This is my first ever attempt to make a fan fic.
English is not my mother tongue so please correct me if there's a mistake or two.
Reviews are highly appreciated. :)

Chapter I - Unanticipated Strike

It's a lazy Sunday morning. Lazy orange leaves and equally lazy people filled the streets of Prontera. The city has never been busier in any time of the year since autumn marks this year's mercantile festival, a grand festival indeed. Caravans from as far as Juno and Rachel travel to Prontera to advertise their goods. To ensure peace and security inside the city, knights from the cavalry are assigned to keep a watchful eye for any misbehavior or misfortune. With the valiant efforts of the knights, there's no reported mischief as the festival comes to a close.

The clock struck 3pm, signaling the end of Zeru's shift that lasted for 7 days. His captain approaches him with a job-well-done face.

"Your duty has been relieved, Zeru. You did well. You are free to go now." the Knight Captain says along with a gesture to shake hands with Zeru.

"Thank you, sir. I'll be back before my next shift. Until then, I will be in Payon. Do summon me if you need me here."

"Very well. Have a safe trip."

Zeru is a neophyte knight not older than nineteen summers and is also a member of the Pronteran Cavalry. His ashen eyes are deep and tired after his work and his messy blonde hair obstructs his vision from time to time. He's on guard duty during that hectic week. Luckily, he was assigned at the city's south gate, making his ride back to his hometown, Payon, a little easier.

With a tap on the neck, Zeru's Peco pitched towards the exit of the city.

It's unusually hot for an autumn day and while traveling for about a quarter of an hour, his Peco momentarily halts. "Maybe, this guy needs a drink." he considers. He got down and led his thirsty companion to a stream in close proximity. As he held his peco by its reins, Zeru felt the presence of someone nearby. He quietly draws his claymore and looked around. What he saw surprised, at the same time, amused him so much that he dropped his claymore while he grinned.

"Kyrie Eleison!" the girl exclaimed and moments later, a seemingly heavenly barrier fended off the Rocker's attack.

He saw a vivid image of a fairly young High Priestess in her elegant scarlet uniform tanking a couple of novices. Her dazzling amber hair seems to sway in harmony as she evades the giant grasshopper's swipe. She was aiding the novices for their job change, probably, and Zeru thought of it as a noble deed.

"Maybe I should help her, or maybe not. She's a High Priestess after all. I bet she could handle it by herself." He hesitated to offer a hand to the priestess. The novices took advantage of the monster's attention not on them. Daggers struck the monster's hide as the priestess' Kyrie Eleison blocks its attacks.

Zeru continues to watch the priestess in delight. All was going well with the priestess and the two novices when suddenly, a menacing group of rogues passed by and threw an odd wooden branch towards the them. Time really seemed to slow down in Zeru's point of view as the he gazed upon the branch that was thrown moments ago. And when the odd-looking branch was about to touch the grassy plains of Prontera, Zeru realized something not much in his liking.

"What the hell is wrong with them? Wait. Was that a – DEAD BRANCH!?"

With an intense flash of light, a black figure materialized in front of the priestess and novices. It was the Abyssmal Knight that was summoned by the dead branch. The High Priest hid the terrified youngsters behind her while calmly casting a Safety Wall, a spell to protect them from menace's massive blade.

"Those pesky rogues!! This is definitely the time to help her." Zeru mumbled.

He hastily picked up his sword. He knew that the safety wall won't stand there forever to protect the priestess and the novices. "God bless me." he prayed. Moments later, he found himself in the maelstrom of battle.

The Abyssmal Knight's aura seemed to impose fear on Zeru. He ignored his fear and quickly covered the helpless priestess and her novices. All of a sudden, the Knight of Abyss swung his massive black sword, aiming at Zeru. He parries the attack and retaliates with a vertical slash, making it back down.

"W-who are you?" the troubled priestess hesitantly asks.

"I just happened to pass by. I thought you could use some help."

"Look out!! – "

Zeru nimbly dodges another attack as the black sword hit the ground where he previously stood. Another attack was launched at him, luckily, he evades it. The massive black sword swoops down once again but this time, he couldn't block the blow successfully and Zeru got hit right at his chest. He swore he saw the sword cut right through him, only then, he realized a spell was cast upon him by the dazzling priestess behind.

"How can I think of her beauty while facing this black monstrosity? Aack. Here he comes again!" Zeru didn't have enough time to dodge so he prepared to parry the seemingly unblockable assault.

"Kyrie Eleison!"

The black sword bounced against Zeru's armor. He looked back and thanked the brilliant priestess behind him. Suddenly, he felt his sword resonate. With a spell enchanted by the priestess, a white and soothing aura now envelops his claymore.

"Aspersio!!" she muttered after sprinkling water towards Zeru. "You'll gonna need all the help you can get." she added.

Zeru raised his sword and prepares to deliver his finishing attack on this black monstrosity. "This is what Pronteran Cavalry is made of!" he shouted.

"Bowling Bash!!~"

The black menace shriveled up and vanished into thin air. At last, the foul beast was gone but it left Zeru's claymore damaged from blocking the Abyssmal Knights attack.

"Whewww!!~ It was a long time since I fought like this. Miss, are you alright?"

"Yes. Thank you. Your fighting skills were excellent."

Zeru swore his heart stopped for a moment. He couldn't stop himself from blushing.

"Your spells weren't too shabby either." he replies.

The priestess noticed Zeru's damaged blade. She exquisitely offered to replace his sword but Zeru politely denied her offer.

"Don't worry about this. I have a guild mate who's excellent in repairing scratches from parrying. Thank you, though." he shyly explained himself. Little did he know that his cheeks betrayed him by showing a hint of red. He was trying to look cool but he ended up lowering his head and blush.

"Well, we'd better get going. Thank you, again, for your help."

They said their good byes and afterwards, the lass threw a blue gemstone on the ground and invoked a portal. The two youngsters paid their respect to Zeru by shaking his hand and afterwards hurried to the portal. The priestess was about to enter when –

"What the - I forgot to ask her name! NO DON'T LEAVE YET!!!"

The priestess noticed the agony in his ashen eyes. She stepped back from the portal and faced the troubled knight.

"What's the problem? If it's about your sword, I can find a blacksmith back at Prontera. It's the least i can do--"

"May I ask for your name?" he bluntly asks.

The priestess was caught off-guard by the question. She did expect the question earlier but not at this point, not when she's about to leave. Somehow, the priestess realized that knight cared for her. And so, the priestess nervously replied:

"It's Julia. And yours is?"

"Zeru."

"Well. I hope to see you soon. Good bye."

She was gone. At least, he got her name. Julia. "What a beautiful name." he thought.

Zeru hurried back to his Peco who fell asleep at the edge of the stream.

"Stupid bird. I risked my life out there and all you can do is sleep?" He poked his lazy peco with his battle-tested claymore 'til it wakes up. Zeru's next destination – Payon.

To be continued . . .

Wow. You finished it. Is it bad? :( I hope not.
Reviews, as I've said earlier, are highly appreciated.

THANKS!