A Knight's Path (The Path of Cinder Book 1)

by Nathan Grafton

  The young man set his jaw, “What’s wrong with me?”

  Alyssa bit her lip and Warren eventually groaned, “I think we were poisoned. I saw a guy…last night dressed really….nice and he rushed out really….fast after leaning over the counter.”

  The large boy was having a hard time talking and Alden understood why. His mouth and tongue felt dry and leathery but he managed to ask, “Is there a rail station nearby?”

  Alyssa nodded, “Yes there is, on the other side of Celina. I’m surprised you didn’t see it on the way in.”

  Alden nodded, “Good, find out if there’s a car to Cinnati tomorrow morning.”

  The young woman nodded and left the room and Alden felt himself fall back asleep again.

  Alden felt himself shaken awake again by Alyssa and his head felt clearer then earlier. The older woman helped him sit up and the pain was bearable this time. Alyssa handed the young man a bowl of soup and spoon and Alden managed to eat it slowly. Warren didn’t seem to be faring much better then Alden was. And Alden already had a feeling about who was behind it.

  Alden finally managed to remember his plan from earlier and asked, “Is there a rail to Cinnati?”

  The bar owner smiled, “There is one at 9. It should arrive by 11.”

  The young man nodded, “Good, we can still make it.”

  Warren managed to interrupt, “How does that help us? We’re supposed to walk back.”

  Alden winced as he turned and his head felt like it was taking a hammer blow, “No, we just have to make it back without leavin’ a trail. They never said how we had to travel just to avoid having the envelope stolen. We’ve tossed the hunters off our scent, so we can take the rail, no problems.”

  The large boy seemed to accept his partner’s reasoning, set his bowl aside and settled back into bed, “Alright. I trust you, Alden.”

  The smaller of the two handed Alyssa his bowl and settled back in and dozed off within minutes as he muttered a thank you to the woman taking care of them.

  Alden woke up on his own and his head felt clearer then it had before. The young man lay there for ten or fifteen minutes before he slowly sat up. His vision swam and his head throbbed but it was manageable. He pushed himself up onto his feet and took a minute to steady himself before looking out the window. It had to be around seven.

  The young man let his partner sleep and dressed, every movement making his head pulse with piercing agony. Alden finally opened the door and made his way downstairs, one hand against the wall to steady himself. Alyssa saw him as he appeared on the stairs and rushed over to help him the rest of the way down and sat him at the bar.

  The young man leaned heavily against the counter as Alyssa disappeared into the kitchen and appeared again a few minutes later with a plate of eggs and toast. Alden grunted, “Thank you.”

  A glass of water was pressed into his hand and Alden drank. His mouth and tongue felt gritty and thick still but it was better then it had been yesterday. The young man started to eat at half his regular pace and around 8 Alyssa went upstairs and woke Warren.

  The large boy came down the stairs a few minutes later. He looked green but the pair seemed to be improving rapidly. Warren flopped onto the stool besides Alden, “Whoever poisoned us certainly did the job well.”

  Alden scowled, “No they didn’t. We’re still alive ain’t we?”

  Warren smiled grimly, “I suppose that is true.”

  The large man ate as Alden sat and leaned against the bar with his eyes closed. It had to be Reginald who had poisoned them. He couldn’t prove that of course but it had to be him. Who else would have done it? And the reason the poison hadn’t been lethal was because of Warren. Reginald didn’t want the Faulkners to investigate the matter and trace it back to him. So it wasn’t lethal and the incident would probably be looked into, but it would be a half cooked affair.

  Alden tried to calm his mind down, all his thinking was only making his brain hurt. A few minutes later Warren was done eating and Alden stood to go and retrieve his pack. Alyssa pushed him back down into his chair though, “You sit and take it easy. I’ll bring your packs down.”

  Alyssa moved up the stairs and came back down a moment later, both packs and Alden’s duster in her arms. She smiled at them as she dropped the bags and helped Alden pull his coat on. Warren shouldered his pack with a groan and Alden grit his teeth as pain swam through his body. But he could handle it.

  Alyssa watched the pair as they moved out the door. Alden and Warren moved through Celina in silence, why the rail station had to be so far away was beyond the young man but he grit his teeth and kept moving. His head swam and he felt like he had spent the night matching Skorri for drinks.

  The pair arrived at the rail station with fifteen minutes to spare and they paid for their tickets. Alden fell into the nearest seat and Warren sat down beside him. The pair slumped heavily and the car started to move a few minutes later. They just had to walk to the Wall now.

  The second walk was easier then the first. Alden felt stronger then he had that morning, even though he still felt like someone had taken a hammer to his skull. The nausea and shifting of the world had stopped and now pain was all that remained. Pain could be dealt with. The car had been about ten minutes late getting in and the pair made it into the room where Sergeant Hunter was pacing as he waited on them with ten minutes until their deadline.

  Alden held up the fresh envelope as Sergeant Hunter heard them come in. The man smiled at them as he crossed the room to meet the duo.

  Sergeant Hunter scanned his students, “Why do you two look like you fought a bear on the way back?”

  Alden snorted, “I almost wish that’s what happened.”

