Knightdude

>it was one sided
>everything started so fast, it ended even faster
>the soldier fought as hard as he could, and his steel broke before he did
>the ax's blade shattered during an encounter, leaving him with a useless pole to defend himself
>then the flash came
>it was brilliant, blue, and it vibrated in the air gently as it flew overhead
>the fighting stopped, just for a moment
>he used this to his advantage, grabbing a crossbow that had either been discarded when a brawl had happened, or had been dropped when its user had been slain, and aiming towards the nearest distracted swede he saw
>then it took him
>the knight was sucked into the vortex, flailing wildly in confusion and panic
>he stopped after a moment, and starred outside the portal
>a black void, dark as the night sky and deep as the vastest ocean, surrounded him
>there was nothing
>he screamed
>then there was a crash, the void was gone, and he was on his ass
>the knight took a moment, pausing to take in what he saw, the void, the blackness, all of it
>he looked up, his eyes readjusting to the daylight
"Not again!"
>he looked up at the figure the voice came from
>she...he...it?
>it stood several feet taller than him, on stilt-like legs ending in what he recognized as hooves
>he looked up at its face
>he screamed again


"Gah, stop yelling!"
>it demanded
>he recognized what it said
>no, he understood it perfectly
>he shut his mouth, glaring daggers at the creature
>lying to himself that his anger overwhelmed his fear
>"You speak German?" he asked, standing up
"What?"
>"German. You speak it." he insisted, pointing at its nonexistent mouth.
"What? No, I don't. I don't even know what German is."
>it butchered the pronunciation
>he scratched the top of helmet out of habit
>"Then how are you speaking it?"
"Oh-I"
>it slapped its hand against her forehead
>its two fingered hand
>he shuttered involuntarily
"It an effect of coming here. It just seems like I speak it."
>it explained, making gestures with its grotesque hands for emphasis
>he wasn't following
>the thing began to dig through a nearby chest
>"What are you?" he asked, not caring how rude it sounded
>it chortled, the disgusting sound only furthering his fear
"A woman, obviously."
>this was not entertaining
>"Are you keeping me here?"
"No, you can leave, but I would-"
>The soldier made a break for the door immediately
"Wait, wait!"
>the creature ran to the door frame after him, trying to stop him
>the man has already left the building, and is in awe staring at the surroundings while still walking away at a steady pace
"Wait! There's a town on the other side of the island! They can help!"
>he heard, but didn't take it to heart, his brisk walk turning into a sprint away from the creature, eager to find someone less monstrous to explain where he was

>it had been days
>no food, unsure if the water was safe to drink, and minimal sleep in order to keep any other monsters away
>it was driving him wild, stir crazy
>he was leaned against a tree, his crossbow and useless pole resting against his knee and shoulder respectively
>flies swarmed around him
>had they already deemed him dead?
>maybe, he didn't pretend to know
>he closed his eyes, taking a rest
>chirkp.
>chirkp.
>chirkp.
>he opened his eyes again, looking for the source of the noise
>it walked on two legs, like a chicken, but it looked like a worm for any other direction
>but more important than its appearance was the fact that it hadn't noticed him
>it didn't know he was there
>he had the element of surprise
>he had one shot at this
>shakily and raggedly he stood up, careful to not make any noise
>he grabbed his pole, turning it upside down and snapping the bottom of the hard wooden stick, making it into a very poor spear from the wooden splinters
>carefully, he snuck behind the beast and reared his homemade weapon back
>the creature turned to look at him, but all too late
>he slammed the pole's splintered end into the monster's back, causing its legs to buckle and it to collapse onto the ground
>dead in one blow
>this single blow had taken everything out of him, leaving him panting
>food
>he tucked his pole and crossbow under his shoulder, and grabbed the beasts's body, dragging it along with him
>he dragged it to a lake he had seen while wandering, dropping both its body and his weapons before shambling over to the body of water, raising his helmet, and dropping to his knees to gorge himself on the water, which had never tasted so sweet to him
>his thirst was quenched, next was his hunger
>he grabbed two branches and some leaves and put them into a neat pile
>he grabbed the beast and tugged it over to the wood pile
>the knight sat down, his armor clacking loudly as he adjusted himself
>the knight looked at the beast
>he had food

