In fact, it was almost a year and a half later before Karl’s wedding was announced. In the world that Kreet lived in, such young marriages were not unusual. Common wisdom was “If you’re old enough to ‘do it’ you’re old enough to be a parent”. The fact that the bride-to-be was gravid with child by then was the typical situation rather than the exception. The circumstances were obvious and Karl had been reprimanded by his Master for his indiscretion, but in fact he was quite in love with the woman and she seemed to be so of him as well. In the intervening time the old lady who lived outside the Monastery walls had died and thus the young couple was provided a place to reside on the Monastery property.

While the young lady, Vosa by name, had never been a friend of Kreet’s, she was civil enough and - with no other candidate available - Kreet was allowed to serve as her First while Brand was the First for Karl. It was a week away from the celebration that found all four together in Vosa’s room at the laundry.

"So you are staying on as Cleric Quint’s Assistent then?” Brand was asking Karl.

“Oh yes! The Master Cleric put in a good word for me with the Abbot. I know I can’t really be a true Cleric anymore. I’ve got a family to think about now,” Karl said, rubbing Vosa’s swelling belly. “But you know I’m damn good at Cantrips and Spells. Even the Master says so. I think they’ll groom me to take over for him one day!”

“I don’t doubt it,” Kreet said. “You’ll be teaching me and Brand soon!”

“Oh, be honest,” Vosa spoke up. “He already is, isn’t he?”

Kreet and Brand looked at each other. Kreet had to nod. “Yeah, he pretty much is. He’s really good at it.”

“I know! They wanted to bring a doctor in when it’s my time to deliver, but I told them my Karl can do it better anyway!” she said, holding Karl’s hand.

Karl looked alarmed at that, “Well, I could probably help, but you know I’ve never been present for a real delivery before!”

“We’ve done plenty of animals,” Brand spoke up. “Surely they’re not that much different.”

Karl looked at him seriously, “Maybe not, but it’s never been my wife before!”

“Well I’m not worried,” Vosa said, “but since it will make Kay feel better, we’ll have a doctor anyway.”

Vosa’s look turned a bit ashamed, “besides, it’s not my first you know.”

Of course they all knew that. She had been pregnant before, but the child had died shortly after its birth. That had created a stir in the Monastery, but she wouldn’t say who the father was to anyone. Most everyone suspected a village boy who had been seen around the Monastery anyway.

“So I guess it’s just you and me now,” Brand said to Kreet. “The last of the Young Clerics.”

“Well, if you don’t count those four new kids they brought in last year,” she reminded him.

Brand scoffed, “Those runts?! They’ll never amount to Clerics. They wouldn’t know a Cantrip from a Canticle!”

They all laughed at that, all except Vosa who, Kreet suspected, really didn’t.

Suddenly they heard noises outside. They all looked up, not recognizing the sound. Then the alarm bell began to ring and screams were heard in the distance.

“What the hell is that?” Brand shouted, standing up.

Vosa looked at Karl, who assured her it was alright, then turned back to Brand and Kreet. “The Monastery is under attack. Come on, we can help.”

The three left the room, but not before Vosa grabbed Karl’s hand. “Be careful Kay!” she said, sincere concern in her eyes.

“I’ll be fine,” he assured her. “I’m not stupid. And you’ll be fine too. But get to the sanctuary just in case.”

She nodded and then the three were out into the darkness. On the other side of the Monastery a fire was burning, but it appeared to be outside the wall. Kreet noticed the gate was shut up tight and monks were manning the normally empty guard towers with crossbows. It struck her that these normally peaceful men were nonetheless quite ready to weild any weapon available when threatened.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

The three soon came upon Cleric Quint who had just finished talking with one of the Priors.

“Brand, come with me. Some bandits have breached the south wall. Kreet and Karl, you stay behind us. They’ve already been engaged by some of our best monks, but we are the only true Clerics here. Fortunately we had a warrior staying with the Abbot. I’m told he’s gearing up and will be with us shortly. Let’s get rid of these creatures before they can cause any serious damage!”

