Chapter 7: Knights

“So, since I won, how do we get a meeting with the Knight Commander?”

Elara asked, while Cross silently fussed over her, slowly healing her with magic.

Johan raised an eyebrow, about to ask why a supposed knight was able to cast healing magic, but stopped himself. If the knights companion was such a strange opponent, it makes sense the knight themselves would be of unique characteristics as well.

“The knight commander? He wouldn’t meet with you. He barely comes out as it is, he especially refuses to come out when he asked to. He is..unique like that.”

Frowning at his words, She stood up, gesturing for Cross to stop healing her.

Cross tilted their head and poked at her shoulder in response, receiving a wince from her.

“Damn it..I hate bruises..they heal so much slower than actual cuts. This is why I hate fake duels..real swords are better. Easier when the opponent just dies instead of having to come up with some clever way to win and have to put up with bruises..”

Muttering to herself, she let Cross continue healing her, which Cross did without being asked, nodding at her with a practiced patience.

“Clever ways to win, hmmmmm?”

Clacking noises echoed across the courtyard. Different from the sound of wood against wood that practice duels brought out.

An older man walked through the crowd of knights, who respectfully moved out of the way like water.

“So this is who you lost to, Johan? I told you your arrogance would net you a loss eventually..hmmm.”

The old man walked forward, despite his advanced age and fully gray hair, his build was lean and muscular, his footsteps assured. He wore no armour aside from the sabatons adorning his feet. Making that distinct clanking sound with each step.

“Knight commander! No I- I didn’t lose..it was just..she used dirty tricks! Conduct unbeffiting of a knight!”

“And would you say your typical conduct is, hmmm?”

Johan's excuse was crushed behind the knight commander's inquiry.

“No- well. That is that, this is this. A duel is different. It has honour..rules-”

“Yes, yes. Everything a knight should possess and respect. Step back for now Johan hmm..”

The knight commander stood in front of Elara, who looked up with a surprised expression.

“That was easier than expected..?”

Muttering to herself, she straightened herself up, facing the knight commander.

“Now..so this is the squire and her knight…or is it perhaps…the opposite?”

He noted the way Elara stood in front of Cross. Almost protectively. The roles seeming reversed to what one would expect when seeing a large armored figure and a smaller unarmored one.

Cross waved their arms in front of them in nervous denial.

“Well, no matter. Why did you seek me, miss…hmmm?”

“Elara. This is Cross. We want an interview, for an article in the paper.”

Cutting straight to the issue, she looked at him, straight in his eyes, her expression relaxed. Wearing a confident smile.

“You think I would agree to something that bothersome hmmm? No way.”

The knight commander refused without even pausing for consideration.

“Ugh..Come on. I even beat your disciple or knight or whatever he was, in a duel. Just accept. It wouldn’t even take that long. Probably?”

“So you don’t even know..what kind of interviewer are you hmm..”

The knight commander stroked his chin at her whine.

“Well. You were interesting enough to make me talk a walk..so..sure. If you can beat me in a duel.”

“Deal!”

She instantly accepted.

Cross pulled on her shoulder, shaking their head.

“What is it?”

Cross gestured at her, moving both hands in front of themselves, palms turned sideways.

Elara blinked at Cross, showing an obvious lack of understanding of the gesture.

Cross made a full body sighing gesture and knelt down, quickly writing in the dust with their finger.

Both Elara and the Knight commander leaned over Cross, curious.

You barely won against the disciple knight, you cannot possibly win against the knight commander. Reconsider.

“Your armored friend raises a good point.’

“I can still win!”

“You cannot.”

The knight commander shook his head.

“It was my mistake. I was too focused on relieving my boredom that I neglected to make this fair for you. How about this? You can use any tricks you wish. While I will withhold and follow the rules of the duel to the letter. Would that satisfy your friend?”

Cross nodded at the Knight commander's suggestion, albeit unsurely.

“...Was gonna do that from the start though.”

“And now you can do so without any attempt to hide it.”

The knight commander smiled at her, like a grandparent at a particularly mischievous grandchild.

“Shall we begin?”

Turning around, he headed towards the middle of the courtyard.

Elara didn’t wait.

“You said any trick!”

Her sword was already in the middle of her swing.

Without missing a beat, the knight commander sidestepped her strike, flinging up Johan’s discarded wooden sword with his foot and catching it smoothly.

Turning around he struck at her blade from above, his sheer force trapping her wooden sword against the ground.

“Ruthless..hmmm..”

He’s smiling..damn..he’s that confident he will win?

Crouching down, she picked up a handful of loose dirt and flung it at his eyes.

Forced to close his eyes, he pulled his blade back, readying his stance.

An opening!

She rushed forward, readying another swing.

She faltered.

He’s still smiling?

Taking a step back in caution, she readied herself for his counter attack.

