Lady Of Titledom

*Huff *Huff

I can hear huffing and quick breathing about me. What is going on, I ask myself.

I am clammy and sweaty all over, Desperately looking for how and why I got to this place.

Damn!

Where exactly am I? I tried to remember the place I last recalled and then, like a click it came…

"Yes, yes… I remembered buying that game. The Shop attendant was hesitant about me buying it.

"And what happened next..? I held my forehead with the hope to remember.

A dull resounding ache throbs painfully in the back of my head causing me to reel over as it becomes sharp before pulling out again.

I feel a tight grip on me and hear a soothing voice as the grip loosens.

"My lady, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to!" A masculine voice says to me.

I turn my head to see who is speaking. But strange enough, all I see is just black.

Black?

"Aaaah! My head!" I moan and almost jump out of my body.

why? "What's happening? I asked myself as My voice sounds very strange and feminine.

Huff!

Huff!! Huff!!

Who's breathing that way?

Is that person sick? I sigh as the hurried breathing comes again.

I can hear the sounds of booths marching gallantly on the floor at a hurried pace around me, accompanied by the hot air that made my throat dry. It was very hot as liquids sizzled past my face.

Wait? Did I hear the sound well? it's more of metal on granite sort of. Surely regular boots cannot give that feel.

CLANG!

A sharp sound of steel ringing against steel cuts into my ear drums acutely and I reel over in pain, grasping my ears.

"Wait... Why do I suddenly have long hair? I touched my hair with shock written over my face.

"Protect the Lady!"

CLANG!! CLANG!!!

"Protect Lady Samantha to your last breath!" A chant exploded from behind me and suddenly the air went twice the heat.

There is a sound of crackling of electricity arcing about and screams of people getting hurt. Some substance splattered on my face and I felt it.

It's very sticky.

Just then, I get shoved and my back hits the wall with a great impact causing me to shriek in pain. I fell down on the concrete floor which happens to be filled with more of the sticky stuff.

And, I...still... can't... see...

Ah!

Hurts badly!

Gee...

Remember Sam, Try recalling what happened next? I angrily asked myself, dusting off my body as I stood up.

Yes, yes... but why the f**k can't I see? What is going on?

Seriously,  I can't see a damn thing as I try to remember what happened.

A couple of minutes later, my memories came fizzling back again.

"Ah, it was definitely The Knights of Destiny... It was the very game I was playing before everything went out of hand…" I think I fainted after starting it."

"Oh! That must have been it. But…

CLANG!!! CLANG!

I am interrupted by a sudden clash of metal again and screams. This time, the air goes very chilly and I feel goosebumps crawling on my skin on the ground.

Instinctively, I hugged myself and my hands felt two perky towers from my chest?

"Boobs?" I ask with uncertainty.

Yes, certainly, this has to be boobs. And just to be sure, I feel for the towers again until I'm perfectly sure what it is.

"What? Wait...

How did I get to have boobs suddenly and then the long hair? Not that I'm complaining but hey, being a man does have its perks especially when you get to see your surroundings, unlike the state I am in now?

Wait…  Am I am blind?

No... no...

Think, Sam.

Where are you?

Yes, It's the game. The Knight Of Destiny. I fainted after playing the game.

Or did I really faint?

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!!!

Another clang of steel and heated air wash about me. And it's seriously becoming a hindrance to my thought process.

BANNNNNNNNNNGGG!

BANNNNG!!!

Something seems to crash against metal and it echoes continuously, as muffled yells and orders fly about. Maybe I should try to listen.

"Where is our lady? Lady Samantha?" A voice calls out and strangely I feel a connection to the voice.

Weird!

Metallic fingers curl around my wrist and shoulders and I twitch away.

"My lady, it's me. Sir David." The fingers loosen as they hoist me up to my feet, very gently.

"Are you hurt? Is anything wrong with your eyes, My Lady?" The voice comes again, with worry hidden in them.

"Lady Samantha, you're safe!" Another voice interrupts coming from my front.

Soon enough, the light filtering through my eyelids goes out as I feel the presence of more people around me.

"Why do we bother ourselves with this sickler? We should flee the castle. " Another voice interjects.

"No!" The voice of the person closest to me yells out and a following clang of metal resounds.

"What do you mean by No?.. In case you have forgotten, Sir Galahead's dark knights have outnumbered us and defeated our last line of defense. Why fight a lost battle and yet we want to be dragged down by this bag of flesh? " The other voice sounded nonchalantly

"Sir Galahead's Dark Knights?  I thought inwardly.

"Wait, you don't mean it..? I'm in the game? I asked myself silently.

"Quiet you! I am the Marshal of the Knights after the Order of Titledom and I give the orders, NOT YOU!" The voice who held me spoke with so much concern, addressing the other guy.

