Hello everyone! Welcome back for another chapter of Sword Art Online: Alicization - The Fourteenth Knight! I am very happy to see this story start to get some traction and I am very excited to release the next chapter of this story. In the previous chapter, Adam somehow miraculously survived the crash and was taken in by a farmer and his family. With no chance of getting home any time sooner, Adam will have live on the farm while his body heals. What will happen to him now? Let's find out!
CHAPTER 6: The Girl With Blue Eyes
After writing his letter to Deusolbert, explaining everything about his current situation, Adam places his hand written note on top of the dresser that sat beside his bed. In the letter, the knight wrote about the events that led to his damaged state. From encountering the two Dark Knights, to his Divine Object's betrayal, Adam was thorough as to what had happened to him. But to either sheer luck, or by the grace of Stacia, the knight was rescued by a farmer and his family. Before sealing his letter, the young knight made sure that he gave his exact location to Deusolbert. Should need to rescue him would ever arise, Adam's mentor would know where to exactly find him. But due to the Axiom Church's current state, integrity knights are being stretched thin now that the Dark Territory is becoming more active than before. If the need to focus all Integrity Knights on oncoming Dark Territory assaults weighs more on Adam's rescue, then so be it.
But as he lied in bed, Adam closed his eyes but could still see images of night he fell from the sky. Even in the darkness of his eyelids, the knight could still see flashes of lightning dance all around him. He turns on the bed and could still hear the cries of pain from both him and Hiroshi as they were electrocuted by Adam's sword. The knight opens his eyes and stares up at the wooden sealing above him. He looks out the window next to him and sees the moon rise to the night sky before being reminded of the moment of peace he had before his Divine Object betrayed him. The knight takes a deep breath and closes his eyes with a disgruntled look. It's going to be another long night.
That thought could not be more of an understatement as Adam began to see images rush through his mind as he slept through the night. In his dreams, Adam saw himself wearing his armor as he rode on top of Hiroshi. The two remained still in the air as they hovered over the Fourteenth Company. Adam looks down below and sees his troops lined up for battle as they stared toward a bright light. Adam looks forward, and standing before him was a wall unlike any other. It stood as tall as almost the Axiom Church, and was the only thing separating the Human Empire from the Dark Territory. In an instant, several cracks begin to dance from the top of the structure, to ground beneath it as the wall soon began to glow as bright as the sun. Adam covered his eyes before he began to see several words written in fire that were as clear as day. FINAL LOAD TEST.
In the blink of an eye, the walls separating the Human Empire from the Dark Territory were no more as a bright flash of light destroyed the last defense this kingdom had. As Adam opened his eyes, he saw that he was on foot in the middle of a battle. He unsheathed his sword and did what he could to defend himself from a hungry pack of ogres. But his fear for his Divine Object still lived within him, as the young knight only used his weapon for only defense. His anger and brute force which had carried him throughout many battles, was quickly replaced with fear and concern for his wellbeing.
As he did his best to protect himself, a large ogre comes charging from behind and knocks Adam onto the ground. The knight watched his sword fly off into the distance as he fell onto the ground. With his back slammed against the dark soil, he looked up in fear as he saw the ogre show his teeth while he tried to bit his throat. The frightened knight uses all his strength to hold off the rain beast by throwing several punches to the creature's jaw to thwart him away. But even with all his strength, he was still no match for a full grown ogre who had a taste for human blood.
Adam's fears soon dissipated as he saw a spear thrust into the side of the creature's skull before he fell beside the knight. He looks up and sees his second in command Aaron, holding the spear that saved his captain's life. As Adam gets up from off the ground, he watches an arrow fly right into the left side of Aaron's head, and blood is splashed across Adam's face. The Integrity Knight is helpless to save his friend as he watched Aaron collapse onto the ground in front of him. Adam soon looks all around and sees that every man and woman of his company has been slaughtered. Not only that but there are several bodies of fallen ogres, orcs, goblins, and giants spread across the battlefield.
Except that this was no battlefield but a grave as Adam looked closely around him and saw that while some of these bodies were soldiers under his command, he realized that most of the bodies were the beasts he had slain in the past. He walks across the field of over a hundred corpses and sees the death that he has brought upon this earth. His anger and brute force has spilt enough blood to soak the soil of crops three times over. The scent of death was too powerful and too grotesque to bare as Adam falls on one knee. Coughing from the foul oder, the knight is on the verge of vomiting until he sees the body he is kneeling over.
Under him was a rotting corpse of his former self. His armor was beginning to rust while his skin sat thinly on top of his bones. He black hair was all but gone while the remain follicles were nothing but white. File and maggots swarmed around the fallen knight's face as they feasted on his rotted flesh. As Adam stared at himself in horror, his rotting corpse opens his eyes and all Adam could see was how his eyes were as white as a ghost of his former self. Before the living knight could react, his rotting corpse reaches out to him with his bone-like hands, and grabs Adam by the ankle.
