A Knight's Duty

[Location: Northeast Forest of the Town of Navia - Kingdom of Tevell]

[7 days have passed]

[The Story continues with "Celes"]

-Zyrus: UUUUUAAAHHHHHH!!!!

-Celes: My Lord!?

While I was trying to recover from the blow that Boldor gave me on the head, a huge scream caught the attention of everyone present, My Lord who was being held hostage by Boldor's lackeys was the one who gave that powerful scream, but no one could believe it. what we were looking at

-Zyrus: AAAAAARRGGGGHHHH!

-Egocentric Man: What... what is happening to him!?

-Boldor: Why...why does he look like that?

A strange silvery blue glow surrounded My Lord, the two lackeys who were holding him for fear of seeing that strange light emanating from him released him and walked away from him. little by little that brightness began to diminish until only a silvery blue aura remained on him.

-Zyrus: (gasping)...Guuaahhh....

-Scoundrel with Knife: Hyaaa!! Bo....Boss!!

-Bootlicker Mage: What... what's that!?

I didn't know what was happening to My Lord since at that moment My Lord's eyes were no longer the same color as before, now they emanated a strange purple glow from his iris.

-Celes: My....My Lord?

-Egocentric Man: He... Hey Boldor, what are you waiting for end this at once!

-Boldor: Huh? Oh yeah. Hey guys, don't be afraid of him, he's just a brat!.

Upon hearing the order of his boss, the two lackeys behind My Lord reacted and tried to attack him with their weapons from behind. but almost instinctively he drew his bronze sword, crouched and quickly struck the two with a horizontal slash.

-Scoundrel with Knife: Guuuaaahhh...bo...boss...!!

-Bootlicker Wizard: Aaaaggghhhh....!!

The two lackeys were cut in their bodies and dead on the floor, the blood that fell from them showed how lethal that attack was, a clean and precise cut.

-Boldor: Im...Impossible...how!?

-Egocentric Man: Hey, I'm not paying all of you to stand there! go and kill him!!

The other henchmen that accompanied Boldor launched to attack My Lord but I could not let him fight alone, I got up and took my sword.

-Celes: I will not let you fight alone, My Lord.

My Lord turned around and saw his attackers, he had an emotionless expression, almost as if he was not the same person i met, he rushed at them and with me supporting him we quickly finished them off. his way of fighting was completely different from the person I trained these two days.

-Egocentric Man: No... It can't be, who... who the hell is this kid!?

-Boldor: Guaaahhh!!, Bastards!! I'll kill both!!

After finishing off the last minion, we heard the powerful scream of Boldor who was not happy with how things had turned out, as was the man who led them who before confident and calm was now nervous and panicking.

-Boldor: I didn't want to use this, but you two left me no choice!! AAAHHH!! [Berserker's Might!]

Boldor took the axe with both hands and a powerful red flame surrounded his body, his skin reddened, his veins jumped and his musculature expanded even more, he could feel the enormous power emanating from him. of the.

-Celes: He's crazy!, [Berserker's Might!] Incredibly increases his strength at the cost of his own life!.

-Zyrus: .....

Despite the incredible presence of Boldor covered the entire area, My Lord kept his expression emotionless, it was hard to know that he was going through his mind right now.

-Boldor: NOW YOU TWO ARE DEAD!! AHAHAHAHA!!

-Zyrus: .....

Confident of his enormous increase in strength, Boldor charged at us fiercely with his axe, I was ready, I was also planning to use an enhancement skill to deal with him but then….

-Zyrus: UUUUUOOOHHHH!!

-Boldor: DIEEEEE!!

My Lord, out of nowhere he charged on his own against Bordol's brutal attack.

-Celes: My Lord wait!!

But to everyone's surprise, the moment My Lord's bronze sword impacted against the great axe of the empowered Boldor, it ended up splitting the blade of both weapons.

-Boldor: Im....Impossible!!!

-Egocentric Man: Ahhh! this....this can't be happening!!

-Celes: No... I don't believe it...

