Ch 12 - Crushed bones, destroyed dreams, vanished hopes

I’m running fast, I’m running away because there is no place to hide, there is fire everywhere, and rays of lightning are falling down following my every move.

Its like its going through roofs and caves, each time I get into a cave the top is blown away, every time I get into a house its roof is cut in half.

I don’t want to turn back and see that the beast is still following me, I’m scared out of my mind, why is this happening to me?.

“Waaaaaaaaa aaaaaaGGGAgagaAAAAGGGGHHHHH”

I can’t help it my body and my mind are moving on their own, my mouth only lets out those horrifying screams.

Please somebody help me! Save me father, save me mother, elder brother save me please save me.

Somebody, somebody, heavens please rescue me. This monster is following me and is going to kill me!

I feel its steps as the ground shakes with each and every movement it makes, what’s going on? why it’s following me? what did I do to it?

Those eyes stare back at me each time I turn back to check its location.

“NOOOOOOOooOOoOoOoooOOooOoOOhhhhHHhhhh”

*thump*

Don’t look at me with those blazing red eyes, don’t get any closer those flames on your back are going to burn me to cinders, nooooooo!

*badump*

*badump*

“Uhh, uhhh, uhhhhh, uhhhh, uhhhh”

*badump*

*badump*

*badump*

What the hell was that? Where am I? As I open my eyes and get used to the light I scan left and right this place.

I’m lying on a bed and can’t move, my heart is beating wildly, what’s going on? Why can’t I move? Who are these people in white coats?

“Uhhh, agr, where am I? Why does it hurts so much *aghr*”

“Lady Rawkin, Lord Rawkin your son has regained consciousness please come in quickly”

Consciousness?

What happened to me?

Where am I?

“Grant, Grant *pant* son, are you alright? Answer me son!”

Whats with father? Why is he panting? Whats going on here?, why is mother crying? Uh, why are their eyes so dark?

“Whats going on lord father? *pant* What happened?”

“Grant you... do, don’t you remember? Can’t you remember what you did? Can’t you remember what happened to you?”

“Doctor doctor, is our son ok? Dear husband make way for the doctors, dear please”

Doctors? What happened to me? Wasn’t I at the Academy just some minutes ago? What are the doctors doing here?...

After paying more attention to my surroundings I noticed I was in a medical room. Probably at the Royal Medical Center, why am I here?

“Lord father? *pant* What did I do? Why am I *pant* at the medical center?”

Father makes way and the doctor starts checking my eyes, then puts his head on my chest seems his checking my heart, he’s making me open my mouth, what’s with this ridiculous situation? *ugggh* it hurts, what did he do? *agrhr* stop it!

“Bring the opiates, it seems the pain is going to start again, nurse, nurse”

“Agr, it hurts, what’s happening to me, it huuurts! Stop moving me aghhhhgrrrr”

The doctor moved me a bit and I managed to take a glance at my body, what’s this? It’s Not just the awful pain, I’m covered in casts, my legs, my arms, and my chest, what happened? It hurts too much!

“Did bandits attacked me on a mission? *aghr* *huf huf*”

The doctor forced some pills down my throat and made me drink water from a clean glass that was on the right nightstand table.

“Rest a little bit more Sir Grant, you’ll find out what happened soon, for now just rest --”

What let me talk to my father, don’t take them away, uh? I’m getting sleepy, no I don’t want to sleep, that dream will appear again, I don’t want to sleep, I.. don’t want to .. sle…

I kept coming in and out of sleeping state, and each and every time that flaming beast beat me down, I’ve never seen a monster so terrifying in my life.

What is it? It looks like the demons of old myth and legends, covered in red and black fire, flailing its monstrous arms destroying everything in its wake, I don’t want to sleep again.

“Lord Grant Rawkin, wake up, wake up”

Uh? Who’s talking? I don’t recognize that voice, oh I’m conscious, that dream hasn’t happened the last times I’ve slept.

Lets open my eyes.

“Uh? What’s this?”

Why is The Pegasus here? why in my medical center room? Whats happening, I feel my mouth fully open and my eyes round with surprise.

“Welcome back Lord Grant Rawkin, it seems you have been having bad dreams for the past two weeks. I’m glad to see you are feeling somewhat better”

“Uh? Oh thank you lord Decebal... Decebal...”

Looking at the man in front of me, I noticed who was behind him.

“ah, no nooo, stay away, stay away from me, what are you doing here, go away GO AWAYYYYYY”

Why is she here? Why am I so afraid? What did she do to me? Think Grant, think, remember, hmmm, the academy... hmmm the training grounds... ah!

*uggh*

Darkness..............

“Haven’t I told you several times to measure your strength when fighting ah Gat? Whats wrong with you?”

“But lord father the rules stated that it was valid, he himself proposed them, what was I supposed to do?”

