Homecoming

CLANG

I scraped my sword along his blade as I twisted behind him. He's too angry to fight effectively.

I kicked him in the back of the leg before Alfric fell to one knee. He responded by swinging out at me with his blade. I put my blade out.

CLANG

I leapt over his sword, using the momentum of the impact to carry me as I lifted it into the air and swung straight down.

CLANG

He blocked my blow as I leapt again with the momentum and landed behind him again.

"So slow." I taunted. "At this rate I'll beat you without needing magic."

"Shut up!" Alfric barked. "You're just peasant scum who can never match up with the nobility!"

"You're wrong." I replied. "We're both human. I can do anything that you can do. With training, I can do it better than you can. You mistake the low-class for low-power."

Suddenly I felt a blade slash across my cheek. Scarlet slowly streamed from the cut as I saw Alfric's move. I smirked.

"So you can hit me." I taunted again. "I thought that this would be boring."

I kicked Alfric and slashed again with my blade, taking off a few hairs from his head.

Suddenly Alfric rose in a battle cry and brought his blade cleaving down on me with quite some force.

CLANG

I stopped the blade with my own. Sparks flew as the two blades met and Alfric's eyes opened in shock.

"How didn't it break?!" he growled. "Nothing could resist a blow like that!"

My knees buckled a little as I held his blade off.

"Don't get me wrong." I said. "That was strong. But it takes more than brute strength to win this fight. Let me show you!"

With that I swiped left and broke Alfric's guard. Then I struck the hilt of his sword, tearing it from his grasp. It clattered on the ground as he fell to his knees.

"It takes skill too." I continued. "Now then. I've heard about how you treated your daughter, my mistress. I will return the favour on her behalf."

I kicked Alfric in the chin and set him crashing into his throne to everyone's surprise.

With a smile, I wiped the blood from my cheek.

"Damn that felt good." I laughed.

I walked over to Alfric and grabbed him by the collar.

"Now listen to me." I said. "You aren't some invincible noble who can do whatever he wants. You're a monster who cares for nothing but himself. All my mistress wanted was a loving family. You couldn't even give her that. You tore apart all chance of it happening. She's better off with us than she would ever be with you."

I let go of him and turned my back.

"I'm not going to kill you." I continued. "Just remember this day."

As I turned, Rissa let Azraea down from the rafters. I walked to her and knelt on one knee.

"It's time to go, Lady Azraea." I said.

Speechless, Azraea nodded. I stood up and led her through the throne room door. But before I left, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

It was a boy who looked around my age. He was wearing guard armour and had blond hair.

"Mr Kuro." he said in something of a nervous voice.

"What is it?" I asked. "You going to help your master?"

"N-No…" he replied. "I didn't know that this was what it was like here. I don't feel like I can serve here anymore, not after hearing all of that."

"Then just leave." I responded. "He's in no state to stop you."

"I think…" the boy replied. "I think I want to go with you and Lady Azraea. You're both so skilled. I want to become a great swordsman, and I feel like you could teach me a lot."

Before I could respond, Azraea patted the boy on the shoulder.

"Of course you can come with us." she said. "You're a good kid Erik. So long as you earn your keep, you can stay."

So she knows him?

"Alright." I added. "Looks like you're on the team."

The boy Erik smiled. Then he followed behind us as we left the manor behind and wandered back home.

Later, when we had returned home, Azraea called me into her room. I was wondering what she could have called me for.

I was surprised when I walked into her room. Before I could even greet her, she smacked me across the face.

"You're an idiot!" she scolded. "I bet you didn't even think about the risks of crossing my father! You could have died in there!"

"I know I could have." I replied. "But I knew that you didn't want to go. I couldn't abandon you to someone like the baron. I just couldn't leave you alone again."

I smiled. But Azraea didn't look pleased.

"You would die for that?" she questioned. "Did you even understand why I left in the first place?"

"I was hoping that you would answer that for me." I said. "I tried to figure it out, but I don't know if I was right."

"I did it…" Azraea almost stopped. "I did it to protect you…I didn't want you getting further involved."

"So I was right." I smiled. "So I did make the right choice."

