The Capital – Southern Part
The Inn
After the old lady handed Limty the two keys.
Old Lady: I don't know what brought you here after all this time, but you came at the wrong moment.
Limty: What? Is something happening here?
Kalira: (Looks tense – in a low voice) It seems she's about to talk about Okays.
Limty: Tell me, Grandma, what's going on?
Old Lady: I don't know much either. All I've heard is that there's going to be a fight between the knights.
Lem: (Interrupting loudly) Whaaat!! A fight between the knights?
Old Lady: That's what I heard.
Limty: (Puts her hand on her chin) That's strange. The rank duels between the knights ended a long time ago. What's going on?
Lem: (Looking at the old lady) Will the fight be in the royal arena?
Old Lady: Where else would it be? And also, you rude boy, why don't you show a bit of respect to your grandma?
Lem: (With a smug face) Why should I do that? Huh?
Limty: Why are you so excited about the fight?
Lem: What's wrong with being excited? Maybe one of them will fall and the arena will start working again. I could join.
Kalira: (With a worried look) Is this happening because of Okays?
Limty: I don't think so. This kind of fight between the knights usually happens due to rank rivalry only. Grandma, do you know who's going to fight?
Old Lady: I told you, I don't know much. And also, the fight will be tomorrow.
Lem: What? Tomorrow?!
Limty: Lem, we don't have time to go there now; we need to go to the merchant first.
Lem: I know that, but we'll pass by there anyway. It's in the northern part of the capital. What's the problem with watching a little?
Limty: Okay, we'll see about that tomorrow. Come on, everyone, let's go upstairs.
Kalira: (Worried face) Will Okays be alright?
Lem quietly steps behind her and lightly pats her on the back.
Lem: Why do you always make the atmosphere gloomy? We told you we'll get him out.
Limty: Yes, he's right. Don't worry too much.
Turans: Something's strange anyway. The fights between the knights stopped 80 years ago. Why did they start again? (In a low voice) Something is changing.
Limty hands a key to Lem.
Limty: You two should rest. You and Lem go to the next room; Kalira and I will take this one.
Lem: Why do I have to sleep with this chicken?
Turans: Do you think I'm happy sharing the room with you, horse-face?
Limty: I don't have the energy to argue with you anymore. Come on, Kalira, let's go in.
Kalira: Okay.
They enter the room. It's quiet, lit by two lanterns, with two beds and a window closed with curtains.
Limty: Come on, take the bed by the window.
Kalira: Okay.
Limty: Why are you so quiet? Try to be a little optimistic. Everything will be fine. We'll go to the merchant in the morning, give him his money, and he'll release your friend. Then you'll run far away.
Kalira: I don't know, but what if he refuses to run? Or if we can't escape? What will happen then?
Limty: He's your friend; I'm sure he'll choose the best option. Now sleep, we'll think about all this tomorrow.
---
The Other Room
The room looks exactly like Kalira and Limty's.
Lem lying on the bed: Hey chicken, are you asleep?
Turans sitting by the window: I told you I don't need sleep.
Lem: Do you know why I'm so excited about this fight?
Turans: I don't care to know the reason.
Lem: When I was little, it was my dream to become one of the Four Knights.
Turans: I told you I'm not interested, why are you telling me your story?
Lem: Shut up and listen, chicken. When I grew up a little, I came to the capital and joined the fight, but Limty tried to stop me from fighting because everyone was strong in that arena. But I was stupid; I didn't listen to her and joined the fight.
Turans: Seems like you know you're stupid.
Lem: Shut up, but the fight was harder than I expected. My first opponent was an "Enhancer," not a "Controller."
Enhancer:
Uses his blood inside his body by concentrating it in a certain area like the leg or hand to make it strong and harden his body, but he cannot control his blood outside his body.
Controller:
One who controls his blood outside his body as everyone else does.
Lem: He was an enhancer, but not very strong. I managed to defeat him after a long struggle, and that was the end of my first round. At that time, I thought everyone would be as weak as him—or rather, I thought I was the strongest among them.
Turans: A fool remains a fool.
Lem: But I never expected that in the second round I would be defeated. My opponent was a "Poisoned Controller."
Poisoned Controller:
Adds kinds of poison to his blood, making his blood poisonous. But not everyone can do this because it might kill the user.
Turans: That explains the black scar behind your back.
Lem: That bastard stabbed me with his blood. I thought I lost only because of him, but I hadn't discovered the poison yet.
Turans: How are you still alive?
Lem: Maybe luck, but I suffered for nine full years and couldn't control my blood well.
Turans: Is that why you only use that huge sword?
Lem: You can say that. But the real goal of becoming an adventurer was to find a cure for that poison. Then I heard about the old knight "Taris," who had the same poison in the past and treated himself and got rid of it.
Turans: Wait, so that's why you decided to accompany Kalira. I thought her grandfather was the old knight?
Lem: Yes, but we couldn't meet him.
Turans: (Laughs) Forget it. He's not him.
Lem: Why are you sure he's not him?
Turans: That old man can't kill an ant. Are you saying he's the old knight Taris?
Lem: I didn't say he'd be the knight because of his name, but he also lives in the city of "Darkis." Could that be a coincidence?
Turans: What's wrong with that? There are many people with the same name. Also, I heard the knight Taris was assassinated a long time ago.
Lem: That's impossible. I heard he retired and went to the city of Darkis and lived there.
Turans: Well, go and search for him. He's left anyway.
Lem: I'll find him. I'll search all over the continent.
Turans: Why do you think he'll help you?
Lem: Of course, he will. Because we're helping his granddaughter now. Isn't that enough reason?
Turans: Okay, seems enough. But hope he is the one you're looking for.
Lem: Doesn't matter. I'm going to sleep now.
---
Hours pass, and morning comes, two hours before the fight between "White" and "Thanos."
A person rides a horse and throws papers shouting:
"The fight will start in two hours! The fight will start in two hours!"
Lem wakes up: What is this noise? Damn it!
Turans enters through the window holding one of those papers.
Turans: Seems like it will be a very exciting fight.
Lem gets up and goes to the window, taking the paper from Turans.
Lem: This is impossible! It's a fight between White and Thanos! They are the strongest knights in the entire continent!
Turans: Something's happening, as I thought.
Lem runs out of the room and knocks on the door of the room where Limty and Kalira are.
Lem: (Loud and annoying) Wake up, Limty! Look at this! Waaaaake up!!
Limty opens the door angrily.
Limty: Do you want to die, you fool?
Lem holds the paper and puts it in front of her.
Lem: Look, did you expect this?
Limty: This is impossible!! White will fight Thanos!
Kalira comes from behind with sleepy eyes and messy hair.
Kalira: (Yawns) What's going on?
Lem: Who's this?
Limty: Shut up. (Looks at Kalira) Go and comb your hair. You look like a ghost.
Kalira and Limty enter the room and close the door behind them.
Lem shouts from outside the room.
Lem: Come on, let's go, Limty! Please, it will be a fun fight!
Limty: (Loudly) Get lost!
Lem: Come on, there are only two hours left for the fight!
Kalira: What's wrong?
Limty: Seems the fight we heard about yesterday will be intense.
Kalira: Why? Is there something wrong?
Limty: Do you know the knight who took your friend Okays?
Kalira: (Angry face) How could I forget his face? He took Okays and threw him off the wall.
Limty: Well, it seems you know him well. That person is the one fighting today.
---
To be continued...