Hey everyone! Thank you for patiently waiting for the next chapter of Sword Art Online: Alicization - The Fourteenth Knight! I cannot tell you how excited I am to release this next chapter as will set the mood for what kind of character Adam is. So before we go any further, I have to mention that I do not own the rights to SAO, all I own is my oc while everything else belongs to Reki Kawahara. Alright! Let's go!
CHAPTER 2: The Temple Of The Mountain
The sun rose towards its peak, as it casted a warm light that covered the Human Empire. The skies were clear and blue as the ocean, making it the perfect day to fly a dragon. From out of nowhere a streak of red can be seen cutting the sky in two as Adam and Hiroshi hurried their way back to the Axiom church. After the battle, Adam was given his next set of orders as he had been summoned by the Pontifex herself. In his mind this only meant one thing - today was going to receive his divine object.
Adam had heard stories of integrity knights receiving their divine objects, as they were told to be some of the most powerful weapons that man could ever posses. To wield a weapon of such power commanded a large amount of respect, and young Adam had only scene such weapons in their dormant state.
For his mentor, Deusolbert, he was given the Conflagrant Flame bow. It was a longbow of crimson and gold that had the ability to shoot powerful flaming arrows that sometimes took the shape of birds as they flew through the air. Adam remembers the story, his master told him of how the longbow he was given was created from a Phoenix that lived in a volcano in the southern part of the empire.
Adam also remembers hearing stories about General Bercouli's weapon, the Time Piercing Sword. It was a sword unlike any other as it was created from the hand of a clock. From this sword, Bercouli wielded the power to manipulate time itself. It was a power that Adam can only imagine in his dreams as he could see his idol going into battle and only wave his sword to annihilate his enemies. It's the sort of fantasy that Adam was hoping for, for when he would finally meet the Pontifex herself and receive a weapon unlike any other.
As he flew across the sky with Hiroshi, Adam could see the Axiom Church within his sight. From his dragon, the young knight could see the large white tower that stood proudly in the middle of the greatest city of the empire - Centoria. It was a city of peace and prosperous. Its streets, that were laid at the beginning of the empire were flooded with men, women, and children. It was hard to imagine that this city first started off as only but a small village of only tens of people, now stand as the capitol of the Empire that held a population of over twenty thousand people.
Centoria, a beautiful name that gave off a sense of variety, as the city was split into four distinct branches that divided themselves into ten districts. It served as a symbol of unity to show how even the lowest of man could make a difference such as those that were made by the highest of Nobels.
From the comfort of his dragon, Adam could see the excitement of the children who lived here as they saw a dragon fly through the sky. It was as if they witnessed magic for the first time, and Adam never got tired of seeing the joy and excitement from these children as he flew over the city that surrounded the greatest kingdom in the Human Empire - The Central Cathedral.
It was the stronghold of Quinella, the ruler of this Empire. It has been said that during the early years of kingdom, Quinella was only a child when she first performed her miracles on those that were in need. Amazed by her extraordinary gifts, the people began to believe that she was sent from the heavens by the gods themselves as an emissary of Stacia, Solus, Terraria and even Lunaria.
Moved by her words, the people began to expand the village of Centoria as it grew more and more into a city. During those years, when Quinella was in her adolescent years, the people of Centoria began to construct a tower made of pure white marble in her name. As years went by, the tower grew larger and larger in size until it had finally reached one hundred floors.
Quinella ruled with utter surety, never doubting that her rule would endure, for it was her integrity knights that upheld her rule that brought a time of peace, justice, and security to the empire. The Central Cathedral was a symbol of her reign as it brought hope to the lives of those who lived behind the walls of this kingdom. To live here as a knight, was one of the most highest of honors.
As Adam steadied his dragon onto the thirtieth floor of the cathedral, he could see a landing platform where most dragons were kept. Using his large wings, Hiroshi prepared himself for landing where he began to flap them repeatedly to slow down his speed that would come to a gentle halt. In just a few moments, both he and Adam were finally home.
The young knight gets off his dragon and guides him to a nearby pen where Hiroshi would rest until he was needed. Adam pats his friend on the belly as he was happy to see Hiroshi drink gallons of water into his large powerful mouth that could break a tree in two. With his dragon finally resting from their long flight, Adam leaves and heads to his room. If he was going to meet the Pontifex, he would want to look his best.
Thankfully, the rooms were located just a few floors below them, and Adam eagerly walked fast towards his room.
Walking through the halls of the cathedral, Adam quickly reached his room where he began to remove his current clothes that were soaked in blood. As he removed his stained shirt, several scars and bruises could be seen across his chest and back. Normally, injuries like this could be easily healed with magic, but because Adam left troops in such a hurry, he didn't get a chance to tend to his wounds. All he could do is to best clean his face and put on a pair of new clothes.
As he did his best to wipe off the remaining blood and dirt from his face, he hears a knock on the door. It was a maid presenting him with a fresh new pair of clothes, except these were different from before. Instead of plain white, these new clothes were that of the colors his mentor wore - crimson red. Adam took this as a sign, telling him that his moment had finally come as he would finally be given a divine object. These clothes symbolized him finally moving up in the ranks of the Integrity Knights and it wouldn't belong until he would surpass his mentor and stand beside his idol, the general. Looking as his new set of clothes, a smirk appeared on the young knight's face. Perhaps it'll be easier to not notice any blood.
Adam quickly threw on his new clothes and left his room for he did not want to waste any more of the Pontifex's precious time.
As he walked through the halls of the church, he knew that he had quite a ways to go. Given that the Pontifex was located on the one hundredth floor, and he was only on the twenty-eighth floor, Adam knew that he could waste no further delays. He thought about visiting the armory to strap on some armor, but it would take too long and he was already late as it is.
