HOLY KNIGHT

"AAAAAHHHHH!!" 

CRACK!

THWACK!

"OWWWE!"

My eyes snapped open at the commotion. Taking a few moments to remember where I even am as I slowly lift my head up from where it was laying. My right cheek a bit sore from it pressing into the warm ground for an extended period. I vaguely remember laying in the grass under the pasture fence. Guess I passed out.

Blinking away the blurriness in my eyes before they finally adjust to peer at the scene outside of the pastures perimeter. Making out the shape of my brother Leone in his leather training armor rolling in the grass and clutching his bum with both hands. Groaning and whining. His wood training sword settled nearby.

Ah. Now I remember. He invited me along to watch him train with Mr. Thorpe.

As if on que, a tall older gentleman walked into view towards Leone. Dark brown hair left slightly long and slicked back over his head. Face aged over with deep wrinkles. A pair of striking green eyes. Mostly clean shaven save for a well maintained bush of a mustache speckled with gray hairs. Wearing a simple brown tunic and trousers. The old man tapped his wood quarterstaff against his own shoulder. His expression seeming quite unimpressed. Slightly disappointed.

"Leo..." The old man began with a sigh while my brother continued to groan through gritted teeth about his aching bum. "I know having your first skill is exciting and all. But now that you have it it feels like you've tossed all the training we did the past year out of the damn window..."

Oh I see. I was wondering what had even happened during that exchange but that pretty much painted a decent picture. Leone unlocked his first class skill a few weeks ago and has been using it like crazy. It's pretty cool too. He told me it's called [Flash Strike]. Basically shoots him forward super fast when he swings his sword. When he showed me I couldn't even see him move! But the more I watched him use it during his practices the more it was obvious he couldn't control it that well. Even slammed himself into a tree and sprained his arm. Mama scolded him for days but he healed pretty fast.

Leone lifted his head up and scowled at Mr. Thorpe. "It's my skill! I'm supposed to use it! It makes me faster and more powerful!" The 13 year old boy finally getting up to his feet, swiping his wooden sword up from the grass in frustration. His messy black hair tied into a loose bun behind his head.

Thorpe furrowed his brows at the boy. "Yes you are meant to use it. And it is indeed very powerful. But only AT THE RIGHT TIME!" Barking back with that gravely tone.

"The use of a skill is strategic Leo. They are meant to COMPLIMENT your [Sword Art] passive that is the foundation of your fighting style. NOT REPLACE IT!"

Leone flinches and lowers his head but still looks pretty defiant which makes me purse my lips. He has always hated being wrong. Which is why I avoid arguing with him cause he'll just deny everything.

The teenager finally looks up at the old man and comments back. "But it works on the Jackelopes...and I killed that Horned Wolf the same way and you didn't say anything then!"

Mr. Thorpe sighs. "And I should have but I was preoccupied with making sure they didn't make off with any of the calves." Scratching at the bit of stubble on his chin. "But those are monsters Leo. Not even smart ones...basically animals. What I am trying to teach you is how to fight things that are just as smart as you are. That means monsters AND people."

Leo's face scrunches up, still looking away from Mr. Thorpe. The old man waiting to hear some response back before shaking his head and looking off over to me still under the fence. The old guard flashing me a grin. "Evenin sleepy head. Glad you could join us...maybe you can get some sense into your kins thick skull here yeah?"

I raise my head up higher, my eyes blinking in a bit of surprise that I would be asked that. It's not like this is my expertise at all. I mean what am I supposed to say? "Uh...what...would I even be able to say that would help?" I asked pretty apprehensively, noticing Leone's attention having been drawn towards me as well. That incredulous expression on his face making me kind of agitated.

Matching his expression Leone immediately scoffed at Mr. Thorpe. "She doesn't know anything about this stuff. She isn't going to be of any help."

