The knight was awakened by the jostling of the cart. He was lying on his back, and seated beside him were the dark-haired human and the elf. He felt discomfort throughout the entire armor but was relieved to see that he was still gripping the Dane ax.

ARMOR: MAGIC REMAINING 20.75%

MAGIC LEVELS ARE CRITICALLY LOW! ARMOR HAS BEEN SET TO LOW MAGIC MODE.

LOW MAGIC MODE

THIS MODE WILL SET YOUR STRENGTH LEVELS TO JUST ENOUGH TO BARELY MOVE AND WALK. COMBAT IS OUT OF THE QUESTION, AND YOUR MAGIC LEVELS ARE TOO LOW. ANY DAMAGE OR USE OF ABILITIES WILL DESTROY YOU. YOU CAN ACCESS YOUR FULL STRENGTH BY TURNING OFF LOW POWER MODE, WHICH WILL MOST LIKELY RESULT IN YOUR DEMISE. DO THIS ONLY TO COMPLETE YOUR PURPOSE!

The knight felt that they were traveling east and sat up.

“It’s alive!” Exclaimed the dark-haired human. Their voice was deep and they spoke with an odd lisp.

The two back passengers scooted away from the knight as the cart rumbled to a halt. The knight looked and saw the half-orc readied his sledgehammer.

“You have my thanks,” the armor said.

“It can talk?” The half-orc asked.

The great helm turned toward them. “Yes.”

“What is your name?” The elf asked.

“I do not know.”

The half-orc studied the armor, and his eyes went wide. “The armor repaired itself! This is amazing Enchantment work.”

The pale human closed their eyes and held a hand over the armor. “I sense a soul. This is a necromancy spell.”

The half-orc scoffed, and the elf waved a hand at the armor.

“This? He saved our lives,” she said and turned toward the knight. “Is there anything you know about yourself?” The elf asked.

The knight looked down at their hands. “I have vague memories, but they slip away from me.”

“Where did you come from?” The orc came around to join the others in front of the knight.

The knight motioned toward the west.

“Why were you at the Magic Academy of Sinora?” The elf asked.

Sinora? The knight tilted their head. He recalled that name. It was a major city in the Imperium. Not the capital, though. The Academy? The knight nodded to himself. The plaza, the fountains. He was in the Academy, where he discovered the illusion. The helm looked up to study the three. The blond elf and the bone pale human had the pupilless eyes of a magic user. What was it called? He wondered, then his armor reminded him.

MAGIC TAINT

MAGICAL ENERGY, ALSO KNOWN AS MANA, IS ALL AROUND US. THERE ARE SEVERAL THEORIES ABOUT THE ABILITY TO USE MAGIC. ONE IS THAT IT REQUIRES COMPLEX RITUALS AND EXCEEDINGLY HIGH INTELLECT. ANOTHER POPULAR VIEW IS THAT ONE MUST BE BORN WITH THE POWER IN THEM. WHEN A PERSON CHANNELS MAGIC THROUGH THEIR BODY, THEY BECOME TAINTED. IF THEY ARE NOT CAREFUL, THE MAGIC CAN CONSUME THEIR MIND AND DESTROY THEIR BODY. THE MARK OF THE TAINTED IS THE PUPILLESS BLACK EYES.

“You are mages. Are you favored?” The knight asked.

The pale human rolled their eyes. “Favored? It’s been decades since that term was used. Were you locked away in a tower somewhere?” They grunted in pain as the elf elbowed them.

“No, sir Knight, we are not adventurers. We are apprentice mages at the Academy. My name is Elora, and I was studying to be an entertainer,” she said with a graceful bow and glanced at the half-orc.

“I’m Karl. I was studying enchantment and runes. I hope to work for the city maintenance department to manage the lighting and plumbing. Or whatever role they need me,” the half-orc said and then looked at their last companion.

The pale human scoffed. “I’m Zel. I am studying the most illustrious field of Necromancy. I aim to bring this art to the mainstream, for it is most misunderstood. Necromancy, you see, has many positive applications for the benefit of society. Pest control, for example….” Zel was cut off by Elora.

“We were wondering if you could aid us, Sir Knight,” the elf said.

“Please, do not call me that. It does not feel right,” the armor responded.

“What should we call you?” Karl asked.

The armor shook their great helm and shrugged.

“Wonderful. We have a nameless knight,” scoffed Zel.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“That’s perfect!” Elora said with a clasp of her hands.

“Huh?” The necromancer asked.

“Nameless. That is a fine name for a mysterious traveling heroic knight. So Nameless, will you aid us?” Elora asked, her almond-shaped eyes pleading.

“I already have a quest. Do you know anything about the Gifted One?”

Karl shook his head, and Elora asked, “like the prophet in the Voltronian Ballad?”

“Oh, please! Do any of you plebs read?” Zel scoffed.

