Chapter 2
The march was closing in on the Sand Bastion. The demon's stronghold. They had about thirteen miles to cover still. But the demon king's corruption had started to take its effect on nature around them.
The sky was a dark shade of yellow, cold and sandy winds blowing through the desert wasteland, the trees around had died and their dried trunks and branches lay in the winds as if skeletons marking unnamed graves. Skeletons of animals of all kinds lay half buried in the sand, poking their bony heads out to greet the marching party. The weather was cold and dry, even though the desert was supposed to be hot.
Natsu and his friends had been discussing their past adventures to cut the time. Some told stories of how they had defeated bandits, ravagers and raiders. Some told of the goblins they had defeated and that's how they had been promoted to knights in the first place.
At this advent, Levy patted Natsu's shoulder.
"So… how did you get promoted to knight, Natsu?"
Natsu looked at her. All his attention was towards his surroundings. He had heard that the closer they got to the demon's stronghold, the greater the corruption on the animals around. He had heard stories of dragons and wyverns and trolls that had been corrupted by the demon's power and turned into ferocious and vile beasts that attacked everything around them. If that were true, would the marching party have to face such beasts here? He was understandably alert and cautious.
"I… I managed to defeat some raiders that had kidnapped the local tavern owner's daughter in Bardstown."
Levy wondered about that. "Oh that's right. You managed to kill Cobra, the raider leader that had devastated and terrorised most of the northern settlements for the longest time. He… he was a Paladin level threat. How did you manage to beat him?"
Natsu didn't want the talk to get here. "The tavern owner's daughter distracted him while I thrust my sword in his back. It wasn't the most honourable thing to do. But… I had to do it."
"Hmm…" Levy pondered. She patted his shoulder. "It's okay, Natsu. The important thing is that you finished your mission. I definitely think you deserved to be promoted after that."
Natsu thought about that. Did he really? He halted… and fell behind the march. He looked up at the sky, wondering. Was that mission really that important? That mission was at the end of the commission list, forgotten and forsaken. If he hadn't taken it, no one would have. And none of the higher ranking knights wanted that commision. That really told Natsu that what he did wasn't as important.
He had told the Round Table representative that he had attacked Cobra from behind, and didn't deserve the honour of a promotion unless he could beat an enemy in fair combat. The representative was of the idea that Natsu be promoted anyways since there was a lacking link in their chain of commands. Essentially, they needed more knights amongst their ranks.
Natsu still didn't think he deserved that promotion. If it wasn't for his good fortune, he wouldn't even be a knight in the first place. He would just be stuck as an initiate.
"Keep moving, knight. Don't get left behind."
He heard a voice from behind. That voice was heavy and unimaginably muffled, as if the helmet that the man was wearing was thick and robust.
Natsu turned around… and gasped.
He looked at the giant of a knight staggering behind him, his Cloak armour clanking loudly. It was large and bulky, almost 7 feet tall, and that told Natsu that the man within was almost the same height.
He halted as he gawked at the behemoth walk past him, his armour clattering and creating an unimaginably fearsome tune. Natsu knew immediately that this man was a sentinel. His armour was thick and dented at places, as if he had been in his fair share of ruthless combat missions for the order. If he was a sentinel, he must be a war hero. That was a given.
So this was the legendary Cloak armour that he had heard so much about.
Natsu quickly joined his tail, and found himself completely hidden from the sun by the massive shadow that the man created. Natsu looked up at him, and found the sun hidden behind his fearsome figure, painting him as a dark silhouette in Natsu's eyes. Who was he?
The sentinel spoke. "Natsu. Is that your name, knight?"
Natsu gawked at his impressive figure, not really hearing what he was saying. "Huh?"
The sentinel repeated. "Natsu. Your name."
Natsu found himself faltering as he walked. The sentinel knew his name. Was he under observation by the top brass? Had he made a mistake? Suspicion of desertion?
"Yes… yes sir!" Natsu fumbled, and spoke louder than necessary.
Some knights up ahead turned around to look at him. The sentinel cackled deeply.
"At ease, soldier. Just making some friendly conversation."
Natsu watched him in surprise. He had never talked to a sentinel before. He had only ever watched them from a distance. They kept mostly to themselves, and didn't usually bother themselves with knights. If at all, they talked briefly and curtly with paladin captains themselves. So… why was this particular sentinel making friendly conversation with him?
Natsu fumbled with his next question.
"How… how come you know my name, sir?"
The sentinel looked at him, his brass coloured intricately designed helmet reflecting the sunlight. "Bardstown. You were there. You slayed Cobra, and rescued a local tavern owner's daughter from him. I was following your mission closely."
Natsu's jaw dropped. This sentinel was watching him? A sentinel… watching him. "Why… Why were you following my mission?"
The helmeted head of the sentinel turned away and looked to the sky.
"Hmm? It was an honourable cause, for one. None of the higher ranking knights wanted that mission. So it was pushed to the side, as if cursed. You took that mission even though you knew it didn't carry much weight in terms of rewards or reputation. You took that commision because you wanted to help the people that needed it. And second… I wanted that mission for myself."
