Knights Apocalyptica

Erec didn’t respond to Bedwyr—stunned. Bedwyr stood up, yanking Erec along with him.

[I’ll control the legs.] VAL informed him; the servos in the Vallum’s legs froze, and the joints locked, which was good. Erec wasn’t able to stand correctly on his own. His whole body shook, and his face felt numb. Never had he lost it as far as that. When Colin provoked it last time was the closest, but there was a difference; he’d crossed over the edge yet hadn’t dived off the cliff like this battle. Erec remembered everything from that state in a crisp red haze.

He saw his hands cleaving into the ooze, ripping eyes to shreds, and rending them into piles of gore littering the battlefield. But there hadn’t been a single thought during the intense violence—just an overwhelming desire to fight.

His head twitched, and his eyes took in the battlefield. Nothing but shredded eyes and puddles of corrosive murky green soaking into the wasteland dirt; they'd slain everything. Far in the distance rested the steaming flyer’s corpse from where it’d crashed into the earth.

“Erec,” Bedwyr called again, slamming the tip of his sword into the dirt. It sunk in about a foot deep, plenty enough to support itself as Bedwyr walked closer. “Why did you follow me into the Academy? I told you not to."

“I-I—“ Erec’s tongue felt numb in his mouth, so he struggled to get the words right. “—n-need to make a name for myself.”

There was a sigh from inside of his brother’s Armor. “This isn’t safe, Erec. Being a Knight is a deadly affair for plenty. I’ll have done well enough for us in a couple of years. Our family will be fine. Couldn’t you have waited? What about your nice job with the Baron?” Bedwyr’s head shook. “The way you fought too. Like you had nothing to lose. What am I to do?”

“N-nothing,” Erec said, legs starting to firm up a little beneath him. Less wobbly, but if it weren’t for VAL locking the servos in place, he’d undoubtedly fall. The last thing he wanted to do was show weakness right now. “I-I’m not here for your help. I-I’m here for me.”

“Now, don’t be ridiculous. I’m your older brother. Goddess, you’ve already taken your oath. How am I going to get you back now—“

At that, Bedwyr froze in place. The cold mask of his Armor’s helmet stared deeply into Erec’s soul. “No. You’re not. We both know you can’t, Erec. Listen to my words and get it through your thick skull: you cannot surpass me, and you cannot save her. It’s something you need to accept. It is impossible. I’m truly sorry.” There was a second of silence. “Don’t make me crush your dreams. If that’s what it takes to keep you safe, then I will.”

Erec took a deep breath. His heart was already beating again at a too-quick rate. Bedwyr’s head shot to the side as another person in Vallum Armor ran up. “Erec!” Garin called with Olivia trailing behind.

“Ah, Garin. A pleasure.” Bedwyr said tactfully, bowing his head.

“Oh, shit. Bedwyr!” Garin stopped. “Er—are you alright? Erec, why the hell did you take a swing at your brother; I know you two don’t get along well, but not enough to swing a damn axe—“

“That? I saw him fighting; after the battle ended, I wanted to see how much he’d grown. I told him to try to hit me.” Bedwyr lied smoothly. “I think he must be tired now. Do me a favor, go sit him down? Keep out of any more fights unless the Commander orders otherwise. The army should arrive soon, anyway. I believe we’ve done our part.” With that, Bedwyr yanked his massive sword from the ground and slung it over his shoulder, walking off with ease as if nothing had happened.

Garin watched Bedwyr stride off before going to retrieve Erec’s helmet.

Between Garin and Olivia, they were able to guide Erec to a nearby boulder to lean against. After which, VAL disabled the locked servos on his Armor. Erec hung his head in silence for some time, taking deep breaths and trying to maintain his cool.

He’d gone off the handle again. Provoked that anger, and it’d led him too far. How many times would he go down this path—and VAL! With Garin and Olivia nearby, he couldn’t question the robot. Couldn’t yell at it. It’d lied to him. He’d asked him to stop him from losing control like that, but it deliberately let him go into the deep end. And for what? The anger flared in his chest, and Erec kept having to stop and count out numbers in his head.

Though Garin and Olivia took some passing attempts to coerce him into a conversation, Erec killed their conversation hooks with terse replies or silence. It was hard enough to maintain his head without dealing with that pressure. Eventually, they simply talked to one another about the fight.