>the beast's meat tasted familiar, reminding him of a salmon he had tasted as a child
>but for now, he had been sated, at least momentarily
>now he slept
>he closed his eyes, relaxing in his armor

>the fghting
>the war
>a red sky and a ground of flesh
>corpses, bodies, all mutilated and torn
>cries and shouts, the stench of rust and metal flooded his senses
>pleas for help, grabbing hands tugging at his legs, dragging him further and further in the dirt
>his face is grabbed, a hand covering his eyes and blocking his vision
>the smell stops
>the cries stop
>there is nothing

>he jumps awake, panting from fright and lifting his helmet to take in the sight of the rising sun and the dying fire at his feet
>a dream, nothing more
>he covered his sallet with his hands and shook his head from left to right for a moment before dragging his hands down to his bevor
>he paused for a moment before grabbing his pole and crossbow, tucking them under his arm again
>the town seemed like a sound idea
>company, maybe something not bone chillingly horrifying, good food and water
>he rubbed his chin, smirking under his helmet
>women, too
>the knight set off for the other side of the island, a great level of confidence in his step as he made his way around the lake

>he stopped at the sight before him and sighed
"You! Stop!"
>there went his hopes for women
>and for something that wasn't terrible
>the knight did as he was told
>"Do you know what German is?" he asked, folding his arms, careful to not let his weapons fall
"What?"
>the monster asks, cocking its head
>he notices its missing an arm, noting how odd it is to have a cripple as a guard
>"Nevermind." he shakes his head
"You, er, you need to come with me!"
>the monster orders
>the knight shrugs
>"Fine, then." he agrees
>the creature looks surprised
"You're not going to resist?"
>"Why would I? You're armed, and I have a stick. I have a feeling you know your way around a fight, what with that arm and all." he pointed at the creature's nub.
>the creature shrugs and turns to walk into the village
>the knight follows

>the town disturbs him, not in the fact this it is inhabited by monsters, but by what they have with them
>in olden terms, they would call this 'magic,' or atleast it seemed like that to him
>machines that moved on their own, made sound on their own, and made light, even, on their own
>he kept a close eye on these
"Tornoth will need to talk to you in the morning. But for now, you get to stay here."
>the knight sighed
>"Fine." the knight shook his head slightly
>the creature left, the knight took off the top section of his armor, and laid down on the primitive straw bedding on the ground, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep

>the screams, once again
>the smell, god, the smells
>rust, metal, blood, and the impossibly thick stench of sweetrot
>the screaming is louder, making his eardrums vibrate constantly
>the tugging begins once again
>the knight realizes he can move, beginning to kick at the hands and arms with all his might, breaking their bones under the force of his kicks, each thick crack causing the screams to grow louder
>he knocks them all away, shambles away from them quickly
>walking is neigh-impossible, not due to the weight of his armor but an unseen force pressing against him
>he covers his face with his arms, keeping any debris away from his eyes
>then he hears the beating of drums
>no thoughts escape his mind
>all he can think of is moving forward
>and he does
"WHY DO YOU RESIST?!"
>the voice is incorporeal, each word sending him flying back several feet
>the knight roars in defiance
>he cannot think, but refuses to stop moving towards the core of the voice
>the knight's knee bucks, then his leg straightens, and his knee inverts, causing him to collapse
>his vision blackens
>everything is quiet
>there is nothing

>the knight opens his eyes, quickly looking around the room and frantically observes his surroundings
>it's the room he went to sleep in
>he covers his face in his hands, shaking his head and quivering

>the knight gives himself a moment to recover
>he sighs and stands up, bending over to pick up his armor
>he takes a minute to don the plates, finally placing the helmet over his head before walking out of the bedroom
>he is surprised by the sight outside of it
>a bustling market, with monsters and creatures all lined up to purchase things from the vendors at the counters and tables
>he pushes his way through them, shoulder checking most of them in frustration, even knocking down a few on accident
>he escapes from the crowd after a few minutes of struggle, taking a breath of the fresh air and lifting his visor to improve his line of sight
>the town is on an absolutely stunning coastline, the water is clear, and the sound of the waves are the most familiar thing he has seen in days
>it was relieving, truth be told
>he paused for a minute, taking the sights in before scanning the buildings of the village
>generally, the most ornate building belonged to the chieftain of any tribe
>after about an hour of scrounging around the town, he finally found it
>the leader appeared to be a smith to him, with tools dangling from his waist.
>he looks at the knight, who stands only a foot or so shorter than him
>"You are?" he asks
"I'm Tornoth. I'm a smith."