The old man waves his hand dismissively at Leo as he keeps his attention on me. "You've always been sharp as a razor Liore. Anything you notice with how your brother fights with his shiny new [Skill]?"

Mr. Thorpe is definitely trying to egg Leo on judging by the smirk on his face and the teenager in questions comically curved frown. But I'd be lying if I said I am not completely happy to play along. Raising myself up to my feet and patting all the grass and dirt off of my simple dark blue dress. The skirt of which is already pretty worn and frayed a bit on the edges near my ankles. Several spots have been torn and stitched back together.

Looking back up and over to the two as I twiddle my fingers together. Painfully aware of my brothers agitation. "Uh...well. It's a cool [Skill]. Very helpful in...cutting things quickly?" I ask sheepishly to the old man who continues smiling and nods a long.

"That is certainly true. Anything else you notice that might be an issue with your brothers current strategy?"

My lips form a thin line as I contemplate a little on saying what I am actually thinking. "Well...I mean..." Deliberately keeping from meeting Leo's rueful gaze. "He does tend to...go too far forward...and not turn back around fast enough. Especially when he misses."

I clear my throat a little bit before adding. "...and sometimes he looks confused after...or trips..."

Leo's brown skin on his cheeks turn a darker shade as his face scrunches up even more. Mr. Thorpe chuckling. "You are exactly right Liore. He isn't fast enough to correct himself when he misses...misjudges how far he moves after and disorients himself...or trips and smashes into things leaving him vulnerable."

Leone finally grits his teeth and grunts in frustrations. "Okay! I get it! I am done!" Before he starts storming off down the hill towards the village. Leaping over the fence near to me and bolting his way through the pasture. 

Mr. Thorpe and I watch him go for a good minute before he walks up to the fence where I am standing. I turn to look up at him with a little bit of concern eating at me. The old man smiles and just shakes his head. "Don't worry about him. You didn't do anything wrong. I was the one who put you on the spot there."

My face tenses up a little but I nod. "Why did you even have me do that? Like he said, I don't know about any of that sword or fighting stuff. I have no room to say anything."

The old man leans over the fence, resting his elbows on the top plank. "Don't sell yourself short Liore. Just because you don't have a [Passive] for it doesn't mean you can't notice simple mistakes like that. You are much smarter than you give yourself credit for."

My cheeks get a bit hot and I can't help but smile. Enjoying the compliment a lot as I don't often just get those. "Thank you Mr. Thorpe. I guess I'm glad I could...help? But I don't know if Leo will accept any of it."

He chuckles and smirks at me again. "Oh he will. He may not say it aloud but he trusts you a lot more than anyone else."

My brows furrow reflexively at that. "If you say so." Leone certainly doesn't treat me badly but he's always been pretty arrogant ever since he turned 10 and got his first level. It didn't take long after that when Mama enlisted Mr. Thorpe to start training him. The old man is the highest level person in town at level 8. He's the head of the village guard and a former mercenary. So there was no one more perfect.

He has done a great job teaching Leo common sense but my brother is still as arrogant as ever. A lot harder to kick that part it seems.

Mr. Thorpe uses his quarterstaff to stretch out his arms and back a bit before taking a look up at the setting sun. "Well. We should get back. I'm sure your mother has dinner waiting for you. And I need to do some final rounds."

He gives me a pat on the back before he steps over the fence and starts his way through the pasture towards the village. Looking over his shoulder at me as he goes. "Don't stay out too long. We are still on the lookout for that pack of Horned Wolves."

I nod in response. "Yes sir. I'll be right behind you." Spending a minute or so watching him get further away before looking up at the setting sun myself. Nearing the horizon as it baths the dense forests around the area in waning light. The hill we are on is the highest point in the village just at the edge of our cattle pasture. But there are other higher hills in the area outside of our land. The village being in a pretty mountainous area on the southern side of the Grand Continent. Pretty far from a lot of other settlements.

I've always felt even more secluded out here.

