Starry Knight: Part 2

“Aye. You wouldn’t be the first person to come to Amberill researching curses. You seek out the Ember Estate.” He sighed. “Lad, I doubt you will figure out anything that you haven’t already learned. And your sister was cursed by a witch, not a dragon.”

“I know. But what else am I supposed to do? I can’t just sit around and watch my family fall apart trying to save Victoria.” Victor gave up in faking a smile and lightening the mood. His head drooped. “My parents have begun giving away their money to the church, hoping a miracle would happen.” Baylor stared at Victor with deep sympathy.

It was a story that Baylor could relate to. When his sister fell ill, their parents had hoped that investing in a higher power might heal her, or at least buy her way into paradise. It was the beginning of the end for his family.

“I can’t blame my sister entirely, but she earned this. My parents, on the other hand, are good people. They were the ones who tried to steer her down the right path. Yet, they blame themselves completely for giving in to her demands for money, and it’s killing them inside.” He put down his pen. “It’s a hard thing to stomach.”

“Lad. I know that pain well. When misfortune falls upon someone, their loved ones share it with them.” Baylor watched as the flames danced. He, too, had watched his parents chase a false hope, pouring their fortune into a faith that promised salvation. A faith that, in the end, revealed itself to be a demon-worshiping cult. After the cult sacrificed his sister, his mother and father became figureheads for the cult. They had tried their hardest to indoctrinate him. He was barely able to escape.

Baylor went to great lengths to lie about his background and change his name.

While he was a known public figure, he had never disclosed his family’s past. He had shared nothing of this time after becoming a knight.

Part of Baylor wanted to share this with Victor. However, he had to take some secrets to the grave.

Baylor was drawn from his reverie as he watched the young man reach into his bag. Victor slid out a bottle of alcohol and began drinking.

“Would you mind sharing a bottle?” Baylor smiled at him. “It helps to drink with company.”

“Are you sure? As much as I’d like to share a drink with you, shouldn’t one of us keep watch?” Despite his hesitancy, Victor smirked. Seeing the youth smile satisfied Baylor.

“Bah, it takes a lot of drink to get me that drunk! I’m also called the Barrel Knight, as I’m sure you know!”

“Because Sir Baylor could drink his way to the bottom of a barrel.” Victor quoted, then laughed. “Was it because you could drink a lot, or was it your penchant for waking up in odd places after drinking yourself into a stupor?”

“Both!” He laughed and sat next to the boy and drank.

“I meant to ask, how old are you?” He took a swig, and it burned his throat. “Gah! That’s some strong stuff!”

“Nineteen.” Victor took back the bottle, took a sip, and handed it back. He began writing in his journal.

“I could tell you were young, but not that young.” He drank again and blew out. “This drink would put hair on any man’s chest, so I’m not surprised. You shouldn’t make it a vice, though.”

As he handed back the bottle, Victor had already taken out a flask and begun drinking from it.

“By the gods, lad!” Baylor raised an eyebrow. “Trying to outdrink me on our first meeting? A word of caution. That path has led many a good man astray.”

“Don’t worry. It’s just medicine.” Victor took another swig and shook his head. “You can keep the bottle if you want. I keep forgetting that I should stick with a flask to avoid killing myself.”

Baylor took another swig, then looked down at the bottle. “This stuff is too strong for my taste,” he said. “It must be your Galdarian blood that gives you the tolerance. I’m already feeling it!”

Victor laughed again, a more somber sound this time. “I guess my blood does make me more tolerant of drink. Still, I've been drinking a bit too much lately. Been dreading the future a bit too much.”

“I truly hope you and your family make it out of this all right, lad.”

Victor took another swig from his flask. “Hey, even if my sister turns into a gold statue and my parents end up poor, we could just sell her body to make up for the losses.” Victor laughed drunkenly while Baylor threw his head back to chug several gulps of liquor. Victor sighed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean for that to be crass. But I really do think they should sell her, should the need arise.”

Baylor set the bottle down. “There is nothing to be gained from such dark talk, lad. Try to stay positive. After a brief pause, Baylor spoke. “Forgive this old fool for prying into your private affairs.”

“Don’t be. In fact, I’m glad. I got to voice my frustrations and share a drink with the Boar Knight himself.”

Baylor grinned before taking a bigger swig. “The honor is mine. When you go on to break your sister’s curse, your name will be known across the land as the first person to break Sherry’s curse. Then I would brag about this encounter for the rest of my days.”