The blade fragments of both weapons scattered across the floor as Boldor's expression changed from confident to frightened as he watched as his great axe was smashed by My Lord's bronze sword. Immediately afterwards, he taking advantage of the opportunity that his opponent was shocked to see the large blade of his axe destroyed, took his broken sword with both hands and using what left of the blade and he delivered a lethal vertical cut on Boldor's enormous chest.

-Boldor: GUUUAAHHHH!!

Due to the effect of his Berserker's Might, his strength had increased tremendously but at the cost of his own life, so My Lord's powerful attack was more than enough to finish off the remaining life in Boldor, finally falling into his back and lifeless.

-Egocentric Man: Eeeehhhh!!

-Zyrus: ...

After finishing off Boldor, My Lord saw that man who contracted them and that he was already trembling with fear seeing the incredible ability that My Lord used to finish off his subordinates.

-Egocentric Man: Wa...Wait..., if...if you kill me, you will become an enemy of the Church and they will hunt you relentlessly until they eliminate you!.

-Zyrus: (growls)...

My Lord limited himself to giving him a withering look that undoubtedly intimidated the man of the Church and forced him to run away scared between the trees but My Lord did not let him escape because before he got too far away, he threw his bronze sword against him through the back and giving a clean death to the man who caused so much pain and deaths.

-Egocentric Man: Aagghhh...!!

-Celes: My Lord.....

I wanted to get closer to him to see how he was but before I could get to him, that silvery blue aura that surrounded him vanished and he fell face down to the ground.

-Celes: My Lord, what's wrong with you!?

I ran to help him, I turned him over and I could see that he was still breathing, it seemed that he just fainted, it could be due to exhaustion, stress or who knows what, but the important thing is that he was fine and we were out of danger.

-Celes: Thank heavens he's fine.

Finally everything was over, I looked at My Lord who seemed to be fine, at least physically. I carried him in my arms and tried to get him away from the battlefield by approaching one of the trees near the inconceivable older man and leaving him sitting with his back on the tree.

-Celes: We must return to the town, but before.....

I turned to see the other bodies, I couldn't leave the bodies of Shawn's group and the little wolf girl lying around, the least I could do for them was give them a decent burial.

-Celes: Forgive me, I wish I could have done something, so that none of this would have happened.

I used my hands to dig 4 shallow graves in the glade and approached the bodies of Shawn and his group, I remembered at that moment what the receptionist told me when I was registering for the Hunter's license, in case of death, their relatives will be notified and the recovered belongings will be returned to them, so I recovered their plates and one belonging of each of them, Shawn's cape, Ashly's beret and Krista's silver earrings.

-Celes: At least your families will have something to remember all of you.

After securing the recovered objects, I proceeded to bury each body, but without a doubt the most difficult for me was that of the little wolf girl who, seeing her in my arms, I couldn't help but shed a few tears.

-Celes: I'm so sorry, I could... I should have do something to help you.

After finishing burying all the bodies, I put the weapon of each one of them as a tombstone and left a stone with a flower on the grave of the little wolf girl, I returned with My Lord to take it back to the town.

-Older Man: Uugghhhh...

-Celes: Are you alright, sir!?

-Older Man: Uughh...my...my wagon...a...huge...guy...kicked it away...ugghhh...with...a lot of force. ...

The old man who was injured seemed to have regained consciousness but after mentioning his wagon he became unconscious again, I healed the old man's wound as best I could with the Heal spell, if I remember the direction they came from, I could find the wagon and use it to bring both of them safely back to the village.

-Celes: My Lord, I'll be right back.

I ran towards the forest where Boldor and his gang came from and after a few seconds I found the wagon that was damaged but still working, it had lost its cover, the cargo was scattered and it had several bumps including the one where it was kicked. fortunately the horse was not far away, it was grazing a few steps away, I calmly approached it and brought it back to the cart which I had prepared for the trip.

-Celes: Okay, this should be enough.

I returned to where My Lord and the older man were, I loaded My Lord first to the cart and then returned for the older man, I tried to recover some of his cargo but only a few boxes fit.

