"A knight... I'm definitely becoming a knight!" The Boy turned to Andel. "I'm applying as soon as I turn sixteen!"
Andel rolled his eyes. Lori and The Boy had said similar things many times before; it wasn't like it meant anything really.
The knight turned around, not saying a word. The crowd turned silent, and not even a single breath could be heard. Anticipation filled the air as the knight faced the mountain range in the distance.
"BEHOLD, THE TRUE POWER OF YOUR KING'S ROYAL KNIGHTS!"
The sword cut through the air, and for a moment, it seemed as if nothing happened. Then, a rumbling and cracking sound resounded through the air.
"No way...!" Andel said in shock.
The entire crowd watched as the tip of Old Mary Ann, the tallest mountain in the range, crumbled down the mountain and left a plateau.
"You've gotta be kidding!" The Boy shouted.
He climbed over the wooden fence and jumped onto the stage. Soldiers rushed him, but he slid under their legs and with all his strength jumped at the knight.
"That idiot!" Andel facepalmed.
The knight peeled The Boy off their legs and held him up in the air.
"You're the boy from the river. Are you looking to get killed?" the knight whispered.
"No, obviously not! Why would I want to die?"
"Fair knight! Execute that insolent boy! All he does is cause problems for us in this town, and now he's disrespected you and the king!" a member of the crowd called out, causing the rest of them to cheer.
"Wait—wait! Hold on now, don't execute me. I just wanted to talk to you."
"...The show's over. Stay around if you'd like to be recruited."
"So serious..." The Boy thought to himself, suspended in the air by his shirt.
The knight dropped off the back of the stage, hidden from public view, still carrying him.
"Andel, did you see that!? The knight just took him!" Lori said, appearing behind Andel.
"...You don't think he's dead, do you?"
The Boy was pushed into the dirt, and the knight stood above him, holding the sword to his throat.
"Don't you understand, boy? I could kill you right now."
"Wait. Say that again?"
"What?"
"You're not a knight!" The Boy shouted, standing up. "You're a fraud!"
"A—a fraud? What?"
"You're a woman!"
The knight's dark iron armor clanked as she took a seat on the ground.
"You're... a stupid..." the knight tried to contain her laughter. "You're a stupid kid, you know that? Sit down."
"Yes ma'am."
"You said I can't be a knight? Because I'm a woman? Is that what you country bumpkins think?"
"Women are weak, so they can't be knights. That's why you only recruit men anyway, isn't it?"
"Pfft, the men being recruited aren't going to become knights. We only make them think they have a chance so they sign up."
"...So I can't become a knight?"
"You really want to become one?"
"Of course I do!"
"Why?"
"Uhhh, isn't it obvious? I want to be the strongest and the most famous, so no one can defeat me or talk down to me ever again."
"How... ambitious? But I'm afraid that's an impossible goal. You'd be better off living alone in the woods. Becoming a knight is way harder than you think. Almost no one can do it."
"How come?"
"Well, it's the training. It's non-stop excruciating work and, if you don't put your all into it, then a person can't become a knight no matter how many times they swing a sword."
"And after that, you can just beat wizards and stuff?"
"That's right—wait, were you even listening? It's incredibly difficult to get to that level at all."
"I'd manage. I'm special! I'm not like anyone you've ever met."
"...Really? What makes you so 'special'?"
"I'm the strongest in the town! For my age at least. No one can beat me. And I already told you, I'm the leader of a gang."
"Three kids isn't a gang..."
"It's four of us. There's Soren, who's my waterboy, Lori who wakes me up in the morning, and Andel who gets all my food. Don't tell him I said that."
"Still not a gang..."
"Well, it's really just me who makes it a gang. Lori thinks he's doing all this crime stuff, but we're notorious because of me. Didn't you hear them? The entire crowd was asking you to kill me and stuff!"
"And what did you do to get so... 'notorious'?"
"I told you! I beat everyone up!"
"For some reason, I really don't believe you."
"What!? Why? It's because I'm small, isn't it..." The Boy stood back up. "I'm turning fourteen in a few days. Even so, all those guys that are bigger than me all lose anyway. Aren't there any small knights?"
The lady stood up. "Okay, try and hit me."
Before she even finished her sentence, The Boy charged forwards, baring his teeth. By instinct, the knight slammed his head into the ground.
"The hell? Oh shit, I didn't kill him, did I?"
The Boy stood back up all wobbly and brushed off his pants.
"...Are you okay, kid?"
"What the hell!? You didn't say you would hit me back!"
"I'm sorry, I was just—I was... startled? I didn't mean to hit you so hard. Are you sure you're alright?"
"Tch, I'm completely fine. I don't get hurt by anything, look," he said, slapping himself on the cheek. "See? I'll do it again. See?"
"Stop hitting yourself..."
"This kid is insane... but is he really incapable of feeling pain? That would explain things. I'm pretty sure his collarbone is broken from the way he's been moving. Does he not know?" she thought.
"So? Did I pass? You're gonna make me a knight, right?"
"Slow down, when did I say that? You didn't even land a hit on me."
"...I'll do anything."
She sat back down, resting her sword across her lap.
"You haven't told me your name."
"I don't got one." He started to laugh, "unless you mean 'damn brat.'"
"Your parents didn't name you?"
"They might've, but I can't remember. They never called me by name, anyway. I'm pretty sure they're both dead now, too, so it's not like I can go and ask. Do knights need names?"
"At this rate, he's bound to end up dead before he's an adult. And it's not like he doesn't have potential..."
"Listen. I'm returning here in three months. If you're still so ambitious when I come back... I'll make you my ward."
"Really!?"
"That really worked!?" The Boy thought to himself. He could hardly believe it.
"You have my word. Now go away, I have things to do."
"I'm really gonna become a knight! Wow, no one's gonna believe me! See ya, ma'am!"
"Wait—hold on a second. If you find yourself in any trouble... go to the post. Say Lady Veyra sent you. They're sure to help."
"...Thanks, Miss Veyra! You won't regret it! I'm gonna be the strongest knight ever!"