until…”

Captain Rizzou looked at me. He nodded as if to urged me on.

“Until when I was 12…”

“A group of bandit decided to make the forest where the Wood Elves stayed as their new hideout. My master, Blizzard Hawk and I occasionally went to the village for some of his research. I would then spend most of my time with my best-est of friend since my childhood, a Wood Elf girl that goes by the name Sehanie.”

“When the bandit group realized their follies of having their hideout so near to a Wood Elf village, instead of moving out, they launch an attack. I was with Sehanie when the attack happened. Two of the bandits caught both of us by surprise when Sehanie tried to bring me to safety.”

“She tried to protect me and got hurt in the process. I saw with my own eyes, the two bandits surrounding Sehanie, while laughing and mocking and then... said something along the line of not without enjoying her body first before breaking her mind and then killing her. Toss her like a used rag, they said.“

“Because of that, I snapped. I took my sword, and without hesitation, I-I-I drove the sword through one the bandit from the back. The other bandit, I kicked him down to the ground below. He fell 40 feet down and broke his neck.”

“And that’s your first kill. Two kills in fact. One with a sword, the other using your environment?”

“Yeah.”

“What do you feel after that Claude? After killing your first sentient being. And in this case, I presume a human bandit?”

I nodded.

“They were both human, Captain. But at that time, I felt nothing. I was more concerned about the safety of Sehanie. Only after a few days after the incident that I started to have nightmares. Nightmares where I killed the two bandits with my own hands. Where the bandits that I killed came into my dreams and torment my sanity. My hands kept trembling, I kept vomiting and I can’t even sleep. It was terrible. Really terrible.”

“And what happened next? Did your Sun Master help you?”

“Yes. In fact, he helps me go throughout the whole period of my trauma. Both Blizzard Hawk and the old geezer.”

“Old geezer?”

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“Ohh, that’s what I used to call our Solaris Primus, the Lord Supreme Grand Master, Lord Aldebaran; the old geezer. Cause he looked like the same old man the first time I saw him and the last time I saw him, about 4-5 days ago. He looked so, so ancient. Perhaps next time I would call him ancient geezer instead.”

“Hahahaha. That’s a new way how to call your Brotherhood’s leader, ehh Claude? I wonder what name will you give to me next?” Captain Rizzou teased me.

“Ohh, you are alright, Captain. You seem like a nice older brother. Old geezer and Blizzard Hawk were very strict with me. Especially that old geezer.”

“Really. Am I like a nice older brother? You seem to be a smooth talker, Claude. You sure know how to speak the right words at the right time. I’m flattered.”

He continued to tease me.

“Well Claude, your first two kills were done to protect your childhood friend, Sehanie. Am I right?

I nodded.

“And you did everything you can to save her, even though you have to take the lives of two strangers, or in this case, strangers who were bandits”

I nodded again.

“Good, because you have to protect your loved ones, that you decided to kill. And you started quite young. My first sentient kill was when I was 47 when I killed a robber who tried to rob a passerby. And that passerby happened to be one of the nobles, and to make the story short, he recommended me here, and I then was drafted into the Elites, from that day until now. It has been 20 years since then.”

“20 years?! A-A-And you are now 67??!!” I was extremely surprised.

Captain Rizzou doesn’t look like someone who was in the late 30s. What more of in his 60s. He looked more like in the early 20s. My surprised reactions made Captain Rizzou laugh heartily.

“Don’t let my youthful looks get to you. I’m a half-elf.”

I smiled. A half-elf. And here I thought he was a human.

“I-I see. That explains it.”

A half-elf has considerably longer lifespan than a normal human. And their growth rate was similar to the elves, but a full or a pure blooded elf could live up to hundreds if not thousands of years old. A half-elf normal lifespan should be around 200 to 300 years old. Captain Rizzou can still be considered a teen in a half-elf term.

“So, let me ask you another question.”

Captain Rizzou resumed his usual calm but strict pose.

“If let say, the leader of this kingdom dies, what will happen?”

I pondered that question for a while, but I cannot come out with the answer.

“I have no doubt you heard about the civil wars and how Elsigardia was founded, right Claude?”

I nodded.

“It is because to avoid that incident – the civil wars and the in-fighting among ourselves– that we existed. If the leaders of this kingdom were one to be killed or even assassinated, our kingdom, Elsigardia would be doomed.”

“We are the personal protector of our leaders. We are different than other knights or soldier of the army. In term of the numbers of lives we save and protect, our’s number a few. But in term of value of the life, ours are immeasurable. Sometimes, it’s not just the lives that we need to protect, but the value of that particular life brings to others. For a king, it will be his country or kingdom. For a father, it will be his family. Save a king, and you will save a country and its people. Save a father, and you will save his family.”