I return my attention back towards the village down the hill. Leaning myself over and resting my chin on the fence. The skirt of my dress billowing a bit in the wind.

The village is pretty small compared to the others up north. Still relatively new. A decently sized wooden palisade wall rounding most of it with a few simple watchtowers spread throughout to help watch the fields outside. There's only about 60 or so people living in it right now. And that includes their families and mine. About 30 cottages of varying sizes. 10 or so other wood structures for shops and store houses. A small river cuts through the center with two bridges on either ends of the village.

It's not terrible. It's rather cozy in fact. But it's certainly not where I would want to spend my entire life. But I don't really have much of a choice.

My shoulders sag as I can't help but sigh. "...May the Blinded See"

_________________________________________

[LEVEL-00]

//Name: Liore Perro

//Age: 9

//Class: [Farmer] [Unlocks in 3 Months 8 Days 17 Hours]

[SKILLS]

//null

[CLASS QUESTS]

//null

_________________________________________

My [Window] snaps open before my eyes. Giving it a good long stare at my closely encroaching [Class] level. Something I used to be quite excited for until I learned more about the truth of it.

Smoothing out my skirt before starting the walk through the pasture, being careful on the slope of the hill. My eyes are still transfixed on my [Window] while watching the countdown to my 10th birthday. If I think hard enough it will even count down the minutes for me. Cementing my dread even further until I shake my head and dispell it out of frustration. I find myself doing this way too often.

It's not like anything my parents said about the [Farmer] class weren't true. They certainly are the foundation of life on the Grand. Necessary to pretty much every facet of it. But the reality is that we are also the most common. And since the resources we generate are so vital, the government exerts a lot of control over us. 

They choose where we farm, what we can produce, how much we can produce, and who we can sell to. And when farming villages start producing more [Farmer]'s, the government gets to suggest what their children get to specialize in. Of which I have been told I'll be trained to specialize in crops meant for food. Most of the other kids in my village are [Farmers] as well. 

That is with the exception of my older brother Leo...

Leo is a special case. Most classes are hereditary. There was about a 50/50 chance I would be a [Chef] like my dad. Which honestly I might have preferred now. At least then I wouldn't get stuck here for the rest of my life.

But Leo is one of a rare few who were born with a unique class. They don't happen very often, even amongst the children of combat focused classes. But he was born as a [Holy Knight]. Which my dad says there are only about 8 of on the entire continent. One of them being the legendary Light Saint Stryga that Commands the defensive front way up north. 

It's by law that kids like Leo who are born as Clerics, Paladins, or other such Holy classes are to be inducted into the ranks of the Holy Order in the capital where they will be raised. He was supposed to get picked up a long time ago but we are very far from the Capital so it was put off several times. Which Mama appreciated. 

But now Leo is leaving soon. A group sent by the Holy Order should be arriving in the next couple days to pick him up. And it still doesn't feel real to me.

My lip quivers a bit as those thoughts surface, already having walked for quite awhile when I finally reach the front gate to the village. Some of the Guards in their leather jerkins and wielding their spears give a wave to me as I pass. The gates are still open but should be closing up soon. My boots crunch over some strewn leaves on the dirt road lined between the cottages. Some of the younger kids run past as the bell for the evening is chiming. The sun half set on the horizon.

I pass by a wood and stone building with an open front. A smithy. Mrs. Everett inside still in a light tunic and a leather apron banging away at a project before bed. She mostly makes things like tools and horseshoes unless one of the guards breaks a spear or something. Her wife is a [Seamstress]. The only one in the whole village so she is always super busy. She made most of my clothes in fact.

Mrs. Everett wipes some sweat from her brow and gives me a wave which I return in kind. My boots hitting wood as I pass over the bridge on the east side of the village. And on the right just as I step off is a somewhat larger cottage. The wood is more aged and a cobblestone porch out front. My home. One of the oldest here.

