"HAA!"

I whisk my blade to the side and slam into my opponent. Their feet stagger as they move backward.

"Just like that! You're getting used to your claymore now."

I run towards my opponent as they lunge at me. A quick glint of silver catches my eye as I jump dodging the attack. I fall to the floor and lower my blade to the ground.

The ground below my sword trembles as I raise it up. The grass below shifts invertedly to make room for the air seeping from my next attack.

My foe gets thrown into the air with the elevation of my claymore. I turn it sideways and send a powerful thrust throwing them to the ground.

Jumping into the air I land at their side, my blade at their neck.

"Surrender?"

The man smiles and laughs. "You got me for sure!"

"All thanks to you master." My hand extends, as he clutches it and draws himself forward.

"Daddy! You lost!" A young girl raced towards him as he picked her up.

"I sure did! Looks like Momoko's ready for her big day tomorrow."

Higashi grinned ear to ear.

"… It feels like I have so much more to learn from you though."

He walked over to her and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I've taught you all that you need to know. The rest is up for you to learn through your many coming battles."

"…Ha,"

I look up at him and smile wiping a tear from my eye.

"…You said 'coming battles'."

He laughed and gave me a loving hug. Okami embraced my head from her dad's shoulder.

Sakuma walked over and beamed.

"I'm proud of you Momoko, we're very fortunate to have met you."

We break up and I bow in front of her.

"The pleasure was all mine, Ms. Saki."

Sakuma laughs and hugs me, I feel my insides twist and churn as she picks me up from the ground.

"You're still polite as ever!"

Oh god! She's going to kill me!

Aiyoma walks outside from the backdoor.

"Mom, you're going to suffocate her!"

Sakuma puts me down.

"I just need to get a strong hug in… Who knows when we'll see you again."

I pump my hand onto my chest.

"Once I win this Rite of Passage and become a knight, I'll come right back and tell you all about it!"

Sakuma moves a piece of hair covering my eye.

"Sounds like a plan! Make us proud."

. . .

Aiyoma and I walk outside and enter a red carriage being drawn by a tall lizard-like creature.

"Take care!" Sakuma called out as we entered the vehicle.

Okami ran past her parents. "You got this Momoko! Kick everyone's butt!"

I wave out to them and close the door. Looking from the window I see Higashi nod towards me.

"Go on kid, show em' whatcha got."

I nod back and relax my back onto the velvet-colored seat.

"Are you ready to go?" Aiyoma waved from the van to her family.

I take a deep breath in and grin. "Ready as I'll ever be!"

Aiyoma taps the side of the wagon and the rider cracks a whip motioning the lizard-creature to move.

We blaze out of town this time through the East gate.

I look outside and see Okami running after the van.

"How is she keeping up with us?!"

Aiyoma looks outside and laughs. "That's my sister for you."

I chuckle and we pass the Eastern Gate leading to Lanier. Okami stops running and waves from behind.

I close the velvet curtain and sit back on the seat.

"So Aiyoma,"

The wagon rumbles as we reach the outskirts of town. The trees clear and we're greeted with a vast plain.

"What's the Rite of Passage like? Got any tips?"

She puts her hand up to her chin in wonder.

"Unfortunately, the challenges differ every year. So even if I were to tell you, it probably wouldn't help."

"…Well that sucks."

I look outside to see some bird-like creatures with short beaks racing our wagon, matching our speed.

"You've helped me so much Aiyoma, I can't even begin to thank you."

Aiyoma smiles and looks outside at our racing competitors.

"If you do your best during the Rites, that's all the thanks I need."

I look over to her and yawn.

"I'm gonna take a quick nap… Wake me up when we get there, k?"

She nods and putting her hands in her lap.

My eyelids start to waver as I'm invited to total darkness.

. . .

"… Momoko."

My eyes start to widen as I look outside the window.

"Are we there yet?"

"Yep! Welcome to Phoenia!"

I snap out of my daze and poke my head out the window.

A giant castle wall of pure white pierces the heavens. Different colored and shaped carriages rode past us with animals both sophisticated and eerie.

A turtle ran by us hurtling a carriage as it snapped at my face.

"Gah!"

I quickly ducked back into our carriage.

Aiyoma laughed, covering her mouth with her hand.

I look from my window and see a large light expel from the city into the sky.

"What's that?" I gesture towards the light in the sky.

Aiyoma follows my hand and looks outside her window.

"It's a protective barrier that keeps this city safe from invading monsters. Apparently, one of the generals is a powerful mage and created it by herself."

We reach the city's outer gate and get halted by a guard. He walks over to the carriage and Aiyoma flashes a crest.

He signals that we can pass and we continue through the gate.

I look at the crest and Aiyoma catches onto my gaze.

"Knights of Phoenia are given a crest to show the nation they represent. However, mine is a bit different as I have the rank of Ruby."

The inner city has incredibly large buildings of all shapes and sizes. The ground below us rumbles as the lamps we passed light up one by one in the dusk's shade.

The carriage stops and we exit onto the street. Aiyoma tips the carriage rider in which he whips once more, riding away from us.

I turn to look at Phoenia's sites. Another large castle, casting a bright light despite its distance, shines from above on a large hill. Below it houses different buildings and structures glittering with color.

"We'll be resting at my home if that's alright with you."

I nod and we start to walk on the sidewalk. The people we pass are mostly wearing armor, plated steel, and the like. Even the woman has chainmail skirts wielding large axes.

"Is this where all the knights come in their free time or something?"

"This is the military district,"

Aiyoma gestures towards a large sturdy barracks made of stone and steel. Knights can be seen coming in and out of it in a hurry.

"Phoenia is home to nine districts with central purposes. Only specific classes, ranks, and factions belong to each. You usually wouldn't need to flash a crest to enter the city, but we entered through the Military District's Gate."

We stop walking down the gravel path as it turns to concrete. The lamps become more abundant and shine brighter. The bustling city turns into a quiet housing complex with intricate houses, looking almost congruent, which are seen adjacent on each side of the street. They all have two square-looking bushes trapped in a white-vase along the sides of the corridor.

Aiyoma turns into a house that's grey with cobblestone painted along the front. Its rough is a solid black matching the fencing around the property.

She walks up the stairs leading to her home and touches the door. A clicking sound is heard as the door opens. Immediately, the lights in the entire house turn on, as if she was being welcomed back from her voyage.

The inside is very modern and sleek. The walls are painted white and had delicate flower-like arrangements coating the surface. A soft aroma fills the air similar to cherry blossoms.

We walk down the hallway leading from the front door and are confronted with a novel kitchen with pots and pans lining the walls along with spices and bottles of powders above them on shelves. The center of the room houses a wooden light-brown table with three chairs surrounding it.

"It may not be as homey as my family's house… But that's mainly because I don't come here very often. Only when I have work to do in the capital."

We walk back down the hall and enter the right leading to the upstairs. She opens a door and a room with white walls and brown-furred floor is welcome to me. It has a bed in the middle along with a dresser, some newly planted flowers situated on a nightstand, and several books spread across a desk.

"This use to be housed by my friend until she decided to move out. You can use it while you stay in Phoenia. Don't stay up too long, we have lots to do in the morning!"

She closes the door leaving me to my lonesome.

I throw myself onto the bed and extend my arms.

"Man, I'm beat…"

My eyes start to grow heavy as I situate my head on my pillow.

Tomorrows a big day.

I officially enter the Rite of Passage to become a knight!

. . .