-Celes: Sorry, I won't be able to carry all your cargo, well, let's go back to town.

It was already sunset and the wagon was shaking a lot due to the damage it had, but it remained stable and after a few hours of a slow journey in the wagon, we finally returned to the town, first I went to the Smithy to drop off the older man and part of his cargo, when I stopped near the entrance the door opened abruptly.

-Liz: Celes, thanks to the Divinity you're allright!

-Theobald: By the Divinity, what happened girl?

Liz and Theobald had left the blacksmith when they heard the sound of the car, I got out and explained everything that had happened, I could see the expression of horror and then sadness on their faces.

-Liz: No...

-Theobald: How horrible, that Divinity have mercy on the soul of all of them.

-Liz: NOOOOOOO!!!!

A cry of pain came from Liz who then burst into tears and fell to her knees on the floor.

-Theobald: Liz, please resist.

-Celes: Miss Liz?

Then she got up and ran off losing herself in the streets while we still listened to the pain of her cries.

-Theobald: Forgive her, she.....well, she had feelings for that young Shawn.

-Celes: I see, so her reaction was understandable.

-Theobald: Celes, help me take my friend inside and the cargo you managed to recover.

I nodded and we carefully lowered the older man from the wagon and carried him into the store and then brought in the few boxes i recovered.

-Theobald: I appreciate your help and I'm sorry for what happened, I'll pray for Zyrus for a soon recovery.

-Celes: I will also pray for your friend and give my condolences to Miss Liz, I know how difficult it is to lose a loved one.

The Blacksmith nodded and he returned to the shop while I planned to go back to the inn, so I lowered My Lord and put him on my back to take him back to the inn hoping that he would wake up tomorrow.

-Myrna: Hey guys, how... are you...? Celes? what happened? is Zyrus okay?

-Celes: Don't worry, he's just unconscious... help me take him to his room.

She nodded confused and somewhat scared, she accompanied me to his room where we accommodated My Lord in his bed, he is very calm resting, I just hoped that something serious hadn't happened to him.

-Myrna: What happened? I notice you very badly Celes.

-Celes: Myrna, you see...

I told the innkeeper what happened in the woods, about what we found and what we faced, and about what happened with Shawn's group.

-Myrna: No.....it can't be.....

-Celes: I'm sorry Myrna.....but it's the truth.

-Myrna: No!!...I don't believe you!!

-Celes: Huh?

The innkeeper got upset, I could see how the tears were coming from under his eyes and his face was deformed by pain and sadness.

-Myrna: (Sobbing) They... They couldn't... They couldn't have died, no, I don't believe it!!!

As I imagined, for her, their deaths also affected her a lot, she struggled to control her tears but they did not stop falling while she continued denying the reality of their fates, I approached her and gave her a hug while she cried inconsolably supporting her head on my breastplate.

-Celes: Forgive me Myrna.

She continued crying for a few minutes until she finally pulled away from me and wiped away her tears but her eyes were red and her face flushed from crying.

-Myrna: It's...okay...sorry, I need...to be alone for now...

She walked out the door still hurt by the news, I clearly understand the pain of the loss, so I know what she and Miss Liz must be going through right now.

-Celes: My Lord, what should I do now?

I looked at him in his bed and caressed his head with my hand, hoping that he could at least listen to me, so I took off my armor, leaving only the black cloth that I was wearing under the armor and I lay down next to him, I didn't want to leave him alone or rather, I didn't I wanted to be alone right now.

"My Lord...Lady Katelyn"

In the doorway of a mansion engulfed in flames I found myself on my knees in front of Lady Katelyn whose lower half of hers was caught in a burning beam.

-Katelyn: (Dying) Celes...don't worry...I...I know that...someday...you will find your new light...that will guide you...towards...happiness. ..that...that you deserve...(spits blood)

-Celes(16 Years): (Crying) Lady Katelyn!!

The image disappears engulfed in flames and remains in the dark. then a glow appears before my eyes, I could see a young man in black with a sword on his back and a smile on his face, who had removed my slave necklace shortly after buying me.