I can hear muffled voices inside as I take the couple steps up onto the porch, kicking the dirt off of my boots before pulling the latch on the door to swing it open. Stepping into a small entrance room with two doors. One at the back and another on the right. On the left is a small foot high shelf to place shoes. Kicking off my boots and settling them next to my brothers before heading to the door at the back where the voices are coming from. Pushing it open gently to open up into the kitchen area. 

My brother is already sitting at the table scarfing down a bowl of stew. A bread roll clutched tightly in his left hand that he keeps taking angry bites of. Usually Mama would scold him at this point but she seems to be occupied with the current guest. Mother is sitting on the other side of the table with several pieces of parchment documents in front of her. Her reading glasses are on, settled over the bridge of her nose. Next to the table looking over her at them is a tall heavy set man in a white tunic and gray trousers that are kept up over his round belly with some suspenders holding on for dear life. Shaven head and a bushy blonde beard. Heavy tired bags under his eyes. Mr. Wyatt is his name. Him and Mama basically run the village together as their the highest level [Farmers] here. Both at level 5.

Mother's brows are firmly pinched, her soft poufy hair still braided up on her head indicating she is still in work mode. "And you've triple checked the soil in all 3 fields?"

"Aye. Done it every day this week. It's definitely getting worse. Whole sections of crop are drying up. Soils turning white as salt." The heavy set man states, rubbing at his eyes.

The sigh my mother gives is laced with so much frustration. "First the Horned Wolves getting bolder and now this. What the hells is going on..."

Her eyes close as she ponders a decision. I can see my own dinner steaming at my usual spot at the table but I am afraid of interrupting. But as if reading my thoughts, Mama notices me and uses her foot underneath the table to push my chair out for me. "No need to wait dove. Eat your fill. Mamas just finishing up a bit of work." Her smile always having a way to break my anxiety, I slowly slide into my chair and pick up my spoon to start digging into the stew in front of me.

The stew certainly isn't anywhere near what Papa can make but it's still good. Like most of the families here we get pre-prepared dried up blocks of stew and other meals from the [Cook]'s in the village. All Mama really needs to do is throw them in a pot or pan with some water.

After I start eating, Mama turns back to Mr. Wyatt. "I'll write up a letter and two copies tonight and send Perry out with them to Llanercost tomorrow. See if we can't get some kind of inspector out here."

Wyatt nods slowly but grunts out in response. "What about the people coming in soon for Leo? Maybe you can get a word in with them about it. Might help us get a quicker response at least."

Mother folds her arms over her chest. "I suppose I could. But I doubt some Paladins will want to hear about our lesser problems." Leaning her head back in her chair for a moment before glancing to her colleague. "Worth a try though...I'll scan the fields with you in the morning."

The bearded man gives a curt nod. "We'll figure it out Yara. Have a good night you three!" He states, flashing us a grin before exiting the cabin.

Just as he was leaving Leo finished up his dinner and quickly placed his bowl and spoon in the wash tub between the counters. Rushing to the door that lets out into the den before coming to a halt as mother speaks. "Where are you going in a rush?"

Leo clears his throat and looks over his shoulder at mother. "Uh...just going to bed Mum."

Mothers lips purse as she props her elbow on the dining table and rests her chin into her palm. Reaching up with a free hand to untie her hair from it's beehive shape that she had it in. Her hair coming down in several large thick braids down her back. Nearly reaching her waist. "Can you stay up just a tad bit longer to tell me how your training went?"

Leo's eyes glanced over at me before back to mother. "It...it went fine...but I am really tired so I just wanna go to bed now."

Our Mother gave her son a brief stare before she sighed a bit too dramatically. "Alright. Go get your beauty sleep little Knight. Mama will just have to bother you about it tomorrow."

Leo didn't respond back before stepping into the den and likely heading back to his bedroom. Once we heard his footsteps quiet, Mother then shifted her attention to me with her brows knitting. "Okay. What happened?"

