Trials Of Impending Night

Chapter 6: Nine Knights-1

Chapter 6: Nine KnightsThe great kingdom of Magmalia had grown exponentially in the space of two years. The pristine white architecture reflected the sun's light, creating a heavenly realm of tranquillity and health. However, the true emotions within the city's walls had stayed close to the chests of its rulers. Tension, lies and uncertainty had made the kings and queens timid of their kingdom's protectors, as one of the nine Paladin Knights was still busy slivering in the shadows behind a false persona, and the loss of their oldest and most prestigious member, Garjian Soa, remained a prominent reminder of the importance of fishing out the Slayer spy. His death was a splinter through the heart of all the Knights, but the pain was most throbbing for Troyri Quait, the Crimson Paladin. There was an urge inside of her to leave the Order every time she happened to lay eyes on Soa's empty bed, but her duty and loyalty was more vital than ever, which was something Captain Asieda Hockmunn stressed every time he sensed doubt in her eyes – from what he could see beyond the stained-red spectacles strapped onto her head at least. The only positive for the two of them to take from the passage of time was the presence of more Paladins; those that had returned to Magmalia after years of service across the world – valuable and loveable Knights that neither of them had seen or communicated with for far too long. For the past few years, the kingdom was under the watch of just Quait and Hockmunn for the most part, so to have more Paladins back home was bound to make their jobs slightly more bearable. Most of them had been assisting Magmalia's allies as scouts, guards, or army commanders and strategists. Thankfully, the kings and queens were satisfied enough with the restoration of peace the Knights had collectively scraped together, that their efforts were to finally be aimed back to their homeland, where they belonged, to focus on the kingdom's security. At least, that's what they were told. The majority of royalty, as well as Captain Hockmunn, came to the conclusion that it would be easier to keep a watchful eye over the Paladins if they were all in the same place, even though most fingers were actively pointing at the newest member, Vousa Falk. After being present during Soa's death and a lack of history and past records, coincidences and excuses could only get the young man so far. Quait had the unfortunate task of training him to be the perfect Paladin whilst also watching his every move in case the suspicions were true. It was a nerving and conflicting job, but Troyori was the best at hiding fear, so Vousa never felt any pressure or surveillance whilst by her side. An internal threat was all the more challenging to stay on top of when actively ensuring the safety of an entire kingdom on a day-to-day basis. The two years of trivial fights and skirmishes seemed so meaningless to Quait, knowing that the spy could collapse the city from the inside whenever they wanted to. With the returning of many of her fellow Paladins, she at least looked forward to having her duties alleviated slightly. It was a day she'd been looking forward to for months, after waiting for what felt like an eternity.

“Your helmet… it's scuffed,” Paladin Quait informed Vousa, who reacted by looking down at the floor in embarrassment. Captain Hockmunn stood to the left of them both, shaking his head subtly at Falk's sheer incompetence. To be a Paladin Knight meant that one would have had an extensive history of honourable service within the Magmalian army. It wasn't an occupation given to the everyday person, yet Falk seemed to act like one with ease. “I'm sorry, Troyori,” the oaf huffed, not knowing where to look. Neither Quait nor Hockmunn believed his foolishness, like it was an act to ensure he'd seem too pathetic to be a spy of Slayer origin. He was persistent in his efforts though, as though he was genuinely idiotic. His skill with a sword was the only thing anyone could commend him on, but it wasn't something too outstanding, especially amongst other Paladins that shared the ability to defeat enemies with single swipes. “You seem nervous, Vousa. Scared of what the other Knights will think of you?” Hockmunn asked.

“I've idolised many of these men and women. It'll be somewhat surreal to meet them… let alone work and fight alongside them,” he answered with a stammer. The three of them stood with their helmets off, held underarm against their waists, awaiting the arrival of the other six Knights through the castle doors. A busier and more populated work environment would hopefully hinder the spy until an eventual exposure. It was simply a waiting game for Quait and Hockmunn. The only negative was that they couldn't inform the others, as it was important that everyone acted normally, unknowing of one of them being an imposter. One by one, the Captain would assess the Knights until they were left with the guilty man or woman. Once Hockmunn and Quait felt comfortable with a Paladin's genuine loyalty, they would bring them to their side to assist with uncovering the mole. Schemes aside, they were just excited to see their brothers and sisters in arms after years apart. Once the large, rickety doors creaked and clamoured, the three Paladins stood straight to await the reveal. The light from outside pierced through the entrance and widened to slowly unveil the six Knights walking into the castle with weary footsteps and grizzled faces. Upon noticing Troyori and the Captain though, their expressions and spirits lifted, and their pace quickened. From left to right, the unparalleled might of the Paladins poured through the ominous doorway. Shayl Roax, Chemidus Diun, Wulvador Uru, Lycan Uru, Jahrn Parsa and Midma Maw marched valiantly towards their welcoming company. Smiles filled the room in an instant as chestplates and gauntlets bashed together between warm hugs and handshakes. Shayl and Midma, along with Quait, were the women of the group, and often spent their time either showing the men how it was done or waiting for them to catch up. They were both older than Quait, but age wasn't something that affected their friendship and sisterly love. All Paladins shared the same armour, so hair styles and colour tended to be the only notable differences between them. Shayl sported short, brown dreadlocks with shaven sides, whilst Midma preferred her blonde hair to be tied up neatly at the back of her head. As for the men, Chemidus sported an intricate tail of black that travelled down to his lower back, filled with beads and ribbon, whilst Jahrn favoured a traditional short cut all around, as his ginger hair stood out enough on its own. As for the Uru brothers, Wulvador and Lycan, bald and clean shaven was the way to go. Vousa stood awkwardly as the eight Paladins exchanged words and laughs, until one of them turned to give him a death-stare. “You must be Falk,” Chemidus said with a deep voice. His large hands grasped onto the newest member, followed by the firmest handshake in history. The mountain of a man was known for his broad and intimidating stature. Any slight movement he made seemed like it had the potential to shake the Earth, but at his heart, Chemidus was as friendly as they came. The Uru brothers turned at the same time to say hello also, which happened to exit their mouths in a synchronised fashion. Wulvador and Lycan often acted as one man with a mirror by their side, with their personalities being one of the same. They put their hands on Vousa's shoulders and gave them a hefty pat. “Ah yes, this is our newest Knight, Vousa Falk,” Captain Hockmunn addressed. “He's been with us for around two years now… under the rigorous training of Troyori,” he continued.

