24 Cap 24 - Holy Knight (The master's dark past)

From the moment he had lost consciousness, Dylan wandered inside himself as if he were looking in his memory for something that could hold him to some moment when he had happiness in his life. It was then that the young man was wrapped in memory of a small house, where the smell of bread invaded his nose, the little boy would get up running from his bed and go to the origin of the smell. So he would suddenly enter the kitchen and see his mother as always, doing everything with a glow on his face. Seeing the little one running towards her, the woman quickly put the bread fresh from the fire on the table and grabbed her laughing son, who after applying a small pinch of affection on the tip of his nose kissed him on his forehead and put him on a chair. That vision, even simple, brought to the young knight a feeling of peace and tranquility. His mother's vision made tears run down a young unconscious man's face.

In the realm of dreams, we spent only a brief moment, but in reality, Dylan had spent three days unconscious in the recovery wing of the training center for sacred knights. In no day had his instructor come to see how his condition was, for Alek the boy's life and death did not matter much, but the instructor also trusted Dylan's high recuperative power, which had already been exposed to the extreme several times and had recovered amazingly. Even though he didn't show much, his master started to feed an increasing appreciation for the boy, he never thought he would endure so much training that he had fundamentally to expose his body to the extreme.

Little by little, the young man opened his eyes and took time to become aware of where he was, it was then that one of the healers became aware that Dylan had finally awakened. After making a sign for the boy to go back to bed, the healer took a bag that contained the devices used to treat and cure the patients and went towards Dylan.

-All right boy? -The hoarse voice of the healer named All, already sounded comfortable for Dylan who had gotten used to sleeping more in the healing division than in his room. -I was already missing you when I heard that Alek had sent you to the forest of beasts I understood why he had so many days without you coming to visit me.

-All, I really didn't want you to have my company so often. -The boy spoke gruff, taking his hand to his throat, which led the healer to take a jar on the bench next to the bed and fill a glass with water and pass it to the patient. -How long have I been sleeping? I feel that my throat is totally dry.

-Today is the morning of the third day. -All started to mix some herbs, as Dylan had a lot of knowledge of each one of them started to feel the mouth brake. That would be very bad to go down. -Those apprentices today are worth nothing, I asked those useless to moisten their mouth periodically. I don't know what these bastards are doing in a healing ward!

-All, don't pick their foot up. -Dylan was now able to smile, the best part of going to the healing wing was because he could rest for a moment since Alek didn't get along very well with All and the sense of humor of the healer was pleasant for the young man. -Go for me, I know what it is to have a master who picks up my foot all the time.

-But if my apprentices' unhappy were like you, I wouldn't have to worry. Or maybe the problem is with me, I make these bums very comfortable. Maybe I should be just like Alek. -When pronouncing your friend's name, the healer bent his face. -After all, what was that bastard doing when you got to the point of crossing the gates of death? -All stopped and faced Dylan with an inquisitive look. -This time I thought you would die, I don't even know why you're already awake, the several internal lacerations I had to close was no small thing, every muscle in your body had signs of stress so big that you got hard as a corpse. And that damn Alek didn't even come here when I find that son of a bitch I'm going to hit him.

All were the most violent healer that Dylan knew, most healers of the order are formed by people who have knighthood skills, but who can't often have enough strength to follow the training, a few even have the strength to endure the pieces of training, but because they don't like the idea of hurting another creature follow the art of healing. It would be rude to ask All which of the two cases he was in, but the energetic way he confronted his master who was part of the elite of the sacred knights made Dylan think he fit in with the rare cases of people who chose to be healers.

-I don't know how you're not afraid of Alek... -Dylan spoke softly, which made the healer look straight at him. -He gave me fear, most of the time I imagine those eyes staring at my every move. Nobody stays near my master, even the other masters avoid him.

All stopped what he was doing, looked around, and saw if there was nobody else in the healing wing. It was still very early, the apprentices were supposed to be taking their breakfast and the only patient who was in the wing was Dylan, the night before the other two accompanying Dylan was discharged. All closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Until he looked at the window that was half a stick away from Dylan's bed and a sad smile came out on All's lips.

-Alek is always misunderstood. -He lowered his eyes and slowly directed them to Dylan, who was surprised. That was the first time All spoke for Alek. -When we were young things weren't like that, he had so much life and so much potential. Our master was also very hard on us. -All laughed when he remembered that detail. -But things are not so simple Dylan, people change after going through difficult moments. Alek became obsessed with being strong, and this led him to possess one of the highest places in the order. But look where it got him. -All averted Dylan's gaze. -He's still undisciplined and had to come to the training center of the order, the damned one defeated two of the twelve highest-ranking holy knights at the same time after they talked about the past if it weren't for the Captain of the twelve...

-He would have killed them... -Dylan completed scared. His master's murderous aura sometimes seemed like he wanted to make the boy his prey, but going against two knights from the roll of twelve at the same time to the point of defeating them, was already bordering on insanity!

