A different kind of Knight

Chapter 6

She then began to stand up and dust herself while being completely oblivious
to the person who is standing not too far away from her. My eyes bulged at her and I began to rapidly think on what I should say to her to ensure that I would at least have someone who isn't an enemy to me in this new world. She stands with her back towards me. I could easily shoot her in the back of her head with my laspistol, but then what? Should I also do that to everyone else that I would meet? Argh! That is such an unwise decision! "I can sense your thoughts, Luke." She says to me without even having to turn around to acknowledge me. "And yeah, it would be an unwise decision to try to kill everyone that you would meet, especially me." An audible gulp escapes my throat as I question her claim on why it would be unwise to try and kill her at this very moment. "Why?" She replies to me even when I hadn't even spoken yet. "Well, I for one have the ability to read your mind if you hadn't already noticed and I also possess the ability to control your mind as if you were my puppet and me as your puppetmaster." By the Emperor, I think she has proven how hard it would be to try and kill her at the moment since she could easily kill me with nothing but a thought! If I don't want her to be my enemy then I should persuade her to be my friend. "I am not here to kill you. In actuality, I am looking for friends and allies in this new world. Tried to befriend a psyker here not too long ago by the name of Ignis Dei who then became my sworn enemy not too long after he heard the fact that I was sent to him by the voice. So, can we be friends?" She finally turns around and walks to me before shaking my hand. "Well then, are you familiar with the quote: 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'?" That kind of logic would present her as a possible ally, I must grab at it! "I'm glad to have you as my ally Miss... Sorry but I do not know who you are. Can you give me an introduction about yourself?" I ask her to introduce herself since I still don't really know much about her yet as I withdraw my hand from the handshake and let it dangle freely at my side. "Oh yes! I am Alice! The witch who was imprisoned by Ignis Dei to be used as his overglorified mana battery and such. Thank you for freeing me from him! If anything I owe my life to you!" So she was a prisoner of the psyker Ignis Dei; all the more reasons to befriend her I guess. She already introduced herself and I believe it is time for me to introduce myself to her just as she had done for me. "I am Luke Tan Phaeron! Last surviving Knight Pilot of House Phaeron!" I close my right fist and stab my thumb into my chest. "Pilot of the mighty warmachine behind me known as Chaosbane!" Then, I pointed to the Knight Paladin. Its banner with a red interior and a black border slowly waved side-to-side as it displayed the dirtied but proud record of history between its two gigantic mechanical legs. The rest of the Knight Paladin is in no better shape compared to the banner since a sharp eye can see all the pockmarks and gashes left by a lifetime of war beneath the red and black paint of each armor plate. Small marks of rust, blood, soot, and other kinds of dirt can be seen if one were to observe the Knight from a much closer distance. The sigil of House Phaeron which can be described as a white figure of a human with wings armed with a sword and shield is proudly displayed on all armor pieces of the Knight. But the overall state of Chaosbane still makes me feel a bit hurt deep down in my heart. I did everything that I possibly could to maintain it whilst carrying the tarnished and slandered name of my household. It is still not enough and I will never be enough. "Um, are you done?" Alice interrupts my thoughts as I realize I spent a noticeable amount of time staring at the Imperial Knight. The fact that she can probably read it makes me feel scared since it would give her a possible advantage over me. I should continue with my introduction and to make sure that she wouldn't detect any exploitable weaknesses in me. "I now serve as a Freeblade who shall vanquish all that is evil!" I end my introduction with a proud stomp as I straighten my back and clasp my hands behind me. The addition of a puffed out chest gave me a look that only a true noble like me could accomplish. The felinid-witch looks at me slightly impressed. "Ah, well then Luke. It is nice to meet you. But as you remember me saying that I was used as an mana battery by Ignis Dei, that means my mana is horrendously depleted to the point where I can't really do much, so I need you to bring me to a cave there that contains a magical artifact that can replenish my mana if my memory serves me right." She points towards a direction. "We just have to march that way." She commands me jovially as if I am indebted to her even though she is the one indebted to me! Does she really think she could boss around me like that!? Is there even anything I could get from obeying her!? "Well, why should I obey? What would I even get in return?" I ask her with a bit of sass as I cross my arms and look at her expectantly.