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Chapter 1- A New Knight:

The sun slowly rises over the city as Conrad runs through the dead city streets void of all life, but the homeless begging for coin, and change, and the farmers going to begin a day of plowing their fields. Conrad only has one thing on his mind at this point though as he slides through large groups of people he can only keep repeating it. "Today! Today is the day!! Today is the day i become a Knight!" he runs full sprint to the castle as he holds in his arms his family sword. It was forged by his eldest brother before his passing the blade is made from Obsidian and Mithril forged in the purest of flames in the forgers temple of Meltros. It was made in secret... For his mother when she was to slay the Demon Lord, but know it falls to Conrad to bear this burden alas he doesn't know yet. Conrad runs through the open gates into the castle as he sighs in relief slowly stopping once he reaches the foyer. As he looks around his eyes set upon the recently returned Sir Bastion the Knight he is to duel for his Knighthood today. He calls to Sir Bastion as he smiles kindly to the Knight that mentored him "Sir Bastion! Sir Bastion its me!" Bastion turns to face the young man approaching him as he squints his eyes playfully "Wh- who is this young squire that approacheth me.. WHY its the young squire Conor!" Bastion laughs as Conrad smiles faintly to his old mentor as they begin to walk to the throne room to greet the king a good morning. "O how you have grown young squire. Are you ready for are duel today Conrad are you ready to taste my steel.. Again..." Bastion grins and chuckles as Conrad growls and shoves him "Shut up Bastion you won't win this time..". They walk into the throne room as the approach the kings throne and they bow accordingly as the king motions for them to rise "I see you two have found each other". They nod "Yes your lordship.". He laughs and nods as he stands. "What are we waiting for I cleared my schedule to watch you two duel!" The king smiles to both Bastion and Conrad as he begins to walk with them to the arena he looks to Conrad. "im going to help you don your armor my boy." Conrad nods as his heart begins to race "Armor i thought it would be fencing, and the king is going to help me! This is amazing!" Bastion laughs and races off to get ready for the duel as Conor walks beside the king as he turns to look at him as they enter a room nearby to help Conrad put on his armor. "There is something I must tell you... as we get you ready my boy.." Conrad nods as his face takes a confused expression. He then takes off his shirt and begins to put his chainmail on. "Of course my Lord what is it." The king walks to the closet as he digs around, and lifts a large chest out. "Your father wasn't ready when you were born, but he loved you, and watched from afar. Making sure you always had the very best Conor thats why Sir Bastion was your mentor, and even though you haven't seen me I have been shaping you into the man your mother and I saw when you were born. You are going to do great things Conor, and I will be at your side through it all just like I have.." Conor faces the king in shock as he tries to process it all as he tightens his fists and shakes several tears running down his face "Ho-wh-why why now, why now do you show yourself to me. Why Why FATHER!" Conrad looks down as he clenches his fist more as he starts to breath deeply trying to calm himself. "I wanted to address you sooner.. Believe me I did, but when your Mother saw i wasn't ready... She made me promise to keep my identity hidden until this day my son, but I do have this.. For you.." He opens the chest to show Conor his gift. A suit of armor glistening as the king takes piece by piece out of the chest first a helmet shining bright as it dawns slant visor to protect from bolts, and the sun. Next he pulls out a chest piece shining just as bright as the helmet the pauldrons of the chest piece are made of refined mithril, steel and covered with Dire Bear hide. Along with the pauldrons the elbows, and knee pieces are also reinforced like that. The inside is reinforced then coated with the Bear fur for comfort and protection. After this the gauntlets they are quite stunning as he looks at them the knuckle have had spikes implanted on them for hand to hand combat. The fingers are that of a lich for the extra flare of pushing fear into the enemies heart as you stride onto the battlefield. Finally the leg armor already reinforced on the knees, but also spikes on the bottom for grip, and kicking enemies off castle walls. Conrad places his hands on the pieces feeling them as he shakes. "Its mine all mine" he stares up at his recently discovered father as the king nods. "Yes my son this is your armor to dawn on the fields of war lets get you in it." Conor nods as he finishes putting his chainmail on then he begins to put on his Knight armor with the help of the king. Once they are finally done Conor begins to move around to test the armor he sighs in relief. The