The frightened knight reaches for his sword, but is no longer on his belt and begins to panic as he suddenly begins to notice how the bodies around him begin to move. Several corpses beneath him begin to grab onto the knight's boots while others reached out and grabbed his red cape. Unable to move, and unable to defend himself, Adam is helpless to escape as he watches the bodies of his fallen soldiers and enemies begin to surround him. Several hands begin to reach out and grab hold of the knight as Adam begins to sink into the soil that was soaked in blood.
Afraid of what lies beneath the soil, Adam uses all of his strength to try to break free from from the rotting hands. But not even with all his strength was the Fourteenth Integrity Knight able to break free from Death's grip as his body quickly sank deeper and deeper into the dead soil. Screaming at the top of his lungs, Adam watched in horror as he was being surrounded by many arms and hands in a cold embrace. His cries for help were silenced as the knight sank beneath the soil and saw nothing but darkness.
In a cold sweat, Adam wakes up from the nightmare he had just witnessed and lifts his body out of bed. With his eyes still recovering, his world can be seen in a blurred vision as he looks beside the bed to grab his glasses. As he tries to control his breathing, the knight could hear the beating of his heart pounding against his ears. It had been so long since Adam had nightmare that was so horrifying that it felt too real. With the images still fresh in his mind, he did not know what to make of the first part of the dream. He remembers seeing the walls of the Human Empire cracking before seeing the words FINAL LOAD TEST appear before the boarders separating their world from the Dark Territory come crashing down.
He had seen many strange things in his time at the Axiom Church, but never has he seen something as grand as that before. Those words that burned into his eyes triggered a memory long forgotten as Adam begins to remember something he came across in the library of the cathedral. An ancient prophecy foretells that during the final days of the Human Empire, the boarders separating them from the Dark territory will come crashing down and will signal the final war between good and evil. What trigger's this will be words of an unknown language written in fire that will burn bright for all to see as the walls will shatter and the war will begin.
It had been so long since he read the ancient scrolls that described the final battle against the Dark Territory. Upon reading through them at first, Adam never truly believed that something so horrifying would ever occur. Even if something as grand as that were to happen, the Integrity Knight believed that it would not occur in his lifetime. And yet, his nightmare brought fourth his fears that he had locked away so long ago, that now he begins to doubt everything he knows. If this was no mere dream, but was actually a glimpse into the future, then it seems that the last days of the human empire are numbered.
Trying to control his breathing, Adam does his best to calm himself, less he would be given that his hair would turn white. In moments of stress, the knight would do whatever he could to not grow white hair. In his mind, white hair would be as a sign of uncertainty which was an aspect that no knight should carry. If a Knight is ever uncertain, then it results it death. Death to his troops, death to the people he swore to protect and death to him. As he slowed his breathing, Adam soon heard his heart beat slow down when he looked across the room and saw a young woman starring at him. She was a youthful girl who looked like she was just leaving her adolescent years, and was now entering womanhood.
Adam's eyes first went to her ankles as he saw that this girl was wearing a long white dress that had seen better years. Several marks of dirt and grass can be seen at the bottom of this homemade dress. The knight made this assumptions because he had notices that there were a couple of beige patches that were sown into this dress. It seemed that this young girl favored this dress so much that she must of have worn it longer than normal, for if she really loved this dress she must have done all that she could to preserve it. Thankfully, this dress would get as dirty as expected, given how this girl was wearing an apron that was covered with stains. Adam looked up and saw how here hands had small bits of dirt underneath her fingernails. He did not need an explanation as he quickly saw that she was carrying a tray of food that had hand picked fruits and vegetables from the garden. But one thing that the Integrity Knight almost missed was how her hands were shaking subtle.
As he looked further up, the knight noticed how this girl had hair that was the color of pearls worn by the most beautiful nobles of the Human Empire. It was cut short, reaching only the top of her shoulders. She wore a silver locket that dangled over her chest with a bit of string. Adam continues to look up and noticed how this girl's eyes were a shade of blue that reminded him of the diamonds that made the ceilings of the Axiom Church sparkle like stars in the night. However the knight quickly realized that this girl gave an expression of fear as her eyes were widened and her mouth was slightly open as if she had seen a ghost.
A moment of silence fell upon the room as the two stared at each other in a deeply manner. While Adam was captivated by this girl's presence, the girl with blue eyes was afraid to approach him as she carried her tray of food. The young knight did not know what to say that would make this girl feel at ease, given how she had just watched this knight wake up from a horrific nightmare. After going through almost every possible response in his head, Adam clears his throat as he sits up straight on the bed and looks at the girl with a gentle, yet trembling smile. "Good morning."
"Good morning." The girl responded.
"Forgive me for asking but how long were you standing there?" Adam asked as he gave a nervous laugh to help make the girl feel comfortable.
"Only for a few minutes." She responded with a slight stutter.
"Well forgive me if you saw anything unpleasant."
"It's no trouble at all." She said. "You were having a bad dream."
"More like a nightmare."
"It happens to all of us from time to time. I'm sure you Integrity Knights rarely have them."
"No, it happens to us as well. We sleep, and we dream. But sometimes we do have nightmares. While some disregard those horrible nights, others tend to use their nightmares as a way of motivating them to prevent what they saw in their sleep."