>the knights eyes light up a bit
>"A smith?" he asks without hesitation
>"Can you-"
"I'm the one asking questions."
>the knight steps back a bit, nervously
>this thing is WELL over seven feet, and looks strong enough to punch a hole in his chest with little to no effort
>upon realizing this, the knight gulps
>"So, why did I need to see you?" the knight asks
"Nobody comes to this village by foot. How'd you end up on the peninsula?"
>he hadn't thought this far ahead
>the knight paused, thinking how weird it would sound if he told the hulk of a beast the truth
>eh, he had nothing to lose
>"Vortex." he admitted
"Excuse me?"
>"Blue vortex-cyclone thing. Met a rather...atrocious looking woman when I came out of it."
>Tornoth groaned
"This is becoming a habit of hers. A bad habit."
>the knight blinked in confusion for a moment
>"This has happened before?" he asked, leaning in slightly
"Sadly."
>Tornoth sighed
>"Well, do you know any way back where I came? It's important, I need to get back there as soon as possible." he insisted
>Tornoth shrugged
"So far, no."
>the words repeated in the knight's head.
>he was stuck here
>for god knows how long, he was stuck here
>alone
>the only human
>the last german
>alone
>Tornoth cleared his throat
"Alright, what is you name?"
>Tornoth asked, clearing his throat
>the knight looked up at him, his depressed and broken face hidden behind his visor
>he opens his mouth to speak

"That's a rather odd name."
>the knight snorted, being genuinely amused
>"Tornoth's an odd name." he joked, to which Tornoth replied with a deep chcukle
"I suppose so."
>the knight smiled under his helmet at the monster
>something about this one seemed a bit more human than the other ones, maybe it was his stature, how he was furred, or possibly the eyes
"Now, what do you plan on doing in the village?"
>now this caught him off guard
>"I'm...not exactly sure, to be honest." he gave an awkward laugh
"What do you mean?"
>"I mean that I just came here by that woman's recommendation, I never expected to be asked what my plans were."
>Tornoth looked at him then shrugged
"Bah, fine."
>"So, am I free to go?" he asked, folding his arms behind his back
"I suppose so."
>the knight nodded and turned to walk away, before remembering something
>"Actually, I need to ask you something." he cleared his throat
"Yes, what is it?"
>"Can you repair my ax?"
>Tornoth paused
"How did you break it?"
>"Before I came here, it's blade busted during the battle-"
"I don't make weapons."
>the knight was a bit taken aback
>"W-what? I just need you to repair it-"
"I said no."
>the knight took the hint
>"Well, then, I should get going." he insisted, walking towards the smithy door.
"Be seeing you."
>he nodded at Tornoth as he exited the building
>with the odd introduction out of the way, the knight found himself wandering around the town
>it was simple, but admirable
>the buildings looked primitive, even compared to what he remembered, but it's self-sufficient machines still disturbed him on an almost primal level
>the town's inhabitants looked to all be of a similar monstrous appearance, but none of them ever had the same appearance
>well, bar one
>this one looked similar to Tornoth, but was much, much smaller, had an overall feminine touch to her, and had a thick layer of sheep-like wool covering her
>she was staring at the knight, her eyes full of curiousity
>"Am I that interesting of a sight?" the knight chuckled
"No! I-I mean yes! I mean..."
>She paused to collect her thoughts
"Are you the one that came from the peninsula?"
>she asked, looking back up at him after fumbling with her hands
>"That is correct." he nodded
>her eyes lit up
"Witch pulled you out of the ether! Gods You look odd! I can't imagine how disorienting this must be to you!"
>well at least she was blunt about it
>"It is rather odd, to say the least." he laughs
"So, is your skin made of some sort of metal?"
>what?
>the knight paused, then realized she was referring to his armor which he hadn't taken off in front of anyone since he got here
>"No, no, it's my armor." he corrected lifting up his visor to show the girl his face
>somehow her curiosity was stoked even further
"And you have five digits, too! It looks so odd!"
>he lowered his hand from his helmet and wiggled his fingers
>in hindsight, it would be a bit odd if you had never seen this before
>"I suppose it is..." he shrugged
"We just have to talk sometime! My name's Shyni, what's yours?"
>The knight chuckled, then opened his mouth to speak

