The Knights of Aragon

Chapter 14

My efforts quickly became a waste of energy. Pendragon gave up on trying to teach me with her own insight and left with the males to hunt. From what she told me; my curse was concocted with powerful ancient magic. That, to her, it smells like iron or something metallic. It is meant to restraint its victims and keep them incapacitated.

Therefore, someone with immense power has tried to keep me from remembering something important. "Agh!" I groan with frustration. "Alright, that's enough," Rhydian grabs my arm, "You're taking a break." I don't stop him from lifting me off the cold ground and shoving Inferno into my arms. "What are you doing?"

Rhydian takes his spear and faces me. "We are going to spar," his body crouches into a defensive stand, "You have a lot of pent-up frustration which needs to be let out." I nod in agreement. I do my best to mirror his stance and roll my shoulders back. "I've never done this before," I tell him. Rhydian mischievously grins. "All the more fun."

He strikes first, almost nicking my shoulder, but I dodge out of his way and swing Inferno towards his abdomen. He blocks me, pinning Inferno between his spear and his arm. Clutching Inferno, I drop down to the floor and kick both of his legs; making him drop down on the floor next to me. I yank Inferno out of his hold and pin him down with it. I smirk at my victory and stand.

"Never done this my a-"

"I was telling the truth," I laugh. "I've never sparred before. It was probably just beginner's luck." Rhydian stands up, laughing along with me. "Let's test that theory, shall we?" He lunges at me, hazardously stabbing the air. I evade his advances by rolling pass him. Rhydian catches up to my plan and blocks my attack mid-swing.

Time freezes and I see someone else in Rhydian's place. An older man, with salt and pepper hair. "Good," he says, "Now drop your right shoulder and attack! Don't just defend yourself. Bring on the offense!" I swing my body up with one hand and automatically get in a defense position. "Attack!" I push forward mercilessly. Jab, kick, swing. No hesitation, just action.

"Again," he orders, and I follow. Jab, kick swing. "Again!" He pushes back at me, forcing me to switch tactics. I grab a knife from back and take advantage of his blind spots. I block his attacks with my sword as I try to cut him with my knife. Block, lunge. Lunge, block. "You're dropping your shoulders! Do better," he scolds me. I snarl and kick him back. We circle each other. His blue eyes dance, clearly amused by my animosity as I glare up at him.

I get in a crouched stand with both of my blades aimed right at him. "You do not need to push me this hard, du Lac," I snap at him, "I am not some dog that you can train!" He sighs and relaxes his stance. "You have no choice but to train, Samsa. The world needs you to fix the cracks." I swing my legs, aiming to bring him down on his knees but he leaps over them.

Naturally, this enrages me even more. "I am not interested in fixing the broken! It's not responsibility," I yell at him. "I am no weapon nor am I a slave, du Lac." I shift back on my defense. Using the balls of my feet, I increase the speed of my attacks. Back-to-back, I don't stop. Not even to catch my breath. "Go ahead! Feed on that rage," he pushes me off. "Just know this, channeling those negative emotions will only bring chaos in your life."

A tug in the back of my brain pulls me back to my present, but my brain works faster than my body. My muscles move on their own accord. Attack after attack, Rhydian endures it all. I somehow ended up with two blades, just like in my memory.

"Valencia?" Rhydian tries to pull me back, but my body won't listen yet. Lunge, jab, swing. "Valencia." The clanging of metal rings in my head. The man's voice driving me to push harder and to go faster drives me insane. "Val!" I gain back control of my body. Inferno is raised up in the air, above my head. Rhydian is laying on the ground in front of me with his hand out.

I rapidly blink in surprise, almost in shock. Inferno clunks on the floor next to me. "What was that?" Rhydian clutches my arms. "Did you remember something?" I slowly nod my head in a daze. "What did you see?" I jump at Pendragon's voice. I inspect my surroundings, aware that everyone is staring at us. At me. "I saw myself sparing with some man," I softly say, "I called him du Lac, but..." I scrunch my eyebrows in though. "He called me Samsa and I looked exactly as I do now." Maybe a bit younger but I couldn't tell.

"Interesting." I glance at Pendragon. "du Lac is a very rare last name. One that belonged a particular knight of King Arthur." I shrug my shoulder, exhausted at all the riddles. I'm sure she senses it because she doesn't wait for me to ask who. "Lancelot du Lac."

The name hits me in the chest and an agonizing pain burst in my head as another memory takes ahold of my brain. Music erupts all around me. People are dancing in the streets, celebrating with their friends and families. I walk past it all, not interested in the festival occurring. I almost turn to another street when a familiar face bumps into me. "There you are!" The familiar green eyes smile down at me. "I've been looking for you everywhere, dear."

She weaves her arm through mine and redirects me back towards the fete. "I don't want to here, Em. You know how I feel about this," I hiss. She clutches my arm tighter as a response. "It's not exactly your decision now, is it?" Her jet-black hair brushes my arm, it makes me look down. I am in a white dress with gold lining. I'm not wearing any shoes and my hair is braided down my back.

"I swear on my power that I'll bring him to his knees."

Her nails dig into my skin-which I decide to ignore. "Careful what you say," she warns me, masking her tone with a smile, "There are ears who would love to expose those who are not loyal." I push her away from the crowd. "I," I grit my teeth, "am sworn to your crown, not your King." She looks at me long and hard. The people around us begin to chant. "Long live the King! Long live the King!"

I see the horses making their way from my peripheral vision. Slowly, I turn towards them, crossing my arms. One by one, the people kneel before their monarch. I square my shoulders in defiance, ready to face the consequences. My plans are short lived when my companion harshly yanks me down beside her. "I like your character, friend," she says under her breath, "We'll get along just fine."

I am pushed back into the present. My whole body is covered in sweat and my eyesight is blurry. I become lightheaded and collapse. My body convulses uncontrollably on the ground. I should be in pain, but I don't feel anything, not even the ground beneath me. Uncomfortable heeat rolls off my body in waves with each tremor that wracks my body.

Draxum calling out to me from far away, too far for me to reach him. Surprisingly, I don't care. My body is too heavy for me to carry, and I know that I won't make it to where he is. A pressure begins to build in head. Flashes of images bombard me to the point that I cannot make out anything.

Long forgotten memories, people, and emotions I have never felt before. All of it overloading my mind; unleashing the wrath of time lost. I am in complete agony, but nothing escapes my lips. I am paralyzed as all my senses explodes inside me.

Val...

Samsa...

Atike....

Different voices call to me, lulling me to sleep. Pulling me from the other side of this tether that's keeping me trapped. Slowly, I begin to see faces. I succumb to the to the memories as the heat from outside my body engulfs me.