After climbing countless stairs, Adam saw parts of the church that were all too familiar to him while also seeing other parts that were new to his eyes.
For starters, he walked past the training grounds that were located on the fifty-first floor of the cathedral. It seemed like only yesterday when Deusolbert taught him how to hold a sword. That day forever changed his life as Adam picked up on his mentor's methods and quickly learned the way of the sword as it seemed fun - at first. But as the years went by Deusolbert saw how Adam's eagerness to fight, quickly get him into all kinds of trouble. Because he relied on his strength and brute force, Deusolbert's disciple quickly allowed his emotions to take control of the fight, allowing himself to lose his way. Adam knew that he needed to control his emotions, but if they were the reason why we was able to hold his own in a fight, then perhaps he shouldn't change a thing. These two different methods often lead to long arguments between the two. But those days were long past as Adam was one step closer to becoming Deusolbert's equal.
As he walked past the training grounds, Adam looked out and saw two young girls fighting wildly with only daggers. One girl fought savagely as she had light color of brunette hair the was braided into two pony tails. The other girl was about the same age as her but her hair was gold and was cut at the edge of her neck. She too acted like the other, in terms of fighting for she new how to handle a blade and was able to take down several soldiers with ease. Adam was impressed, but knew that these girls had a long way to go if they were going to be on his level. His pride took over as he thought about what the outcome would be if he fought the two of them.
If something like that were to happen, Adam had no doubt that he would be able to take them on his own. Sure these two were skilled with their daggers, but they only work well as a unit. All Adam needed to do was to separate them and pick them off one by one using his strength and power. But their speed and agility would prove them to be quite a challenge. But because he had seen the heat of battle, Adam's confidence was on another level compared to these two. As he stared at the two of them, both girls had managed to take down a handful of soldiers. While the bruised men crawled on the floor, the two of them looked at each other in confidence before they soon realized that Adam was watching them.
The look they gave him sent a small sense of doubt in his eyes, for they shared the eyes of an animal doing whatever they can to survive. After seeing that terrible look in their eyes, Adam began to question his ability to handle the two of them at once. Dismissing their skills Adam looks away and continues his way to the Pontifex.
As he continued to walk on the steps of the cathedral, the young eager knight took in all the beauty the upper levels of the church had to offer.
On the eightieth floor, he had reached the Cloudtop Garden. It was a floor unlike any other as it was covered in soft grass dressed with sacred flowers of various colors that almost seemed like it was from a dream. The stream the flowed across the room, gave off a tranquil vibe while its brick path provided a strong passage across the vast garden. At the center of the room was a small hill that almost seemed out of place, as if something was meant to sit at the top. As much as he wanted to spend more time in this peaceful room, he continued forward.
Reaching the ninetieth floor, Adam had made it to the Grand Bath of the cathedral. This was were all the Integrity Knights came to bathe. While he had the luxury of using one of the common baths in the lower levels of the church, this floor made his bath look like a duck pond that sat next to a large lake. The steam in the room made it almost difficult to breathe as the room was filled with moist air coming from the hot pools that were ready to accept any knight that needed to unwind their stressful life. Once Adam becomes a true Integrity Knight, this will be where he will come to bathe.
Moving up the final stairs to the one hundredth floor, Adam had scene some the privileges that his mentor and idle share such as the dining room, where he hoped to eat his filling while sitting beside the general and other Integrity Knights. But as he reached the ninety-sixth floor, he had to make a slight detour for it was off limits to even the highest level of knights. The reason why was because from the ninety-sixth to the ninety-ninth floor, it was the Senate of the Human Empire. Interfering with the senate was forbidden, only the Pontifex herself could enter that room and Adam knew all too well than to meddle with politics.
Finally reaching the one hundredth floor, Adam stood in a large white room that sat below the Pontifex's chambers. The room seemed so spotless that even an Integrity Knight could off the floor like a common peasant. But the room seem to large and yet so empty that it almost felt like it was an empty box that had no soul. His thoughts on the decor soon vanished as he looked toward the ceiling and saw a circular panel lower itself down. But as the panel began to descend Adam could see a pair of feet reveal themselves before noticing a large dress gently flow down - it was Quinella.
The rumors about her beauty were true as she was dressed in voluptuous clothing that would make all the women of the kingdom jealous with envy. Her body was so well crafted, it was as if she was molded by the gods themselves for her body was pure perfection. Her seductive hips, followed by her inviting chest, it was enough for any man fall to their knees. Her hair was so lustrous that a luminous glow that proved that she was sent by the gods of heaven and earth.
As Adam caught a glimpse of Quinella's divine eyes, he quickly bent the knee and kneeled before the queen of the empire as she finally descended before him. Breaking the silence, Adam looked down and closed his eyes as he greeted the most beautiful person of the room. "Your Grace, it is an honor to finally bend the knee before you. May the Goddess Stacia bless you with eternal beauty."
The young woman, who was over three hundred years old, placed her hand on her cheek and was amused to see how eager this boy was to serve her. In a playful tone she spoke, "Oh, so this is the young knight who shatters every sword he wields?"
Adam felt embarrassed in the moment. It seems that his infamous reputation proceeded him for it was now abundantly clear that he was the knight who breaks his swords in two. The young knight swallowed his pride and accepted the truth that the Pontifex spoke before him.
"I have been told that your strength is unlike any other." The Pontifex said. "That you use pure brute force to dominate those who oppose you. It's as if you have a lust to fight and break everything that is spoken through your actions."
Adam looked up at the queen and felt ashamed for his past actions. Not only did he feel embarrassed for his brute behavior but he also was too shamed to admit it in front of a woman of pure beauty.
