Star Eater

Chapter 28: Chapter 28

Arthur's Point of View

Temple atop Helmsforth

"This is total bullshit!" I said through gritted teeth.

The streets were lined with people, and I had to walk through a parade as people celebrated me. Only the thought of wringing either Priestesses neck was helping me through the day. After our little walk through parts of the rungs, we ended up at the Temple. Hundreds if not thousands of people were present. Guards lined the halls, and I had an escort with me.

I was supposed to be wearing some manner of noble Elven robes that were delivered to the Reed Farmstead. Needless to say, I kept my armor and sword on instead. Figured it'd be best to let the people see exactly how I looked and let them know who I was.

Now in a grand hall, the Priestesses were the first two to come into view. "Welcome, Arthur Pendragon." Elincia and Arceana said simultaneously, but I saw a quick disapproving look at my attire.

In the hall were several Elves, Humans, and Zugal. All ranging from Noble to Town's Guard officers. However, all that were present were likely considered the most important individuals in the nation. Many eyes turned to me, and I ignored their gazes as I walked down the aisle between them.

Stopping in front of the two Priestesses, they smiled. "It warms my heart to see you this fine day, Arthur Pendragon." Arceana's red eyes focused on my left eye.

"For this is a day that will be remembered throughout history." Elincia continued, and murmurs could be heard throughout the room.

"Our first Knight in over two thousand years will be made today. Since the founding of our great nation, no other has taken the mantle of a Lestranian Knight." Arceana announced.

"That changes today." Elincia smiled and gestured to me. "Please, take a knee, Arthur Pendragon."

Doing as instructed, I bent the knee and was interested in seeing where they were going to start. The room quieted down as history was happening before their eyes. It made it so much better knowing that I got to give a speech after this. A rousing speech of inspiring the masses. People were going to love it.

"Arthur Pendragon," Arceana started. "Do you have your speech prepared?"

"I do."

Elincia and Arceana moved forward with Arceana's scepter in tow. "You will recite your speech after taking your oaths." Arceana and Elincia informed me as they raised the scepter together and tapped my shoulder. "Do you swear loyalty to Lestrania?" They asked simultaneously.

"I do."

"In times of peace or in times of war, will you stand as a beacon of hope for this nation?"

"I will." Alternating shoulders with the scepter, I listened for their next question.

"Will you hold justice above those who would seek to challenge it?"

"I will."

"And do you swear that if it is within your power, you will stop at nothing to keep Lestrania safe?"

"I do."

With one last wave of their magic wand above my head, they stood tall beaming and gestured to me. "Then rise and be dubbed, Sir Arthur Pendragon! Knight of Lestrania!" Both smiled at me as I rose to my feet.

Giving an expected bow, I turned and faced the audience who applauded my ceremony. Most of them anyway. The Priestesses flanked me, and Elincia summoned her magic to teleport a sword overhead. Slowly, it descended from the ceiling, and I took in familiar details.

"You may recognize this blade." Elincia said as she floated it before me. "This will be your weapon bestowed upon you by your Priestesses."

Reaching out and grabbing it, I nodded. "You have my thanks, Priestess." Was my reply.

It was an exact replica of Elincia's summoned blades that she used against me in the Hallow Forest. Hopefully, this one was more durable than the ones she used against me. Otherwise, this blade was completely useless to me. Didn't see the point in giving someone who already has a sword another sword, but I knew they weren't the brightest. After all, they made me a Knight. They're going to learn today...

"Now, Sir Arthur, please give your speech as our new Lestranian Knight!" Arceana waved out across the hall, and I shrugged.

Upon really looking across the Audience, I saw familiar faces looking up at me. Rennal, Cassidy, Kine, Typhon, Ayda, and Floyd were all present. Made sense given that they were the Priestesses select students, aside from Typhon and Rennal, of course. One was an adopted son, and the other was an actual Noble.

