When I sat down in a corner, John approached me.

"Aren't you going to take off your armor to rest?"

"Well, I'd like to, but the truth is that it's very difficult and problematic to do so."

"Well, you're in luck. How about you let me help you? That way, I can show you that I can be a good squire."

"And why would you want to prove that to me?"

"Well, as you explained, we can take the basic classes, and there are also special variants. Their descriptions sound much more powerful, but to take them, we must be accepted by a knight. Since you're the only one with the class, and the sanctuary offers limited spots..."

"Oh, I never realized that. You mean you want to become a knight of the Holy Ashes? You read the description correctly; once you take the vows, there's no turning back."

"Well, to be honest, I don't quite understand that part. If it's just about fighting demons, I'm okay with it. After all, they plan to kill us."

"That's the easy part. According to the system, anything that demands a part of your life essence or soul is considered demonic. In the same vein, corrupt is anything that compromises or exchanges your soul or that of others. So, you'll also have to reject any source of power that tries to change you or feeds on you. All shortcuts will be blocked."

I could see the doubt in John's eyes. To be honest, his way of thinking was understandable. Denying something that wants to kill you is logical; anyone would do that. However, refusing something that could help you in the immediate term was more difficult, especially if the consequences were small. Most people would continue doing it even if the medium- or long-term consequences were disastrous, which would be a problem for the future.

"I'll take it."

"Uh, Jane, wait. You can't rush into this kind of thing; we should consider our situation better."

"What's there to consider? We've seen how the demonic powers act. Those poor guys thought it was just a taste, just a little more, and in the end, they sold everything and got possessed. I refuse to have any contact with that. Sir Alex, please accept me as your apprentice."

"Uh, Sir Alex, I don't think it's necessary to call me that."

"It really is, sir. It's better to start as soon as possible. Apparently, you haven't realized it yet, but the system greatly favors when you fulfill your role. It's exactly like in role-playing games; if you do it, you can use the characteristics and advantages the system gives you, otherwise, they remain inactive."

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"Oh, I didn't know that. It's problematic because I don't exactly know the code of a Knight of the Holy Ashes."

"I don't think it's very difficult. It must be something similar to the discipline and hierarchy of the ancient orders, so please accept me as your squire."

"But I don't think women can be knights."

"Don't worry, Sir Alex, we've checked, and the system does allow women to take the class."

"Alright, if you insist," Jane's spirited responses really cornered me.

Alex stood up, looking at Jane seriously while the other group members watched in silence.

"Jane," Alex began firmly, "you have shown courage and loyalty. You've demonstrated that you're willing to face the dangers of this world and protect your comrades. Today, I offer you the opportunity to become my squire."

Jane nodded with determination, her face reflecting her commitment. She kneeled down and placed her hand over her heart.

"To become my squire, you must make an oath," Alex continued. "You will swear your loyalty to the cause of the Holy Ashes, the protection of humanity against demonic and corrupting forces. You will pledge to defend your comrades with bravery and honor, and never allow yourself to be corrupted by dark power."

Jane nodded again, her eyes locked with Alex's.

"Then, repeat after me," Alex said solemnly. "I swear loyalty to the Holy Ashes, to the protection of humanity and the defense of my comrades. I swear to stand firm against demonic and corrupting forces, and to fight with bravery and honor against them."

Jane repeated the oath word for word, her voice growing more determined.

"As your mentor and Knight of the Holy Ashes, I accept your oath," Alex declared. "From this moment on, you are my squire, and together, we will fight for the cause we swore to defend."

Alex took a breath and then looked at the rest of the group and said, "Jane, always remember that every person must choose for themselves. Ultimately, the path you follow is yours and yours alone. Your soul belongs to you alone."

When Alex finished, he realized that there was a kind of warmth in his body, a sort of energy that revitalized him and gave him vigor. When he checked his class, he noticed a detail he hadn't seen before: there was a progress bar, which was now about 15% full. It must be, as Jane had said, that he could only progress by undergoing knight training, wearing his armor and getting used to fighting in it, mastering weapons, and now, recently, by rescuing people and taking on an apprentice.

"For the rest, I'll go out again soon to do a cleaning round. I'll eliminate the remaining walkers in the building, so I can help you get some points. Then, I'll start eliminating those on the way to the infection zone. We need to take care of that soon. If we have time, we can see what the search zones are about. Get ready, those who want to accompany me."

"Yes, sir."

Jane was the only one to respond out loud. Her spirit was motivated, and I could see that she had acquired a basic weapon from the store. She probably spent all her points on it, so I decided to give her a basic light armor.

"Sir?" Her face was confused when I handed her the armor.

"It's for you. I can't give you Ashen armor since you're not a knight yet."

"No, sir, it's not that I'm complaining. Please don't misunderstand me. It's just that points are hard to come by..."

Jane fell silent halfway through the sentence, contemplating the armor.

"It's just a small help; don't think too much about it. I'll rest for a few minutes while the potion finishes its effect, and then we'll go out."