Random One-Shots

A Knight's Trust [Action]

A battlefield.

Tattered flags flew in the air, blood staining the fabrics until the symbols on them were no longer visible.

Littered with corpses left and right, there was no end to the bodies that had piled up by now. It'd take months to clean this field up. 

Crows had yet to come and peck at the flesh of the fallen, the sound of blades clashing still resonates throughout the area told that the fight had yet to end.

On one side, a lone knight clad in bloody silver and streaks of gold stood with his blade at the ready. His armor was worn and chipped in several places, his weapon looking as if it could snap at any given moment. With a ragged breath, he looked at his opponent with sorrowful eyes, for he was met with a foe he wished he would never have to face in his lifetime.

The knight's foe was holding a sword larger than their own body with both hands, the wear and tear on their weapon showed that it had already cut down large swathes of foes without stop. Their gear was in tatters, likely from the multitude of battles they had gone through. They too, were at their last breath from what appeared to be a recent exchange between them and the knight.

Without a word from either, their grips tightened at the handles of their weapons before going for one last clash. A massive hunk of iron against a thin broadsword, anyone can easily say that the knight was going to lose this clash and be cleaved in half. 

But the result was quite different.

As metal met metal, neither gave way for the other to push forward. Was it because the knight's strength had far outclassed his opponent? Or was it that the knight's opponent had exhausted their strength to the point effectively wielding such a heavy weapon was impossible? It was an answer only the two of them would know.

Seeing as the clash was stalemate, the knight used the weight of his enemy's weapon against them, dragging his own out of the way causing the downward swing of his foe to crash into the earth. As the opportunity arose, the knight went for the killing blow. Separating the head from the neck was an easy task from the angle he took, but a moment of hesitation allowed his foe to kick him back.

Angered, the foe shouted countless taunts and insults at the knight.

The knight paid no heed to their words, in his heart he already knew he could not cut down the person before him. 

As he knelt on the ground recovering from the kick to his stomach, he looked up to find his foe charging towards him. He could easily stand up and meet their weapon again, but his mind refused the will to survive. No matter how hard he struggled, no matter how hard he tried to do away the hesitation in his heart, none of it would work.

As his eyes met his foe's, tears were present. They were sobbing, even. Yet their charge did not falter, their blade was ready to be brought down onto the knight's body to tear him in two once again. He had given up any thought of resisting, he had enough of this. The knight lowered his head and closed his eyes, awaiting execution.

The footsteps were getting closer.

Their battle cry was getting louder with each moment.

In his mind, he said his goodbyes to those he loved and the kingdom he fought for. 

Silently, he asked for forgiveness.

As the foe arrived within striking range, their blade was brought down..

..into the soil in front of the knight's head.

The knight looked up, he saw his foe rubbing their eyes of tears. They had completely let go of their weapon after that last swing before falling onto their knees. Not once did the insults thrown at the knight stopped until now, where the foe's insults were being interrupted by their sniffling.  

At this sight, a memory flashed through the knight's mind. A child stood before him crying for their parents. He did not ignore the child's cries, almost unconsciously the knight approached them. Kneeling down, he gently pat the child's head. They looked up at him, eyes of curiosity at the stranger who comforted them. 

Then, the child pushed him away, their curiosity replaced with fear. For a moment, he could feel his heart drop to the ground at being treated so coldly. Yet this feeling made him nostalgic for a reason he could not explain. He took out a dagger and tossed it at them with a smile. The knight spread out his arms, inviting the child who was now armed.

Slowly, they approached him with a dagger outstretched. Step by step, the child got closer to the knight's reach. Their hands shook as they wrapped around the dagger's handle, afraid of what this weird stranger was trying to do. Eventually, the child would be standing right in front of the knight, their dagger within range to fatally injure him. The knight shrugged, opening his mouth to speak.

"Come now, attack this uncle if you don't trust me."

He spoke with sincerity, not a hint of malice in his voice.

The child's expression loosened, a small smile on their lips even. 

Even now, the knight could clearly remember the words the child had said to him in response.

"You're really weird!"

Now, he heard it from the foe who approached him with a dagger he kept at his side for emergencies.

"You're still so weird..!"

The knight's foe accepted his embrace. A deep warmth filled his body.

He closed his eyes once again, blood leaking from his lips.

"Thank you, for trusting this uncle."

-- END --