“You have too much faith in a stranger. Still, thank you.” Victor smiled as he tucked away his flask. “I’ve been doubting my decision to leave home, and considered giving up entirely.”

“Oh, come now.” He patted the boy on the back. He was beginning to feel woozy. “You keep saying how much your sister deserved her fate. Yet, here you are. Still making your way to Amberill! Listen…” He paused, shaking his head as if to clear it. “I’m headed to the Ember Estate myself. Head into town with me, and I’ll introduce you to the head mistress.”

“Really?”

“I still doubt you’ll learn much there. But perhapss you’ll get zome insight that’ll serve you well in future.” Baylor raised the bottle. “Lad, you are going toww- Uugh!” Suddenly, Baylor grabbed his chest and gasped for air. The bottle fell from his hand and broke open.

The sounds of his body thrashing and choking joined the crackling of the fire.

On the opposite page of Victor’s writing, a circle of ink gathered into the center. A black handle rose from the blot of ink. Victor grabbed it and pulled out a curved dagger. It was darker than shadow and didn’t reflect a speck of light, not even from the campfire.

Victor set the tome onto the log and stepped over to Baylor. The knight’s eyes were bulging out of his head, which then locked onto Victor. The muscles in his neck strained, and spit foamed from the sides of his mouth.

“They are just characters in a story.” He kept his expression neutral as he tightened the grip on his dagger.

“They are just characters.” He took a deep breath and knelt at Baylor’s side.

“This is just a story.” And he drove the dagger into the knight’s chest.

Victor’s tome was open on the log. In the firelight, words written in ink could be seen.

There were two different styles of writing. One was flowing and rushed, and the other was mechanical, the shapes of the letters and the alignment of the words were too perfect.

Prediction: Baylor will laugh and relate to my lie about getting lost in the dark.

-Prediction difficulty: low

Manipulation: Baylor will find me harmless enough to feel at ease and lower his guard. 

-Character manipulation mana cost: low

-Prediction Successful. Manipulation cast

Prediction: Baylor will be flattered that someone still remembers the Boar Knight.

-Prediction difficulty: low

Manipulation: Baylor will begin to find me likable enough to find no fault with my words. 

-Character manipulation mana cost: medium

-Prediction Successful. Manipulation cast

Prediction: Once Baylor learns of my family background, he will sympathize with me and think about his past.

-Prediction difficulty: medium

Manipulation: Baylor becomes determined to cheer me up. 

-Character manipulation mana cost: medium

-Prediction successful. Manipulation cast

Prediction: Baylor will share a drink with me and note that I’m too young to drink as much as I do. And he will assume that it must be my Galdarian blood that allows me to drink so much.

-Prediction difficulty: high

Manipulation: Baylor will be too drunk and trusting of me to call out the odd taste in the alcohol, or question the contents of my flask.

-Character manipulation mana cost: high

-Prediction successful. Manipulation cast

- - - -

It didn’t take long for Victor to search Baylor’s body. He found the two items he had wanted.

One was a letter with a red stamp. The insignia’s design was of a squirrel and a crown. The other item was a small package wrapped in brown paper, held together with twine.

Victor looked down at Baylor’s corpse.

Was killing him really the only way? He had invited me to the Ember Estate, and was going to introduce me. Maybe I should have tried harder to work with him.

Flickers of other paths, ones without blood, sparked and died in his mind. He clenched his teeth.

No, it was necessary for Baylor to die! For the plan to work, you have to be the one who the protagonist relies on! There is no room for chance! Remember what is on the line!

In an effort to leave behind his loud thoughts, he closed his eyes and took deep breaths. The smokiness of the campfire threaded through the fresh air. With his heart settled, he opened his eyes and looked up towards the starry sky.

Victor had lived in cities most of his life. Due to light pollution, he was only able to see a small scattering of stars on a clear night.

Only when he left the city to go camping deep in the wilderness, did he see the real night sky.

However, the earth beneath his feet did not share the same name as the planet. And the stars in the sky didn’t reside in the Milky Way.

No visual adaptation of Victor’s work could compare to the majesty of this creation.

Victor smiled. Truly, only a god can faithfully adapt my story.

This. His world. This was what he was fighting for.

Remember, you created this world. Every compromise, every cruelty that you will commit to get it back, can be struck from existence, like words on a page.

Once you win the duel.

Determination shone in Victor’s eyes as he felt his resolve return to him. He then began disposing of the corpse.