"Oh, do not feel ashamed, I am not scolding you." Quinella added. "I bring fourth news that you will find quite pleasant to hear."
Adam looked at the queen with curiosity.
"At the highest peak of the empire, lies a temple that sits on top of a mountain. There you will find a statue that was struck down by Stacia herself but still stands to this day. The flag pole that the statue holds is said to carry large amounts of sacred resources, and is so strong that it can withstand any blow." After her little story, Adam awaited for the Queen's orders. "You are to climb to the temple and bring back that pole, for I will craft it to be your Divine Object. Go my young knight, and prove to me that you are worthy of receiving such a gift."
"As you wish, Your Grace." Adam responded as he stood up and left the queen's presence to go forth on this quest that he had been given. Wasting no time, his descent to the Equipment Vault on the third floor was quick for lack of any other term.
As he opens the doors to the vault, he sees numerous sets of clothing, armor, and weapons suited for soldiers ready to defend the church. However, only one suit of armor spoke to him. It was an armor that was silver, standard for an integrity knight in training, but also carried decorative trimmings or red across it. The chest plate was red that also bared two red roses on it. The cape was also red as well and it matched the clothing that he was wearing. This was the armor that was meant for him.
Two squires enter the vault to assist him. While Adam was able to strap on his boots, and armor that covered his legs from his shins to his thighs, the two squires ready his upper armor. The young knight raises his arms forward and lets them place both the front and back plate of he chest armor onto him. With the red roses strapped on, next came armor that was meant to protect his biceps, and then his armguards would be the next to be placed onto him.
With every piece of metal that was fitted onto him, Adam could feel the weight of the armor fall upon him. Next came the part where the squires would put on the red cape. This knight always had a fascination with capes as it made him feel more grand and dignified. Once his cape was secured the squires finally place his shoulder pieces onto him, while Adam slipped on his guantlets as the finishing touch to this beautiful armor.
Dressed in silver armor, with decorative red trimmings and a cape, Adam walked to the weapons and grabbed himself a brand new sword. Although this seemed like a standard blade that is most often issued to young integrity knights, it was only temporary. For if he succeeds on this quest, he will be given a much more powerful sword.
As he walked outside the cathedral, he sees Deusolbert standing in the middle of the courtyard. "Master."
"I heard that the Pontifex is finally giving your divine object."
"Yes, I am to head to the Northern region of the empire where I will find an abandoned temple to retrieve an artifact that will serve as my divine object."
"The Mountain Temple of Terraria?" Deusolbert asked.
"If that is its name, then yes." Adam responded. "I am to retrieve a flag pole that was once struck by Stacia herself. It's supposed to be strong enough to withstand any blow."
"Then it seems like a perfect fit for someone like you." Deusolbert added. "I have heard rumors that a pack of mountain goblins have been colonizing in the area."
"Is that so?" Adam asked before he placed his fingers in his mouth to bring fourth the loudest whistle to call fourth Hiroshi from the thirtieth floor. In an instant, the dragon flies from the cathedral and soars down to his friend who was patiently waiting for him. The dragon soars down and flaps his wings that were strong enough to make Adam's red cape flap in the air.
After his friend had landed, Adam pets Hiroshi's strong jaw before mounting himself onto the leather saddle. But as he readied himself to take flight into the skies, Deusolbert needed to remind his disciple server things.
"Remember they may seem like goblins, but they'll have advantage in numbers so be patient and think first."
"I will." Adam said in a tone that sounded almost like respect, as if he was ready to listen to mis mentor for once. Perhaps it was the Pontifex's words that shook him to his core, as the young knight knew that he needed to not only be strong for this quest, but he also needed to be smart and patient.
As Hiroshi readied himself to take flight, the dragon began to flap his wings once more, with Adam riding on top of him. However before the two took flight, Deusolbert offered one last piece of advice to his student. "And Adam, try not to make a mess of things."
Before he could respond, both Adam and Hiroshi flew off into the sky, leaving both Deusolbert and the Axiom church behind. With the wind brushing against them, the two soared across the blue sky as they flew to the Temple of Terraria. But out in the horizon, storm clouds were brewing in the north.
After flying for several hours, the knight and dragon had finally reached the northern mountains of the Human Empire. They were a colossal sight to see as they stretched far as Adam's eyes could see. Their sheer size towered over the two, as storm clouds touched the tip of the highest point of the mountain. The height was so grand, it was as if Terraria stretched out her hand to touch her dear sister Stacia who ruled the heavens. But this sight proved to be a merciless one as a blizzard howled across the mountains, making it difficult for even the strongest of dragons to fly.
With ice, rain, and blistering winds battering the two of them, Adam held tight onto the reins of Hiroshi as they flew around the mountain, searching for somewhere to safely land. It wasn't long until Adam noticed something strange alongside the mountain slope - stairs carved into the stone and rock.
Strange. Adam thought to himself, for it would take hundreds of years for man to carve perfectly good steps into the mountain. But if this was the work of Terraria, then fate must be on his side for it was the will of the gods guiding him to the artifact that would be his divine object. Following the path down the mountain, Adam and Hiroshi did their best to lower themselves down the stair. But as they descended, they noticed that the winds started to become more gentle, while the snow began to fall so soft while the rain disappeared. It wasn't long until they found a large opening blanketed with white snow that sat in front a stone gate that led to the stairs.
Adam and Hiroshi made their safe land in front of the gate that still sat high above into the mountain that at least dwarfed the Axiom Church. Falling would certainly lead to death.
