"HELP! WAKE UP! Seriously, how is he still—ASLEEP!?"
The Boy rubbed his eyes open.
"I gotta be dreaming," he thought. "Oh, wow! That's a real-life monster! Right in front of my eyes!"
"HEEEEELPPP!!!"
Soren and Andel were both in the jaws of a very large goldfish.
"How's it living in a river, it can't even fully submerge!? Is it stupid or something—?"
The goldfish spat Andel and Soren into the air, letting out a very un-fish-like roar. That was somehow less surprising than the strange leg-like appendages that flopped around, allowing the beast charge at The Boy on land.
He grabbed a rock from his feet and ran at the fish, roaring back and holding the rock high above his head.
"ROOOOAAAAAR!" he screamed, jumping onto the fish's head.
He hit the rock into the beast's eye, causing it to squirm and rear, but he held on tight. Andel and Soren landed on either side and immediately started kicking and punching at the beast.
"You two are thinking what I'm thinking, right?"
"Obviously!" Andel laughed. "Free food for an entire week!"
"Die, die, die!"
The fish spun, slapping Soren with its tail and sending him flying into the boulder.
"Oh no, is he dead?" The Boy wondered, watching Soren slowly slide down the rock.
He stabbed the rock into the top of the fish's head, but the skull was too thick.
"Andel, I think we might have to run away! ...Andel?"
Andel was floating down the stream, unconscious.
"Damn."
"Get away from the monster!"
The Boy looked back and saw an armored soldier at the top of the hill. Coming into view was a large platoon of troops, running down to the riverbed and charging at the beast.
"Whoa! Watch where you're touching!" The Boy shouted as a few soldiers ripped him away from the fish. "Hey! That's my food! Don't cut it all messy-like!"
"Kill it! Don't let the lady sully her hands with monster blood!"
Andel and Soren were retrieved, and the three boys were carried to the top of the hill and dropped among a few soldiers.
A large, black-iron soldier sat down beside The Boy.
"Look at them! They're butchering the meat!" he complained.
"That's your fish?" the iron soldier asked. "It's a lot for three boys to handle."
"Three regular boys, maybe. We're demon-children, so we would've been fine."
"Demons? Ha-ha. What're demons doing out here?"
"...Are you dumb? We're not actually demons. We're just a gang of demonic boys."
"Ah. Of course... how silly of me."
"So, can we have that fish after your men have killed it?"
"My men? Who said they're my soldiers to command?"
"You're dressed in the coolest armor, there's no way you're not their commander. Wait... you're not a knight, are you?"
"...No"
"We've finished the monster," a soldier said, swiping blood off his sword. "The path to the town is clear, we should continue with haste!"
The iron soldier stood and the platoon continued on to the town.
"Wait, was the recruitment platoon visiting today? Didn't Lori say something about—oh. He really was a knight!"
The Boy started slapping Soren and Andel repeatedly, causing them to lurch up.
"Wake up! A knight! A real life knight!"
"What...?"
The three boys ran after the platoon, but they were a lot slower and tripped and fell over themselves. It would be their first and likely last time they would ever see a real knight.
See, knights weren't just particularly impressive soldiers. They were legendary warriors of the king, and the only people strong enough to singlehandedly go head-to-head with things like monsters and wizards.
"Andel, stop lagging behind!" The Boy shouted.
"Why're we running, anyway!?"
"Ow!" Soren yelped as he tripped over an exposed root, causing him to fall on his face.
A stream of blood leaked from his nose, and tears welled in his eyes.
"Soren, are you okay?" Andel asked.
"Just leave him, we gotta hurry if we wanna see the knight close up!" The Boy shouted, pulling Andel away.
"Guys... wait up...!"
The Boy and Andel broke through the trees and made it back in town. The two followed the commotion, hopping on the back of a carriage driving down the street.
The town wasn't big at all, being a poor settlement in the sticks. These days, though, when the recruitment platoon visited, were always lively. It was the only real excitement that happened in a year. Especially now so, since word of a real-life knight attending was spreading.
Even the dogs and cats were excited, chasing their owners down the street to the town square. Little kids swarmed the street in droves, and young men were preparing to leave for the army. That is, if they managed to get recruited.
It was quite competitive to get a foot soldier position, believe it or not.
"Oi, get off my carriage unless you're gonna pay!"
"Sorry!"
The two boys jumped off and continued down the road, pushing through the crowds of people and making their way to the front.
Like usual, a large stage was erected, and a high ranking soldier was riling up the crowd.
"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen! We've got an even bigger turnout than usual! I guess that means you've heard, have you!?"
The crowd roared.
"That's right, the rumors are true! Behold, the fairest knight of them all!"
The ironclad soldier climbed on stage and stood silently as the crowd applauded. The Boy's eyes went to the knight's sheath, which carried a concealed broadsword.
"Well, I had some plans, but it seems like you're all here for one reason, am I right!?" the man shouted to the crowd.
The crowd screamed in anticipation.
"That's right, the fair knight will give a show of strength! Who's excited!? WHO'S EXCITED!?"
It seemed like an earthquake had struck the town, and the knight grabbed the hilt. With one swift motion, the sword slid from the sheath, and a shockwave passed over the crowd.
The Boy and Andel were speechless, and shared only one thought.
"Powerful... this is the strongest person I've ever seen!"