"Well, this confirms it…" As I finally connect the dot. "Somehow, I fainted and awoke in the game and I'm now Lady Samantha".

s**t!

This is weird but I feel excited as well.

Wait... Does this mean I won't be able to return home?

No... I mean, it's just a game and sooner or later I'll wake up.

Maybe I just fainted and my subconscious is making all this up. In that case, I'd enjoy myself to the fullest then.

I resolve in my heart but to be honest, my heart is pounding. Whether it's fear or not, I cannot tell!

DINGGGGG…

Ouch... My head...

I double over, holding my head as a blue notification opens up within my mind. How could this be? I still cannot see so, this definitely has to be on my mind, right?

[ System has identified Gamer XX65 readiness to delve into the World of Hearth.

-System is preparing Sir Galahead attack on Lady Samantha, please stand by.]

Wait... What?

No… The system doesn't prepare anything. Quit…  Abort. Stop!

God, this is exhausting.

Like, come on, man, I didn't ask you to prepare anything. At least, let me just see my surroundings first.

"You shameful Knight. Knights stand tall to fight. Knights defend the weak, likewise Lady Samantha and it is our duty to defend her to our last breath!" That voice comes again from the person who is assumed to be the Marshal of the Knights, Sir David.

And apparently, the Marshal is like a boss or general or something. I mean, Sir David appears to be so commanding.

"You deceive yourself, David. You only were knighted as Marshal by emergency protocols of the battle to replace the fallen Sir Dangas. By skill, I am more qualified for that position than..."

"Then, prove it and fight for the order of Titledom." David explodes in rage, his hands that clasp my shoulders shaking as well.

"He who fights and runs away leaves to fight another day. We've been thinned out, like wheat sifted through a fine sieve, and yet, you fight for the Order?"

"Knights, come with me. We will survive if we leave this moment but if you stay with your so-called Marshal... You... All... Will... Die..."

"QUIEEEEEEEEEE TT..." A gust of wind explodes behind me as David's hands leave my shoulders, my frail body slumping once again.

CLANG!

CLANG!!

CLANNNGG!!!

"My lady..." A new voice whispers as metallic hands catch me by the waist and pull me up.

In Front of me, I feel intense heat again as steel clangs against steel. And by now, I assume those steels should be swords...

Oh Sweet! Stupid system... Just let me see, please...

DING…

Arrgghh.. my head! Can't you be a little quieter?

[System has acknowledged Gamer's request. The system requires the gamer to wait as the game's intro plays out.]

Oh... All this is just an intro? An intro where I can't participate but only watch?

[Affirmative]

Well, at least, open my eyes so I can watch!

[System does not...]

Shut Up! I yell at the text dialog box and to my surprise, the text stops writing, only to have three blinking dots in front of it.

[...]

The previous text clears out and three dots keep blinking on the dialog box.

Well? I ask, raising my imaginary eyebrow.

Aww...The light rays that hit my eyes are bright, making me blink continuously as images begin to filter into my vision.

Yippee... I'm so happy right now. Well, thank you system.

I look around immediately and notice that I'm in an enclosed corridor of some sort with windows high up in the walls and fire torches mounted into the walls in uniform lines.

The torches are on, reflecting light onto the silver sheen of the metal armored figures around me. The knights, I suppose.

They are encased within thick armor that covers their body and all. But the armor is not perfect as I saw the clothes where the armor was joined to each other by very tiny leather straps at the inner sides of their arms, legs, and torso sides.

As for the Knights themselves, they appear to be a sort of ring around two knights. One has fallen to the ground, while the other placed their sword in his scabbard with his helmet absent.

"Knights, if they stand behind you, give them protection." The standing Knight says and looks back at me with a determined glint in his little eyes, which were not covered by the helmet, giving me a view of his two eye sockets.

" If they stand beside you, give them respect. " He raised his hand up freely in the air and the other knights followed suit, grunting and nodding.

"And if they stand against you, show no mercy!"

"Yeaahhhh..." A chorus erupts as some Knight with shields bang their swords and shields together.

"For... TITLEDOM..." David yells, his weapon raised.

And like a flash of lightning, his long silvery blade arcs down in a swift motion, separating the helmet-less Knight's head from his body as blood sputters out.

"CHARGEEE!!!"

The Knight beside me erupts just as David replaces him, supporting me. In one thunderous din, the knights burst out of the wooden doors, exiting the corridor as they charge into the open.

"Break Their Ranks!" David yells as the dozen of Knights pour out into an open field, filled with the fallen bodies of Knights, some of which were their warriors and soldiers, covered in the pool of their own blood. while their enemies who were dressed in dark armor shoot arrows, lances, and magic at a Silver dragon spewing back at them.