While the knight got off his dragon, Adam looked at the start of the stairway to the temple, and realized that this part of the journey would have to be done alone. As he took his first step towards the stairs, Hiroshi gives a small chuffling sound. Adam turns around to his friend and places his hands on the dragon's face. "No Hiroshi, I need you to stay here. This is something I have to do on my own."
As Adam begins to start his ascension to the temple, the dragon gives a small moaning sound which carried a low growl from deep within the dragon's stomach that made its way to the throat of the creature. Adam knew all too well that this was Hiroshi's way of protesting against this decision. However, the young knight knew that if we was to prove that he was worthy to be given a divine object from the Pontifex, he'll have to climb to the top of the mountain on his own. The dragon continued to make his plea with his master, but Adam only gave a small laugh at his friends discomfort. "Don't worry, I'll be careful and I won't be gone for long. Just stay here until I return."
With Hiroshi resting at the start of the stairway, Adam began to climb up the mountain. With every step that he took, he was one step closer into becoming a true Integrity Knight. But the path to his goal, would no be so easy.
As he climbed higher and higher up the mountain, the young knight began to feel the harshness of Stacia and Terraria. While the snow began to fall harder and faster than before, rain drops splashed onto his armor, while the wind did its best to try to knock Adam off his balance. With his cape flapping in the wind, it was hard for Adam to keep a footing on the stairway. There were times where large gusts of winds would come out of no where and knock the knight close to the edge of the stairs. In response, Adam held tight onto the mountain as he continued to walk higher and higher. But while he was able to survive the harsh winds and blistering cold, there was one aspect of the mountain that even he wasn't prepared for - the lack of air.
Because Adam had trained all his life in the Axiom Church, breathing never seemed to be an issue. But seeing that he was far above the height of the Central Cathedral, the higher he continued to climb, the more the knight began to realize that he was becoming more fatigue as his lungs felt like they were running out of air.
In an instant, a large gust of wind slams Adam against the side of the mountain, and the young knight falls onto the hard stone steps that were covered in ice and snow. With his armor weighing him down, Adam struggled to get back up on his feet. He looks up and feels the snow and rain batter against the side of his face. Just a small drop of rain and gentle snowflake felt like needles being jabbed right into his cheeks that were now frozen. Struggling to say a word, or even conjure up a thought, the knight knew that he may have bitten off more than he could chew.
But as he lied on the steps, staring at the path still ahead of him, a large gust of wind blew beside him. Adam felt a cloud of snow and ice blow against him as he did his best to stay on the stairway to prevent him from falling off the mountain. But as he held onto the steps for dear life, the cloud of snow revealed a young woman standing on the side of the mountain.
What? What's happening? Adam thought to himself as he finally had enough strength to create a simple thought in his head. He then gathers enough might to utter out one thing from his frozen lips. "Who are you?"
The young woman did not respond as she simply starred toward the edge of the mountain and was amazed to see such a majestic view. But while she was captivated by the mountain, Adam was taken in by her gracefulness for her beauty was unlike any other. Out of all the women he had come across over the years, none had come even close to her. Not even Quinella's herself could rival the beauty of this young woman.
With her white dress, that was the color of sweet delicious cream from a bakery, blowing behind her from the wind, Adam witnessed all of her majestic features. Her pearl blonde hair gently blew up against the side of her clear skin that was so smooth that even the gentlest of touch would someone feel the warmth radiating from her good nature. She turns to Adam and sees he is still struggling to get back up on his feet like a child who had just fallen off her horse for the first time. The young knight watches this girl brush her hair back behind her ear, revealing her eyes that were as blue as the ocean. It is said that if you look into the eyes of someone you see their true nature. And from her eyes, Adam saw that this young woman standing before him had a motherly nature to her. She seemed to be the kind of person any man would be lucky to have who wants to fall in love, have a family and finally grow old together.
While she starred at Adam on the steps to the temple she says nothing blushes gives a gentle smile before a gust of wind blew her away as if she never had existed. Adam reached out his hand that was covered in metal, fabric, and ice, and is still wondering what had just happen to him. In a delayed reaction, his mouth utters out the only remaining thought, "Wait… don't go…"
Gathering all of his strength, Adam rose to his feet and continued his walk up the mountain. The sound of ice cracking came from his knees and ankles as his armor had been blasted by snow and ice. All the while, as he made his way to the top, he wondered on what he had just witnessed moments ago. Was there really a young woman standing before him, or was this a trick being placed by Lunaria, The Goddess of the Moon.
It has been known that of the three goddesses Lunaria was the goddess who had been known for controlling the dreams of humans. But in the scriptures that he ha read, none of them ever mentioned that Lunaria could control dreams while people were still awake. Perhaps after he collapsed, Adam might have been knocked unconscious to where the goddess of the moon now had the chance to give him a dream of such beauty. Whatever the cause of that vision, the young knight had to put his thoughts on the young woman aside, as he continued to climb to the temple.
After climbing for quite some time, Adam had finally managed to reach the top of the mountain. With dark clouds still brewing above the peak, Adam looked past him and saw how even the towns that sat below the mountain were no longer visible as they were blanketed with grey clouds and mist.
Walking on a path covered in snow, he looks at his footing and sees a footprint that was all too familiar to him. He bends closer to the print and sees that whoever made this, was not wearing any shoes and had sharp pointed toenails. These footprints, no doubt, came from a goblin and it wasn't long until Adam began to hear several disgruntled voices. He sticks close to the rocks and climbs over several large boulders before seeing what lied ahead of him.
While he was able to see the Temple of Terraria in ruins, his eyes bare witnessed a colony of mountain goblins claiming this once holy place as their home. Wearing fur pelts from killed animals, the goblins were able to keep their green skin warm while some of them huddled near built fires that cooked their pots of stew made from the flesh of their slain prey.