>Shyni carefully looked over his armor, taking a great interest in it
"So, where are you from? I mean, what was it like?"
>the knight paused for a minute, looking for the right words
>"Germani, at least that's what some people called it." he explained
>"Great mountains, warm summers and chilling winters, rolling hills, green, beautiful grasses for miles." the knight reminisced
>"Some of the most beautiful women I've ever seen..."
>he smiles
>then frowns
>then sighs
"Oh, I...I didn't upset you, did I?"
>she sounds genuinely concerned
>"No, no. I'm just thinking. Remembering home, and all."
>she looks a bit anxious, worried that she made him uncomfortable
>he cleared his throat
>"The starkest difference is how you cannont find Sol, here."
"Sol?"
>"The ball in the sky. It's the thing that warms us all."
"That...sounds weird."
>she chuckles
>"It is, people have been studying it recently, though. Granted, we can't do much if it burns our eyes everytime we see it." he jokes
"Is it bright?"
>"Very. It hurts to even look at it. Bright as the night is dark."
"Hmm..."
>she appears to mentally take notes over what he is saying
>"Now, might I ask you a few questions?"
>she looks a bit unprepared for this
"I-I mean you can, but there's not much interesting that goes on in here."
>"Nonsense, this place is unlike anything I've ever seen!"
>she looks surprised
"Really? It's all pretty boring to me."
>"Not to me." the knight laughs.
>"Where I'm from, there's only my kind of people. Here? Here, there's a new type of person every single day." he shrugged
>she furrows her brows
"Are you joking?"
>"Not at all!"
>"But really, I have to ask you. What are those...machines?" he asks, making a 'box' gesture in the air with his fingers
"Oh, the computers?"
>the knight blinks a few times blankly
>"The what?"
>after partially explaining computers and 'processors,' the knight was left just as, if not more, confused
>the two had a round of back-and-forth questions, then the knight bid farewell
>despite the lack of a sun, he could tell it was around midday, from the heat and the position of the shadows
>he smacked his lips
>he was awfully thirsty
>he looked at the building made of a massive shell, and then at the monsters shambling out of it with a gait in its step
>the knight grinned
>a bar
>he strode towards the entrance of the building, opening the door and taking it all in
>drunks, monsters that were passed out, a few in minor squabbles
>the knight grinned as he looked around
>maybe this place wasn't so different after all
>he strode inside and moved towards, what he thought, was an empty seat
>the creature sitting there looked like a worm, but had a singular eye in its 'forehead'
>"Is this seat taken?" he asks, pointing to the seat
"Nah, go ahead."
>he sat down, folding his hands and looking around the bar once again
"So, you new here?"
>the creature asks, looking around as well
>"Does everyone know?" the knight asks, adjusting himself
>the clacking of his armor is rather awkward
"I mean, it's a small town. Word travels pretty quickly. Especially of a visitor with metal skin."
>"It's armor." he corrected, lifting up his visor
>the creature looks surprised
"So you do have eyes."
>it chortled, a disgusting sound that made him shutter
>"You're not the first to make that mistake." he laughed
>"Probably won't be the last, either." he sighed
"So, what are you?"
>the knight turned to look at the creature, who had been observing him for a few minutes now, to his displeasure
>"A man."
"Well, obviously. What's you kind called, though?"
>the knight blinked absently
>"Man." he said again
>the creature gave him a suspicious side glance before shrugging
"Alright then, pal."
>"So, this is a bar, correct?" he asks, leaning forward in his seat and then lifting himself up lightly to get more comfortable
"Correct."
>the creature nods
>"And I assume that is the bartender?" he asks, pointing at the insect-like figure tending to the counter
>another nod
"Among other things, yeah."
>the worm chortles
>"What do you mean 'among other things?'" he asked, giving a side glance at the barkeep
"Hmmm...I dunno, maybe you could jog my memory?"
>he recognized this tactic
>"I'm not paying you." he folds his arms
"Alright, alright."
>the creature puts its arms up defensively
>"I'm going to ask it if they have anything to drink." he said, standing up from his seat
"Alright, whatever man."
>he goes over to the barkeep, sitting down on one of the bar stools
>"How much for a drink?" he asks
>the creature looked him over
"Depends, but the cheapest is about 4 Krats."
>the knight sighed
>he had no money
>not even from Germani
>"Scheiße."
"That's fine, I didn't expect you to have anything."
>the creature giggles
>god that just gets more and more disturbing
>"Well, do you have any work for me to do for a drink?"
"Eager, aren't we?"
>"I just need a drink. It's been rough few days." he shrugged
>the creature laughed
"Well, no. Not yet, anyhow. Maybe you can ask around, see if anyone needs anything."
>the creature suggests with a shrug
>he sighs and stands up from the stool
>"I appreciate it, anyway." he waves off the barkeep and makes his way towards the door
>then stops in his tracks as what looks like a bread knife flies in front of him and sinks into the wood of the door
>he gulps
>the knight plucks the knife from the door and examines it
>exactly what he thought it was, a simple bread knife
>he turns to look at the crowd, his gaze locking onto a set of yellow, reptilian eyes staring at him
>he grumbled
>the knight marched to the figure's table and slammed the knife onto it
>"I believe this belongs to you." he said, starring the figure in the eyes
>the figure grins and winks at him
>he grumbles again, then departs from the bar
>now, to find some work, make some money, and get a damned drink
>there were only two people he had really met here, and only one of them would seem like they needed help with anything
>to Tornoth's smithy it was, then
"Work?"
>Tornoth scratches his chin
"Why? To afford that armor you must be well off."
>"Sir I'm going to b honest with you. I came here during a battle, do you really think I'm going to take money into war?" he asks bluntly
>Tornoth looks a bit taken back
"Well, you're blunt about it."
>he chuckles
>"I'm not going to lie to you. You're a big boy, you can take it."
>he shakes his head for a moment
"Alright, I do have some work, but its late. You go get some rest, and come back in the morning."
>he orders, and the knight sighs
>"Alright. I'll be here as soon as I can, and I trust you'll be up when I get here."
>he snorts
"I'm an old man. I rise before the sun does."
>the knight departs from the smithy, returning to the community hut, taking off some layers of armor, and lying down once again in the straw bedding
>he was stuck here
>but he wasn't alone in being odd
>he would find a way back
>he would not die here
>he would not die the last german
>he sighed and relaxed, closing his eyes and drifting off