Natsu's eyes widened. "But… Why, sir? Why would you want that mission? Wouldn't it be beneath you?"
The large man shook his head. "No. It's not beneath me. As a knight… helping someone in need is never beneath me. That's what I have been taught. That's what I try to teach others. If there is a life to be saved by your sword, that becomes your duty. If there is evil to be defeated with your might, it becomes your responsibility to defeat that evil. What's our motto, young knight?"
Natsu gulped and fumbled with his words. "To… to fight for those that can't, sir."
The man looked at him. "Say it with pride! To fight for those that can't! To fight for the weak. To fight for the famished. To fight for the poor and the destitute. They are the ones that are targeted by the evils of the world. That's who we fight for. That's who we pick up our weapons for. To defend and protect. That's… that's what you did. Think of the lives you saved by picking up your sword. Think of the evil that you ended by swinging your blade. Your strength was used to preserve and protect. For a knight, there's no greater honour. Always remember that."
Natsu heard all that. He looked down at the ground he was walking on, his every next step covering a few feet. The voice of that man still echoed in his mind. He… he had never thought about what he had done in that way. He had saved lives. He had defeated evil. He had protected someone. That means… that means his attempts weren't in vain. He did make a difference in the world. He did deserve to be a knight.
He found himself smiling. This feeling of joy and glee in his heart. It was something that he had never felt before. He had never felt this accomplished before. Never had he felt before that his presence and worth amounted to something.
He looked back at the sentinel and found him staring ahead, his massive body moving up and down with each of his steps. He was responsible for teaching Natsu something valuable. A sentinel was bound by oath to never lie. Which meant that every word that this man had said to Natsu was the truth.
Natsu approached with another question, this time a bit louder. "May I know your name, sir?"
The man looked at Natsu again. "Have you heard of the Ram?"
Natsu nodded. "I have sir. Sentinel Captain Gildarts. He is a legend in the Ordeal. A hero. It is said that none can match his strength and skill with his greatsword."
The man laughed. "Flattery will get you nowhere, son. I don't know about a hero, but I am the Ram. Gildarts. That's my name."
Natsu halted walking. His jaw dropped and his eyes widened. He had been talking to the Ram this whole time? Sentinel Captain Gildarts? The highest ranked amongst their order, with strength and magic prowess equalling that of the Hero himself?
Natsu just stood still at one place, gawking at the large man walking ahead. He was lagging behind, and the march went onwards.
Gildarts halted and turned his head around to look at Natsu.
"Come on, Natsu. Don't get left behind—"
Before he could finish the sentence, Gildarts vanished from his position. He appeared right before Natsu in a matter of seconds, so fast even through his heavy armour as if he had teleported. Natsu was overshadowed by the large man. He looked up, and found that Gildarts had extended his hand over the top of Natsu's head.
"Out of the way, kid." He groaned.
Natsu slowly moved out of the way. When he stepped by the road and turned around, he gasped.
What stood before Gildarts, and what had been standing behind Natsu before he moved away was a behemoth minotaur, almost 8 feet tall, a giant in itself. It's two arms held a giant battle axe that he had brought down upon Natsu, and if it weren't for Gildarts' arm that he had extended over Natsu, the axe would have cut Natsu in half right down the middle.
The minotaur shrieked loudly, and used its remaining two arms to unsheath another battle axe that it prepared to swing at Gildarts.
In a flash, Gildarts unsheathed his greatsword and ran it across the minotaur's chest. The monster halted all its motion and stood still and silent, after which blood seeped out of the sides of the cut and ran down its body and legs. The upper portion of the minotaur fell down towards the right side, while the lower portion plopped down over the left.
There was silence.
The commotion caused the march ahead to stop and turn around, at which they all unsheathed their weapons, but the fight was already over. Gildarts had slain the monster in a matter of seconds.
Gildarts exhaled loudly and swung his giant sword around with one hand, as if a popsicle stick, rinsing it, and the blood on it splattered near Natsu's feet. Natsu watched the sand turn red.
Gildarts looked at Natsu. "You okay, kid?"
Natsu nodded.
Gildarts sheathed his sword behind his back, and slowly approached the downed minotaur. He checked its horns.
"Male… packless…. Rogue. 119 years old."
He used his right thumb to lift the minotaur's eyelid up and checked its irises. He called for Natsu.
"Look. White irises. Look like the moon, don't they? This minotaur was corrupted by the demon's power in the area. Went berserk. Unfortunate. Minotaur are wise and gentle creatures… us humans could learn a thing or two from them."
He stood up and called for a Paladin captain. One came running by the rows of knights and paladins that stood by. He knelt on a knee before Gildarts.
"Tell everyone to be on their guard. We are entering the area where the demon's power is starting to corrupt the local wildlife. Even intelligent creatures."
The paladin captain nodded and got back on his feet. He ran back forward and disappeared.
Gildarts looked at Natsu. "We must hurry, Natsu. Come on. En garde."
Natsu nodded. Gildarts looked ahead and walked off.
Natsu breathed heavily, his stomach and insides churning like no tomorrow. He was this close to death. A painless death that he wouldn't even have felt. Just a snap and he would be gone. Was this what awaited him at the demon's castle?