At the same time, he saw other goblins use the temple as training grounds to where he saw several of these creatures prepare themselves for combat. While some clashed their blades with one another, others used their bare hands to beat one another to a bloody pulp. Only the strongest would survive, and only the strong ones would be able to conquer their enemies.
Outside the temple, Adam also saw several towers made of wood, that overlooked the perimeter to make sure that no one would trespass onto their new home. Each goblin that stood watch each carried a small curved bow and a handful of arrows that could easily take down a wild boar from a certain distance.
At the center of the camp stood the Temple of Terraria, and right in front of it was a statue of the goddess herself, carrying the flagpole that the Pontifex had mentioned. However, instead of carrying the flag of the Human Empire, the statue carried a flag that represented this goblin tribe, while the statue was smeared in the blood the enemies these goblins have slain. Seeing these monsters desecrate these holly grounds, made Adam's heart fill with rage. For he wanted nothing more than to go in there, swords swinging, and cut down every green creature that came his way.
However, as much as he would love to handle things his way, he had to be smart about this. He climbs away from the boulder and begins to come up with a plan. Several thoughts run through his head as he thinks of every scenario that could play out in the coming fight.
Okay, Master. You want me to handle things your way? Alright. I'll try things your way. Let's see there has to be at least fifty goblins in the area. There are also several watchtowers. And since this is a colony, there has to be a chief, so chances are that he's probably inside the church. What I could do is first find a way to take out the watchtowers as quietly as possible. Once they're taken care of, I'll try to take out several goblins out in secret. I'll leave the chief for last. No doubt that there's also a pack that may have been sent away from this place, so that adds several more to the count. If I can handle this carefully and quietly, then there shouldn't be too much trouble.
Just as Adam finished his though, from the corner of his left eye, he sees something unusual next to him. He turns around and sees two goblins starring right at him in fear. A small chill went right down his spine for Adam could not believe that he was so stupid enough to let his guard down. This was his punishment for trying to do things Deusolbert would handle them.
As the three stared at one another, there was nothing but dead silence as the knight stared at the two goblins who were staring right back at him. While one goblin carried a long spear, the other carried a butchers knife, and the two of them both carried a horn that was strapped to their waist. If even one of them sounded the alarm, Adam's plan would be worthless as he would then have an entire goblin colony coming down on him.
With his hand steadily gripping onto the pommel of his sword, Adam was trying to figure out which goblin should he take out first. If he killed the goblin with the long spear, then it would give the other goblin a chance to sound the alarm. However, if he killed the goblin carrying the butcher knight, then that would give the spear goblin a chance to land a strike on him. As he stared at the two, he saw how both were sweating even in the coldest of weather. Everything that was about to unfold dangled on this single moment.
The goblin wielding the spear makes the first move and lunges towards Adam. But the knight sees this moment slowly play out in his eyes as he quickly avoids the spear and raises his sword. As the blade comes down and cleaves the goblin in two, the goblin with the knife pulls out his horn and blows in enough air as much as he could, signaling the colony. Adam works quick and what seemed like ten minutes, happened in ten seconds as he slits the other goblins throat.
But that small amount of breath was all that goblin needed to warn his friends as Adam began to hear several other goblins blow their horns and ready themselves for battle. The young knight looks forward and sees a small back of green monsters run toward him as they shout and curse his name for they were out for blood. In ten seconds, all of Adam's plans were thrown off the mountain as he only had one word to say to this predicament he had now found himself in. "Fuck."
Very angered and frustrated, the knight runs into the pack of oncoming goblins and pushes several of them off the mountain. The sounds of screams could be heard as he watched several of these green monsters disappear into the grey mist below. Adam then slashes his sword across several exposed bellies that were slit wide open, allowing several goblin guts fall onto the clean white snow. Adam then uses his sword to block several oncoming attacks as he hacked, slashed and cut down several goblins while he made his way to the temple's holy grounds. Those ground wouldn't be as holy as Adam had hoped for he was now hell bent on killing every goblin in sight.
As he made his way into the camp he blocked and counter attacked two goblins that charged at him. While one tried to come at him from above on the right, the other on the left tried to give a more horizontal slash. Using one hand, Adam held his sword high to block the vertical attack while he used his other arm to grab hold of the goblin that was coming at him horizontally. He then uses his steel boot to slam it against the right goblin's testicles as Adam watched that goblin drop his sword and fall to his knees. Adam then focused his attention to the left goblin and drove his sword right in the center of his face. That goblin didn't stand a chance as Adam withdrew his sword and blood sprayed out. Adam then focused his attention to the goblin he had recently kicked and cuts his head clean off with his bloody sword.
With a colony of goblins charging toward him, and with several watch towers readying their bows, Adam finds cover from the oncoming arrows. If he was going to make it out of here alive, he would need to first take care of those archers. Hiding behind a destroyed stone pillar he cuts several goblins that were brave enough to approach him. With only moments on his side, Adam comes up with a plan to temporarily take care of the archers.
"System Call. Generate luminous element. Burst element." At the tip of his finger a small ball of light quickly formed. He needed to fire this out at the center of the camp in order to be effective. But every time he peaked out his head, several arrows came flying out at him, forcing him to go back into hiding. However, there was moment that presented itself as a goblin came charging at him. Without any trouble, Adam impales the beast with his sword. What happened next was Adam thinking on his feet as he instinctively used the goblin as a shield from the oncoming arrows. He then aims his finger up into the sky. "Discharge!"
The ball of light flew over the small army of goblins as it quickly caught the attention of each and every one of them, which was what Adam was hoping for. The young knight quickly closes his eye and in the blink of the moment, the ball of light releases a blinding flash of light that causes an incredible amount of pain to the exposed eyes of each goblin.
