"Well, well, what do we have here? A hobo!"
"Kick this guy out."
"Wait, Dame!"
"It's Mr. Roger."
"What?!"
They looked closely at the drunkard, slumped against the statue unconscious. HIs nose was broken from the impact, and he was bleeding, painting the statue crimson.
"Well, we should help with this."
"Yes, Dame Selina."
---
Rivered woke up from his sleep and found his legs tangled around a beer barrel. He slowly climbed down. As he looked around, the tavern was empty, with his friend nowhere to be seen.
"Where have the bastard gone now?"
He quickly brushed the dust off himself and looked for the owner. The owner was nowhere to be found, but a cleaner came in, greeted him, and started cleaning the tables and floor.
He turned to the cleaner. "Hey, you. Where is everyone? And my friends?"
The cleaner bowed respectfully and replied with a polite smile, "Sir, they have left."
"And the owner?" Rivered asked.
The cleaner kept his smile. "He is busy with business, Sir."
Rivered blinked, then gave a polite smile in return before turning away. "Alright."
He stepped out of the tavern, his destination clear, the knight ceremony.
He and his friends had been invited to join the Knights of Avarath in a dungeon raid, and today, with the welcoming ceremony for new knights taking place, they were also invited to attend the event.
The ceremony was set to be held at Knight Solace Grounds, located east of the city. Though slightly distant, it was still nearly part of the city, even if they formally considered themselves separate.
Rivered traveled by carriage, but the Knight Solace Grounds were restricted to outsiders, so he had to disembark at the edge and continue on foot.
The path was clear, with no monsters or stray demons in sight. The knights had already cleared the area, and any remaining would have been captured and used for knight training.
After paying the fare, he stepped off the carriage and gazed at the path leading to the Knight Solace Grounds. He felt a sense of awe, reflecting on how he, once a ragtag mercenary, had been invited to such a prestigious place.
"Those were the days," he grumbled as he walked.
The forest was called Mios, its name derived from the mythical creature once worshipped by the tribal people that once lived here. However, with the annexation of the dungeon, they were soon banished from their own land.
The magic and curse that was brought about by the dungeon carried could not be suppressed, unless they received a blessing from a god.
For the Tribals, there was no blessing.
Even though Mios was a creature of god-like power, he was not a god himself.
So, he couldn't bless his people. In the end, everyone perished, and those who remained were banished. Such was the tragic tale of the Mios People.
Rivered was almost at the door when he spotted the guards, knights standing tall, their frames gaunt and imposing, at the entrance.
As he approached the gate, one of them called out, "State your business, outsider."
Clad in white armor, with a sword and shield in hand, their massive build was almost ogre-like, far from human. Towering over Rivered by meters, they could easily crush the little adventurer if they wished.
Rivered bowed respectfully before the knight and replied firmly, "I am Rivered Callahan of Yorwkisa. I have been invited to attend the knight ceremony by Captain William Silverhorn."
He pulled out a parchment and handed it to the knight.
The knight examined it carefully and paused for a moment.
Rivered grew nervous.
"Alright, you may proceed, Mr. Callahan," the knight finally said.
Rivered heaved a sigh inwardly as he bowed once more to the knight. Offering a respectful parting, he stepped inside the gate.
The knight's solace was something extraordinary. Blessed by the Goddess of Humans, the inner grounds were warm and soothing. The air alone was enough to rejuvenate Rivered from his hangover, and his headache had completely vanished.
The interior was divided into compartments: the central area for training, the eastern wing for rest and lodging, and the western section for events. At the front lay a beautifully arranged garden.
The gardener, a knight themselves, perhaps a junior, was tending to the garden as Rivered passed through. Some stopped and bowed to Rivered, and he returned the gesture.
Admiring the Knight Solace, he made his way to the central training grounds.
A crowd gathering around the center ground, with only two people standing against each other.
In their hands were real weapons, not the wooden training swords or crude metal blades, but finely crafted swords adorned with insignias. One of them, the man's sword, looked strangely familiar.
"A magic sword?!"
He moved closer and asked one of them what was happening.
"Dame Selia has challenged Sir Admiron to a duel," came the reply.
Rivered had heard of Admiron, a noble knight from the Avarath Kingdom, also known as The Night. But he had never heard of this Dame, and her bravery in challenging such a prestigious knight suggested she possessed considerable skill of her own.
He snuffled his way toward a clear view to spectate the duel.
The lady knight wore a white uniform with light armor on her shoulders. Her hair was blonde, tied back neatly, and her eyes were a sharp blue that caught the light.
Her aura was calm and steady. She was focused, her blue energy flowing through her slender frame.
The tip of her sword suddenly glowed, white streaks of light convulsing. But soon, they changed hue, turning blue like the sky. Drops of water began to form, conjured by this radiant blue energy.
On the other hand, Sir Admiron's aura was still, not even flowing. He was prepared to face the knight with sheer strength alone.
His sword, Nightingale, remained calm and steady.
The air was tense, with water vapor swirling around, making it feel slightly cooler.
A voice from the crowd shouted, "It's her unique style."
"Selina's Art: Furious Water Blades"