“Hold back your strength! That’s what you are supposed to do Gat! Is it fun? To bully the weak? Are you enjoying yourself? Is that why I taught you the way of the sword?”

“Lord father stop it! You may be my father, but I won’t accept you putting blame on me that’s not mine to bear!. So STOP IT NOW AND LISTEN TO ME.”

UH? What happened? I saw Gatriel and fainted.

Why is she shouting at her father?

As I open my eyes I see Gatriel discussing heatedly with his father, my father and mother are... casting down their heads?

Whats going on? Why are they so ashamed? Whats with that look father?

“He tried to hit Ali with his sword and called her a ‘lowly noble’ and went so far as to pick his sword and raise it, I stopped him when he was about to swing the sword.”

Uh? Oh yes I remember, I got mad because she spoke back to me. Well isn’t it natural? She’s a lowly noble, to have the nerve...

uh? Isn’t that why I’m here? What did happen on that duel? I remember challenging Gatriel to a duel.

Wait, oh that’s what happened! - I look at Gatriel - so that child actually reduced me to this sorry state?

What have I been doing for so long then? I’m seventeen years old, a man about to graduate, strong proud high nobleman, and this kid, a girl no less, crushed all my effort in the blink of an eye.

“Grant? Son? Calm down, you don’t have to cry, where does it hurt? Son answer me!!”

Am I really strong?

What’s strength anyway?

I thought I would beat her in a single strike, why was I so mad? Why was I so pissed off?

She never really bothered herself with me! Never ever disrespected me! Did I want strength to just bully the weak?.

*sniff*

*sob*

*sob*

Am I even worthy of being a knight?

Why did I pursue strength so much?

Hell I can’t remember... when was it that I decided I wanted to be a Knight?

“Is that true? Why didn’t you say it on our way here Gat?”

“Didn’t you receive the report from the teachers of the Academy? Why should I repeat what was stated there!”

“Done with that attitude young lady! I am YOUR FATHER, show me the respect I deserve!”

Uh? Why are those two fighting here?

Ah! Look at that armor...

I remember, It was then wasn’t it? When I saw him catching that thief. Yeah all those years ago.

The pegasus, in his black armor caught a scoundrel that had stolen the bag of an old lady in the market district. I remember it now, I wanted to be like him, protect the weak and different the order and peace!

*sniff*

*sob*

*sob*

How could I have forgotten that simple thing? When did I change?

“I’m sorry lord father, please forgive my disrespectful attitude, I’m just angry that you are trying to make me take a responsibility that’s not mine”

Why is she bowing down?

Ah she’s apologizing to her father! So she can apologize.

That’s a rare sight, here I thought she was an arrogant brat, I even thought that his father dotted too much on her, turning her as arrogant as I thought she was.

*cough*

“*urg* I’m sorry Lord Pegasus, what your daughter is saying is true! It is my fault *agrh* *cough* I don’t know when, but I grew arrogant of my strength, all I wanted was to be like you! Honorable and correct, protect the weak, like that old lady you saved back then, but I became drunk with my strength. I was arrogant and now I find myself undeserving of being in your presence.”

Eh? He doesn’t seem to remember!

Well who would, it was over 10 years ago, and it’s not like he saves old ladies for a living.

Uh? Whats with that surprised face Gatriel? Hahaha, if you could see yourself now.

I’m sorry

“*cough* Indeed I thought that if I broke some bones on her arms she would get down of that high horse I thought she was on, but I didn’t realize that the one with his head up his bottom was me!. Hearing the stories of your daughter helping others, and completing advanced missions for the Academy drove me to the edge of jealousy. *agr* ahaha, such a small man I am, being the elder here I should have noticed earlier that all of it was just envy”

I can’t hold it in any more, I just cried my heart out from there onwards.

The pegasus said some things, but I couldn’t hear a word.

The self loathing and disgust with myself were louder in my mind than his words.

In the end they spoke to my parents, presented an envelope and left, and my parents were ashamed of whatever was written on the letter.

Should I continue my studies? Should I retire? Or change branches into politics?

I’m a weak hearted man... no, I’ll follow that example I decided to follow all those years ago!

I’ll reforge my heart into a fair one, regain my strength. This time with control so I won’t again get drunk with it!

Such a small man I am, I’m ashamed of myself.

All it took was a little girl to crush my hopes and teach me the best lesson of my life!

Strength is not meant to be used as means to bully the weak nor to position myself on top of those with lower rank than mine!

Strength is meant to protect, is meant to enforce justice, is cultivated in order to aim for a better tomorrow.

Yes this is it! I’ll recover and apologize to Lady Aliyah, to Sir James and Sir Dan, and most of all apologize to Lady Gatriel.

I just hope it won’t be too late by then.

What have I done.

Thanks for reading my fiction! I hope to get your comments and help from now and in future issues.

Give and Take you know undefined, you help me, I help you! isn't that the main reason why most of us gather here in RRL? to learn from each otner?

Cheers.