Using this single moment, Adam grabs a spear he found off the ground and throws it at one of the towers. The weapon soars across the sky as it quickly impales one of the goblin archers who was currently drawing his bow. The little monster loses his grip and discharges his bow at the wrong time, causing it to soar into the the eye of another goblin archer. With two watchtowers taken care of, Adam makes his way to the third tower and uses his sword to cut one of the support beams in two, causing the tower to come crumbling down onto the floor filled with blind goblins.
As the effects of the steel began to wear off, at the steps of the church, a goblin chief comes barging out during all the commotion. Adam notices this and quickly runs to the chief at full speed. In the heat of the moment the leader of this goblin tribe looks down and sees his entire camp in ruins as he watches an Integrity Knight come charging towards him. Licking his lips with his cow-like tongue, he savors the moment as he grabs hold of his ax, ready for the coming battle. "An integrity knight! I've been waiting a long time to taste the flesh of your kind!"
The Goblin Chief slashes his ax down onto Adam's shoulder, hoping to cleave the knight in two, but Adam simply took one step to the side as he quickly avoided the oncoming strike. The goblin is too slow to react to Adam's unholy speed as he watches the young knight bring his sword down both of his exposed arms. The knight's blade cuts through the goblins arms and bones like butter as Adam easily disarmed the leader of this camp who quickly fell to his knees and was crying from the sheer pain.
The sounds of this beast's screams were music to his ears as Adam watched this goblin cry like a newborn infant. Adam then trusted his sword into the opened mouth of the goblin who's eyes widened as he quickly tasted sharp steel. While this goblin didn't get a chance to devour an Integrity Knight, he did taste an Integrity Knight's sword.
"Keep waiting Filth!" Adam said as he dragged his sword to the right of the goblin's mouth. In the blink of an eye, Adam cuts the goblin chief's head horizontally in half. But in the heat of the moment, Adam did not realize that his sword was near a stone pillar that did not take too kindly of being struck with a chipped sword. What happened next made Adam furious as his sword shattered after it had made contact with the stone pillar. "Damn!"
The young knight was frustrated that he had already broken his sword into pieces but before he could say anything else single goblin charges towards him and the two crash through the doors of the church. What was once a holy place of worship, was now a trophy room filled with the bones and pelts of all the strongest animals these monsters have slaughtered. At the end of the alter, lied a throne that was once sat on by the chief goblin. Thankfully, Adam had disposed of that filth very quickly.
As the two slammed their way into the church, Adam rolled over and was able to get back onto his knees. But before he was able to fully get back up on his feet, the goblin pulls out a dagger and thrusts it into the knight. Adam braced himself for the impact but the blade was stopped by Adam's chest plate. His armor was so strong and firm that only the tip of the dagger was able to puncture just a small hole. Like a bull ready to charge, Adam looks at the goblin with an angered look. "Big mistake!"
In retaliation, the knight forcefully grabs the goblin by the throat and chokes the life out of the little green monster. The goblin's eyes roll to the back of its head as he tries to free himself from Adam's grip. But Adam would not be so merciful as he then clenches his hand into a fist and begins to bash the goblin's skull with his metal gauntlet. Over and over, the young knight battered the goblin's face with an iron fist as blood and teeth began to splatter all over Adam's face. Seeing that the goblin was far from dead, he releases his grip and storms out of the church.
"Come on!" He yelled as a nearby goblin runs over to him with a spear, ready to impale the knight who was slaughtering their kind. Adam reacts quick enough and is able to avoid the initial thrust before catching the spears underneath his arm, locking it firm tight. The goblin tries to withdraw his weapon, but is exposed to the knights wrath as Adam rushes over to the creature and places both hands on its head. In an instant, Adam twists the monster's head so fast that it breaks in half, creating a cracking sound that would be the last thing this creature would hear.
Before Adam could move any further, he notices that there was still on more watch tower left that had a goblin archer drawing his bow. Out of sheer instinct, the knight uses the corpse of the last goblin he killed as a shield, protecting him from the oncoming arrows. Adam can feel the sharp arrow make contact as blood began to splash everywhere around him. He picks up the fallen spear and throws it at the last remaining archer. The weapon pierces right in the middle of the goblin's chest causing it to stumble back and plummet to the ground.
With the final archer taken care of, a large goblin wielding a club manages to get the jump on Adam. The force of the blow is enough to send the knight flying against a large wall, causing several pieces of bricks to fall beside him. Unable to control it, Adam manages to cough up some blood, and wipes it off his mouth while his face was already covered in the blood of his enemies. Enraged, the knight looks beneath him and picks up a brick in each hand before giving a loud roar. Charging at full speed, Adam rushes over to the goblin.
The goblin gives a small smirk on his face as he readies his next swing that would take this knight's head clean off. However, Adam anticipates this and is able to duck beneath the large swing before several hook punches to the goblin's exposed ribs. But since Adam was carrying bricks in both hands, he could feel the force of the punches shatter this goblin's ribs. Trying to endure the pain the continues on with the fight, but even the strongest of creatures can only take so much as the goblin soon lets out a grunt using one hand to clench his ribs.
Seeing that the goblin could only use one hand to swing the club, Adam ducks beneath another swing before doing the same exact thing to the other side of the goblin and shatters the remaining ribs with his bricks. Unable to control his actions, the goblin drops his club and tries to tend to his wounds, but Adam soon took his opportunity to strike as he quickly throws several jab punches to the goblin's face. The monster soon falls flat on his back, and instead of moving onto the next goblin, Adam climbs over the beast and relentlessly beats the goblin to a pulp with his two bricks until they were nothing more but two pebbles. Adam looks up and sees the remaining goblins staring at him in horror for this was not an integrity knight they were fighting, but a wild animal who was out for blood.
