The sun shone on the horizon as a small crowd stared at the gate to the Royal Highlands. Draco, his squad, and Jethro’s squad all stood at attention as their team leaders stared back at them. Davon held a piece of paper, and the man who had taken Jethro’s squad smiled at the teenagers.
“Listen up you lot! Class is canceled for you all today! Because we are all going on a mission!” He shouted, punching the air in enthusiasm. No one followed suit, and Davon spoke without looking up from the paper.
“Evander, only you can have this much energy first thing in the morning. Why don’t you stop shouting and explain what’s going on to them?”
“Right right, sorry.” Evander lowered his hand. “So! A local merchant is making the trip from the capital to the nearby village of Fellwood. And due to some recent bandit activity in the area surrounding the village, he has asked that we supply him with an escort.”
“Hold on!” A girl with brown hair raised her hand, looking nervous. “You’re telling us that we have to fight bandits for our first mission? That’s… isn’t that a little dangerous?”
“Not at all!” Evander said with a smile. “After all, Davon and I are going with you as well! And most people who resort to a life of crime aren’t Awakened, so there shouldn’t really be anything to worry about!”
Draco looked at his squad as they all shared a clear look of apprehension. Sure, someone who was not Awakened was less of a threat, but still… were they really going to have to fight other humans this soon?
~
“Why are we walking?!”
Klimt’s voice echoed across the grassy plains as they all walked alongside the three-cart caravan. The late morning sun beat down on them, and Klimt was starting to drip with sweat from every part of his body.
“Oh would you quit complaining already?” The brown-haired girl with him snapped.
The two squads had been split into two groups, six on one side of the caravan and six on the other side, with Davon riding at the front and Evander walking at the rear. Draco was on the right side beside the middle wagon. In front of him was the brown-haired girl, and behind him were two other members of Jethro’s group; a tall guy with dark skin and and a boy with short, wavy blonde hair. In front of the girl walked Saphira. Klimt was on the exact opposite side from Draco, and he had been complaining for the past hour. The girl turned to Draco, smiling apologetically.
“Sorry about him. He gets cranky when we are exercising.”
“Or studying,” the blonde boy added, his arms folded behind his head.
“Or anything that isn’t sleeping or eating,” the dark skinned boy finished.
“Hey! I heard that!” Klimt shouted, causing the three to chuckle.
“By the way,” the girl said, still facing Draco, ”I’m Victoria Ernhart. Back there are Samuel –” the blonde waved a hand to Draco – “and Roan.” The dark skinned boy flashed a pearly white smile as he gave a small wave. “All three of us are commoners. Or as good as.” She smiled sheepishly. “My family was very poor before my father Awakened and became a Knight. So technically I am of nobility, but in a bottom-of-the-barrel kind of way.”
“I see.” Draco said, feeling slightly off guard by the sudden conversation. He was well aware of how the kingdom ranked the nobility; a commoner Awakening became a member of the minor nobility, which grew and shrank based on the survival and achievements of each individual house, though some successful merchants also rose to this station as well. After the minor nobles were the major nobles; families that had ties to old blood or great modern achievements. High ranking Knights and wealthy businessmen made up the majority of their numbers, as well as families like the Pendras, Kerachs and Solomons. After that came the minor royalty, distant relatives of the royal family, and finally the current reigning royal family. For obvious reasons, the royalty rarely changed in number.
Now feeling curious, Draco looked over his shoulder at Samuel, who smiled and pointed at himself.
“My family runs a bakery in the capital.” He said, smiling wide. “Best bread in the country, guaranteed! Plus my mom makes some killer muffins and tea!”
“Wow. I will have to try them some time,” Draco said, smiling. They all looked to Roan, who pointed at himself in confusion.
“My family?” He asked before smiling and pointing out behind them. They turned and saw a herd of cattle off in the distance, along with the faint outline of a barn. “We have been helping supply both Fellwood and Crownstone with milk and beef for over a hundred years!” He said proudly. “Needless to say, it was a shock when my Awakening opened the door to Knighthood. But it was a welcome surprise. The money I am able to bring home will help us get the barn repaired, and maybe even buy some more land!”
“That’s awesome, Roan!” Samuel said. “I’m gonna buy my mom a new oven for the bakery! She has been begging Dad to get another one to help increase the amount of baking they can do for years!”