-Yes, Alek would kill them both. The captain of the twelve was the only one who managed to stop him, after that, he was ordered to stay here and train new knights. -All, now he was talking as he was preparing Dylan's medicine. -But the damned are so undisciplined that he offended several old families of knights, each one an apprentice, who was assigned to him did not spend the first hours with him. Until you arrived, poor boy. I don't know who the damned one who assigned you to him was.

-Me and my damn luck. -Dylan looked at All and forced a smile. -Thank you for telling me this All, now I know I shouldn't take my master away from me he will turn me to ashes before I can apologize.

All gave a very loud laugh, it caught the young man by surprise, after cleaning the abrasions by the boy's body and forcing him to take a drink that made his stomach wrap, All took everything and left for his usual place, but before he stopped for a moment.

-Well, look on the good side. -He turned once again to the boy. -You're still alive, it's not the biggest condition. But remember Dylan, have a clear conscience. Do what you have to do and don't think too much about everything. I feel that you have not released your potential because you are too concerned about surviving. You don't want to offend anybody, you get everything they give you, and before you act and talk you think too much. Relax boy, not everything has to be so complex in the world. If there is a lot that you want to overcome, be untamed.

After All turns his back and finally gets to his table and turns some papers, the apprentices finally arrived. They started to organize all things and leaf through some paperwork with data from all the riders, All forced everyone to be aware of the state of health of each rider who was in the training center, this advanced the process of first aid. Dylan already wanted a lot to be a healer, the times he spent in the healing wing he always exchanged knowledge with All and the apprentices, he managed to have access to several procedures and often followed some that were made from far away, with sharp eyes learning every detail. But Dylan would never manifest his desire, after all, he was nobody and nobody can have desires. Now he was focused on surviving.

The last apprentice to enter the room held the face of someone who had just had an encounter with death. Pale, he walked to Dylan's bed. His hands did not stop shaking, the young sacred knight who was on the bed knew the name of the death that the young apprentice had come across on his way to the healing wing.

-Wwwell... -The young man tried to talk while he choked on his words. -Master AAAlek asked how you were doing and for me to say it as soon as you woke up... Yyyou should meet him in his room, Master AAAlek is not leaving today.

Those words were hard to hear, every time the young man went to meet his master, he felt closer and closer to death. Breathing deeply, Dylan remained in the medical wing until he recovered all his strength. It was already near lunchtime when the young man was recovered enough to meet his master, the way to Alek's chambers looked like a funeral march, the apprentices who passed by Dylan directed him two kinds of looks, the first one was of total pity for him for having to deal with Alek, most of them after throwing a look of pity avoided having as little contact as possible and the second look was of total superiority to the young man as if somehow he had offended them. Now Dylan was aware of why many hated him and was so persecuted by the other apprentices, probably many there were relatives of the knights his master had almost killed. Since nobody could go against Alek, his young apprentice was the perfect target to receive revenge against his relatives.

The door in front of the boy made his heartbeat stronger and stronger, Alek's room could be considered the most luxurious in the training camp. But the terrifying aura he emitted sucked all the beauty that all silk and furniture created by great craftsmen specifically to harmonize with the room, so the more beautiful a frog poison from the independent kingdoms of the north, so was the room of what he called master. After knocking once on the door, it opened almost instantly. The young man entered with his head down, in the presence of his master he wasn't able to say even a word.

-How nice that you didn't die. -Every word was said without any apparent emotion when Dylan looked at the master, he saw the usual expression. Indifference. -In three-quarters of a lunar cycle, we are going on a trip. I have some things to settle at the sacred knights' headquarters. The captain called me to a periodic meeting. -It was then that the young man saw the letter in the hands of the knight who made each of his cells scream DANGER. -Is your body all right?

Dylan just shook his head in a yes, he had never said a no to Alek and feared the way he might react. Dylan's passivity only became part of him after he lost his parents before he was a fearless child among his neighbors and the other children by the conditions of his body which was superior in speed and strength. But now he was just a weak boy, being humiliated by other boys who like him had bodies with superhuman conditions.

-Great, but I've got special training for this afternoon. -The master looked straight into the eyes of Dylan, who saw something different now. His master for the first time looked at him with curiosity. -As you are practically mute I won't question for the moment what left you the way I found you, but I will ask you this question again and expect an answer. -Making a sign for the boy to leave, Dylan got scared when he was about to close the door, he listened to one last warning from his master. -Don't forget to prepare yourself well.

Those words were enough to make the boy's heart stop pumping blood through his body and his pupils dilate. In none of the previous training had Alek said that... Dylan's body was not recovered at all, not knowing what was waiting for him made him pray for the first time to the great god his mother had spoken when he was a little boy. "The great god will not abandon you, my son, he will give you strength, you have my blood!"

{Hi guys, this chapter was quite long. I wanted to put it in two parts, but I thought it would be bad to wait to have the outcome of this scene. Have a nice week.}