[Flash Back] The Road to Knighthood

[Kamrynn Sleightyr]

Two men faced each other in the large stone antechamber of Stormhold Citadel. Kevin Kalgar,t he knight Kamrynn squired to stood watching, hands clasped behind his back and his countenance unreadable. There were no other witnesses. Steel rang on steel as blades met, and the hall was filled with the clash and ring of combat.

Kamrynn was ready for knighthood, and this was his chance to prove it. The only thing standing between him and the Windoak was Captain Knight Trevan Otred -who was once his father's best friend. Now Trevan stood in Kamrynn's way, insisting that though the boy was eighteen, he was not yet ready for the quest the WindOak would provide.

He said he was protecting Kamrynn.

The matter had been brought to the attention of Trevan, who asked to interview the boy to determine if he was indeed ready. The words Kamrynn shared with the Trevan only moments ago spoke volumes to him....

***

“Go on, squire.” Trevan said.

Kamrynn bowed, and spoke his mind. “Sir Otred, I know in my heart I'm ready to become a knight, I'm as good as any squire on the battle field.”

“It's not your fighting that's the concern.” Trevan said. “What is in your heart, squire?”

“I want only to bring justice to the evil, safety to the innocent and retribution against those who have committed wrong.” Kamrynn spat out the last part passionately, retribution had weighed heavy on his mind for some time. His father's death.... Bii's death... Their killers were still on the loose.

Trevan raised an eyebrow, then glanced at the Kevin, who spoke on Kamrynn's behalf. “I see nothing wrong with his statement, certainly nothing to keep him out of knighthood. Unless you can prove him an incompetent fighter, I see no reason to keep him from the Windoak.” Kevin said flatly.

Trevan breathed deeply, he felt in his heart that he had to keep Kamrynn from the WindOak; his own test was harrowing. Kamrynn's heart was too divided to face it now. It would destroy him. There was no redoing a failed test from the Windoak, and failing to become a Knight would kill the boy, even if the quest didn't.

“Then I'll do just that. Kamrynn, draw your sword.”

[Kamrynn Sleightyr]

Trevan's sword sliced a great swath of hair from Kamrynn's head as the would be knight dove away, or at least it would have cut had their blades been sharpened. The Captain Knight cursed the squires speed and energy, the boy bounded and skipped from place to place like a child's playball.

On the other side of the fight, Kamrynn was sweating. His swordsmanship was a far cry from the Captain's, so he made do with what he had -agility. Bobbing and weaving, he focused entirely on defense, making sure he was never where his opponent thought he would be. That was how he survived.

A slash from Trevan, brought him ducking low, so he spun, hooking his right leg in a sweep. The Captain jumped, and brought his sword down on Kamrynn who raised his shield hastily before leaning over backwards and popping back to his feet with a handspring.

His shield arm stung, Trevan was much stronger than he, but this was something Kamrynn was used to. At just over 11 stone, he was the smallest squire there was, and his training reflected that knowledge.

For his shield arm, he trained constantly for strength, so it could better absorb the blows from stronger opponents. His sword arm, however, he trained for lightening speed, so he could whip his blade through and around opponents defenses rather than break through them. Their differences didn't manifest themselves in non symmetry, however, his arms were equally sized even though the muscles themselves were very different.

Kamrynn tried a few feeble attacks, all of which the Captain batted away. They cost Kamrynn dearly, for having been lured in close enough to attack, there was no escape from Trevan's expert skill.

A stab came forward, and Kamrynn spun. A slash came in low and he dove over it, catching himself on his hands and cartwheeling back to his feet. An overhead attack came too fast, before Kamrynn could recover, so he dove forward and continued rolling. Trevan chased after, stabbing down at him. All Kamrynn could do was roll and dodge, squirming right and left. Eventually he lost his sword in his struggles, and Trevan's point found home, but by then the point was moot.

“Enough!” Kevin called. The room fell silent. “Trevan, you can't expect a squire to stand to your skill, yet the boy performed admirably.” Kevin gave a wry smile. “Perhaps your skill should be put under review. The boy must see the Wind Oak.”

Kamrynn's heart soared.

