Elyscia stood on the outskirts of the village, the sun shining brightly in the sky. The grasses and the crops swayed like waves amidst the wind. With her were the other two knights, and the rest of the undead soldiers. Standing at the rear of the group was the mistress that they were now serving, and she seemed tense for a reason. Elyscia couldn’t understand why, though.
With that said, it was a bit weird to think that they were just enemies the day before. And they were even trying to kill her. But now, things have completely flipped over. Elyscia could still remember that strange sensation that touched her very soul. It was violating, yet pleasantly warm somehow. Where the taste of death was rendered insignificant, for they were given a new kind of life. Although it was unlike the kind of life that humans have, for she now had no heartbeat.
And the moment she was granted a new life, her allegiance completely changed. The loyalty she once held for her nation vanished completely, and was now directed towards the new mistress, and nothing else. However, it was not because she was compelled, there was no force pushing her, nor were there any voices influencing her. It was like a part of her heart was overwritten. In a way, she served her mistress out of her own will with the utmost loyalty.
She assumed it was completely the same case for the other knights.
With all that said, as she watched over the village before them, she felt a tiny amount of conflict in her heart. She was hesitating. This village was about to be destroyed, and she knew it. Its people would all die. But Elyscia knew these people. And they were incredibly kind and friendly. Would their demise be deserved?
“So the resistance we have to worry about is the men of the village?” the mistress, Syndra, asked with clenched fists. Her hands were shaking. “Are they strong?”
“As swordsmen, they are no one to worry about,” Gavin answered. “Even these undead soldiers will be enough to face them.”
“Very good. Round them up at the village square. Gavin, lead our forces. I’ll be waiting here before I move out.”
“Understood. What if they resist?”
Syndra looked down for a moment, pondering. “How about you do it this way? Make a peaceful approach, urge them to gather at the square, as many as possible. Once there are a lot of them, start rounding up the rest forcefully. You are friends with them, aren’t you? Should be pretty easy for you to convince them to do it.”
“That is possible. However, the one that is most trustworthy for them is Elyscia.”
Elyscia turned stiff. Despite not needing it anymore, she still took a deep breath, and she was met with her mistress’s deep azure eyes.
“Then, Elyscia, you will urge them to do such.”
“I…” She lowered her eyes, avoiding anyone’s eyes.
“What’s wrong? What’s with the hesitation?”
Elyscia felt anxious the moment her master noticed her hesitation. It was not something she should even do or feel. It might put her loyalty in question. “N-Nothing, milady. I will carry it out.”
Syndra nodded. “If they resist, do not kill them. Hurt them if you must, what’s important is that they’re alive so I can absorb their souls.”
Souls. Elyscia looked at the undead soldiers, they were mindless puppets. They were empty vessels, ones without souls. However, it was different for her and the other two knights. They still had their souls. And that was a fortunate thing, no one exactly knew what would happen to you if the mistress absorbs your soul.
“Now go, and don’t take too long. I will join you later on.”
Elyscia, for some reason, found her foot heavy as she stepped forward. While walking towards the village, Gavin gave orders to the undead soldiers.
“Undead soldiers, surround the village and hide yourselves amongst the grass from a distance. Watch out for anyone fleeing. When we start forcefully gathering everyone, help us in the village. Archers, on the other hand, focus on preventing anyone from escaping the village.”
With that, the undead soldiers scattered. Gavin looked a bit surprised.
“Huh, verbal commands really do work. And they seem to understand my orders pretty well.”
“So they’re not complete idiots.” Avelyn said.
“Anyway, it works for us. Avelyn, considering your attitude, please wait at the square and organize those that arrive.”
“What do you mean by my attitude?”
Gavin directed a sharp look at her. “Don’t think I don’t notice your disdain. So behave and don’t do anything unnecessary.” Basically saying not to mess it up for everyone.
Avelyn frowned deeply before crossing her arms with an annoyed expression. “I got it.”
Gavin turned towards Elyscia. “Elyscia, you know how to go about this?”