“Stop talking about food!” Klimt whined from the other side of the caravan. “I’m begging you! This is torture!”
~
Several hours later, the caravan was making its way through the heart of a forest, the sun barely reaching the ground through the thick tree branches overhead.
“Stay alert, people!” Davon called from the front of the caravan. “The city’s patrols don’t come out this far. If something were to happen, this would be the place!”
Draco and the others on his side of the caravan all perked up at the Knight’s words. Victoria reached into the bag on her hip and pulled out a weasel, cradling it in her arms as Samuel raised his hand overhead and a falcon swooped out of the sky and landed on his shoulder. Draco reached up and nudged the lizard on his head, making sure it was awake. It gave a little growl as it stretched, its tail whipping around and smacking him in the cheek.
Everyone jumped as a scream came from the other side of the caravan.
“AAAAAAHHHHHHH!” Klimt cried. “I can’t take this anymore! I’m sore! I’m tired! I’m hungry! I wanna go home and sit on the sofa while mama reads me a story!”
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as Evander ran up from the back of the caravan and started lecturing Klimt.
Draco turned and took a step forward. Right then,something zipped past his head, striking the wagon beside him with a dull thunk. He paused and turned to check the wagon. A quivering arrow was sticking out of the side of the wagon where his head had been not a moment earlier. His blood turned cold as his pupils dilated; his heartbeat slowed to a crawl as his mind raced. He froze, terrified, unable to move or speak. The lizard on his head gave a mighty growl and leaned over the side of his head, biting down on the top of his right ear. The pain snapped him out of his stupor, and he found his voice.
“WE’RE UNDER ATTACK!” He shouted as several more arrows came flying out of the trees. The students all ducked as the arrows struck the sides of the wagons; the second and third wagon drivers slumped in their seats as several arrows buried into their chests. Up front, Davon had shoved the head driver off of the wagon, saving him from the arrows that had been meant for him.
“Everyone, prepare for battle!” The team leader shouted.
Draco looked around, panicking, his mind racing as he tried to remember what to do. Victoria’s weasel flashed and reappeared as a spear in her shaking hands; her eyes darted around as screaming started to come from the trees. Samuel’s falcon had turned into a longbow, and the blonde boy was quickly plucking arrows out of the side of the wagon, setting them in the ground beside him. Draco turned and grabbed the arrow that had nearly hit him and yanked it out, turning to toss it to Samuel. The shouting from the trees came clear, and he saw them.
Bandits. Over a dozen of them. Well over. Draco froze, the arrow he had pulled out dropping from his hand. On either side of him, Samuel and Victoria both shook in terror as the men closed in, armed with axes, daggers and short swords.
Roan’s voice cut through the screaming as he called out a word with thunderous authority.
“BRAUM!”
The air beside him was shattered as a stampeding black angus bull burst onto their plane of existence, giving out an aggressive grunt as it barrelled into the oncoming bandits. The charging men slowed and dove out of the beast’s path, and it made a wide turn; charging up behind them again and catching one with its horns, tossing the bastard through the air before trampling over him as it rushed back to its master.
Draco felt his mind snap back and he grabbed the lizard, lifting it overhead.
“Draco!” He cried as the sword appeared in his hand.
The bandits regrouped and charged again. Draco rushed forward to meet the five in front. Two split off and rushed at Victoria, who screamed and swung her spear at them, holding them back as Roan ran over to Draco, a war hammer now in his hands. Draco’s sword clashed against two bandits’ short swords as Roan’s hammer swung into the chest of the last remaining man. The hammer splintered the handle of the man’s axe and sent him flying through the air.
Draco pressed the two men off and swung his sword again. One bandit blocked it as the second one rushed in, sword overhead to strike. Draco took a step back and spun, swinging his sword around as flames roared out from the blade. The bandits yelped in shock and leapt back.
Victoria screamed. Draco looked over and saw the two bandits had her pinned against the wagon, pressing their weapons against the spear she held in both hands in front of herself. Draco rushed over to her and leapt through the air, shoulder-tackling the men away from her. The three of them tumbled across the ground and rose to their feet. They charged Draco as he brought his sword up. The blades all clashed together as the three fought, Draco slowly being pushed back.