[Kamrynn Sleightyr]

The Windoak was as spectacular as Kamrynn remembered, and he approached it in total awe and reverence. The stars shone brightly above in the moonless night, the wind stirred, but it was quiet and warm, bringing with it the salty taste of the sea and rusting the great branches of the Windoak.

No one had given him instruction as to how to address the fragment of Sylir, or to ask a quest of it, so Kamrynn approached it as he would a god. Ten paces from its base, he halted, bowed deeply, then fell to one knee.

“Great Windoak,” He began, face turned down. “Fragment of Sylir, I come before you, as many have in the past, to receive my final trial and acceptance into the order of Syliran knights.”

Silence.

The young squire waited for ages without so much as a sound. The wind stirred his hair, but it was as silent as the exhaling of death itself. Kamrynn's heart pounded, why was the Windoak ignoring him? Panic washed over him, his throat constricted and he could feel the tears of a child working their way to the surface.

He fought all of it back and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And finally an answer came. The wind stirred, then surged through the branches with hurricane force.

“Kamrynn.” A thousand voices seemed to speak to him at once. They commanded the strength of ages and the knowledge of eternity. The Windoak spoke to him.

“Kamrynn, I hear your request, and I have your trial. Is your heart steeled, and ready to accept it?”

“It is.” He said simply.

“Then listen closely, for this is your charge. You must seek out the slayer of your father and bring him to justice. You are to kill him for the wrongs he committed against you and your family.”

Adrenaline and endorphins coursed through Kamrynn like the strongest narcotic. Pure ecstasy. His head swam and his mind reeled from the task set before him. He had dreamed countless nights of doing such a thing, but to have the Windoak's blessing? It was unfathomable.

“Thank you, Windoak.” Kamrynn said. “I will scour every corner of Mizahar without rest until the man is put to death by my hand.”

“There is no need.” The voices denied him. “I will impart his location, his face and his name to you. You are to find him, and bring him to justice.”

Before Kamrynn could ask how such a thing could be done, it was done. Light seared in Kamrynn's skull as hot as the sun. He fell to the ground, clutching his head and writhing in agony. Images flashed in his head, a name: Kenth Veeral, and a face, along with a city, a street, a house. The details were perfectly etched in Kamrynn's mind. Everything he would need to know.

The onslaught against his senses ended and the winds grew quiet. Kamrynn rose to his feet slowly, a sinister smile forming on his lips. Bowing to the Windoak, he turned and headed to the city of Kenash, in Cyphrus.

[Kamrynn Sleightyr]

The journey was short, but painstakingly long. Kamrynn spurred his steed forward at a pace faster than it could safely go, the beast suffered greatly, but it held to its masters commands. Kamrynn scarcely ate or rested himself, so consumed was he with his task. Revenge was within his grasp, Kamrynn couldn't fathom his luck. To think, not only would he get to avenge his father, but he had the Windoak's blessing and aide! He finally felt like a real knight, a holy soldier marching to doll out justice.

The scenery around him went by unnoticed, and he arrived in the city of Kenash without incident. He trotted his now ragged horse under cover of night fall to the small shack of a house that the Windoak had imprinted on his mind.

Kamrynn jumped from his steed and walked with deathly purpose to the front door. A single kick sent the flimsy thing flying open on its hinges. Kamrynn charged in, sword drawn, ready to face his father's killer.

What awaited him was a shameful sight. A graying man lounged in a chair near a stove, clutching a bottle of wine. The room smelled of burnt potatoes, and indeed, the remnants of such a meal lay on the table before them. Kenth Veeral stared at Kamrynn from his seat with a knowing look.

“You know,” He began. “Somehow I knew I'd be dying tonight.”

Kamrynn grit his teeth, the man who had killed his father was now a pathetic drunk. What an indignity! “You,” Kamrynn called out. “You killed my father, Captain Knight Sleightyr of the Syliran Knights and tonight you reap the harvest of what you've sewn.”

The man made no move to defend himself, nor did he cower. He just sat there looking at Kamrynn sadly with gray, colorless eyes. Kamrynn was momentarily stunned, he had envisioned this moment a million times, a million ways, but in none of his fantasies had things played out so pathetically and anticlimactically.

Kenth Veeral spoke then, “Aye, I remember. It was war, and we were on opposite sides of the fence.”

“Don't speak!” Kamrynn yelled, stepping forward.