Captain Rizzou paused for a moment, before continuing.

“I’m going to ask you another question, Claude. But these questions, you don’t have to answer me now.”

“Sure, please ask.”

“What’s the value of life means to you? If you were to choose between two lives, whose life will you choose to save? And why? If you were to choose between the life of one who leads and the lives of many who follows, who will you save? What will you do?”

“Wow, that’s heavy questions. I don’t really have the answer for that. Perhaps never will.”

“As I have said earlier, we have only one client. The rest is not in our hands but it falls to people like Captain Forgante and the rest. We only need to concern ourselves with our missions and quests given by our clients. Remember that you have been personally chosen by the Crown Princess, an honour that most of us can only dream of, to serve Elsigardia.”

Captain Rizzou took another sip of his tea.

“Some joined the Elites because of the perks and benefits. Perhaps also a chance to improve their lives and a mean to escape their previous life. Some wanted to join the Elites because they wanted to rub their shoulders with the nobles and royalties and perhaps gain political advantage. Some joined because they were told to do so and it’s in their family lineage. And some decided to join because they wanted to protect Elsigardia, it’s leaders and the people.”

I nodded.

“I understand, Captain Rizzou.”

“Good. Perhaps in due time, you will understand more of the Elites, but I think it suffices for now. “

Captain Rizzou stood up and paced himself towards the window, overlooking the outside of the room, towards the main courtyard and the garden. He then turned and looked at me.

“You know Claude, you are the youngest of the non-royal blood or in another term, a commoner that was recommended personally by the crowns to serve the Elites.”

“Wow, really?!”

“And I’m amazed. You don’t look much like a hero, but I’m far from being naïve to judge someone just base on looks and attire. Many who came through this door, all looking good and better than you, but proven by time, they are a bunch of losers and wannabes. I trust that you are anything unlike them.”

Captain Rizzou came towards me and patted my head.

“I’ll know you will do the Elites proud, Claude. I have prepared a room for you to rest for the day. Talk to the maid when you are ready to retire to your room for today. She will lead you there.”

“And I still need to process your documentation and inform your recommender about your arrival. And in this case of yours, the Crown Princess herself. So, please excuse me for now. I’ll see you again at the Parade of Champions for your Knighthood induction and medals award ceremony. Till then, Claude.”

I stood up and say my thanks to Captain Rizzou.

“Thank you, Captain, for your kind words and encouragement. I’ll not let you down.”

Captain Rizzou smiled at me as he exited the door. But before he left, he reminded me that I could see him anytime if I needed anything at all, especially from the management and administration side.

As I sit with my papers in my hand, the maid came up to me.

“Sire, would you like to retire to your room?”

Well, since there’s nothing else for me to do today, I just agreed to rest early and to retire to my room.

“Sure, just show me the way. I can do with a good rest.”

With that, the maid showed me the way to my room. I was given a simple but yet elegant room. A bed, a desk with a chair beside it and personal bathroom.

Finally, I’m here, as a part of the Royal Elite Knights.

I could be considered one of the Elites now, although what was left was a matter of ceremonial formality. I feel excited and giddy about my new beginning here, in the capital city of Elsivier.

But I must not forget my missions given by the old geezer and Blizzard Hawk. With that thought, I steadied my resolve and focused my thoughts as I entered the room that was reserved for me to rest for the day.

After saying thanks to the maid, I put down the paper on the desk beside the bed. As I lie down on the bed, my thoughts went into the few days of my travel from the Brotherhood until this very moment.

The morning I met Sehanie, the bickering we had, the nights we camped together, the merchant family we saved, befriending Jann and Mili and then proposed by Nelia, and lastly when all of us went on our separate way after I arrived here.

That and also my meeting with Ilvean and Bannen of the Quicksilver Clan. Days after days, adventures after adventures and now finally, I’m here.

The Elemental Circle, Headquarter of the Royal Elite Knights.

As I stretch my hand outwards, grasping an imaginary target, I recited the following motto of our Brotherhood which has become my ethos that I lived and died by:

Nam quamdiu sol ortus est, nos non nuto, erit Pacem enim onmes

“For as long the Sun rises, we shall not falter and there shall be Peace for all.”

I’ll not fail you, old geezer and Master Blizzard Hawk. And you too Sehanie. Next time if you see me, I’ll be a different person. And perhaps who knows, you will finally admit that I’m stronger than you and then you will fall in love with me. And of course, Nelia too, keep loving me alright. I smiled at all the thoughts before I finally took my afternoon nap.