Behind him he could hear Saphira fighting, her blade cutting through the air as she parried and struck. He heard the sound of steel piercing flesh and the gurgle of blood filling a throat. He heard a body hit the ground and Saphira called out triumphantly, “That’s one!”
That’s one? Draco dared a quick glance behind him and saw a bandit laying on the ground, eyes wide in terror, blood bubbling from his mouth. He was dead.
Dead.
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That’s right. This was not a training fight. This was not practice. This was a fight to the death. Draco’s eyes locked onto the men he was fighting. These men wanted to kill him. They wanted him dead. He didn't want to die. He would have to kill them. Kill them…
“Can I… kill them?” He thought to himself as he continued to block. He felt his sword get forced up as one of the men pushed their blades overhead.
“Get him!” The bandit yelled at his partner, who rushed at Draco, his blade aimed at his gut. Draco screamed, and blood splattered onto his face as Victoria’s spear burst through the attacker’s throat. The man’s eyes went wide and he dropped his sword, his hands clawing at the spear head protruding through his neck. He opened his mouth, gurgling as his eyes rolled up in his head and he collapsed, the spear coming free as he fell. Behind him stood Victoria, tears in her eyes as she stood, shaking uncontrollably as she white knuckled the spear.
“I’m sorry…” she muttered as she tumbled, taking a step back. “I’m sorry…”
The man holding Draco’s sword up turned to her, his eyes blazing in rage.
“You bitch!” He roared as he turned and took a step towards her, then froze. An arrow had pierced clean through his skull. He went limp and collapsed to the ground without a word.
Samuel stood over by the wagon, his arms trembling, bow still held up from the arrow he had just loosed.
“Sam!” Roan shouted as he rushed over and blocked a new attack from another bandit. The dark skinned knight did not hesitate, kicking the bandit in the groin, then striking him with an upward swing with the handle of the hammer, knocking the man onto his back before bringing the hammer up overhead and swinging it down. The hammer head connected with the bandit’s chest with a sickening, wet crunch. Blood fountained from the man’s mouth before he went limp, his limbs twitching as Roan pulled his weapon free from the corpse.
Draco’s mind raced. Dead. Dead. These men were all dead! He took a few steps backwards, then jumped in fear as Saphira’s other opponents dropped to the ground, lifeless. The girl took a knee, whipping blood and sweat from her face as she glared out at the trees, searching for her next opponent.
Draco ran, fear filling him. He ran between the wagons, over to the other side of the caravan and headlong into a huge man with a two-handed sword. Draco fell back onto his butt, staring up in terror as the man turned to him and smiled wickedly.
“Bye-bye, brat!” He shouted as he hefted the sword overhead. Draco felt tears fill his eyes as he stared up at his executioner. Blood sprayed through the air, and the man’s upper torso fell over before his lower half collapsed. Draco remained seated, staring, and Jethro stared back at him, shouldering his blood-stained axe. Jethro spat at Draco’s feet before turning as the remaining bandits turned and fled, screaming ‘retreat’ as their numbers had dwindled down to just a few.
“Is everyone alright?” Davon called as he jogged down the side of the Caravan, looking and counting his squad members.
Draco remained on the ground, shaking, as Willow walked over to him and offered him a hand. He took it and looked up at her, his eyes going wide as he saw her covered in blood. Her ring was slung over her shoulder, dripping with red, and her usual smile was in place, as though nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. Draco pulled his hand back in fear, scurrying a few feet back, still on his backside. Willow tilted her head in confusion.
“What’s wrong?” She asked, and Draco remained seated, shaking.
From the back of the caravan suddenly came Davon's voice as he yelled.
“Elizabeth!”
Both Draco and Willow turned their heads to the direction of the voice. Willow dashed off to the back of the caravan as Draco tried to get up. He couldn’t. His legs refused to obey his commands. His eyes turned back to the two halves of the man that had tried to kill him; eyes wide open, mouth ajar, blood leaking from the corner of his lips. He looked like he could start moving at any moment. At least until Draco turned his eyes down to the man’s waist, where his entrails were now spilled out onto the grass.
With a sudden burst of nausea, Draco threw up.