>there was nothing
>no noise, no smell, no tugging
>the knight picked a direction and ran
>his armor clanked and clacked as he ran, its noise the only sound he could hear
>the knight stopped running to catch his breath, putting his hands on his knees and panting
>there was no end to this
>he straightened himself up and began to run once again
>again the clacking
>this would have been nothing new, but the second set behind him was
>the knight turned mid-step to face his pursuer
>the armor was all too familiar
>it was his
>the imitation tackled him to the ground, a massive crash as they slammed into the floor
>it swung at him, the knight dodged and kicked it off
>"Who are you?!" he screamed
>the imitation charged and swung his fist into the knight's chest, denting the plate
"You."
>the imitation echoed, a sample of the knight's voice
>it was distorted, like the sound of a rabid animal
>the knight recovered, pushing the armor off
>"This is a dream! I know it!" he insisted
>"You're not real!" he roared at the beast
>the imitation gave a metallic laugh, then charged again before attempting to strike the knight in the head
>the knight staggered back, the blow denting his helmet and making his head throb
>the imitation loomed over him, then leaned down unnaturally low, its spine bending into an insectoid mimicry of a human's
>it lifted its visor
>a monster
>it was a monster, an imitation human that struck fear into his heart
>it opened its stitched jaw
>the imitation looked him in the eyes
"I am you."