“I… I think I’ll talk to one of the elders first.”
Gavin stared at her for a moment before nodding. “Alright. I’ll be with you in case you need help.”
It shouldn’t be needed. They trust me.
Indeed, they trusted her, the villagers. And to think she was about to betray that today.
Don’t go against it. I must fulfill my duty. I must do what is commanded. I’m a knight…
Gathering the courage to carry out her duty, she stepped into the village. Avelyn went on ahead as Elyscia searched for the elders. As she went, the villagers greeted her and Gavin with friendly faces. Elyscia nodded back at them with a smile of her own, but a little stiff.
She was already familiar with the village very well, she knew where to go. So it didn’t take long before she found who she was looking for.
“Oh, Miss Elyscia.” Standing by her home’s door frame was an old woman who smiled at Elyscia. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon. Hm?” She slightly raised an eyebrow. “Are you okay? You look a bit pale.”
Elyscia forced a friendly smile. “I’m okay.”
“Is that so? So what brought you? Is there a problem?”
“Actually, we have something important to announce. Can you help me assemble everyone in the village at the square?”
“Oh my, what could it be about?”
“It’s best we announce it all at once.”
“Is that so…?” The old woman’s eyes shifted to Gavin. “I think we’ve met before.”
“It would appear so,” Gavin said with a friendly smile. “But it has been quite some time.”
The old woman’s eyes narrowed while staring at Gavin. “You also look a bit strange. Is something going on?”
“There’s nothing to worry much,” Elyscia said. “Please have everyone gather at the square.”
“Why not just tell me and I’ll tell everyone?”
“I think it’s best if it came from us. Please.”
The old woman seemed to ponder for a moment before giving a nod. “Very well, Elyscia. If you say so.”
Elyscia was quite afraid that the old woman would keep on questioning her. Thankfully, it would seem her trust in Elyscia won. She didn’t mess it up yet, that was good. The old woman began calling those nearby and asking them to spread the word for everyone to gather in the small square at the center of the village.
More and more people began moving, and Elyscia followed the crowd. She noticed Avelyn standing at one side, already placing a hand on the hilt of her sheathed sword. Her eyes were sharp.
That fool, that will give off a bad impression.
As Elyscia watched the crowd gather, something suddenly grabbed her arm. The lady knight couldn’t help but flinch amidst her tensed thoughts and quickly looked down.
“Elyscia! You’re back already! Hehe!”
It was a little girl wearing a bright smile and innocent wide eyes. She looked up happily at Elyscia, overjoyed that she got to see her so soon. However, the moment Elyscia saw her, her heart sank. And she resisted the trembling of her lips.
“B-Betty…” Elyscia muttered the little girl’s name.
“Hm?” The little girl tilted her head adorably. “You look strange, Elyscia. Are you sick?”
Elyscia’s mouth opened for a moment, but no words came out of her lips.
“Elyscia?”
She gulped and strengthened herself, forcing the words out. “... I’m, I’m fine, Betty.”
“That’s great to hear! By the way, what’s going on? I just heard that everyone should go to the village square.”
“It’s…” Elyscia looked away with a conflicted expression. Despite her dead heart, she felt a tinge of pain within. She clenched her fists, her thoughts and heart in turmoil.
Gavin directed a suspicious look at her. “Elyscia.”
She slowly took a deep breath. “... Sir Gavin… Betty… Can we—”
“Don’t even continue that sentence.”
Elyscia pursed her lips.
Gavin continued. “If you let her go, she’ll be all alone out here. Do you also want her parents to come with her? Now that is impossible.”
“But… Betty is…” Only a little child.
“Elyscia, remember your duty, your loyal servitude. The reason we are reborn is to serve Her as her knights. Do not go against her wishes and her orders.”
Elyscia pursed her lips tightly. He was right. She wasn’t sure how Gavin was feeling about this situation, but he had always been a person that always carried out his duty. He was a man who protected humanity from the demons even to his last breath, even though he was heavily wounded, he kept fighting. All to fulfill his duty as a knight — to protect the nation and its people.