At the back of the caravan, Davon looked around for Elizabeth, the only member of his squad not accounted for.
“Elizabeth!” He shouted as Willow, Saphira and Arius ran over. “Liz!”
“I’m.. here…” Came a small voice from under the wagon.
They all turned as Elizabeth crawled out from under the last wagon, Jack walking beside her. Willow let out a sigh of relief as Davon marched up to her and grabbed her under the shoulders, lifted her up and slammed her against the wagon.
“What is wrong with you?!” He shouted as the others gasped in shock. “Your squadmates were all out here fighting for their lives and you were hiding!? I don’t care what your issues with your Spirit are, you have to start acting like a Knight if you wish to remain at the Academy!”
Elizabeth’s eyes overflowed with tears as Davon shouted at her. Evander walked up behind Davon and set a hand on his shoulder, causing the man to look at him.
“Calm down, Dav, she gets it.” He said calmly, staring at Davon. “Yelling at her is not going to change anything. We didn't lose anyone, no one was injured. I think we can call this a successful first battle.”
Davon glared at his fellow Knight for a long moment before he let out a deep sigh and gently set Elizabeth on the ground, where she collapsed, crying as Willow and Saphira knelt down beside her.
“I’m sorry, Liz,” Davon said, looking at her as she continued to cry. He lowered his gaze to the ground and turned, walking away without another word.
Evander gave a soft smile and shrugged before walking to the front of the wagon and checking on the remaining driver.
“We are going to need some new drivers,” he commented, prompting Roan to step up.
“I can drive a wagon, sir.” He offered as the rest of the teens gathered around.
“Okay. What about the center wagon?” Evander asked, looking to the vehicle in question. “Is the driver alright?”
“No sir,” Jethro spoke up. “He’s gone.”
“Damn it,” Evander swore. “Can any of you drive the wagon?”
A young man with long, messy black hair and tan skin raised his hand.
“I should be able to manage it sir.” He said, and Evander nodded.
“”All right then, Wyatt, you get seated. We will move out in five!”
With that he turned and jogged up to the lead wagon, leaving the teens to their own devices.
~
An hour later and the caravan was rolling into Fellwood. The merchant took the wagons to the store and inn, thanking Davon and Evander for their help on the road. The two received their payment and walked to the village square, a large open area with an old well in the center. At the back side of the center stood an old church, on the steps of which sat the twelve teenagers, all looking downtrodden and exhausted. The two Knights approached.
“Well done, everyone. Mission accomplished.” Evander said with a smile.
No one responded. Evander sighed and Davon stepped forward.
“This is what you all signed up for,” he said, staring at them all. “Being a Knight is not all roses and parades. They might teach and talk about monsters and whatnot at the Academy, but the reality is this: most of the blood you will spill is human. Be they thieves, bandits, assassins, or enemy soldiers, you will have only two choices: kill, or be killed. Today you chose to kill.” He glanced around the group. ”Most of you did. That is why you are all still here. Now, we have a few hours until we head back to the capital. I want you all to think about that battle, think about how you feel about the reality of knighthood, and make your choice. Will you remain a knight? Or will you step down and return to your old lives?”
Evander put a hand on Davon’s shoulder and stepped up beside him.
“There is no shame in quitting.” He said, looking at the group. “Some people are just not cut out for this life. Just don’t rush to your decision. Wait until we all get home, then make your choice in the morning.”
“Dismissed.” Davon finished. He and Evander walked off, leaving the teens to sit around in silence.
~
Out in the woods, four men sat around, panting for breath.
“Damn those brats!” One of them clenched his fist, glaring at it. “How could they cut us down so easily? We had them outnumbered almost three to one!”
“They were Awakened Knights,” another man replied, sitting on his haunches. “Of course they’re gonna be stronger than us unawakened.”
“What about him?!?!” The first one pointed to another of the group. “He’s Awakened! And a Second Rank! How come he wasn’t able to help us more?”
“Huh?” The accused groaned, looking at his accuser as a hyena trotted up beside him. “You want to blame me for this mess? I didn’t see you roll any heads out there!”
“You’re the one who said this would be an easy job!” The man snapped, pointing a finger. “Yet you and your damn little bitch couldn’t even kill a kid –“
He fell silent as a blade entered his throat. His eyes tracked down to the weapons; a short bladed push dagger that had once been the hyena.