Karl snarled at the necromancer, and Elora responded with, “the Voltronian Ballad is written, and I know some of the verses. The hero is also referred to as the Gifted One.”

Zel shook their head. “That was written by poets and bards with musical notes for brains. Once in a millennium, a mortal is born with a direct connection to the magical energies that surround us. I am not talking about mages, wizards, and sorcerers. No, a Gifted One has the power of a god in a mortal body. They have the potential to transcend to godhood. But, that rarely happens.”

“Why?” Nameless asked.

Zel snorted. “That much soul power? Gods, demons, and other powerful beings consume them before they reach full strength. I am sorry, Nameless Knight, but your quest is a hopeless one if such a Gifted One exists.”

“Regardless, that is my purpose.”

“Do you know where the Gifted One is?” Elora asked.

Nameless shook his head. “I am compelled to travel east.”

“This armor is fascinating! The runes etched along it and the rituals needed to create it are mind-boggling. The self-repairs it made alone must have required a ton of Mana,” Karl said as he studied the armor.

“I have used the majority of my magic. I fear that I will perish before I can achieve my purpose.”

Karl tapped his chin. “I think I can give you a boost. I will need tools, a ritual circle, and stored magical energy.”

“I would appreciate that.”

“So, how about you help us, and we will help you?” Elora asked.

“What do you propose?” Nameless turned his great helm to face the elf.

“Travel with us north. It may be on your way. We were tasked by our…” the elf stopped as she sobbed.

The other two, even Zel, lowered their heads. Nameless saw tears in their eyes. He waited.

“Our mentor, Renee, tasked us before they were murdered to alert the Wizards of Tameal that Prince Zaverick is in possession of a Demon Heart.”

“That is pure conjecture,” Zel observed.

“How do you explain the demons that invaded Sinora? Our home?” Karl cried.

“Master Renee was very clear. How else would Zaverick have control of so many demons?” Elora asked.

“A skilled summoner could have….” Zel began.

“Bullshit! Maybe a dozen, and that is pushing it. We saw hundreds, Zel. Do you know what that can mean?” Karl asked.

Zel remained silent.

“I do not know what is happening,” Nameless said.

The others looked at him.

“Zel was correct. I was in a tower for many years. My memories are hazy. I think I was in service to a powerful mage. I saw that they were dead, and now I am in service to another master, whom I do not know, that wishes that I protect the Gifted One,” Nameless said.

Elora nodded in understanding. “The King has died, and his eldest son, Prince Charles, was to take the throne. The second son, Prince Zaverick, planned a coup. He was a renowned adventurer and hired the Forgotten Ones, an infamous bandit army, to make his claim to the throne.”

“In history, it is prevalent for such civil wars to occur whenever a monarch passes away with more than one heir,” Zel stated.

“The prince was an adventurer? I thought you said there were no more favored ones?” Nameless asked.

“No, I said that term is no longer in use. Perhaps you should remove your helm in order for you to hear better.” The necromancer crossed their pale arms.

“I can’t. It is a part of me,” Nameless answered.

“Fascinating!” Karl exclaimed and peeked in between the mail gaps. Nameless shoved the orc away.

“Then what is under the armor?” Elora asked, and Nameless shrugged.

Zel tapped their chin. “A spirit. I did sense Necromancy, and I initially deduced it was a Ghoul or some other advanced undead. But from what Karl has said about the armor. I now think it is a spirit that operates the magical construct that is the armor.”

“Are there Favored Ones then?” Nameless asked, bringing the conversation back.

“Very few people can get a favor from the gods since the goblins reactivated the Machinery,” Elora answered.

“Machinery. I heard that term before. What is it?” Asked Nameless.

“You were in that tower a long time indeed,” Zel chided.

“In the Wastelands. The goblins uncovered an ancient city that had powerful Machinery that could create or close portals to other realms. Some say that this world was once home to the gods,” Karl said.

“Or something greater than the gods,” Zel pointed out.

“That can be considered blasphemy,” Karl growled.

Nameless noticed for the first time that Karl wore a small holy symbol around his neck. It was a golden coin with a book and an abacus emblazoned in its center. Nameless recognized the symbol of the God Numaron. God of coin and knowledge, though he could not recall how he knew this.

Zel laughed. It sounded like a short crack of a whip. “I study Necromancy. Blasphemy is the least of my concerns. But if what I say is so horrible. Well, may the gods smite me.” The pale human held their hands out to the sides as they looked up to the sky.

Karl growled and turned away. Elora shook her head.

“Two princes fighting for the throne. The roads will be perilous,” Nameless observed.

“We can help each other,” Elora responded.

Nameless nodded. “My armor is weakened. I can not fight as well.”

“You will still make a better meat shield than nothing,” Zel observed.

The helm glanced at the necromancer.

“You accompany us, and I promise I will restore some of the magic to your armor,” Karl said.

Nameless nodded. “I agree to these terms.”