Knight of the Oaken Shield Book 1: Shadow Phoenix Rising

Chapter 1: The Shadow of The Zoan Tree

I exited the house and could immediately smell barrack's chefs cooking away for the festival that was sure to follow this years Knight Selection. As He walked down the hallway toward the marching grounds for the assembly a door opened to the right and a girl exited. She was Catherine Holland a graduating page just like himself and like him had left her family at a young age. She had long auburn hair and her a fierce temper. Needless to say they had quickly become friends in the institute. She shoulder bumped him on the way out and then turned to him with a mischievous grin on her face.

"So," She began as put her arm around him. "What knight are you hoping you get to train under? Hmmm? I hope I get Sir Jathern I heard the man has exceptional skill with a spear so you know I want to be his apprentice." he shrugged off her arm mentally cycling through the names of the knights that he had looked up.

"You know I'm not sure but whoever I get I hope he's good with a sword." Catherine raised her eyebrows at him. A flicker of guilt ran through him at lying to her but I quickly pushed it out of my mind.

"I've told you a million times that the spear is a better weapon. What do you find so interesting in just a plain ol' iron rod . Every knight must use them, they're so... Ordinary."  Again he found myself sighing.

"And, I have told you a million times that the sword is the most recognizable weapon of war for a reason. It is the culmination of thousands of years and skill. Not to mention each sword is uniquely tailored to the individual that's using it. Unlike a certain other weapon." Her eyebrows knit together in frustration and I could tell she was about to launch into a whole tirade about the long history of spears and their uses. So, I decided I'd rather not hear another one of her so called "to the point" lectures.

"Anyway are you excited to find out what attribute your mana is?" We walked out of the dorm section of the barracks into the open field that served as the training ground for the pages. Dozens of pages were already hard at work practicing with the Instructors. Behind them the walls of the Phoenix barracks stood tall made from a thick granite that was said to be able to absorb magical energy. As we walked past I caught the eyes of several first years following our every step. It was a weird knowing that these children were in this moment setting us as their goal. I know because I was doing the same thing when I was a fresh recruit and I watched the fifth years walking the long walk to the parade grounds outside the barracks.

"Of course I'm excited but all these years they have never let us train mana so I guess I have tempered my expectations of it. Like what more could it possibly do to strengthen us when we are already strong." I nodded like I understood but I knew better. I remembered seeing mana on the day I was selected a mana Affluent. Which is the rather plain name they give the children who have an affinity for sensing mana.

As we approached the gatehouse the two man at arms on either side stepped out to greet us. They wore their chainmail well under their black and gold surcoats. Short swords hung at their sides and they held six foot spears in their left hands. Silver pointed helm sat atop their heads with glistened in the morning sun. Seeing them approach us I couldn't help but smile at how scary they had seemed to me when I had first arrived. They had looked like hardened veterans.

"Brandy! Harris! so you two got the unlucky draw for guard duty today." I said. The guard on the right called Harris smiled through his scarred face.

"Yeah, and it's a damn shame too. I wanted to be at the ceremony." the other guard Brandy raised his eyebrows at Harris.

"The only reason you wanted to be there was to draw the ire of them young maidens," He admonished. Harris didn't even have the grace to look offended.

"And while that's true good Sir that doesn't mean that's the only reason for me to go." Brandy didn't bother answering before he raised his hand and signaling for the gate guards to raise the portcullis.

"Are you two going to be down at the tavern again tonight?" Catherine asked eagerly.

"Is that even a question young missy?" Brandy scoffed.

"Of course we are," Harris chimed in. "Now don't you two go being distant on us now that you'll be high and mighty Knight squires." A warmth spread through my chest. We'd gotten pretty close with all the guard at the barracks over the years. Since we spent a lot of time sparring with them. I was going to miss them. But not in the way they thought.

"Wouldn't dream of it good sirs," I said reaching out my hand. Harris starred at it for a moment before he he reached out and gripped my forearm with his cold mailed hand. Harris and Brandy stepped aside and I proceeded past them exiting the gate. Outside was a winding dirt road that split into two. One of the roads split right and joined the main road into the city the other road split to the left turning away from the barrack and heading down the path to a small farming village. But we were going to neither of those places. Located right at the fork of the Road surrounded by a multitude of tents and market vendors was a massive tree. This tree had a very special history in Owenia. People called it the tree of Zoan. Named after the knight who discovered it.

The Zoan tree was massive. It towered over us at least a mile high and Its shadow towered over the barrack walls themselves. Massive roots thicker than a horse spread out in every direction like grasping tentacles. Going out so far that they reach the capitol city's walls. The trees branches were like that of a willow, They hung low sweeping back and forth through the wind. A cold chill washed over me as a breeze carried a sweetened smell with it. The browning grass crunched and I looked down to find golden leaves underneath. I inhaled the air hungrily. It wouldn't be long now. I would be able to finish what my goal.

The sweet smell of coffee beans assaulted my nose and it was mixed in with the monotone but nostalgic smell of meat crackling over a fire. quick flashes of color entered my vision as me and Catherine joined the hustle and bustle. Flicks of light reminiscent of the wave when the sunlights shines through to the bottom of a pool flew here and there through the air.

"I still can't believe that mana is so thick here that even we can see it," Catherine giggled as she skipped along behind me. I also couldn't help to get the smile off my face. Suddenly a loaf of bread was thrusted at me and I discovered a young girl looking intently at me. She didn't speak but the little girls black hair told me volumes of who she was.

"The manaless," Catherine commented as she watched the little girl run back to a tent that smelled of freshly baked bread with a her nose scrunching up as she squinted at the girl. "Can't believe they come here every year hoping to be blessed by they tree."

I politely declined her offer and we continued pushing through the throngs of venders and merchants who were rushing to set up shop before the festival began after the selection ceremony.

We got closer to the base of the tree where we four neat rows of kids our age. Some were tall others were short but one thing they all had in common was the grins they couldn't get to subside. They had made it. I wish I could say that i knew all of them but that wasn't the case. I'd been more focused on my own studies while I had been in the Institute. I quickly spotted Bertran he was standing at the head of his column He stiffened as I approached. I raised my hand waving frantically. His only response was to roll his eyes in annoyance as I took my place next to him.

"Did we miss anything," I whispered out of the corner of my mouth as I stood at attention. Bertran's reply was short but to the point.

"Shut up."

"Testy, testy." The goofy grin on my face stubbornly refused to go away.

In front of our group of pages was a white stone dais and running straight down the middle was a single thick root from. a soft crack split the air as a bright white light condensed itself around the root running its length like a pulse before disappearing from view. Two fully plated knights stood guard on either side of the root just as was common. As tree guards they had a very honorable position to guard the tree with their lives. Straight-backed with full helms their silvery plate armor blinding me even from where I stood. Two menacingly tall metal poles topped with a greenish spear head in a shape that resembled a hand plow were held in their left hands. It is wasn't for the subtle up and down movement of the plate armor I would have thought they had put statues in place of actual guards.

Then as if a some entity cut the very sound from their lungs, all the hushed voices stopped as a group of heavily armored men approached the dais. A heavy thumping pounded my ear drums and my breath came faster and faster. It was starting! It was finally time to get our mana affinities and become squires.