Kenth wouldn't be silenced. “I regret the sins of war, you do what your commanders ask of you and you raise no argument.” Kamrynn continued walking towards the man, his blade drawn and ready to kill. “We were both fighting for the same thing: fertile land to raise food for our people. You don't ask questions when bellies growl restless with hunger. You're sure to find that out soon enough, kid.” Kenth looked up, Kamrynn was almost on top of him. “I regret the lives I took in that war, I won't ever raise a weapon against my fellow man again, and I welcome death's release.”

Kamrynn wasn't concerned with his story, though he heard the man's words. He was on a holy mission, given to him by the wind oak. A tired, unarmed, drunken veteran was all that stood between him and knighthood and revenge.

Kamrynn screamed, tears streaming down his cheeks. He brought his sword down with every ounce of hate and strength he could muster. It sunk deep into its mark.

[Kamrynn Sleightyr]

The ride home was quiet and slow. His mind raced with questions that he couldn't answer. War. War wasn't always as clear cut as good and evil. He assumed his father was the force of good in that fight, and Kenth was on the side of evil, but...What if there just wasn't enough food to go around? What then? Someone would have to starve and die, and unless there was a fight to the death, how would it be decided who lived and died?

He entered Syliras, his stomach churning and his mood as gray and overcast as the skies above him. Several knights and squires crowded around him as he entered the front gates, asking how he had fared in his charge. Kamrynn ignored them all, and rode straight for the Windoak.

He approached it as he had before, knelt, and waited for its response. This time, he did not wait long.

“Kamrynn. Have you completed the task I set forth for you?”

Kamrynn nodded. “I have.” He said. “And I have failed you. Kenth Veeral yet lives.”

There was a long silence, and Kamrynn feared the wrath he knew he was about to incur. The wind suddenly roared to life, and the voices boomed at him. “WHAT IS THIS?” It demanded furiously.

“I failed, Great Windoak. I could not slay the man.”

“Was your skill not up to the task?” It demanded.

“No, he made no move to defend himself, and I could not bring myself to cut him down. He was drunk, unarmed and helpless. But more than that, he regretted the deeds he committed under the banner of war, and he...” Tears flowed unrepentantly from Kamrynn's eyes. “He fought only to feed his kin and countrymen, the Syliran knights did the same in that war. We are as guilty as he.”

The winds stormed around him. “You have made your decisions than, you would give up knighthood to defend the life of this man, who killed your father?!” The Windoak demanded.

Kamrynn sobbed, his chest ached. “I would. I'm only doing what I feel is right. I can't kill him for what he did.”

The Windoaks decision was made. “Very well, Kamrynn. I strip you of your title as Squire-” Kamrynn's heart lurched from his chest, and he felt like he would die. “Rise.”

Kamrynn obeyed, feeling like a soulless shell. His dreams were dashed apart.

“You have done no different than what I expect from you. Depart from me, no longer a child, but as a Syliran Knight.”

Kamrynn couldn't believe his ears, had he misheard the Windoak?

“You have shown integrity, and a strict adherence to your morals. Moreover, you have shown mercy and forgiveness and an understanding that the difference between right and wrong is not black and white, but a multitude of grays.”

Had the whole thing, been a set up then? If he had killed the man, would he have failed? The question wasn't necessary, in his heart, Kamrynn knew the answer.

“I will mark you now, so that every Knight whom you meet will know you as brother.”

The ringing in Kamrynn's head was back, but this time he withstood it. The pain shook his being, but it subsided after a short while. When it was over, Kamrynn felt different -some subtly feature about him had changed. He was stronger, smarter, and more at peace. He was a knight now. Now and forever.

The Windoak fell silent, and Kamrynn left the windy court yard with his thoughts weighing heavy on his mind.

[Kamrynn Sleightyr]

[[[[All done, and now little Kamrynn has some history! Joy!]]]]

[Dusk]

XP Award! Kamrynn XP Award: Acrobatics: 1 XP, Philosophy: 1 XP Lore Award: Syliran Quests Additional Note You will need to put a timestamp date on this to make sure your timeline is in place. Since it says flashback in the title, I'm assuming it's before Spring 510, which is fine it just needs to be on the thread. I liked the lesson the Windoak taught him, it's a good way to run a Knighting Quest.