  Warren grimaced and answered, “Somebody poisoned us in Celina. We spent yesterday in bed.”

  The Sergeant blinked a few times, “Okay, I think you two should just start from the beginning and tell me everything.”

  Alden took a deep breath as he relayed the events of the past few days to his instructor who sat there and listened until the young man reached the end of his tale. The Sergeant nodded, “I see, you made a decoy and swapped it with the original letter. Nicely done.”

  The Sergeant looked up, “Honestly, this is the first time anyone has run a decoy and let themselves get caught. The Cadets usually do exactly as they are told and don’t worry about any other plans. Congratulations on passing your First Trial. Now, head on down to the medics and get yourselves checked. Ask for Isaac. Then find some food and get some rest. I’ll look into the poisoning.”

  Alden smiled, “Thank you sir. And we’ll do that.”

  Chapter 26 A Fresh Change

  Warren and Alden had made their way down to the med wing of the Wall where they were treated by the Knights there. They wielded Light magic and it pushed the poison out of their system effectively but it left the pair feeling drained and empty. So they had taken Sergeant Hunter’s advice and found food before finding their beds.

  The next morning found Warren woken by his uniform being thrown into bed with him. The pair fell into a comfortable silence and Alden waited, tapping his fingers against his leg as Warren got ready. Alden seemed impatient but he actually wasn’t, he didn’t mind waiting. He just wanted action, he needed motion and movement. Or at least something to keep his hands occupied.

  Warren was ready within a few minutes and the pair made their way up to the roof where all of the others were waiting for them. That hadn’t happened in a while. Sergeant Hunter wasn’t there yet so Warren dismissed the matter and took his place beside Skorri, who was coated in a thick layer of bruises.

  A few minutes later the Sergeant arrived and moved to stand in front of them, “All of you did well during your First Trial. The only ones to lose their envelope were Alden and Warren but that was intentional. As such the men following them were not able to r
eport where they went or how they returned. Elise and Enzo you stayed ahead of your followers but they did manage to track you. Still a job well done. Skorri, your method was unorthodox but effective. Fighting the two men by yourself while John made his way to your destination is unprecedented. An impressive fight that lasted for a few hours if I’m not mistaken. Still, on a mission like this you should stay with your partner and not use yourself as a distraction. Well done though. Reginald and Alexander, you lost your followers and delivered both envelopes. Nicely done.”

  The Sergeant cleared his throat and started again, “You have all passed the First Trial. Today you will be measured for your armor and you will choose a weapon. Head down to your training rooms at once. Dismissed.”

  Warren accepted the change easily and turned to leave as Alden spoke, “I get the feelin’ we’re gonna be runnin’ a lot with them weights.”

  The large boy smiled grimly, “You are probably right.”

  The pair began to walk down the stairs and Alden asked suddenly, “Why do you do that?”

  Warren frowned, “Do what?”

  The smaller boy shrugged, “You always enunciate every word. The other Merchant kids don’t so why do you?”

  The large teen shrugged, “My father always said that speaking clearly was key to making clear deals. So he would always have me enunciate every word and not use contractions. I just kept doing it once I was here out of habit. Why?”

  Alden shrugged one shoulder and chuckled, “Curious is all. You probably think I sound like a hick.”

  Warren smiled, “A little. Actually, and this might seem strange, you sound like you are taking your time being in a hurry.”

  The small boy processed that for a moment and said, “I reckon I can see how you reached that.”

  The pair continued on in silence for a while and reached the training room and found Sergeant Hunter waiting for them again. How he did that as beyond Warren but that was a small detail in the grand scheme.

  Before the Sergeant could speak Warren asked, “Sir, do all Knights have partners?”

  Sergeant Hunter nodded and the large teen continued, “What about yours?”

  Malcolm smirked, “I was wondering when someone would ask that. Only Bastions and Paladins work directly with their partners. My partner is Sergeant Michael Cooper. He’s trained the last group of Cadets who came through.”

  Warren let it go at that and the Sergeant cleared his throat, “I spoke to Isaac after he treated you two. He said the poison was supposed to be a lethal one but someone screwed up when they made it. It wasn’t pure enough to kill you but it certainly left you two feeling like crap for a while but there shouldn’t be any side effects. Go easy on the drinking and try not to eat anything too spicy. They might make the poison wake back up for a few days and your bodies need time to recover.”

  Alden grunted but Malcolm ignored him and continued, “So, today you get to be outfitted for armor and weapons. Due to the small size of your group we’re going to be giving you the choices we normally give full Corporals. Alden, follow me. Warren, step back out in the hall and turn left. Go in the first door on the right. That’s where they’ll measure you for your armor.”

  Warren bowed his head and stepped back as Alden followed the Sergeant over to a nearby table. The large teen made his way down the hall and into the room Malcolm had indicated. The room was large and a willowy old man was inside waiting for him.

  The old man smiled, “Come on in. My name is Jackson. I’m guessing you’d be Warren?”

  The large boy inclined his head, “I am.”

  Jackson waved a hand at him to come closer, “Get over here in the light, lad. Let’s take a look at you.”