“Of course, yes. How does it feel to be in charge of a newcomer?” Midma asked Quait.

“Stressful at times,” she replied whilst glancing over to Vousa. “I'll never be as great as Soa though”.

“Well he did train all of us,” Jahrn chuckled. “I'm sure he's no easy person to replace”. Quait had no intention of surpassing the amazing talents of Soa, mainly because she knew she never could. Her only aim was to ensure he didn't die in vain. Thinking about the day he perished made her want to inform the others of the potential spy however, but any one of them could have been the culprit in question. The only thing on everyone else's mind though was the banquet awaiting them in the dining hall.

After an hour of traipsing in the corridors, their conversations were shifted to the long table full of food that the kings and queens had readied. It was nice for the six Paladins to finally be back home, in the presence of their Asieda, Quait and Vousa. The variety of food on their plates made the occasion all the more joyous. It also slowed down the talking, as everyone was busy chewing and swallowing, but every now and then, someone would spurt out another grand tale from their adventures. “You'd be surprised how many kings out there were reluctant to hear what I had to say,” Jahrn stated. “They think they know everything, but when it comes to defending their countries, they fall silent like mute men,” he complained.

“Well you were there to help them, not to judge them,” Hockmunn explained.

“And help them I did. Though I'm still awaiting a simple thank you,” Jahrn laughed whilst spitting out chewed up chunks. Shayl and Midma looked at one another and shook their heads with smirks curling across their faces, which caught the attention of Chemidus. “What's so funny, ladies?” he croaked.

“We'd have happily swapped with Jahrn. I'd like to see him have the patience to be a scout in this cold weather,” Shayl expressed.

“All of your duties were important,” Troyori said.

“Yes. We're all pillars which hold up the strain of our kingdom. It's not what you're ordered to do… it's whether or not you're successful,” the Captain stressed. “Among us we have scouts, we have commanders and strategists. We all have a part to play”.

“And what traits does he possess?” Lycan asked whilst peering over to Falk, who was simply trying to keep to himself and enjoy the meal. His inclusion not only made him nervous, but also Quait, as she didn't know what sort of response he would provide. “Well, I don't know. I suppose I'm handy with a sword,” Vousa stuttered with a nervous laugh, hoping that others would laugh with him. Unfortunately, he found the others laughing at him. “Aren't we all?” Wulvador tutted, expecting a better answer. Falk coughed with a throat full of food and reached over to the wine to occupy his hands. “If the royals are always asking for new recruits, then I suppose it was only a matter of time until there was an awkward one,” Lycan sniggered.

“I'm sorry, everyone,” Vousa said, followed by another round of laughter. Chemidus leant across the table to stare at him intently. “Where on Earth did you find him? Is this man really a Paladin?” he grumbled. Hockmunn and Quait stayed quiet in apprehension, fearing that the others were quickly getting a sense of Falk's struggle to belong. Before either of them could attempt to change the subject, Chemidus bawled out in laughter, which caused the others to do the same – all except for Midma. “We're joking, young one! It's a pleasure to have another Knight to call our brother!” Wulvador cackled. The Captain nudged Quait and escorted her outside into the hallway for a private conversation. The two of them looked around then huddled closely against the wall. “This is already unbearable,” Troyori whispered.

“There's nothing we can do. We must see the plan through. It's the best way,” Hockmunn stressed.

“So not only do I have to keep an eye on Falk, we have to make sure the others don't find him suspicious either. And that's just half of it,” she worried.

“What do you mean?”

“It may not even be him. It could be any one of them”.

“You still honestly believe there's a chance it couldn't be him?” Hockmunn accidentally raised his voice slightly. Quait pushed herself away from the wall with a grunt and walked back and forth. Her long black hair swayed and covered her face, but it was still clear to see how troubled she was. “If you're certain it's him then why go to the trouble of such an elaborate process of elimination?”