Stepping forward, I began my amazing speech. "I'm sure many of you are wondering why I am your new Knight." Many in the crowd seemed to frown in clear disapproval of my new title. "Well, there are a few reasons, but one of them is thanks to Duke Jhaane Syltar!" I announced, and many in the room were immediately confused. "Is he here?"

Arceana and Elincia both stepped next to me with confused looks on their faces. "I am, Sir Arthur." A proud Elven voice called back, and I turned to see him step out of the crowd. "However, I must admit, I do not know how it is that I aided you."

A male elf with fair looks and a light complexion stood before the audience as whispers made their way through the room. "I'm sure, but you must understand that I've heard incredible things about you!" Stepping towards him with a smile on my face while many in the room looked on, unsure.

All except one who was watching in a mix of horror and fascination. "While I am pleased to know my exploits have reached your ears, I am quite confused right now."

"Many probably are." I said in an understanding tone and put my hand on his shoulder, which he glanced at in disdain for a moment. "However, let me shed some light on how you helped me."

Drawing the new sword I was just given from its sheath, I brought it across the Elf's neck and decapitated him in front of the entire grand hall. Blood sprayed out from the wound and covered me. Needless to say, panic ensued as many tried to run away after realizing what just occurred.

"Halt!" Several of the Town's Guard, who were present, shouted as they rushed me.

I was quickly surrounded as few nobles stayed behind to watch what would transpire along with Cassidy and the others. Some of the officers stood in place and watched on as both Priestesses used their magic to halt my movements as a white aura wrapped around my body. The once filled hall was practically empty, with only a few dredges remaining.

"Is there a reason I'm being detained?" Several of the guards resented my nonchalant attitude as they moved closer.

"Stop!" Arceana moved forward in a commanding manner. "Why did you do this? Was becoming our Knight just a ruse?" She inquired as she stood before me warily.

Elincia was behind me, and I heard the drawing of a sword. "I did this as my first official act as your Knight." The entire room seemed stunned at my bold statement. "It wasn't a ruse of any sort. Duke Jhaane Syltar was the ringleader of the Slavers who were running several warehouses out of the slums."

Arceana looked at me in disbelief as she seemed to sputter a response. "That cannot be..."

"Yeah, well, it is. Heard it from one of the Slaver's mouth before he died." This was going rather well. "And I'm willing to bet some of the slaves might've been willing to share that information-"

"None of them are talking!" One of the guards said as he brought up his spear threateningly.

Glancing at him for a moment, I turned my gaze back to Arceana. "They might've been willing to share that information with you and your guards if some of your Town's Guard wasn't aiding the slavers in question." I continued as if uninterrupted.

Elincia spoke. "While I do admit that some of our guards did betray their oaths and were found at the scene, you have no evidence to back your claims."

"As a matter of fact," Pausing as my eye glanced towards Rennal, I continued with a smirk. "I do."

The Elf in question stepped forward. "Priestesses." She spoke softly, and the two sisters turned to her. "I was there when the Slaver gave Sir Arthur the Duke's name."

Both released their magic hold on me and turned to the elf, even more confused. "You? Why were you there?"

"Earlier that day, I was kidnapped on my way home and taken down to the warehouse in the slums." Gesturing to herself while shaking slightly, she continued. "I was the one Sir Arthur tracked to their hideout."

I figured killing the Duke would get her to protect me, but the looks on everyone's faces made this even better than I imagined. "Why were you not reported as one of the Slavers present?" One of the guards asked as he narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"Sir Arthur gave me the opportunity to leave, so no word about my kidnapping would make its way to the public. He later healed me from the wounds I received while in the Slavers care for a brief period of time." Rennal bowed towards the Priestesses as they listened to her explanation.

"I see." Elincia smirked as she looked at me. "Did you know I was coming then? Is that why you told her to leave?"

Shaking my head, I shrugged. "Not at all. It was just an offer."