"Then you ought to be pretty skillful." The girl said which made Adam chuckle a bit.
After his small moment of joy, the knight noticed how this young girl's hands were getting tired from holding her tray. A looks beside him and makes some space on the bed. "You look tired. Why don't you put that tray aside and take a seat?"
"Oh no I couldn't, and besides I brought this for you. I'm sure you enjoy eating in solitude and I don't want to bother you while you eat your breakfast."
"Nonsense, it's no trouble at all." Adam said in a welcoming manner. "After being locked up in this room for so long, I could use a little company. Please, I insist."
"Very well then." The young girl said as she gently placed Adam's breakfast beside the bed before sitting beside the knight.
"I'm Adam by the way." The knight said as he reached out his hand to greet the girl who was treating him so kindly.
The young girl looks at Adam's stretched hand and extends her own hand to gently shake it. The moment their hands touched, both of them felt something between them. For Adam, he felt a moment of weakness as he touched the girl's hands as they were cold yet delicate. For the girl, when she reached out to Adam, his hands felt warm, but were also rough.
A small blush falls upon the girl's cheeks as she greets the knight. "Hannah."
"It is an honor to meet you Hannah." Adam said before he gently kissed Hannah's hand as a way to show her how much he appreciated all that she had done for him. "Thank you."
With their introductions taken care of, Adam took a bite out of an apple. Its juices quenched the young knight's thirst while it's taste was rich. Just by looking at his expressions, Hannah could tell that Adam was savoring the moment as he ate his breakfast.
"I take it you like apples." She said in a playful tone.
"Yes, but even though I've had plenty of apples at the Axiom Church, none have tasted so sweeter than this." He said. "I guess things taste much better when they're freshly grown outside your home."
"Well you can thank my father, for it was he who planted the apple tree beside our house when he was just a boy." She said.
"Your father did mention that your family has lived in this house for generations."
"Yes. For as long as I could remember, my father has always been a farmer. Every morning I would see him tending the garden before going out to our crops and making sure that not just our family was well fed but also the people of the town."
"That's very admirable. To see a man provide food on the table for not just his family but community as well, it's a virtue that we knights honor."
"Oh no!" Hannah said in shocked tone. "That reminds me, I need to go find my father before he heads into town!"
"Let me join you."
"Are you sure? Can you even walk?"
"Just give me a moment." Adam said he placed his apple back on the tray before hovering his right hand over his right leg. "System Call. Transfer Durability"
Hannah watched as she began to see Adam's right hand begin to glow. She watched the magic unfold as she Adam's right hand begin to transfer energy to his right leg that was still injured. Adam ached in pain as he not only felt the bones in his right leg begin to heal but he also felt his muscles ache from all the mana that he was sacrificing in order to heal his leg.
Adam stopped the process as he took the time to catch his breath, while Hannah placed her hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"Never better." Adam said in a faint tone as he slowly began to get out of bed. In a few moments, the knight was able to stand up on his two feet before slowly walking around the room to allow his legs to remember their strength.
"Wait, what just happened?"
"I was able to transfer some durability throughout my body to my broken leg."
"And it worked?"
"It's not completely healed, but it's manageable enough to where I can walk. Performing these types of spells is usually standard for integrity knights, although most wounds are not as sever as this."
"When my father brought you here, not even the doctor had enough mana to get you into decent shape."
"Yes. I remember." Adam said as he began to recall all the memories he had for when Henry rescued him. He remembers all the pain he went through when both he and the doctor did all that they could to save Adam's life. From realigning his broken bones to sowing up his gashes, Adam remembers his first night at the farm. But while the experience was all too painful, he was also reminded that it was a soothing voice that helped put his mind at ease even though his body was broken. "Hannah I cannot thank you enough for what you and your family have done for me."
"There's no need." Hannah responded, trying to be humble. "My father has always respected the Axiom Church even though some find their methods to be harsh."
"I can understand how some people have a slight distaste towards Integrity Knights." Adam said. "Even though our overall job is to protect people, we also have to do things that makes us look like the villain."
After a small moment of silence, Hannah get's off the bed and walks over to Adam. "We should probably get going. I need to speak to my father before he heads off into town."
"Yes." Adam said in a positive tone. "There are some things that I need to take care of as well. Do you know where my armor is?"
Hannah responded with a smile and a nod before the two left the room in order to retrieve Adam's armor. It's condition was what the knight had expected as it was severely damaged. The shoulder pieces were banged up, the chest piece was almost torn in two, and the plates that were meant to protect the forearms were destroyed. In order to get his armor into decent condition it would take some time. But time was all that he had right now.
As the sun was reaching over the mountains, the kill morning air kissed his cheeks as Adam walked beside Hannah, while he carried his armor in a burlap sack. While the knight was able to walk once again, that didn't mean that he had his full strength. Just walking while carrying his armor was putting a lot of strain on his bones and muscles. But his efforts were with it as both he and Hannah saw Henry loading a small wagon with all the food that was grown on this farm.
