The Journey Of The Knights

It has 527 since the Kingdom of Avalon first stood. A young boy, an orphan named Arden that lost his parents to war is now living in the dark alleys of the city of Atlan, the capital city of Avalon.

He was living with a chef that worked on the local pub and is too busy to take care of him every single seconds. As a result, he made some stuff that is mostly pendant and other stuff with his ability, then selling it at the market.

It was a normal day that day as he was doing his work at his room in the house. But then he heard the marching sound of boots and the sound that the surrounding crowds made.

He was curious on what happened on the street at that time and proceed to take a peek from his window. The street were filled with people and soldiers, most were walking and some were on horseback.

Arden looked at it and was mesmerized by it, he admired those people like he admired his father that is a soldier. But then, he looked the star of the crowds before thinking, “’Isn’t that the duke of Aswen?’

The Duke of Aswen, Sir Aswick, governing the western province of Aswen. With his guards on shiny armour, strolling through the crowds as they cheered. The young 14 years old boy then wondered about it, ‘Can I become like him? Being admired by people…’

He smiled as he hide his thought to his deepest thought and minds before going back to continue on his work. Took him a while before he finished his work, right after that, he grabbed his bag, placed his stuff there and went out of the house.

Where is his destination at that moment? The market, he need to sell his stuff there before the crowd there disappear. It was late morning, most people have closed their stalls at the market and went home.

Because of this, Arden need to hurry to go to the market and sell it to the old lady that always accepts his stuff. He then thought about the best route, ‘The main street won’t be possible, would be too long if I used that route…’

Then his thought continues as he found a really great solution, ‘The dark alleys would be the best option at this time, I don’t have much time! I must really start running to the market!’

He started running at the dark alleys of the city that he has been familiarized with. As he runs in the dark alleys while panting, a stranger covered in a dark green robe suddenly bumped into him.

The stranger said “Sorry” before he went running to the opposite direction of the market. At this point, Arden felt something is wrong, ‘Something fishy about this… This is a common trick! I’ll check my bag’

He quickly placed his hand inside his bag only to realize almost a quarter of his stuff is missing. Arden quickly chase after the stranger as he was not too far from him at that time.

Didn’t take a look for the young boy with his athletic feet to catch after the stranger. Well, perhaps it couldn’t be called ‘catch’ because he tackled the stranger and they both wrestle to the ground for a bit.

For a bit is like 3 seconds because the stranger arm lock him not long after being tackled by the boy. He casually laughed at the young boy before saying, “Haha! Good job kid, you are quite strong!”

Arden quickly stands up before changing to a fighting stance that is like just a random thug stance. He quickly asks the stranger, “Quick! Give me my stuff back!”

The stranger’s face couldn’t really be seen by Arden, but he was clearly confused because he was making a noise, “Hmm?”

Arden was too naïve and not knowledgeable at all because he was still a young boy and didn’t know what that voice meant. But the stranger suddenly said, “Haha! If you want your stuff back, go to the local pub!”

After the stranger has said that, in just a matter of seconds. He starts running like a blue son*c the hedgehog and left the place immediately.

Arden looked at the stranger as he ran away and thinks about it, ‘No way I can catch him, even if I do, I would probably have ended up in the same position as before’

He sighed before continuing his way toward the market while thinking, ‘It’s a waste of time to chase after that guy, I better rush toward the market before the granny close the stall’

He misunderstood that stranger covered by robe because he soon found his stuff that went missing was on the ground. He sighed before saying to himself, “This can’t be sold to granny, it’s covered in mud at this point”

He sighed multiple times as he continued on his way toward the market and sold all of his stuff. After that, he followed the stranger’s instruction and went to the local pub he knew.

The place where the person that took care of him works as the chef in the pub. He went inside the pub and immediately notices the stranger because of the dark green robe, casually drinking a glass of beer.

He quickly approaches the man that is sitting on the corner and placed himself on the seat located in front of the man. As soon as he sat at the seat, he change his face to a cute and innocent one.

The stranger looked at him straight in the eyes, but the young boy keeps avoiding eye contact. Doesn’t take long for Arden to start apologizing, “Sorry sir! I misunderstood you and thought you were a pickpocket!”

The man laughed before saying to Arden, “It's okay, it's okay, you are still a young man, but you are quite strong! I have a plan for you but its all up to you”

Arden quickly becomes interested and sharpen his ear. The stranger then starts talking, “Mhm, I’m actually the duke of Aswen, your talent would greatly be used on my army!”

The young boy’s eyes started producing a glow as bright as a start. He calmed himself before saying to the stranger, “What if you are just a scam artist? If not, let me consider about it first!”

The stranger laughed before trying convincing Arden, “I’m no scam artist, how about If I give you a thing to assure that I’m not a scam artist?”

“That would work” Arden responded with a short sentence and the stranger in front of him starts reaching for his pocket and take out something from it.

“Here” He said while giving a pendant to him.

Arden looked at it and noticed the word in a matter of seconds after he got hold of the pendant, “Duke of Aswen”

He raised an eyebrow before looking at the stranger that proclaims that he is really the Duke of Aswen. They made eye contact for a few seconds before Arden suddenly sighed and said to him.

“Okay, okay, I believe you, count me in at your army, where to meet you then?” He asked to the now known as Duke of Aswen in his eyes.

“Just call me Sir Aswick, meet me at the city gate tomorrow morning, you will see me and my so-called army even though its only 50 men” The duke said before taking his last gulp of beer and stood up.

“See you until then!” He said to the young boy that is still mesmerized by meeting such a great and famous person in the kingdom.

The duke then proceed to make his way toward the door, and Arden went back to his home not long after. With the smile on his face, he prepares his thing at his room.

There were no weapons or some sort, only clothes and other necessities like dried fish as ration and other stuff. He is still smiling even when going to bed and sleep with happiness in his mind.

…

The next day, as the sun was raised above the city and the person that owned the house, Arden won’t live in for long anymore has gone to his work at the pub.

Arden, the man left a chalkboard with words in it at the table at the kitchen that is saying, “Good morning kid, I’m have left for work and can’t really make a breakfast for you like I usually do, sorry”

He thinks about those words, ‘This might be the last time I and the old man going to talk after a long time, even though its by this blackboard… What a good life to know him like this…’

He looked at the board and couldn’t help dropping a tear as he thinks about it, ‘I should hurry to the city gate soon…’

With tears coming from his eyes, he wiped the chalkboard with his hand and write a simple and commonly used word by the people.

Bye Bye