>he jolted awake in a panic
>he frantically observed the room he rested in
>his armor was to his left, unclean but otherwise showing no damage
>same with his helmet
>he sighed, shaking his head and standing up
>the knight donned his armor and stretched, heading out the market and making a line to Tornoth's smithy, eager to drink away the fear of his dream
"You're up late. I expected you to be up earlier."
>Tornoth snorted
>"Long night. I'd rather not go into it." the knight insisted with a yawn
"Alright, then I won't pester you. But we still have some work to do."
>Tornoth adjusted his apron
"Have you ever worked a smith?"
>"Once, when I was a boy." he scratched his chin
>"I made a knife if I remember right. It shattered in a hit."
>Tornoth chuckled
"Then it might be a good idea for us to do the sauna first. I can make the nails on my own."
>the knight shrugged
>"Fine by me."
>the two took a moment to gather some rags, sponges, and enough water to guarantee the building would be clean
>it took most the afternoon, but the two successfully managed to restore the sauna to a respectable condition
>it looked fine, not perfect, but it was acceptable
"Well, work requires pay."
>Tornoth searched through one of his pockets and took out a few pearl-shaped lights
>the knight cautiously eyed them
>"That's...that's fine." he rejected the payment
>"You've been as generous to give me shelter, I'm sure I can find money elsewhere." he felt bad to be offered it
>Tornoth eyed him suspiciously
"Alright, I'm going to back to the smithy."
>Tornoth waved him off
>the knight nodded
>he looked at the sauna
>it had been a rough few days, why not
>he took off his armor, the chainmail, and his undergarments, then grabbed a nearby towel