It was only a moment lasting a few breaths, but it was enough for the dust around his face to get blown away by the wind, allowing him to open his eyes again.

“Hmmm. You could have won just then, had you not hesitated. I was bluffing, you know?”

Taking two steps forward, the knight commander twirled around her with elegance and speed benefiting his large frame.

She didn’t see the blow coming, rather she couldn’t.

It was coming from behind her, there was no way for her to block it properly, there was also not enough time to dodge out of the way.

There wasn’t even enough time to feel frustration.

However there was just enough time to glance forward at Cross who stood before her. Reflected in their armor, she saw the knight commander's movement. Blurry yet just about legible.

Folding her sword backward, without even glancing back, she deflected the commander's blade.

Not willing to let this opportunity go, she crouched, just in time to avoid another attack.

She knew that while she could do the same tactic as before and attempt to simply put up with the hits until an opportunity…she would simply lose.

Someone with enough skill to rise through the ranks, as well as possess such a large body. A well placed blow would likely knock her out.

Glancing down, she struck the somewhat sharpened tip of the wooden blade downwards, straight into the commander's foot.

“Hmmm?”

The wood bounded harmlessly off his metal sabatons.

The tip shattered into small splinters.

“It’s no use, I had higher expectations..hmm?”

Realising when she was outmatched, she dodged his next strike by rolling between his legs. Making use of smaller stature.

Standing up behind him, she swung her blade, attempting to hit the back of neck to knock him out.

He didn’t even bother to block with his sword, he merely flexed his neck muscles, receiving the hit.

“Impressive isn’t it? This is why I don’t bother with armor most of the time.’

Bragging, he turned around, pointing his blade at her.

“Well? Where are your tricks, little one? I was expecting a more interesting fight..”

“Snarky for an old guy..”

He laughed loudly.

“I suppose I do look old in your eyes. However, I'm only 35.”

She nearly dropped her wooden sword at his words.

“Y..you look so..like a..”

“Like an old man? Yeah. I know. You don’t get to be a knight commander this fast by not giving something up. In my case it was my youth. Now then, little hero. What are you willing to give up..for your goal?”

Gritting her teeth, she lunged forward, throwing her blade this way and that way. Her form getting sloppier, her arms tensing with emotion.

“Now,now. Don’t waste your strength. I was just wondering. I overheard..that’s what you’re aiming to be, right? A hero? Hahaha!”

He laughed loudly, the other knights joining in.

Had she not been enamoured in frustration, she would have noticed that while their laughter was mocking, his was merely amused.

However the distinction mattered little to her now. Her mind filled with only the urge to prove her conviction.

The commander effortlessly blocked her strikes.

Strike after strike, until she was so out of breath he didn’t even bother blocking.

He accepted each strike that bounced off his muscles.

“Is this really as far as your conviction goes? Just blind anger when you’re faced with your first obstacle?”

“What do you know!? You don’t know what I’ve done to achieve my goal!”

Gritting her teeth, she kept striking, the veins on her arms bulging as her muscles heated up even further.

“Hmmm..I can guess..”

His eyes looked over her scarred body. An unremarkable physique and height despite what looked like years of faded and fresh scars. The embodiment of her conviction.

“However, it's not enough to be a hero.”

As her next strike struck his chest, he fully exhaled and flexed, reflecting her blade against her and pushing her backwards.

“What are you willing to give up? If you can’t answer me, then not only will you lose this duel. You will lose the right to your conviction. Answer me, girl!”

Her mind went blank at his words.

What am I willing to give up..haven’t I given up a lot already? All those wasted years running errands..my broken body..these scars…having left the village..alll the people I knew..even her..especially her. My only true..friend. Haven’t I given up on everything just to achieve this stupid dream of hers for her?

Screaming in frustration, she threw the last strike. Using every inch of her body in a big downward swing. So obviously choreographed and poorly placed, that despite its power, The commander merely flexed again.

Receiving the strike in full.

It shattered in two against him.

Small bits of splinter and dust from the inside of the wooden blade, which was used to make the blades lighter.

That debris filled the air around them, causing them both to squint.

“Not enough! You lack conviction! Unless you are willing to give up EVERYTHING like I have, then you will never-”

“Stop. Talking.”

He had let his guard down.

As Elara was now without a weapon, he had naturally the duel was over.

But she still had a weapon.

Rather, bits of one.

Shards of wood she had picked up back when she struck at his armored foot on purpose.

Extending her palm against his face in one swift motion.

A motion he didn’t see due to the debris surrounding them.

She shoved those little sharp wooden shards inside his mouth as he spoke.

He inhaled in shock.

A mistake he quickly regretted.

The shards entered his airway.

“G-Guh!? You Little!?! AGH-”

Collapsing on the ground, he clutched at his throat, coughing violently.

Elara stood above him, wiping the saliva on her hands, as she looked down at him.

“I don’t need to give up a damn thing.”