“Blah, blah, blah,” the Awakened said, sliding the blade deeper in. “All you have ever done is flap your lips and squeal like a pig. Just do us a favour and shut up.”
The man fell to the ground, dead. The man who’d just stabbed him sighed and tilted his head back, staring up at the sky as he cricked his neck. He paused, his eyes narrowing as something up above caught his attention.
“What the hell is that?”
~
Elizabeth wandered the streets of the village, Jack trotting along behind her as she wearily looked at the different buildings. She paused beside a stone house with a stack of firewood sitting against its outer wall.
“What do you think, Jack?” She asked, looking back at the jackal. “I just don’t think I am cut out for this.”
The canine whimpered, then darted off around the corner.
“Jack?” Liz exclaimed, chasing after the Spirit. She rounded the corner and saw Jack sitting beside Saphira. The girl was leaning over a stone washbasin, wiping her face with a cloth. Saphira stood upright and wiped the cloth up her face and through her hair, pulling the bangs that always hung in front of her face up and revealing a nasty set of scars across her left eye. Elizabeth let out a shocked gasp, and Saphira jumped in surprise.
“Liz?!?” She exclaimed as her hair fell back in place. “What is it?”
“Your… your eye…” Elizabeth stammered, still in shock.
“Oh, right,” Saphira said awkwardly. She brushed her bangs aside to fully reveal the wound: two cuts on the left side of her face; a nasty jagged cut from her cheek up into her hairline, and a clean cut running from under her eye into her ear.
“I usually don’t like to show them off to people. They take away from my pretty face, as Gerand likes to say.” She smiled as she returned to washing her hands.
“How…” Elizabeth slowly approached.” What happened?”
“Nothing too special,” Saphira said, her eyes staring forward, narrowed as though she could see something that wasn’t there. “They just represent the day that the old me died, and the new me was born.”
“I don’t…” Elizabeth said, confused.
Saphira sighed and smiled, turning to her squadmate.
“I’ll tell you the story another time, okay?” She said, patting Elizabeth on the shoulder. “Come on, we should re-group with the others.”
“I’m sorry about today.” Liz said, staring at the ground. Saphira blinked in confusion.
“Oh, you mean the thing with the bandits?” She asked, and Liz nodded. “It’s all right, Liz. Everyone is scared to fight the first time. Fighting to the death is a scary thing. You’ll get used to it –“
“It’s not fighting!” Liz cut her off sharply, bringing a look of shock to Saphira. “It’s not fighting that scares me…” she said, slowly hugging herself. “I… I am scared that… you will all hate me. Or avoid me. I… I can’t…”
Liz fell silent as Saphira stepped up and hugged her, resting her cheek on top of her head.
“Don’t worry, Lizzy,” she said. “We are a team. No one would ever think less of you just because you can’t fight. Look at Draco. He is an arrogant, self-centered asshole and we still keep him around.” She released Liz and stepped back, looking at her. “You don’t have to be afraid around us. Just be yourself.”
Elizabeth stared at Saphira in awe, her bottom lip trembling.
“Saphira…” she said, her throat burning, “the truth is… I —”“
She was cut off as an unearthly screech pierced through the air. Both girls dropped to their knees and covered their ears, their eyes squeezed shut against the sound.
“What is that?!?! Saphira screamed.
In the village square, everyone out in the open was on their knees, hands over their ears as the sound resonated through the village, shaking the windows of the buildings and causing the animals to cry and panic in terror.
Davon came running out from the inn, one hand covering his right ear as he squinted up at the sky. His eyes shot open wide. The sky above the forest split open, a dark black void spewing out a mist of death, the red orb in its mass darting around, as though searching for him. Just as quickly as it appeared, the Eye snapped shut and vanished, leaving the Miasma to settle into the forest below.
Davon took his hand off of his ear and listened, hearing the shrieks of animals caught in the mist, feeling his blood chill in his veins as a cold sweat ran down his face.
“No…” he whispered, staring out into the forest. “Not here… not now…”
Evander walked up behind him.
“Was it…?” He asked cautiously, and Davon whipped around to face everyone in the square.
“EVERYONE, PREPARE FOR BATTLE!”