With the farmer's back turned toward him, Adam calls out to the farmer. "Heading into town?"
Henry turns around and sees the Integrity Knight standing before. "Nice to see that you're walking again."
"Yeah well I'm not out of the woods yet." Adam responded. "I had to perform a sacred arts spell to just make walking manageable."
"I see."
"Anyway, Hannah told me that you were heading into town so I figured that there has to be a blacksmith who can repair my armor."
"We do have a black smith, but as far as I know he's only been able to make small repairs. Your armor may be a challenge for him."
"So long as he get's it into decent condition, I have no problem."
"Very well. Go ahead and put it in the wagon. I'll make sure to stop by his workshop and have him take a look at it. Hopefully it won't be too bad."
"Thank you." Adam said before he walked behind the wagon and used all his strength to place his armor beside all the fruits and vegetables. Just the weight of his armor was enough for the wagon to bounce slightly. With his armor ready to go, Adam reaches inside the bag and pulls out a small pouch that carried most of his money. Inside was enough gold coin that could buy enough supplies that would last him a month. He had brought it incase he would be stationed away from his home for a long period of time and it looks like now was the best time to use it.
"Here, there should be enough coin to pay for the repairs." Adam said as he walked over to Henry before handing him the bag of coins. "Whatever is left remaining is for you and your family."
Henry and Hannah were shocked to see how much gold was in this small pouch. Never had they seen a small bag carry so much coin that could feed their family for at least a month, While Hannah was shocked to see how much money Adam was carrying on him, Henry shook his head and closed the bag.
"I'll use the money to pay for the repairs on your armor." He said. "As for the rest, I can't accept this."
"Please Sir I insist." Adam said. "You and your family have done more than enough to keep me alive. Let me at least repay you for all that you've done."
"Please Papa?" Hannah asked while she looked at her father. "He's offering to help. Weren't you the one who always told us that a man cannot live without his pride."
"Hannah I swear you're worse than your mother." Henry responded before giving a small sigh. "Very well then. I'll be sure to put this money to good use when I head into town."
"Thank you." Adam said.
"If it's alright with you Papa, I need to head into town as well." Hannah said.
"What for?"
"There are some things that I need to check at the school."
"Can't this wait until tomorrow?"
"I wish but it's urgent that I go right now."
"Well if you go, then who will watch your brother and sister."
While hearing the two argue, Adam couldn't help but notice that he could be of some use. "Perhaps I can help."
Both Henry and Hannah both turn towards the knight. Henry held his hand up in calm manner. "There's no need to, you've done quite enough."
"Come on I'm board. I need to stretch my legs." Adam responded.
"These kids have chores for the day. Chores that are physically demanding. In the condition you're in right now, it may be too much for your body." Henry explained.
"I've fought monsters from the Dark Territory. I'm sure two small children shouldn't be a problem to me." Adam said.
Hannah and Henry stair at one another as they both realized that having Adam around could be big help to them. With him at the farm, both Henry and his daughter could go into town and run their errands, all the while Adam is keeping on eye on the children.
"Very well." Henry said. "But make sure they finish their chores."
"You have my word." Adam said which then triggered something in his mind before he reached into his pocket and puled out the letter he had written last night. He quickly hands it over to Henry who had finished packing the wagon. "That reminds me, be sure to hand this letter to your fastest rider and have it delivered to the Axiom Church."
"It will be done. We should be back before sunset. " Henry said as he and Hannah go onto their wagon that was being pulled by only one horse. With the flick of his wrists, Henry quickly ordered the horse to move and Adam watched the two ride off towards town which was some time away. As he stood in the middle of the dirt road, he could feel the warmth of the sun touch his skin as he looked up to the sky and breathed the clean air. After a moment of peace and silence, Adam walked back into the house to look for Hannah's little brother and sister.
As he walked into the house, the sound of wooden panels creaked with every footstep he took. Walking down a long hallway, the knight began to knock on the closed doors that near his room. But his knocks were only met with silence as no one came to out of their rooms. Adam opens one door and sees a small room that had a single bed lying next to a dresser with a small mirror. Adam looked inside and realized that there was a hair brush that had strings of white hair still attached to the brush. It was then when Adam realized that this was Hannah's room. Feeling a slight sense of discomfort, the knight quickly closes the door, not wanting to invade Hannah's privacy.
After a failed first attempt, Adam turns to door number two and quietly opens the door, not wanting to alert whoever was inside. Hopefully this would be one of the children's bedroom. To his surprise, Adam saw how this room was fairly decent sized as it was able to carry two small beds within it. Clearly this had to be the children's room as both beds hadn't been made while several toys lied around including a wooden sword and a doll whose hair was made of yarn.
Realizing that neither the boy or girl were in their room, Adam closes the door and searches the house. No matter where he looked, it seemed that both Hannah's younger brother and sister were no where to be found. Standing in the middle of the kitchen, Adam places his one good hand underneath his chin and thinks of the many possibilities of where the children could be in this house.