They ran towards the south wall, Brand and Cleric Quint outdistancing the lame Kurt and the small kobold quickly. Kreet saw the flash of metal and heard the yelling of both the monks and the bandits as she rounded a corner of the last building. Brand and her Master were in there somewhere, but she couldn’t make them out. However, her extended night vision did allow her to see one of the bandits running at a monk she didn’t recognize. The monk couldn’t possibly have seen him, since he was engaged with another bandit already in front of him. Kreet began a Cantrip, but Karl was faster. He knocked the man over with Sacred Flame. "Kreet, cover your eyes!“ he shouted, which she instantly obeyed, then he cast a strong Light spell.

She had her glasses on before she opened her eyes again. The Light spell had blinded most everyone there, but the Monks knew their land and the Bandits did not. Skulls were bashed in and bones broken. Kreet saw the Master then, taking on two terribly big men in fur armor with only his own stave, but he wielded it viciously. Beside him Brand was casting a Protection spell on the Master, then turned to help another monk who was giving way to a huge monstrous shape she’d never seen the like of before.

And then, like an angel in steel, a man strode in from behind them. In the full plate armor he wore, he could not move quickly, but he made an impression on everyone on the field that could not be denied. He headed straight for where Brand was barely keeping out of the way of the huge mace wielded by the beastly thing in front of him.

Thinking quickly, Kreet went to her knees and cast Bless on Brand, the Master and the new figure. Whether or not they noticed, she couldn’t tell, but it was one thing she could do for them anyway. It was the most powerful spell she knew that was not the forbidden spell, but she knew even that was only a level 1 spell. She began to feel useless.

Then the Knight, for Kreet could think of no other word for him, engaged in battle with the monster. It was no easy matter, even for him, to defeat the thing. But he wielded his shield expertly and the mace only glanced off it while that opened him up to strike at the heart of the thing. He scored a hit on one massive leg and she could see the blood spurting as Karl’s light began to fade, but it’s ire was up and it roared at the man who suddenly looked small as it reared up to it’s full height, it’s mace directly overhead as it prepared for a tremendous blow. Kreet could see no way the Knight, in his heavy armor, could avoid the blow. He might manage to survive, but it would be a chancy thing.

The other fighting seemed to stop as all eyes turned towards the two. Even the bandits backed off to see what would happen. Then Karl shouted again for Kreet to hide her eyes, which she did instantly, having practiced the move many times now. She felt the flash and heard the roar of his Guiding Bolt. When she opened her eyes again, the bandits were in full retreat back to the wall with the monks, Brand among them, giving chase. The thing lay motionless on the ground.

She looked at Karl, and he looked at her. "Are you okay Kreet?”

“Fine. You killed it!” she said with awe in her voice.

The Knight was striding their way. When he got within 10 feet, he removed his helmet. The long hair and moustaches that graced his face were almost exactly what Kreet had expected. He was every inch the Kight in Shining Armor.

“Damn you boy,” he shouted angrily. “I’d have sliced it’s legs off if you’d have given me another second!”

Karl shook his head. “What?! What are you on about? I saved your fucking life!”

The moustaches twitched. “Well, it was a little quicker than I thought. Maybe you’re right. Sorry lad, I don’t like it when my kill is taken from me. But damn that was one huge demon wasn’t it?”

Karl’s face relaxed. “A demon? Is that what that was?”

“Only thing I know of that would attack a Monastery head-on like that! They always attract retainers, but with it dead I’m sure they won’t be back. My name is Mekelson, boy. What’s your name?”

Karl shook the outstretched hand. “My name is Karl, Sir. My friends call me Kay. And this is Kreet.”

The head turned to face her, and it backed up a step. “But… she’s a kobold! Oh, that’s right. The abbot mentioned you. Kreet eh? You’re a lucky girl, Kreet. Most kobolds I meet don’t see me with my helmet off!”

He turned back to Karl, “Can she talk?”

Kreet’s eyes were burning. Something was wrong with her brain. She closed them and swallowed hard. Without looking at the man, she responded. “I talk. I am an Acolyte of Pelor, the Lord of Light.”

“She blessed you, you know,” Karl said speaking up for her.

“Oh, did she? Well, thank you for that, Kreet. But now I’d better get back to the Abbot. He’ll be waiting for me,” said the man and strode off.

Karl whispered to her, “You didn’t have to look away, Kreet. You’re an Acolyte. You deserve as much respect as any old warrior!”

“I didn’t look away out of shame, Kay,” the kobold said. When she looked up at him, he saw her eyes were literally glowing red in the darkness. “I was trying not to kill him.”