Their conversation passed him by. He was too focused on that spark of anger that kept burning inside his chest—desperately trying to put it out because he was afraid.

Afraid of what might happen if it retook control.

He tried to distract himself with that flashing notification in his vision. Though in light of the recent fight, the achievement was somewhat lost.

But he opened it anyway.

Strength Advancement: Rank E - Tier 5 → Rank E - Tier 6

Erec numbly took the information in. There should be pride or elation at reaching the next Tier in his highest Virtue; his trump card in fights. It took a long time to get to Tier 6, and this would mean much in the coming weeks as the Academy ran their evaluations on the new initiates.

But it was hard to feel much. Better not to have any emotions at all right now. As the notification burned away—a searing white light flooded his vision.

More words burned their way across his eyes in the pure divine light—each letter like a fire flared into his vision and left a permanent scar on his psyche.

Divine Talent Ignited: Fury

There it was. A seal on this curse that he’d suspected from the moment VAL mentioned the anomalous energy spiking adrenaline. As with all Divine Talents, it wasn’t stated outright what it did. Not that it needed to. Unlike some, this was a simple word; one now burned into his soul.

Fury.

His Divine Talent drove him into an uncontrollable Fury. It left him in such a state that he’d attack friends and foes. By the Goddess. What could he do?

Erec hunched over, trying to control his breath as a battle waged on beyond the wall. Garin flung an arm over his shoulder and pretended to be at ease, a pillar of sanity in the chaos that circled Erec’s mind—jovially conversing with Olivia.

What would he do if he lost control and hurt his friends? What if he were in a spar with another Academy student and went too far? Was this going to get him exiled from his Order? His career as a Knight had just begun.

— - ☢ - — - ☼ - — - ☢ - —

After three hours of sustained conflict, the Kingdom’s army managed to cut through the terrors spilling out of the rifts. Grandmaster Lotus sealed it with an elite group of Knights through spell-work and prayer. Shortly after, the initiates received orders to return to the Academy.

None of the initiates died in the conflict, thankfully, as the bulk of the violent fight took place around the Rift itself. However, casualties outside of their group were unknown. This unprecedented attack might’ve had further and more dangerous ramifications without swift and decisive action by the Knights and the Army.

A total success, all factors considered.

Aside from the flyer, none of the monsters breached the wall. Nothing of unimaginable terror spilled out and risked their utter destruction.

While cataclysm-ranked threats were exceptionally rare, any Rift had the potential to let one stride into their world and bring death in its wake.

They got lucky.

But Erec didn’t feel lucky. Dread and terror for what burned in him. He had proof of a flaw that might lead to the destruction of his dreams. Some Divine Talents were uncontrollable, and in at least one case, the Kingdom exiled a Knight due to the threat theirs presented.

The entire way back to the Academy, Erec shook. When they reached their dorm, Erec put his Armor away, ignoring Garin trying to talk him down. He didn’t want to express his fears out loud yet. He didn’t want to scare his friend and make him worry; they hadn’t even had their first day of courses. It should be a time for Garin to relish his victory and look forward to the future. Not dread it like Erec.

Sometime in the near future, they’d need to have that conversation. Garin would want to help, but how could he? What was there to do about something like this? If Garin cornered him in a conversation, he’d weasel the information out. So instead, Erec went to his room.

He sat in quiet. Too unwilling to confront VAL; what if it triggered that anger?

An hour later, there was a knock on his door.

“Garin. Let me be.” Erec called out, lying in his bed and staring at the ceiling.

“Huh? Naw, it aint Garin. Though he’s out here too. Get your ass up and to this door, or I’ll bust in, swear to the Goddess. I got a message.” Gwen’s voice cut through the door.

Erec took a deep breath, got to his feet, and complied.

She frowned at him. “First fight scarred you? Wasn’t a pretty one, don’t get me wrong, but there’s a lot worse to look forward to.” She paused and then slipped a small note into his hand. “Don’t recommend you be late, or you’ll be in deep shit.”

With that, the girl waved over her shoulder and then marched out of the Dorm. Garin was on the couch—tilting his head at Erec.

Erec slowly read over the note.

Come see me in my office, you have one hour to report.

Damned initiate.

- Sir Boldwick Mitis

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