"An offer made out of kindness or opportunity?" Arceana whirled around toward me. "I do not know if your actions were just, and I can no longer judge the Duke for his supposed crimes, which leaves us in a bit of a conundrum. How do we know the Slaver you questioned was telling the truth, and you didn't just execute an innocent man?"

"Given the Slavers situation and condition, I doubt he had the nerve to lie. I may not look it, but I can be very convincing when I want to be. I'm also a gambling man." Pointing at her with a smile, I continued. "Looking through the Duke's home is bound to reveal something." Then I shrugged again. "If not, then too late now, I guess."

One of the guards moved forward and put his sword in my face. "You would be willing to risk killing an innocent man!?"

His sword shook slightly in front of my face, and I gave him a bored look. "Put that thing away before you hurt yourself." The guard in question bristled at that and opened his mouth to reply, but I cut him off. "Or before I hurt you." I said with a glare towards him as I stepped forward and around the sword.

"Arthur..." Cassidy said in an unsure and warning tone.

Bringing my free hand up to the guard's sword, I grabbed it and crushed it in my grip. Shards fell to the floor, and the guard backed away more fearful now. With him and the other guards cowed, I turned back to the Priestesses and focused on them once more.

Arceana tapped her scepter on the ground and looked at me in a thoughtful manner. "This is certainly not how I expected this day to go."

"I told you I didn't want a big ceremony, and you made me walk in a parade." I shot back.

Elincia giggled at that, but Arceana didn't look impressed as she shook her head, annoyed. "Elincia." Turning to her sister, the pink haired Priestess spoke. "Please take a group of guards to investigate the Duke's manor."

Moving to me, Elincia nodded and tapped my shoulder. "To prove if Arthur was correct?"

"Indeed. We must get to the bottom of this." Red eyes stared at me. "Our dearest Knight has made this a priority."

"I take my work very seriously and told you I would start as soon as I was Knighted. We agreed the Slavers would be dealt with by me." Gesturing to the only dead Elf in the room, I continued. "So, I did."

No longer in the mood to deal with me, Arceana tapped her scepter to the ground, and several of the guards moved to take care of the dead body. Ignoring me entirely now, she moved closer to Rennal and the others to ask further questions. Elincia smirked at me before giggling slightly.

"This has been most amusing. If you are as confident as you seem to be, I will be sure to find evidence that the Duke was involved." Blue eyes seemed to shine with mirth at the thought of me getting away with such a brazen act. "Do not worry, Sir Arthur, I have a feeling you are right."

"I sure hope so. Otherwise, I killed that asshole for no reason."

"You would not feel sorry?" Elincia's mirth disappeared for a more concerned look.

"Maybe a little." I said with a shrug. "Besides, it was one hell of a way to introduce myself to the people, don't you think?"

A little stunned and left with wide eyes, Elincia reluctantly nodded in agreement. "It certainly was."

Long story short, I was escorted to a private room while the situation was under investigation. Considering it was whether or not the new Lestranian Knight murdered someone in front of a group of people, they got to work quickly. However, much like I suspected, there were records in the Duke's home tying him to the Slavers.

Slave trade receipts from buyers, warehouse locations, colleagues, and more were all written down in a private journal hidden with magic. Unfortunately for him, when one of the Priestesses themselves come knocking, hiding things with magic is apparently incredibly difficult and next to impossible. After all, they know every trick in the book.

So, I was free to go about my day. Which I spent enjoying the ruined reception for my Knighting Ceremony. While I may not have been able to wring either of the Priestesses' necks, this was certainly a close second. I was a Knight who cherished small victories, and this was turning out to be a pretty good one.

*********

The new goal for this week is to hit 800 Power Stones again for another extra chapter! We were so close, and I'm positive we should've been able to hit it, so I think it's a fair goal. If we hit 850 as well, I will release an additional bonus chapter for hitting that goal as well! We know we can hit 750 easy, but can we hit 850? Let's find out! Hope you guys are still looking forward to the coming chapters!