-Young in Black: What I mean is if you don't have anywhere to go, I want you to accompany me to Drolum, not as a slave but as a partner.

I couldn't believe what was happening, this young man had spent all that amount of money just to free me and ask me to accompany him as his partner and when I had finally given up on my life, when I had finally accepted whatever fate threw at me, he showed up.

-Celes (18 Years): Okay, I'll accompany you, the truth is that I don't have anywhere to return to anyway.

-Young in Black: Perfect, then it's decided, by the way, I'm Zyrus...Zyrus Corvus.

-Celes(18 Years): Nice to meet you, I'm Celestine Roseberd.

-Zyrus: I see, Celestine is a bit long, do you have a problem if I just call you Celes?

-Celes (18 Years): I have no problem.

In front of me I could see the same eyes, the same smile, the same spirit of her, just as a new path had appeared, a new future, in his eyes I could see that he would achieve great things, that he would be able to change many lives as he did with mine, but he was also someone I had to protect and I would do it as his Knight.

-Zyrus: What... What are you doing?

-Celes (18 Years): Making a decision.

"Lady Katelyn, I have finally found my new light and this time I will not fail."

Finally it was already dawn, I was still in bed next to My Lord who was still sleeping, I ran my fingers over my eyes that had tears, that dream, it felt like I had relived those moments again, but it was not time to get sentimental, I got up, put on my armor and looked out the window.

-Celes: What should I do now? I still have to deliver Shawn's group's things to the Town Hall and collect the reward at the Blacksmith, that will be useful for today... but...

I looked at My Lord who was clearly showing no signs that he was going to wake up anytime soon, so I decided to do those tasks for now.

-Celes: I'll be back, My Lord.

I took My Lord's suitcase where I kept the trio's things, I left the room and went downstairs where I found Myrna who was sweeping the main entrance of the inn, very discouraged, still affected by yesterday's news.

-Celes: Myrna....

-Myrna: Celes, I... I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday, it's just...

-Celes: Don't worry, you did what anyone in your position would have done.

-Myrna: Shawn... and Ashly, I met them when they had just become Hunters, I met Krista some time later when she arrived with the others, we had a lot of good times together, we celebrated every time they ranked up and we always laughed that I was making fun of Shawn.

-Celes: They were good friends, right? all of you.

-Myrna: Yes, we were.

-Celes: I was about to go to the Town Hall to return their plates and some belongings that I recovered.

From My Lord's suitcase I showed him the things I had recovered from Shawn's group.

-Myrna: Oh!?...those things...

Myna walked over and put her hand on the cloak.

-Myrna: The cape was a gift from me to Shawn when he first ranked up, the beret was something that I helped Ashly make with materials that she get with a lot of effort and the silver earrings were something that Shawn, Ashly and I bought for Krista's birthday.

-Celes: Then I think it would be the right thing for you to keep these items.

-Myrna: Huh? are you sure?

-Celes: Yes, they are more important for you.

I handed the three objects to her, who, having them in her hands, hugged them with great pain and sadness while tears fell from her eyes on the cape, I said goodbye to her and went to the Town Hall.

-Celes: What should I do now, I don't know how long it will be until My Lord wakes up and things will only get worse if his capture order finally arrives.

I had to make a decision about what to do, normally he is the one who decides our course but now it was only me and that is why I had to make the best decision for his safety.

-Celes: I have no other option, we must continue advancing towards the next town, this town will only bring back painful memories and for his sake I don't think he should be here when he wakes up.

Finally I got to Town Hall where I handed in Shawn's group plates and told the receptionist what had happened, her words were "it's something that happens when you're a Hunter" I didn't know how to feel about it so I didn't answer so I just walked out, Now I had to go back to Theobald's shop for the Job reward, I knew that with everything that happened, the reward should be the last thing that should matter to me, but given the little money we have left to continue traveling, I had no other option.

-Theobald: Oh! Celes, nice to see you well. How is Zyrus? woke up already?

-Celes: Not yet, he's still asleep.

-Theobald: I see, with everything they went through yesterday I'm not surprised to hear it, well, surely you have come for the reward that Liz promised them.