"If I was the son of a farmer where would I hide to get away from chores?" Adam thought to himself as he tried to find out where the children were hiding. Not a moment later he hears the sounds of laughter and excitement as he looks outside the kitchen. "Of course."
Standing in front of the barn were two small children who appeared to be the same age. The boy, who liked he was nearly ten had short brown hair and blue eyes much like his sister. He wore a green shirt that was stained with bits of dirt and grass while his pants were green as well but were completely brown and covered in dirt, especially his knees. The little girl standing beside him also looked nearly ten but had gold blonde hair that sat above her shoulders while her eyes were blue just like her brother and sister. Instead wearing a farmer's outfit like her brother, she wore a pink dress that sat over her white shirt but still wore boots that were fit for outdoor work.
Ever so sneaky, the children took turns peeking inside the barn that hid the crimson dragon from the world. With every peak, the children could see the dragon sleeping peacefully in the barn. Despite their attempts of hiding themselves from the dragon, Hiroshi's sense of smell, and hearing, was far greater than any human in this world. With every step they took toward the dragon, Hiroshi could smell them approaching the door while also hearing their small breaths, and feeling the air that moved with them. To him, the kids might as well have blown a trumpet. But it did not matter.
These kids were no threat to him and to slightly entertain them, the dragon would huff out a large breath of air from his nostrils, blowing the bits of grass and hay on the children's clothes. To their response, the little boy and girl would get a good whiff of dragon's breath that was husky and strong, forcing the two kids to cover their nose and laugh. Adam watched from afar as he saw the children play with his dragon and felt that this will do no good. If a child wanted to see a dragon, it should not be from behind an old wooden door.
Very quietly, the knight walked over to the children who were enjoying their morning. He watched as they continued to take turns and peak inside the barn where his friend was resting, all the while they failed to notice how someone was sneaking up behind them.
"Having fun?" Adam said calmly but to children's surprise, the two of them quickly panicked and turned around, only to see a large integrity knight behind them. Adam chuckles and tries to assure the children that he is no threat. "There's no need to be afraid, I'm not mad at you two. My name is Adam. What are your names?"
The little boy took a step forward and quietly introduced him self. "I'm James."
"And I'm Freya." The little girl added who as also nervous around the knight.
"Freya? That's a beautiful name. And I'm sure I've met a James a while back when I was in the army. Good strong man." Adam said to the children who took the knight's words kindly. Soon their worries began to dissipate as they were now comfortable enough to be around Adam. "May I ask why you two were peeking in the barn?"
"We just wanted to see your dragon." James said.
"Please don't tell Papa!" Freya added. It seemed that both she and Hannah address their father as Papa. It also seemed that they'd rather take their chances with a dragon than the wrath of their father.
"There's no need to worry, your father and sister left for town not too long ago. They said it was okay for me to keep an eye on you while they're away and to also make sure that you do your chores." At the mention of the word "chores" both James and Freya groaned as they did not want to spend the their day lowing fields and tending the garden. In order to get them to do their jobs, Adam came up with an idea. "I'll tell you what, if I let you see my dragon, will you promise to do your chores?"
"Yes!" The two of them said together, which didn't surprise Adam in the slightest. Not a moment later, the two small children watched the knight walk past them before opening the doors to the barn and revealed Hiroshi to James and Freya. They watched this large red dragon awake from his slumber as he gave off a long yawn and revealed his sharp teeth to the children. His claws remained tucked underneath his belly while his wings stretched themselves.
"Hello my friend. How are you doing?" Adam asked while he gently caressed Hiroshi's chin. The Integrity Knight turned around and saw how the kids were hiding behind one of the open doors with James protecting Freya like how any brother would. Seeing their slight discomfort made Adam chuckle a bit for it was not too long ago that they were excited to see Hiroshi. Now that the doors were open they forgot to realize that there was an actual dragon in front of them. The young knight extends out his hand and gives the children a warm smile.
"It's okay. You don't have to be afraid. Nothing will happen to you while I'm here." Adam said to the two children who slowly walked over to Adam while Hiroshi never broke eye contact with them. The dragon then gave a small low growl but it was just enough to scare the two children. Adam noticed this and acted quickly. "Hiroshi no! James, Freya, listen to me. I need you both to stay where you are and slowly bow your heads. Show him that you are his friend."
Very quickly, both James and Freya stopped in their tracks. Realizing that this was a bad idea, the two children quickly listened to Adam before the two of them slowly bowed their heads before the dragon. Hiroshi soon noticed this before he soon lowered his wings and bowed his head to the two small children.
"Well done kids." Adam said. "Would you like to pet him?"
The moment Adam finished his sentence, James' and Freya's eyes widened as they never in their life thought that they would get to touch a dragon. Their mouths hung open as a big smile of excitement was all that Adam needed to know that they absolutely wanted to pet Hiroshi. The knight looked over to his dragon and gave him a look that told his scaly friend to act on his best behavior.
James was the first to pet the dragon as Adam stood by the small boy and introduced him to Hiroshi. Very gently, Adam guided the boy's hand underneath the dragon's chin and gently stroked it, causing Hiroshi to puff out a breath of air through his nostrils and right at James' face. The little boy giggled when he got a good whiff of the dragon's breath.