>the sauna was not as relaxing as a good drink, but it worked well enough
>he sighed and grabbed the laddle, pouring water onto the hot stones
>the knight rested his eyes a moment
>he flinched as the door opened
"Oh, you're here."
>Tornoth sighed as he squeezed his way into the room
>"Ah, sorry. I'll head out."
"No, it's fine."
>Tornoth insisted, sitting down across from the knight
>Tornoth must have been much more comfortable with nudity than him, but it didn't bother the knight much
>"So, you finish those nails?" he asked, adjusting himself
>Tornoth replied with a nod
"I appreciate your help with this."
>the knight nods
>then he notices what the monsterous man had in his hands
>"Is that wine?"
>Tornoth looked at the bottle in his hand
"You had this where you were from?"
>the knight nods
>"Wine and lager." he explained
>"Lager had a less...refined taste to it."
"Ah, a common man's drink, then?"
>"Aye." the knight nods
"Didn't expect you to be well versed in drinks."
>Tornoth chuckled
>"Same here." the knight admitted
>he glaced over the bottle again
>"Mind if I see it?" he asked, extending his hand
>Tornoth shrugged and tossed the bottle to him
>"'Devil's spit?'" The knight asked, looking over the bottle's label
"Pah, they always opt to give these strange names. I'd prefer they just say what it is."
>"You and me both." he laughed before tossing the bottle back to Tornoth
>Tornoth took the laddle and poured more water onto the stones
>the two sat there for a moment
"Do you mind if I...I don't know, get something off of my chest?"
>the knight looked up at him
>"Go ahead, I'm not going to stop you."
>Tornoth nodded
"I trust you've met my daughter?"
>"Shyni?" he asked
>"Mmhm, she's a good girl. What about her?"
"Well she...she's malformed."
>Tornoth explained, unscrewing the bottle and taking a swig from it
>the knight looked a bit surprised
>Tornoth cleared his throat as he lowered the bottle
"I originally just thought she was a small child. She was a baby, babies are small."
>Tornoth chuckled
"Then I thought it was what I was feeding her, but that proved wrong as well."
>Tornoth offered the bottle to the knight, who accepted it without hesitation
>"Does she know?" he asked before taking a swig of the wine
"No, I never had the heart to tell her. She's supposed to be bigger than me, but...well, you've seen her."
>she did seem a bit odd, at least in regards to her proportions
>"Well, she doesn't seem to mind it."
"Yes, I've always tried to keep her happy."
>Tornoth's tone changes to a more hopeful one
"I would like to think I've done a good job."
>"You have, at least from what I've seen." the knight reassures
>Tornoth'a face softens
>"But I have to ask, why trust me with this?" the knight asks, passing the bittle back to Tornoth who takes a swig
"I would like to think you and I are friends."
>Tornoth shrugs
>the knight is surprised, truth be told
>"I would say so as well." he chuckles, putting his fist forward
>Tornoth looked at it for a moment, before leaning forward and bumping the knight's fist with his own
>the two nod at eachother
>Tornoth takes another swig
"So, where you came from, what was it like?"
>the knight smiled
>"Would you rather I talk about the people, or the place?"
"I doubt the place is as interesting as those within it."
>Tornoth offered the bottle, and the knight took a swig
>"We are very proud. People called us many things, but most common was 'German' or 'Germanic.'" the knight explained
"You didn't have one name?"
>"No, not really. We used to be around a dozen tribes, then we united under a common flag. A common hatred for an enemy brought us together, and once they were gone, we became various territories."
>Tornoth looked genuinely interested
"So you all drifted apart?"
>"More or less." he shrugged
>"I heard Shyni mention 'gods,' do you happen to be religious?" he asked
>Tornoth nodded
"You?"
>the knight nodded
>"One god, his son, and his son's disciples." the knight explained, pointing towards the roof
"Interesting."
>"You know, you're the first person to not be surprised by me having eyes."
>Tornoth snorted
"I'm a smith, I recognize armor when I see it."
>the knight chuckled
>"Fair enough, I suppose."
>the knight bid farewell to Tornoth, his desire for drink sated along with memories of home strengthened
>now he sat at the edge of the market, his armor doffed and lying beside him as he polished it with a rag and some water he had gathered
>then it started to rain
>the knight curiously stuck his hand out of the cover of the roof to make sure what he was seeing was rain
>he was surprised to see that it was
>maybe this place wasn't as different as he though
>he continued to diligently polish his armor, making sure to get off all the grime and muck it had acquired in the past week or so
>it looked awful
>the battle had given it a few dings, along with thick layers of caked up mud and dirt in a few areas
>the knight made a dissatisfied 'hmph' as he continued to clean the armor
>as the time passed, he was caught off guard by the sound of approaching footsteps in the muddy ground
>instinctively he went to reach for a weapon, but stopped upon seeing the familiar figure of Shyni in the rain
"May I come in?"
>she asks, still being poured on
>the knight laughs
>"Come on in! It's not like I own the place." he insisted, waving for her to come in
>she did so without hesitation, and sat down a few feet away from the knight, starring at his armor intently
"So..."
>she paused to collect her thoughts
"What're you doing?"
>the knight lifted the chestplate of his armor towards her
>"Can you see your reflection in it?" he asks
"No, not really."
>another 'hmph' from the knight
>"Then it isn't clean enough." he said in jest
"So, you're cleaning it? It looked fine to me when I saw it."
>"A knight's armor is his face. If I were to let it get any dirtier, what do you think people would think when they saw me?"
"Oooh, I get it."
>she nods
"So are you the only one with armor where you're from? That looks pretty fancy, probably expensive."
>"Lord, no. Entire armies would have fighters in different armors, some like mine." he gestured to his helmet
"That's so cool!"
>"Do you really think so?" he asks, putting down the chestplate
"Yeah! I'd love to see it, fighting must have been such a thrill!"
>the knight chuckles awkwardly and nervously
>"Thrill is one way to put it." he sighs
>he puts the chestplate down and rubs his neck slowly
"What, was it not exciting?"
>"It was." he shrugged
>"But somethings just stick with you. There are a few people always fighting in the same war, the same battle, and the same time, all their lives."
"Oh..."
>she looks a bit down now
>the knight cleared his throat
>"But yes. It was exciting." he smiled at her
>she responded by giggling and rubbing the back of her neck
"So, are you doing anything tomorrow? I mean if you're busy I don't want to bother you, but if you're not doing anything I'd like to talk with about something."
>he paused
>"Nothing, what do you have in mind?"
"Well, you're a knight right? Don't you like adventures?"
>the knight smirks at her
>"Of course I do." the knight nods with a smile
"Great!"
>she beams
"Meet me in my garden tomorrow, okay?"
>"Of course!"
>she nods and stands up
"My garden, okay? I'll be waiting!"
>she waves goodbye before jogging out of the tavern, a pep in her step as she runs towards her house
>the knight chuckles, then goes back to cleaning his armor