armor feels as light as air and as comfortable as silk gloves as he turns to the king. "ITS AMAZING!" The king laughs as he nods in delight. "Im glad you like, but your forgetting your shield and sword my boy." Conor looks down as he puts his sword, and belt around his waist clipping the pieces with the metal strands to hold it in place. He then draws it and re-sheaths it several times to get a feel for it as he smiles. He finally places his shield on his arm grasping it firmly and raising it to his head then back down as he laughs more. "This is amazing! Thank you so much! father!" They both smile together as father, and son they begin to walk outside to the arena for the duel. The first thing Conor sees is Sir Bastion dawning his steel-plated armor, and his giant war hammer standing there waiting; as Bastion looks to his opponent his jaw dropping as he watches Conor step out onto the dirt patch with him. The king takes his place in the stands as he watches, and looks at both men as they stretch. and groan at all the pent up rage that is about to unleashed. "Men are you ready the first man not able to stand loses Conor if you win you gain your Knighthood.. Sir Bastion if you win Conor stays a squire for another year.." Conor gasps as he growls as both men yell. "Ready you Lordship!" As the king leans forward he watches them both closely he slowly says the words both Conor and Bastion are waiting to hear. "Begin!" Both Bastion, and Conrad charge to each other. They let loose blood curdling shriek as they clash like two forces of pure energy. Bastion claims the first move as he lunges forward bringing down his giant war-axe down on top of Conor as he raises his shield in the knick of time to deflect it angling the shield so the war axe hits it and slides taking Bastion with it as Conor lunges to the side then, charges Bastion striking him several times with his sword then delivering a stunning blow with his shield by slamming it into Bastion's back. Bastion stumbles forward, and turns using the force of his axe to spin about like a top as he gets closer to Conor with each circular motion. Conor slowly backs up each time Bastion gets close as he pants and watches he slowly sees it after several seconds the weak spot in Bastions attack, and in his axe Conor thinks to himself as he plans his strategy. "That's it the circles that gap in each swing I can strike it and hit that weakened spot and break his axe!" Conor times it as he lunges forward then half-way through spins as he brings his sword down, and a shattering echos through the city. Conor's sword cuts through Bastion's axe, and the arena goes silent the force from the break sends both bastion, and Conor flying as they stammer to there feet. Bastion looks to his new squire as he tosses him two maces as Bastion begins to charge him swinging both of them around trying to scare Conor as he charges at Bastion his shield raised high, and his sword higher as they clash they both pass blow to blow parrying and taking the hits hard, and dishing them out harder. Conor pushes Bastion using his shield as he pulls back, and slams him with it more as they struggle to claim the power struggle. Conor feels a sharp pain in his side as Bastion strikes him in the ribs with a mace. Conor's face turns a beat red as he groans; he can feel his ribs cracking under the pressure as he feels something burning deep inside he feels it clawing to get out as he releases a growl as fierce as a pure blood harpy. Bastion backs up thinking he wounded Conor badly as Conor charges Bastion full sprint, and he begins to strikes him repeatedly with his sword as he slams his shield into him as Bastion falls to his back, and Conor stands over him; as he looks down at Bastion. "I surrender to thy Knight Conor." Bastion and Conor look at each other as Conor reaches down to help Bastion up and they hug and cheer and the king stands up cheering and clapping. Bastion takes Conor's helmet off as the king walks down from the stands, and to Conor as he looks up to his father "Kneel my son." Conor drops to his knees as he looks up to his father the king. He takes up Conor's sword and gently raises then lowers it to each of his shoulders as he smiles softly down at his son he then slowly looks out to the cheering masses as he cries out. "RISE AND BEHOLD CONOR THE KNIGHT OF DAWN!!!" Conor looks around to the crowds as tears run down his face bittersweet tears as Bastion rubs his head Conor's only thoughts go to his mother and brothers that aren't here to watch this but know they are staring down at him from the heavens as they cheer for him as well. Conor slowly rises to his feet at the kings command as he turns to the crowds and bows humbly as he looks to Bastion "I am your second in command Conor together we will protect these people and the world." Conor nods as he doesn't fully understand what Bastion meant as he looks to the king. "So father what do we do now?" The king laughs and pats Conor's back "Simple my son we feast!"

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To Be continued...