After James had his turn, Adam took Freya's hand and walked the little girl over to Hiroshi. While she was at first nervous around the dragon, she was amazed to feel Hiroshi's scales that were so smooth and yet so strong. When she stroked the dragon's chin, to her surprise, Hiroshi began to purr like a kitten which made the little girl smile happily.
"Dragon's are remarkable creatures." Adam said as he petted Hiroshi's face and stared deep into the eyes of this large animal. "They say that when you look into the eyes of a dragon you can see the history of the world staring back at you."
James and Freya sat behind Adam as he tried to explain to these children that there was more to dragons than what legends of old make them out to be. James raised his hand and asked the Integrity Knight a simple question. "So what does a dragon typically eat?"
"Misbehaving children." Adam said very quickly which surely scared James and Freya for his entertainment. But after a quick laugh, Adam was very happy to properly answer the question. "In all seriousness, while some dragons eat meat such as cows, goats, and sheep, Hiroshi prefers to eat fish."
"How long have you had him?" Freya asked.
"I've known Hiroshi ever since he hatched out of his egg." Adam said. "When a knight is ready, they are allowed to choose a dragon egg and once it hatches, the knight is responsible for taking care of his dragon. Hiroshi and I have known each other for many years and have been through many adventures."
"How fast can he fly?" James asked.
"At the speed of a falling star." Adam said which made the two kids look at the dragon with awe. Realizing that the sun was slowly reaching the center of the sky, Adam knew that these kids needed to get their chores done. "One more question, and then we need to get your chores done."
"Does he have any brothers and sisters?" Freya asked.
"Yes, lots of them, and every dragon is different from one another." Adam said. "Out of all the dragons in the axiom church, Hiroshi is the most kind but he is also the most protective. Now that he knows you, he will protect you from any harm."
Hearing how Adam's dragon is now their best friend, both James and Freya felt a warm feeling in their heart, knowing that they have a dragon watching over them. Seeing that they needed to get to their chores, Adam escorted the children out of the barn. "Did you kids have a good time?"
"Yeah!" James said.
"Thanks Adam!" Freya added.
"You're welcome." Adam responded as he closed the door so that Hiroshi could rest. "But let's keep this secret just between us. We wouldn't want to get into any trouble with your father. But maybe tomorrow we'll do this again with him and Hannah. How does that sound?"
"That sounds great!" The two said.
"Alright, let's get those chores taken care of." Adam said as he walked beside the two children, ready to handle whatever chore that needed to be done.
As the day went on, Adam spent countless hours tending the fields with James. While he did not have his full strength, he helped the young boy plow the fields. Watching the young boy sweat reminded Adam of all the hard work he had gone through when he was his age. Memories of childhood came rushing back when he spent a great number of time training with his mentor. With every day that went by, Adam's body was soar from all the training, but in doing so it made him strong and prepared for what lied beyond the Central Cathedral. Watching James use all his strength to plow the fields, Adam saw how this bow showed he were to be sent to the Axiom Church, there would be no doubt that he would make it through the training.
While James was at the head of the plow, driving it into the dirt, Adam remained at the front where he guided a horse to help James with his work. In Adam's eyes, this did not seem right. Why does a small boy have to do all the heavy work while he, a Knight, is comfortably walking down the field. If it weren't for his injuries, the roles would have been reversed. But given his body's state, there was nothing he could do until he was fully healed.
During this moment, while James was plowing the fields, Freya followed behind him as she began to plant some seeds into the newly soft soil. The Knight turned back and smiled at how Freya was doing her part of the job. But what made this moment even more special was watching this brother and sister work together.
Adam never had any siblings. To him, the Integrity Knights were the only family he knew. While he saw some knights such as General Bercouli and Lady Fanatio as his commanding officers, there were some who saw him as a brother.
For starters there was Eydis Synthesis Ten who enjoyed nothing more than to playfully tease Adam as if he was her younger brother. Oh how he soon began to remember all the times she got the two of them into trouble. Whether it was sparring on the training grounds, or studying in the libraries, she alway seemed to make every day interesting. Even when the two of them were assigned disciples, Eydis would try to see the positive side of things, despite how difficult Fizel and Linel made things.
Another knight that Adam formed a strong relationship with was Alice Synthesis 30. Even though she was one of the newer knights, she shared the same goals as Adam and was driven to rid the world of evil. While their methods differed, Adam saw how this young girl showed potential and would often spend time with his little sunflower to make sure her training was going well. It's times like this that made him wonder how she was doing.
Despite how he was able to form strong bonds with Eydis and Alice, there were some knights who were difficult to get along with. While some were expressionless and showed no emotion, there were those who lacked a spine, and there were some who were driven by their pride and glory. Despite all that amongst all the knights in the Axiom Church, it was Deusolbert who he saw as a father figure.