  The old man moved around Warren quickly and twisted him this way and that as he measured different parts of his body. The large teen was left disoriented as the old man finished and pulled out a pair of hand drawn images.

  One depicted a set of plate armor, which was the armor similar to what most of the Knights wore. The other was lighter. A chain mail suit with plates attached to the areas of the body that were free but left the joints uncovered and able to move easily.

  The large teen nodded, “I’ll go with the full plate.”

  The old man wrote down everything on a pad and nodded, “I thought as much. Now head on back to the other room, Malcolm is probably finished with that friend of yours.”

  Alden was actually waiting outside as Warren stepped into the hall again and let out a breath. Alden smirked, “This seems fun.”

  The large boy replied, “Its an experience.”

  With those words Warren went back down the hall again and joined Malcolm in the original room. The table was actually just covered in weapons. The Sergeant reached out and lifted a longsword off the table and offered it to Warren. The large teen took the weapon and the Sergeant made a motion for him to step back.

  Malcolm cleared his throat again and said, “Take a few swings at that dummy.”

  Warren did what he was told and walked up to one of the heavy wooden dummies against one wall of the room and swung the blade. It buried itself into the dummy with a solid thunk and Warren had to put one foot up on the dummy to yank the blade back out. The sword had acquired a fresh notch from the steel core of the dummy.

  Malcolm shook his head, “I should’ve seen that coming.”

  The Sergeant took the sword and set it back on the table as he examined it. The man offered the large teen an axe but then shook his head, “No, that won’t do.”

  A mace was the next item lifted and offered Warren and this time the large man actually got his hands on the weapon. The weapon was heavy but the pommel balanced the head nicely. Warren stepped back up to the same dummy and swung the heavy weapon. The mace slammed into the wooden torso with a cracking sound as the wood split along its grain. The large teen grinned and came back with a back hand at the dummy’s head. There was another crack as the head was torn half off.

  A wide grin formed on Warren’s face and the Sergeant chuckled, “I think we found the one. That’s a pernach to be exact. The flanges are made for piercing armor when you hit someone.”

  The large boy offered the Sergeant the weapon who took it and said, “The armor will take some time to forge. You should have a weapon though at the beginning of the week. The other thing is a shield. I take it you’ll want big.”

  Warren offered a sheepish grin as the Sergeant moved over to the table and lifted a large tower shield with a gentle curve to its front. The large boy gripped the handle on the shield and hefted it. The shield was heavy, probably about twenty pounds but Warren was strong and he would get used to it. Sergeant Hunter offered Warren the mace again. Using the mace would mean exposing himself from behind the shield. It was short enough though he could see over it and lift it quickly to block attacks.

  Warren swung the mace experimentally and found the shield acted as a counterweight for the heavy weapon in his right hand. The large boy swung the mace in a forward stroke and then brought it and the shield back across with a backhand. The weapons were slow but powerful, he would make it work.

  The large boy smiled, “I think this will do perfectly.”

  the Sergeant slapped him on the back and said, “You’ll get yours in a week or so. And that’s when the real training will start.”

  Warren handed the weapon and shield back to the Sergeant, hoping the next few days were uneventful.

  Chapter 27 An Uneventful Day

  The rest of the week passed without a hitch and Alden woke up Sunday morning with most of his bruises healed and in a rather pleasant mood. A letter had arrived from home for him from his father. The harvest was in, they had received the money he sent and everyone was healthy. Things were looking up for his family.

  The young man smiled as he went about his day and when Warren got up the pair
went down into town. The large boy had wrapped himself in a dark blue jacket with a falcon emblazoned on the back. Alden pulled his duster on and the pair walked down the road together. The Harvest Festivals were coming up and the people were out on the streets in droves.

  The smaller of the pair didn’t mind crowds but he didn’t like this crowd. They were all dressed too well and too well fed and had hands that were soft. Warren blended in with his family’s falcon emblazoned on his back and the royal blue and gold trim of his coat. Alden trailed along behind the large boy, wanting to disappear into Low Town.

  The pair made their way down into the lower end of the Market, where the people became rougher but no less merry. Alden began to relax as he faded into the crowd but the people kept giving Warren odd looks that relaxed as they saw his stride and figure. He wasn’t one of the overweight, soft, and wealthy people who plagued High Town. He was a warrior, a man who had given up wealth for the sword.

  Alden moved through the townspeople and made his way into one of the plazas of the market where a crowd seemed to be gathering. The young man noticed Skorri’s tall form in the crowd and pointed out the man to Warren and the pair made their way over to the giant.

  Skorri saw them coming and a broad grin formed on his face, “Alden! Warren! You’re just in time to watch the fights!”

  Alden raised an eyebrow, “The fights?”

  Skorri guffawed, “Yes, the fights! They have them every year before the Harvest Festivals. And some during the Festivals. And a few afterwards.”

  Warren relaxed as he looked over the heads of people in the crowd and Alden craned his neck. A good fight was always something worth watching. It wasn’t long before the blonde twins made their way over to the group and a few minutes later John appeared. Enzo and John both stretched their necks and managed to see the center ring where a fight was about to start but Elise was left unable to see. Until Skorri lifted her up and set her easily on one shoulder.