I look up from my stew and swallowing another mouthful of meat and vegetables. "He's...mad...cause Mr. Thorpe was getting onto him about using his new sword skill too much." I respond quietly while pushing around a chunk of meat in my bowl. "Mr. Thorpe also asked me what I thought Leo was doing wrong...and Leo didn't like what I said..."

Mother sighs, leaning back to slump in her chair. "Was really hoping Old guard would be able to curb that arrogance before he got picked up." She would say as she reached over to grab a bread roll from the wood plate in the middle of the table. Taking a bite of the roll as she mulled over her thoughts. "I know he'll be fine. They'll train him much better. But your brother worries me sometimes with how much he over estimates himself. And out there you can't afford to be too confident...it'll get you killed."

I nod along to her as I eat away at my stew. My mother vents to me a lot since dads not here. Even when I have no idea what she is talking about, like when she's complaining about money issues and village problems. I don't mind though. It helps ease her mind and makes me feel mature. But this time I do actually understand what she is getting at. "Leo will be okay Mama. He's smart. And he learns really fast."

She smiles at me as she finishes off her roll. "That he is. I am just being a worry wart." Leaning over the table closer to me. My bowl mostly empty as I slurp up the rest of the broth inside. She reaches over and brushes some of the thick tufts of hair out of my eyes. "Just a few more months and you'll be out there with Mama. Exciting isn't it?"

The corners of my mouth sort of tug down at the reminder. Mothers eyes going softer as she cups my cheek. "You need to stop thinking about this so negatively Liore. It's an important time of your life. And it's what you were meant to be." She tries to assure but can tell nothing she said is getting through to me. "I know...I know you haven't been as excited for this the past couple years...and that's not abnormal...we've all been there. Thinking the same things you are..."

"We do have it pretty hard. Don't have a lot of freedom. But that doesn't mean you are stuck here little dove." Mother would say, sliding out of her chair and coming to kneel down in front of mine. Holding on to my hands. "Like I said a while back. You just have to work hard...and you'll get the chances to get moved around to other farms all over the Continent. The government needs fresh [Farmer]'s all the time for new settlements. We can get you there."

She had definitely told me this several times before. And although it is true that the government does recruit [Farmer]'s when there is another fertile plot claimed. They would never recruit from such a small village. Mr. Thorpe already confirmed that for me. But I don't want to get into another long talk about all this again. So I just do what I always do. I nod and force a little smile. "Okay Mama. I'll work really hard."

I couldn't really tell whether she believed me or not. But it seemed like it was enough. She gives my cheek another pat. "That's my girl. Go on off to bed."

After giving mother a short hug, I stepped out of the kitchen into the den. Turning left to head down the hall towards the bedrooms. Leo's is on the left and mine is on the right. While Mama and Papa's is the door further back. I slink past Leo's door, not hearing anything going on inside before stopping in front of mine and pushing it open.

My room is small but cozy. Just enough room for my twin sized bed and a dresser for my clothes. A window right above my bed that I open the blinds for to let the moonlight in. Getting out of my dress and into a nightgown before sliding beneath the covers.

I lay there quietly for a few minutes. Letting myself settle. Staring up at the ceiling. 

"Let the Blinded See"

_________________________________________

[LEVEL-00]

//Name: Liore Perro

//Age: 9

//Class: [Farmer] [Unlocks in 3 Months 8 Days 14 Hours]

[SKILLS]

//null

[CLASS QUESTS]

//null

_________________________________________

Leo is leaving soon. Off to train to be a hero. See the world. Slay monsters and demons. Maybe even have stories written about him that I'll read someday.

And I'll be here. Tilling dirt. Planting seeds. See the same thing everyday. Stagnant.

My eyes grow heavy as I stare blankly up at the white bolt lines floating above my head. Spelling out my fate. 

Vision blurs before my eyes finally close.