Whether he liked it or not, had it not been for Deusolbert and his training, Adam would have died at a very young age. Not only did he learn how to take control in a battle but Adam also learned many skills that would seem useful outside the battlefield. He may not enjoyed Deusolbert's teaching methods, but the lessons he learned under his mentor are what carried him this far in life. Now, looking at the situation he was in, he finally saw how there was some truth to his master's words. Perhaps, sooner rather than later, he would have a chance to make amends with his teacher.
With the sun beginning to set beneath the mountains, Adam, James, and Freya were tired from a hard days work. Their clothes were covered with the stains of dirt, grass, as they sat on the porch of the house. While James still had enough energy to ask more questions about Adam's life, Freya was too tired to even lift a finger. As a token for their hard word, Adam allowed each of them one small wish.
For James, who was fiddling with his wooden sword, had recently spent the last hour learning all hat he could on how to properly use a sword from his new teacher, Adam. The knight gladly accepted the boy's request and for a brief moment of time the two playfully sparred with one another as Adam used a broom to teach James. The two had a wonderful time as they playfully crossed their pretend swords with one another.
For Freya, all she wanted was to sit on the knights lap and rest her head. She had spent the whole day working on the fields and gardens while also giving orders out to the boys, that she was too tired to stand up. Being ever so kindly, Adam allowed the little girl to sit on his lap while she quickly took a small nap. But as she rested her head on his chest, Freya could hear Adam's heart beating within him and was amazed to hear how strong this knight's heart was beating.
As the trio waited on the porch, Adam looked out onto the road and saw Henry and Hannah make their way home with their wagon less packed than how it originally left the farm. Adam, James, and Freya began to regain their strength as they slowly got off the porch to welcome back Henry and James. The knight walks over to the wagon with James walking beside him and while carrying Freya with his one good arm. Henry and Hannah were surprised to see how Adam was starting to regain his strength, given how he was carrying Hannah's younger sister in his arm. Henry is the first to speak. "I take it you had a busy day."
"I did." Adam responded before looking at the near empty wagon. "It also looks like you were busy as well. Must have been a good day."
"It was." Hannah said as she walked over to take Freya off of Adam. "We were able to sell most of our produce and with your help, we were able to get higher quality ingredients for tonight's dinner."
"Glad I could be of service." Adam said who was glad to hear that the money he gave them was put to good use.
"I hope Freya and James weren't too much trouble." Hannah said. "Sometimes they can be a little bit of a handful."
"They were no trouble at all." Adam said before giving a warm smile to Hannah who then took her brother and sister inside the house to get washed up for dinner.
While Adam watched Hannah leave, Henry noticed how his oldest daughter looked back at the knight before she walked into the house. Like any father, Henry was over protective of both his daughters especially Hannah who always seemed to trust people too easily. The elderly man walks behind Adam to get his attention on another matter. "I delivered your armor and letter just like you asked."
Adam felt Henry's hand placed on his shoulder and turned around to face the man. "Thank you. I trust that the coin was enough to cover most of the expenses."
"It was." Henry said. "I first made sure that your letter was given to our town's fastest rider. When he saw that your letter was being delivered to the Axiom Church, it became a top priority for him. But even with the fastest horse, it should take him a few weeks until he reaches the capital."
"Very well, and what about my armor?"
"I was able to take it to our local blacksmith." Henry said. "The moment he saw the stats on your armor, he almost had a heart attack. He said that even if he had all the time of the world and with the best equipment money can buy, he still wouldn't have enough skills to restore your armor back to how it was originally."
Hearing these words made Adam chuckle a bit. "Well this armor was forged within the walls of the church, so I won't be surprised if it's not completely restored, so long as it's in decent shape,"
"Well in that case, you will be happy to hear that it will take him a couple of weeks until it's ready." Henry said as he began to unload the wagon before Adam decided to help the old man with his remaining produce.
"Very well." Adam said as he took down a couple of bags of vegetables off the wagon. "In that case, it seems I will be in your service for the time being."
"Well in that case I suggest you get yourself cleaned up for supper. You smell like a horse's ass." Henry said in a lighthearted manner which made both men chuckle a bit.
After the two men finished unloading the wagon, it wasn't long until Adam walked inside the house where he was directed toward a bathroom. There he saw a small tub filled with water while a spare change of clothes was laid right next to it that probably belonged to Henry. It had been a while since Adam had a quiet bath but the knight knew that with dinner being made he had to clean himself up as quickly as possible. But with every scrub he could feel a small amount of pain that reminded him of the night he and his dragon crashed.
With his body clean from all the dirt and sweat, Adam adjusted his clothes as he walked into the kitchen and saw the entire family sitting at the table waiting for him. Across the table was a pleather of food fit to feed a small band of troops. Roasted vegetables and freshly baked bread sat alongside nicely cooked salted meat. The site of this meal made Adam's stomach growl as he was happy to see that Henry and Hannah were able to get a good meal for tonight.
As he sat at the table, he noticed how each member of the family was holding hands with one another. While Henry sat at the head of the table, to his right he held hands with his oldest daughter, who then grabbed hands with her younger sister who extended an open hand to the knight. Adam accepted this gesture and held hands with her before he grabbed hands with James who held his father's left hand.