Looking past the goblins Adam sees the flagpole that was being held by the statue of Terraria. Moving to his objective, Adam runs past each of the goblins and rushes over to the statue. He climbs it in just a few seconds and is able to yank the pole from Terraria's grip. Adam looks down and sees the remaining goblin's staring t him with their blades sharpened as they were ready to make their final stand.
Alright, let's see how strong this flagpole really is? Adam thought to himself as he quickly jumped right at the center of the goblins. With one swing of the pole, Adam feels the piece of medal smash several skulls as he watches the pole bend and give off a humming sound. A goblin comes charging behind him and the knight uses the pole to deflect the attack before thrusting one end into the goblin's face. Two other goblins jump in as Adam begins to use both ends of the pole as a way to not just defend himself but simultaneously throw several killing blows.
Adam manages to sweep the leg from one of the goblins and manages to throw him off balance causing hims to fall flat on the ground. The knight acts quick enough to impale the goblin while he was on the ground before lifting the pole high enough for a downward swing. An unfortunate goblin found his way into the path of the pole and Adam watches the large piece of medal split the goblin's head in two. The remaining goblins didn't stand a chance as Adam pierced, and smashed any living creature that came near him.
With all the goblins in the camp slaughtered, a moment of silence falls as Adam is scene standing in a pool of blood while several corpses of goblins are surrounding him. What was once a holy place to worship the Goddess of the Earth, was now soaked in the blood of the creatures who defiled this sacred temple. Before Adam could say a word, or even move a muscle, he hears the sound of something he could not believe - it was another goblin horn.
The goblin party that had been sent down to the mountain had finally return to their home, only to see it in complete ruin as it was covered with the bodies of each of their comrades. The white snow was now soaking red from blood that had been spilt. Bits of guts and brain matter were smeared all across the floor, walls and rock. While some goblins were easily recognizable, others were not so familiar for they either had arrows and spears wedged into their skulls, or were beaten so badly that they no longer had a face for others to remember. Amongst all the dead, to their horror the returning goblins saw a man covered in red as he held a pole that was drenched in the blood of countless victims he had slaughtered.
Breathing heavily, Adam watches the goblins look at him as if he were a monster. He gave them a look that was filled with rage but was also fatigue from all the fighting he had done. The goblins could sense that he was tired from the battle and charged toward Adam. As he watched the last of the goblins avenge their fallen brothers in one final stand, Adam grabs hold of the flag pole and holds it as if it were a spear. The young integrity knight soon lets out a blood curdling roar as he braced himself for the final charge.
After sometime had passed, Hiroshi is seen lying in the soft snow, waiting for his master to return. As he rested his head on his crossed arms, he hears the sounds of footsteps coming from the stairs that stood before him. The dragon gives a small growl as he sees a figure come down the steps. Showing his teeth, Hiroshi to lunge forward towards whatever creature may approach him. But those thoughts went away as he saw Adam walk down the stone stairway, but was covered head to toe in goblin blood and guts. He also noticed that his master was also carrying a long pole that gave off a small humming noise as it made contact with each stone step Adam took. The noise was somewhat soothing as the dragon tilted his head while his friend approached him.
"Hello Hiroshi, I hope wasn't gone for too long." Adam said, exhausted and somewhat damaged from all the fighting he had gone through to get the flagpole. As the knight laid his hand on Hiroshi's head, the crimson dragon purred like a large cat before licking Adam's face clean, causing him to laugh. "Okay, okay, I get it. Alright Hiroshi, let's go home."
Adam soon mounted on top of his dragon as the two dove off the small cliffside that Hiroshi slept on and plummeted toward the bottom of the mountain before soaring back up into the sky, where the sun was beginning to set. In the span of almost one day, Adam fought two armies in the name of her holiness, Quinella. Buckets of blood were spilt that day, but it would be all worth it as both he and Hiroshi flew back home where he would receive his Divine Object.
As the sun was nearly setting on the horizon, Deusolbert Synthesis Seven stood at the edge of the thirtieth floor of the Axiom Church where he waited for the return of his disciple. In the orange skies he sees a small dot in the sky slowly grow larger and larger. There was no doubt that this was Adam and Hiroshi finally returning home after their long day. But as the two made their way to the church Deusolbert was disgusted to see how his apprentice was covered head to toe in goblin blood.
Judging by the look on his face, Adam could tell that Deusolbert was displeased and was ready to scold him for his actions. Swallowing every amount of courage he had left, the young knight dismounts from his dragon and approaches his bitter master. Deusolbert is the first to speak before Adam could get the chance.
"What happened?" He asked in a very stern voice.
"In my own defense, I had originally planned to stealth fully take out each and every goblin with minimal bloodshed. But once the element of surprise was blown, there was no way to get around the situation."
"And this is your response? To savagely slaughter a pack of goblins? Did you even listen to what I told you before you left?"
"I was in the heat of the moment! I could not resort to a more peaceful way of killing those monsters! I was controlling the situation!"
"You cannot even control your anger! How can you even expect to control a Divine Object?!"
"Those beasts need to fear us so that they will never cross our boarders!" Adam said. "Fear and power are what drives those monsters from our home!"
"That's your pride and vanity talking!" Deusolbert responded. "You may have learned everything I taught you, but you still lack a Knight's patience."
"And while we patiently wait, packs of creatures from the dark territory run freely in our kingdom slaughtering the innocent people we swore to protect." Adam said. "I will show them the consequences for crossing into our land and will crush all who threaten my home!"