"I've realised that I really am a monster inside." Azraea said. "One day I could end up killing any one of you and I wouldn't be able to stop it."

"Azraea…" I placed my hands on her shoulders. "You aren't a monster. You're just a normal girl with a messed up past. That doesn't matter now. What matters is what you want to become. If you keep telling yourself that you're a monster, you really will become one. What is it that you truly want?"

Azraea seemed surprised as she looked at me. "I just want…to be human…"

"You already are." I smiled. "The fact that you can feel that way is what makes you human. I don't see a demon in you, all I see is Azraea Alaric. I think your problem is that you worry too much about what could happen if things go wrong."

"It's worthy of being worried about." Azraea replied. "I don't worry about things for no reason."

"Don't worry about it anymore." I told her. "My mother told me to always stay smiling. That's why I'll keep smiling even when death stares me in the eye. You should do the same."

"You say that with such confidence…" Azraea said, turning her head away. "How do you expect me to smile when I've got no reason?"

"Because you do have a reason." I answered. "I've seen you smile so many times. You love adventuring right? Then keep on adventuring and keep on smiling."

"..." Azraea stayed silent for a bit as she raised her head. "You're right. This is what I love. I really do smile when I'm out. Whether we're doing quests for fun, or whether we go out partying after a good job. I love this life."

"Then don't forsake it for anything." I replied with a smile. "I know that you might become dangerous someday. I'm ready to take that risk if it means that you can live like a human. It's my job to keep you safe, but also to keep you happy."

Azraea stayed silent. Then I saw one tear after another come from her eye.

"You're right again." she replied. "This is my dream, to sacrifice it would be the same as surrendering. I will not sacrifice my dream for anything. I want to continue being an adventurer, and I will trust you to handle it should the worst come to pass. Just don't risk your life again like that."

"I won't." I answered. "I made a promise to stay by your side. I will not break it."

"Thank you." Azraea looked like she wanted to break down, but she was stopping herself. Instead she simply hugged me. "Thank you…"

I returned the hug. "It's fine. Just don't lose sight again. Never lose sight of what you want."

There was a brief silence while she held on. It felt warm, like when my mother used to hold me. It was nostalgic. I don't think I've been held like this since I was young. I decided to stay like that for a while longer, until she broke the embrace of her own will.

"I need time to rest." Azraea said as she sat on her bed. "Go tend to our new guest. He'll be coming with us on adventures now."

"Yes." I answered as I walked out of the room, the feeling still clinging to me. Then I went down the stairs to go and greet our new party member.

The boy that we had taken with us was sitting calmly on one of the chairs in the dining room as I went down to see him. He was quite a looker for his age. Well-kept blonde hair, quite dazzling blue eyes, and a trained physique that could likely be improved with some assistance. He stood up in his seat and bowed toward me politely.

"Sir." he began with a soft voice. "I thank you and Lady Azraea for letting me join you, I hope to learn great things while I'm here. Do not worry. I will not let my presence go unpaid."

"It's alright." I replied with a smile. "If you're a friend of Azraea, you're a friend of mine too…Erik was it?"

"Yes Sir." Erik nodded. "My name is Erik. From this day, I swear my blade to Lady Azraea, and trust my training to her senior knight."

"Please, just call me Keita." I grinned and patted him on the back. "No need to be formal here."

"Alright." Erik replied. "Then I entrust my training to you, Keita."

I patted Erik on the head before sitting down on one of the nearby chairs. I leaned back in it as I got myself comfortable.

"We'll start tomorrow." I told him. "For now I want to get settled back in and take a break. That fight was a little more tiring than it looked."

"Understood." Erik nodded before going to leave through the living room door. Though he turned to look back at me.

"Don't worry." He said. "Lady Azraea will be safe as long as we both work hard. Though I've seen her fight. She could easily take care of herself."

"You're right." I replied. "But I will still be her sword."

With that Erik left and closed the door. I rested my head back on the chair.

Of course I will be her sword. It gives me a purpose. Something more than simple games or cheap tricks. I feel needed because of her.

I slowly closed my eyes as I drifted into a gentle sleep.