A brief moment of silence fell upon the room as each member of the family bowed their heads and closed their eyes before Henry spoke. "Thank you Stacia for this meal that you have provided and we also thank you for our guest who has helped us in more ways than we could imagine."
"Praise Stacia." Everyone said before they began to serve their empty plates with the food that was cooked. The sound of knives cutting through the meet and forks picking at the cooked vegetables filled the silent room as everyone enjoyed their meal but were nervous on who would make conversation.
"Thank you, this is very delicious." Adam said after he swallowed a piece of meat.
"You're welcome." Hannah said who blushed a bit while he combed her hair behind her ear. "I'm guessing they serve much better food at the Axiom Church."
"You'd be right to assume something like that, and even though the food is good, for some reason the food at this table is far better than what I have tasted in my times at the Central Cathedral."
"What's it like over there?"
"Yeah tell us!"
"James, Freya, let our guest enjoy his meal. I'm sure he doesn't need to be bombarded with questions at the dinner table." Henry said to the two young children.
"Yes Papa." The two kids said together who were a bit sad after being scolded by their father.
"No, it's no trouble at all." Adam said who wanted to lighten the mood. "When you first walk through the front gates, you immediately see the most beautiful garden that has ever been grown. Flowers from all over the empire grow along side with one another. And once you walk into the halls of the cathedral, you see artwork at its finest. The walls are painted so elegantly that even a small painting is enough to take your breath away."
Hearing Adam describe the cathedral made the two small children look at the knight with amaze as they were entranced by his words. Hannah wanted to know more about life within the church as well. "Do you have any friends there?"
"One could say that, but I like to think of it as having family. When you spend all your life training alongside with people a lot like you, the line between friends and family begin to blur. Knights become brothers and sisters, and teachers become parents."
"So do you have any brothers?" James asked.
"Or any sisters?" Freya asked.
"Yes, lots of them." Adam responded with a smile. "Although most of my brothers are quiet different from me. Some are brash and arrogant while others are too fearful. As for sisters, I have a handful of them, most of which are far more stronger than me or my brothers."
The thought of girl being stronger than boys made Freya snicker at her brother. As the night went on everyone enjoyed their meal until Henry also asked a question to Adam. "You mentioned how teachers became more like parents."
"Yes, my mentor taught me everything thing I needed to know on how to defend myself." Adam said, before he began to remember his last conversation with Deusolbert. "But when he tried to teach me more, I was too stupid to listen."
"Our big sister is going to be a teacher!" Freya said.
"Is that so?"
"Freya." Hannah said who was a bit embarrassed and blushed a bit.
"I think that's a wonderful path." Adam said. "The world needs more teachers."
"Thank you." Hannah said with a gentle smile. "But it's going to be a while until I'm given a classroom to teach without anyone surprising me."
"I'm sure you'll be a great teacher. Probably a far better one than me."
"You're teacher?"
"To some degree." Adam said as he cleared his throat and was ready to talk about Fizel. "I didn't ask for her but I was given a disciple to train and educate. She was strong but also reckless. I tried to be a good teacher to her, but I think I may have set her down a dangerous path."
"When was the last time you saw her?" Hannah asked.
"Probably a few days ago." Adam said. "It's hard to remember but the night your family took me in was the last time I saw my student, my mentor and my sister. But knowing them, I'm sure their quite alright. Anyway, moving onto a much more lighthearted topic, this bread is perhaps one of the best bread I've ever tasted."
After Adam changed the subject, the remainder of the evening was filled with smiles and laughter as the knight began to have small fun conversations with the farmer's children. But as they ate their meal, Henry could see how this knight was still broken.
As the moon rose to its peak, Adam walked into his room and lied onto his bed and started at the sealing with a smile on his face. It had been a long time since he ever felt some amount of joy and happiness. Perhaps he was reflecting on the day he had with everyone in the family. He enjoyed having breakfast with Hannah, and admired the hard days work he had with Freya and James. Not only that but it had been a long time since he had delicious meal, and the supper he had with the family was something worth remembering.
Knowing that it's going to take some time before his letter reaches the cathedral and for his armor to be restored, it would seem that he was going to be spending some time on this farm until he is ready to return home. Realizing that he'll probably do the same work tomorrow, the knight turns over to a lit candle and blows out the single flame before silently falling asleep. His life as a farmer was just beginning. As the last light of the farm finally went out, all were sound asleep as they drifted off into dreams. But while Adam and Hannah's family slept silently, they were unaware that their home, their lands, and their town, were being watched from afar.
Well that's going to do it for this chapter! Not gonna lie, this one took me a while to finish. A lot work had to go in setting up the farm, getting to know new characters and adding in some character development. But it was needed because after seeing this Integrity Knight at his most vulnerable state we now have a chance to see him explore a new world for him and understand the life of someone living outside the Axiom Church. How will this affect him later on down the line, we'll have to see.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and if you like what you see, add this story to your favorites so you can get all the latest updates! If you have any thoughts, feel free to leave a comment! I'll see you all next time with Chapter 7: A Simple Life.