-Celes: Yes, I'm sorry, I know it's not a good time but...

-Theobald: Don't be sorry girl, you brought my friend back alive and that is something that must be rewarded.

-Celes: Thank you, by the way, how is Miss Liz?

-Theobald: Well, when she came back last night she was red, I think she was crying for a while, now she's in her room and she hasn't left since yesterday.

-Celes: It's not surprising, and your friend?

-Theobald: Well, that old man is harder than steel so he's fine and after a good meal he fell asleep again, but not before asking me to thank you two for rescuing him.

-Celes: I'm glad his injury wasn't serious.

The blacksmith approached me and gave me a bag with 10 gold coins to which I was surprised.

-Theobald: Take them, you two deserve them also you will have a long trip from now on so you better be well prepared.

I thanked the blacksmith for his kindness and left his shop, he was right, the next town was not close and it would take us at least 5 days to get there on foot. I went to eat something and then I dedicated myself to buying provisions for the trip, once the purchases were finished, I returned to the inn to prepare us to leave.

-Celes: I have returned my Lord.

Just as I imagined, he was still sleeping peacefully but I knew it was time to leave, so I packed our things in his suitcase, I approached him and put him on my back, I went down the stairs and looked for Myrna to say goodbye.

-Myrna: Celes, do you plan to leave now?

-Celes: Yes, we can't stay longer, we have a long way to go to the next town in the east.

-Myrna: I see, well I thank you both for what you did and have a good trip, oh... wait I have this for you.

She went back to the counter and pulled out a small box from below and handed it to me.

-Celes: What is this?

-Myrna: It's a special necklace, Ashly's birthday was coming up and it was her gift, but I think I won't be able to give it to her anymore so I want you to have it as my gift for you, for all the effort you've made .

-Celes: Thanks Myrna and take care.

She nodded as she put the box with the necklace in her suitcase, I left the inn with My Lord on my back and we headed towards the east exit of the town but on the way I found someone who was waiting for us next to a covered wagon.

-Celes: Miss Liz?

-Liz: Hi Celes, forgive me for running out yesterday...it's just that I....

-Celes: Don't worry, your Master already told me and I'm sorry.

-Liz: Don't worry, it's fine, it was just the reaction when I heard what happened, although I could never tell him what I felt, I should have imagined that his sensitive sense of justice would end up causing him problems.

Liz's eyes began to have tears under them again but she quickly wiped it away.

-Liz: I'm sorry, I already cried too much and I already regretted his death, as my Master said, I must move on because my life still continues.

-Celes: It is very wise advice, do not give up because of a loss, you can always find a new light that guides you towards the happiness you deserve.

-Liz: Celes... that was very sweet, thank you.

-Celes: It was something that a very important person once told me, although that person is no longer here.

-Liz: I understand, well, I didn't want to let you go without saying goodbye first and give you a gift from my Master and me.

-Celes: A gift? you don't mean...

-Liz: Exactly, this wagon is now at your disposal, my Master told me that you have a long journey and it would take you a long time to get there on foot, also that way you can take Zyrus without exhausting yourself so much and in a safer way and we load the interior with some things that may be useful to you.

I was looking at the cart that Liz was showing me, we can see the other one that the blacksmith's friend used, the horse looked strong and healthy, the entire cart was covered by a tarpaulin that protected the interior from the weather, without a doubt something that is perfect for us .

-Liz: There is another thing.

She put her hand inside the cart and from it she took out a sword that at first glance was very well made and had a beautiful shine.

-Liz: I was working on this sword for Shawn, I had named it *Argentum* in his honor, it means *Silver Glow* in the ancient language, but he won't need it anymore, I want you to give it to Zyrus when he wakes up, tell him it's my thanks for avenging his death.

-Celes: I will, count on that and if My Lord were awake, he would also thank you.

Once I left My Lord safely inside the cart and said goodbye to Miss Liz, I gave the order to the horse to move and in this way we said goodbye to this town, we could no longer look back, we had to keep moving forward, that it was the best way to honor their deaths.