Chapter 41: Papa, look! They’re playing!

The next morning, I pack the portable house and take to the sky over the eastern road under the guise of light refraction. Last night’s battle is soaked into the arid land south of the road, but no one seems to have found it yet.

I continue towards Alaria and find another encampment of knights a day’s walk from last night’s battle. There are far more in this group. Maybe 10,000? The first force may have been tasked with establishing a line and camps outside of Sante for this group. Regardless, I’d hate to fight these guys the way I fought last night.

The camp is stirring while the knights there are packing tents and belongings into carriages. They’ll start to move soon. I need to prepare.

I fly towards Sante until I’m out of sight of the camp and find the largest tree on the side of the road. I reach into storage and pull a long, thin metal wire that I’ve strengthened with magic. I tie it firmly to the tree at neck height, then push magic into the tree to strengthen it. I take the wire and lay it across the road, then hide in the arid land with one end of it. All that’s left is to wait.

***
A young girl and her father are traveling down the eastern road towards Sante in a packed carriage.

“Papa, can we stop for lunch? I’m hungry!” the little girl whines to her father. She’s 11 and wearing a cute pink dress with a matching hat.

“We can take a break, sweetie, we just need to stay ahead of the knights that we passed,” the father says while turning to his daughter.

He takes the girl’s hand and leads her to the side of the road, where he takes out a small blanket to sit down on and two sandwiches. The carriage is too full to sit in, and the front doesn’t block enough sun.

“Take this, Ally, I made it just the way you like it,” the girl’s father says with a large smile while handing the girl her food.

“Oh! Thanks papa!” the girl accepts the sandwich with a bounce.

The two enjoy their meal and time in the shade. It’s approaching midday, and the sun is at its peak.

“whaa..”

“whoa..”

“heeaaa..”

The two look down the road and see the knights they had passed in the distance.

“Papa, look! They’re playing!” the girl yells and points in the direction of the knights.

It’s hard to see them clearly at this distance, but there’s some kind of commotion.

“They’re throwing something around? A lot of somethings..” the father says curiously.

“The knights must be playing keep away! Papa, can we go join them?” the girl pleads with puppy dog eyes.

“Hmm, if they’re tired from running around in the sun, they may want drinks and snacks..” the father mumbles, “finish eating, sweetheart, we’ll trek back and see if we can be of use,” he adds with a merchant’s excited smile.

The two turn their carriage and move back the way they came. The knights have ceased tossing things through the air, and nearly all of them lie on the ground. A small group of knights with vibrant hair colors remains, encircling an older man.

“This must be the fuck that killed Allen’s team! Cut him down!” the largest knight yells and motions with his sword towards the older man.

The father realizes the knights weren’t playing a game or throwing around a ball; the knights themselves or pieces of the knights were flying through the air.

“Ally, come! We need to get away!” he screams and leads his daughter away from the battlefield.

“OHO, young man, I had hoped to learn more about you city-staters.. I suppose you won’t be lending me your ear?” the old man replies.

His posture is bent forward, and he’s using a sword as a cane.

“Boss, this guy has magic like us..” a smaller knight calls to the larger one, “and look what he did to everyone..” he adds while looking behind at thousands of decapitated soldiers.

“Tch,” the large knight scowls, “he set a trap is all.”

“OHO, this can still be a learning experience for me, gentlemen,” the old man chuckles and straightens his posture, “please attack with your best – I don’t give many this opportunity,” he adds seriously and waves the knights on.

All 10 knights lunge towards the old man, destroying the ground at their feet with significant magic output. And the old man starts a dance.

Ignoring the laws of physics, he bends and twists through the air, dodging every incoming attack and repositioning himself outside of the knight’s encirclement.

“I expected more..” the old man grumbles, “if you’re trying to take me alive, I suggest you change tactics.. perhaps a demonstration,” he says.

The old man raises his sword for the first time and disappears.

“UGhglub”

“HARG”

“URKK”

Three knights on the left side of the encirclement fall to the ground in pieces, and the old man reappears on the opposite side of the group.

The largest knight grimaces and whips around to face the old man’s position.

“Hmm, maybe Kara overestimated them..” the old man mumbles.

“Wha- Kara! You know Kara!?” the large knight screams while his soldiers stand around him, frozen.

The old man flicks the blood from his sword before replying.

“OHO! You know her?” he asks.

“Sh-she’s my cousin!” the knight yells, “we don’t need to fight, we’re friends of friends,” he adds with a crooked smile and sweat-covered face.

“So it seems.. tell me then, what were your orders coming here?” the old man asks with a scowl.

“We uh.. we were told to take the Sante capital..” the knight says quietly.

“Ah, and therein lies the problem, young man, I’m quite fond of Sante,” the old man replies.

“Ri-right but-“ The old man sighs.

“We’re on opposing sides, young man. The friends we keep can’t change that,” the old man interrupts.

The knight’s vision blurs, and the world turns upside down as his head flies. He blinks once and opens his eyes to see the knights in his command fall to the ground in pieces. They’ve been cut in half at chest level. The flying head opens its mouth, but no words come out. It closes its eyes for the last time.