"You are an arrogant, reckless, cruel boy!"
"And you are bitter old man who will never be proud!"
After the two had exchanged words with one another Adam stares into the eyes of his mentor before storming out of the room as he carried his pole with him. Arrogant, Reckless, and Cruel were the words that echoed in his head as he walked down the halls of the church. But the one word cut the most deep within him was Boy.
After everything he had gone through, after all the countless days and nights Adam had spent training in front of his master who taught him until his bones cracked, still had the nerve to call him a boy. All that would change in just a few moments as he readied himself to meet with the Pontifex once more.
Washing all the blood from his armor, Adam wasted no time for when came to look presentable in front of the Pontifex once more. He did what he could to scrub all the blood that seeped into the the more detailed trimmings of his armor, while at the same time getting rid of whatever leftover goblin pieces that splattered onto him. With his armor now clean, and a fresh new pair of clothes on their way, Adam spent the remaining time in his bath. All the blood that washed off of him turned the bathwater red as he did his best clean himself up. All the while he couldn't forget the harsh conversation he and Deusolbert had with each other.
There were times where the two of them had their disagreements but this time things felt as if they may have gone too far. Adam reflect on what he had said, not the part of what it means to be strong, but the part about him calling his mentor a bitter old man who could never be proud of his work. For as long as he could remember, Adam did his best to get the attention of his master. Bu no matter how hard he worked, it would still not be enough for him. Perhaps things would change after he is given his divine object. Maybe by showing that he could be worthy enough to wield a gift given by the Pontifex, he may finally be able to Deusolbert's respect.
After spending sometime in his bath, Adam finally washed off all the blood and organ remains that splattered onto him during the fight and with a new set of clothes, he was ready to see Quinella once more.
As Adam waited in the large room, he saw the beautiful queen of the Human Empire make her entrance before he soon kneeled before her. Carrying the flagpole in one hand he presents it in front of his queen. "Your Grace, I have returned with the artifact you requested."
The Pontifex is amused to see how her brave knight managed to return with the flag pole she had mentioned at the start of the day. She grabs the pole and examines it in front of Adam who only looked down at her feet who felt like he was not worthy enough to gaze into her divine eyes. All he did was listen to his queen's words. "This pole, which once carried the flag of our glorious empire, was struck down by Stacia. Its strength and durability is unlike any other."
Quinella then uses her magic to transform this strong pole into Adam's divine object. The young knight could not believe his eyes as both he and the queen were surrounded by strange symbols on the floor that circled around them. He looks up and watched the Pontifex use her magic to gently disintegrate the pole. In just mere moments Adam watched the pole turn into glowing purple sparks of magic before Quinella reassembled them once more as a glowing circle appeared at the palm of her hands. Slowly, a sword began to ascend from her palms as is glowed right in front of them. And with the snap of her fingers, Adam's sword was created.
While it's handle was a shade of red that reminded him too much about all the blood he had spilt to get to this point, at the hilt of the sword lied a crystal gem that almost looked like there was a glowing aura inside it. He then looked at the blade itself and saw how it shined so much that it forced the knight to close his eyes. But as he readjusted his vision he saw how there was a fade lighting bolt that struck down from the tip of the sword to the base of the hilt.
Seeing the amazed look on Adam's face was priceless, for even though the queen had seen this look a dozen times from all of her knights, it never got old. Seeing their looks of disbelief made the Pontifex feel more entitled to their devoted loyalty as they now saw her as their savior. With Adam's emotions at the palm of her hands, Quinella plants words into Adam's head that would shape him into a devoted knight. "This sword is the representation of your desire to fight. That craving for power and strength is what drives you forward into battle. But this sword, no matter how hard you cut down your enemies, will never break. With this blade you will learn how to control your strength as you now have the power to crack the sky in two. Only when enough have died, will you find peace. Or you will die trying."
Quinella grabs the sword from out of the air and offers her gift to Adam with open hands. Feeling that he didn't deserve such a gift, Adam was a loss for words when the Pontifex presented him with his new sword. He graciously accepts this gift and is still in disbelief for what is happening in this moment. He then thinks of the most proper words to say to Quinella. "Thank you, my queen. With this sword, I swear my undying loyalty to you. From this moment forward, I will do anything you ask to be worthy of such a gift."
Anything. The queen thought to herself as it tickled her to see this young knight swear his loyalty to her. As he should, for she was deemed the savior of this world. With the help of her knights, who were gifted with weapons of mass destruction, her rule will last for all time as no one would oppose her. As she watched Adam swear his life to her, Quinella place her hand underneath Adam's chin to seal the deal. "Now rise, Adam Synthesis Fourteen, as an Integrity Knight of the Axiom Church."
As Adam gazed into the eyes of his queen and felt his heart soar as all of his dreams were coming true. After hearing his first command, the new Integrity Knight rose to his feet as held his new sword between the two. No longer was he Deusolbert's disciple. From this point forward he was an Integrity Knight.
Well that is going to be it for this LONG chapter! Funny thing is that I did not intend for this chapter to be this long. But I guess when I was writing it, all my thoughts just poured out onto the keyboard. Funny how these things sort of happen when you get lost in your work that you really love.
Anyway going back to the story, I really had a blast with this one as it shows everyone just how brutal Adam can be on the battlefield. Also, it should be noted that this chapter alone will probably show you guys just how violent Adam can get. But it looks like he's got a new sword and only time will tell for when he will use it. But I will promise you that when he does use it, it's gonna shift the whole power structure of the Axiom Church.
Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you did, feel free to comment your thoughts and don't forget to like and follow this story for all the latest updates. I'll see you guys next time with CHAPTER 3: A Knight's Duty.
