Stand By Me

Struck By A Monster

Everyone kneeled in silence to praise their five lords who made one. Five seconds later, cheers erupted loudly until cut off by the King with the wave of his hand. That's the power Lance wants. To be able to shut up thousands of people with one wave. But this knight, this stupid bodyguard will ruin whatever small chances he had.

The knights of the kingdom all stood in front of the podium, making a good-sized crowd disregarding the knights standing at duty and the crowd in the stands. Their chest was puffed, one hand in a fist on their sword, and their other hand gripping at the ceremonial scar on their neck. It was impossible to tell who would be his bodyguard since their armor covered the scars anyway. It didn't stop Lance for looking, however.

King Alfor yelled so all could hear, "We stand here today to grant an opportunity to a young lad that most don't get. He has worked hard to prove himself and work beside royalty. I could never thank him enough for the protection he granted to me. Chosen by Knight Shirogane and myself, Akira Kogane, step forward."

A figure in full black armor stepped forward from the group, the glow of purple and shine of navy on the black metal made Lance feel like he was a psycho for not noticing him in the crowd of white and blue suits. His eyebrows raised at the helmet that covered the knight's whole head, it was suspicious-looking. Not a sliver of skin showed on this man. He kneeled two yards from the floating steps, one arm on his knee and the other in a fist. A traditional kneeling pose. Alfor stepped down the stairs and stopped a foot away from Akira, Lance followed and stood right beside his father for once. It felt not as exhilarating as he thought it would be. But whatever feeling of power he had left when the King started talking. The effortless booming demand for attention made Lance remember his place.

"You have gone through trial and error all your life. No one believed in you, but you, Akira Kogane, fought for your place. Your place by the Prince. Do you swear to protect Prince Lancelot with your soul, mind, and body?"

"I do."

The deep voice of this boy echoed through Lance's body. It was immature, yet mature. It was scratchy, yet smooth. It was familiar, but something he had never heard before. He wanted to hear more. As if someone could read his mind, he shut those thoughts down and returned his attention to his father.

"Do you, Prince Lancelot, accept Akira Kogane as your protector, your guard, and your lifeline?"

Lance nearly laughed. It sounded like a marriage but felt like a death sentence. "I do."

"Then I hereby knight Akira Kieth Kogane as the right-hand man of Lancelot Altera, Prince of Altea. May you protect him as you would yourself or suffer the sins of a lie."

Akira brought his hand from his knee and moved his hands in a swift motion that Lance couldn't keep track of. Everyone gasped. Akira's helmet rolled slightly by his feet on the ground it was discarded on. His face was finally revealed for all to see, a sight not many would like. Lance finally understand what King Alfor meant by trial and error.

He had pale skin that was blotted with a lavender shade of purple, the alien color sprinkled everywhere and gathered at the left side of his face. He had a maroon mark like an Altean's mark stretched from his cheekbone to his chin on the left side of his face on top of the globs of purple and a matching red Altean mark on the right. Or, he would have had an Altean mark it seems if there wasn't a huge scar that mangled his the skin on his cheek. Only up close could you see it was meant to be Altean. Otherwise, it just looked like a huge scar.