So he was indeed not a person that would hesitate. He wouldn’t betray the mistress’s wish.
Gavin placed a hand on her shoulder. “Gather strength, harden your heart, and fulfill your duty.”
Elyscia closed her eyes. “Y-Yes.” And she looked down at Betty, directing a soft gaze. “Betty, go and join your parents.”
“Huh? Okay!” Betty stepped away but then stopped and glanced at Elyscia’s sword. “By the way, can you let me try holding your sword later? I want to try swinging a real knight’s sword!”
It was then that Elyscia had finally confirmed what this little girl wanted to be.
So you want to become a knight…
Elyscia swallowed and averted her eyes away. “Sure.”
“Yehey! Thank you!”
And with that, the little girl ran off to the village square to join her parents.
“You made the right choice,” Gavin said.
Elyscia could only nod. She had no words to say whatsoever.
She and Gavin walked into the square.
“Is this all of you?” Gavin asked the villagers.
“Well, got my husband sleeping back at the house,” said one woman. “He didn’t want to leave.”
“My brother is busy building a shed, so he can’t join.”
“My wife doesn’t want to go.”
It would seem it wasn’t going to be easy. There were still several around the village that didn’t go to the square.
“Elyscia, Avelyn, stay here. I’ll take care of it.” Gavin headed in to find the rest of the villagers.
However, given the strangeness of the situation, the villagers began to feel uneasy.
“Hey, what’s happening?” one man asked.
“Why don’t you tell us what this is about already?”
“That’s right, there’s no need for the rest.”
“Hey, there’s something strange going on here.”
“I have a bad feeling about this.”
The old woman approached Elyscia with a gentle smile. “Can’t you just tell us what’s going on already, young lady? If you do, it should put everyone at ease.”
“... Please, just wait.”
“Huh…”
And then suddenly, there was a loud scream. The villagers looked around nervously, murmuring to each other. Looks of worry on their faces.
“What was that?”
“That sounded like my wife. What’s going on?!”
“Hey! What are you doing?”
“Tell us now!”
Elyscia saw a glimpse of a confused-looking Betty clinging to her mother’s skirt.
Elyscia and Avelyn ignored all their frantic inquiries. And then, Gavin was seen dragging a man by the shirt.
“The fuck you doing?! Let me go!”
“Don’t resist. It’s pointless.” Gavin threw him into the crowd.
It was then that some undead soldiers arrived, dragging more villagers.
“W-What the hell?!”
“Monsters!”
“What’s going on here?!”
“Run!”
As the crowd started to run, Avelyn drew out her sword and swung it in their way. “Ice Wall.” And an ice wall formed with her swing, blocking the villagers’ path. The villagers looked up at the wall in shock. Avelyn pointed her sword at them. “Try to run, and I’ll strike you down.”
The villagers glared at her.
“Are you trying to kill us?! We’ll kill you first!”
“Stop!” A man held him back. “She’s a knight, we can’t beat her!”
“But!”
“We don’t even have weapons.”
“Why are you doing this? Aren’t you supposed to protect us?”
Avelyn scoffed. “I never wanted to protect you.”
“What?”
The rest of the villagers were thrown into the crowd. And the undead soldiers formed a circle around the crowd to keep them in.
Gavin turned to an undead soldier. “Is this all of them?”
The undead soldier nodded.
“W-What are monsters doing here?!”
“Are you knights working with them?”
“How is this possible?”
Avelyn seethed. “Ugh! Just shut up! She’s here!”
It was then that the villagers felt a cold presence coming. They all fell silent and turned their heads in the direction of that dreadful aura. A lone young woman was walking on the street. She had pale bright skin, and beautiful long silver hair shining under the sunlight. Her azure eyes sternly looked at the villagers. It was a girl they had never seen before.
The girl stopped in front of the villagers, and her eyes scanned the crowd. “Is this all of them?”
“Yes, mistress,” Gavin answered.
“Hm.”