Chapter 17 - The Three Knights (2/2)

”The rules are simple, you must defeat the doll in combat, the use of magic is prohibited, but you may use any weapon of your choice.” He shouted.

”Is there anyone who would like to have the first try?” he said with a faint smile on his face.

A lot of kids had put there hand up, thinking that the task was simply too easy. What could a doll do? If I hadn't fought the doll before I would have properly done the same.

The first contestant came to the stage, a young boy who had an athletic build for his age, he was holding a standard sword which could be brought from any local blacksmith.

Bernardo went to the back of the doll and simply said ”level 1” The doll was surrounded by a purple light as it was activating.

The boy rushed in straight away as soon as the test began, swinging with a good strike towards the doll's body. The boys' parents stood in the crowd smiling, already thinking that the boy had passed. The next moments their Jaws had dropped to the floor.

The doll quickly moved its shield to block the strike. In response, it hit the boy across the face with its wooden sword. Blood flung from the boy's mouth as his body hit the floor.

The rowdy crowd had gone silent.

The instructors had been taking turns to asses the candidates. Each one ending in failure after failure at this point no one would pass the assessment.

I moved closer to the platform as it was nearing my turn. I could hear knight Winfred and Knight Delbert talking to each other. My senses and focus had improved after taking the crystal it was as if the two had been talking next to me.

”I told you coming to this village was a waste of time,” Delbert complained.

”We must preform our duty as the elders have asked” Winfred replied.

”A knight should be noble, not some filthy commoner from a dead beat village”

Winfred sighed

”The land is in trouble, and we must find the boy in the prophecy, we have gathered four already, but who knows if the boy is among them,”

”You believe in such crazy things,”

Delbert said with his hand in his face as another contender failed.

Winfred remained silent at the question.

As the two of them were having their conversation a surprising thing had happened. A contestant had finally passed the test.

I looked up at the boy who's hand was being held in the air by Barnardo, it was a face that I knew well.

Gary had been the first person to pass the test.