Julian remained silent to the words of Vykekard, feeling unsure of what to say.
-Previous life? What was this knight talking about?
He had never t a talking helt before, let alone one that claid to know him from a past life.
"It seems that fate has most likely brought you again here into my hands,"
"Take on your journey with you, young one!"
"Wha-What?"
Julian took a few steps back from the words of Vykekard.
He was only willing to help him to an extent, but to take a disembodied head with him for who knows how long?
That was a bit beyond the scope of his helpful intentions.
"Sir, Mr. Vykekard, sir," Julian stamred, trying to find the right words.
"I appreciate the offer, but I’m not sure that’s... really practical..."
"Practical?" Vykekard scoffed, his voice echoing through the cavern.
"What has practicality got to do with anything? We’re talking about destiny, about fulfilling a grand purpose! And besides," he added with a hint of mischief, "what’s more practical than having the World’s Greatest Knight as your personal guide?"
FWANG!
[Taking this being on your journey will bring extre consequences.]
[Do you wish to continue?]
The screen before Julian popped up into his vision.
He was stuck in a mont of thought.
Although there was one thing he wasn’t sure of, it is that whether this person called Vykekard was an actual great knight.
[Observation Skill Has Been Activated On The Target!]
[Target: Vykekard ???]
[Gift: ???]
[Magical Affinity: ???]
[Official Title: ???, ???]
[HP: 5/5, Mana: F, Attack Power: F, Presence: ???, Sharpness: F, Potency: F, Technique: ???]
[Skills: ???]
[Current Traits and Status: Everlant (Curse), Erasure (Curse), Undying Spirit (Supre Grade), ???]
"Undying Spirit..." Julian muttered aloud, glancing at Vykekard, who was mindlessly humming.
It’s no wonder why he’s even alive in the first place.
He bears a high-grade curse that prevents him from speaking and another that restricts his power.
Everlant is the curse that restrains and essentially seals off a person’s power; the higher its grade, the more effectively it seals.
Erasure is the curse that causes specific words to be erased imdiately upon being spoken or even thought of.
Though Vykekard’s undying spirit recalls his encounter, he can never convey to Julian the words he wishes to know.
But the question from earlier was still on his mind.
This wasn’t just about helping a lonely, disembodied knight; it was about altering the very fabric of his life, his future, his very existence.
Vykekard, the World’s Greatest Knight, cursed and forgotten, was a variable he hadn’t accounted for.
His presence could disrupt the delicate balance of his carefully laid plans, shift the tides of his destiny in unforeseen ways.
He thought of his mother, of the peaceful life he had envisioned for them, a life free from the dangers and complications of the magical world.
Could he protect her, and himself, from the forces that had cursed Vykekard, the forces that still lurked in the shadows?
He thought of his own ambitions, his desire to learn magic, to explore this world, to uncover the secrets of his past.
Would taking on the burden of Vykekard’s fate hinder his progress, divert him from his own goals?
Julian’s gaze fell upon the empty armor, the faint red glow emanating from within the helt.
He could sense the knight’s weariness, his longing for release, his hope for a future he could no longer grasp on his own.
A surge of empathy washed over Julian.
He, too, knew what it ant to be lost, to be adrift in a world that didn’t quite understand him.
He, too, yearned for connection, for purpose, for a chance to make a difference.
But was this the right way? Was this the path he was ant to follow?
He closed his eyes, feeling the conflicting thoughts and emotions.
He weighed the risks, the rewards, the potential consequences of his decision.
And in the silence of that ancient cave, he listened to the voice in his heart, the intuition that had guided him through countless battles.
And finally, he made his choice.
"Can you move?"
Jullian glanced up at Vykekard. Though he struggled and wriggled, his knightly head remained motionless.
"Hmm, it seems I can’t," Vykekard replied, his voice tinged with a hint of frustration.
"This cursed armor has firmly rooted to this spot. A rather inconvenient side effect of being disembodied, I’m afraid."
Julian pondered this for a mont. "So, if I were to, say, lift you up..."
He reached out tentatively and grasped the helt, half expecting so kind of magical backlash. But nothing happened.
He lifted the helt, and to his surprise, it felt surprisingly light, as if it were made of hollow wood rather than solid tal.
"Well, well, It seems I am at your rcy, young one. Do with as you will."
Julian grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Don’t worry, Mr. World’s Greatest Knight. I’ll take good care of you. But first, we need to find you a more suitable mode of transportation. Carrying a helt around everywhere might get a bit tiring."
Julian looked around the cave, his gaze settling on a coil of sturdy rope tucked away in a corner.
"Perfect," he declared, grabbing the rope and carefully securing the helt to his side, like a bizarre, tallic hip-pack.
He adjusted the rope, making sure the helt was secure but not uncomfortable.
"How’s this?" Julian asked, striking a pose. "Stylish, yet practical."
"Hmm, not bad, though I would have preferred a velvet cushion and perhaps a small canopy to shield from the elents. A knight has standards, you know."
Julian chuckled. "We’ll work on the accessories later. For now, let’s get out of this cave."
He stepped out of the cave entrance and into the blinding light of dawn. The world stretched out before him, a breathtaking panorama of snow-capped peaks and valleys bathed in the soft glow of the rising sun.
For a mont, Julian simply stood there, taking in the beauty, the serenity of the scene. It was a stark contrast to the darkness and despair he had encountered within the cave.
"Wow," he breathed, feeling a sense of awe wash over him.
"Indeed," Vykekard agreed, his voice filled with a newfound wonder.
"It is a sight I haven’t beheld in many an age. Thank you... "
"Though, if you don’t mind my asking... what is your na? I never did quite catch it."
Julian blinked, surprised. In all the excitent, the chaos, the revelations, he had never actually introduced himself.
"It’s Julian," he replied, a grin spreading across his face.
"Julian Godford."
"...!"
"Julian Godfor-," Vykekard coughed but repeated, savoring the na.
"It’s a fine na you have..."
Julian turned towards the helt, a serious expression on his face.
"Vykekard, everything that happens from this point forward... it’s my responsibility. I’m changing the story, and I don’t know what the consequences will be."
"Consequences?" Vykekard scoffed. "Bah! What are consequences of a knight who has already lost everything? If the bla falls upon you, young Julian, then let it be so. But let guide you, train you, prepare you for the battles to co. Let make you into the knight I know you can be."
-A knight, huh? In a world filled with mages, it’s rare for the word "knight" to stand alone in a sentence. Here in this world, you’re either a mage or a mage knight. I know they sound almost the sa, but the principles and technicalities are vastly different.
"Alright, Vykekard," Let’s do it. Teach everything you know. I want to be strong enough to protect everyone I care about. I want to be strong enough to change the fate of this world." Explore stories on .Côm
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, casting its golden light upon the young boy and the disembodied knight, a new chapter began.
[The world’s difficulty has been adjusted.]
____
[Location: Florence Manor - Main Household]
10 years later...
Lady Ophelia humd a cheerful tune as she ticulously reviewed the stack of papers before her.
Rows of figures danced across the pages, a testant to the vast wealth and influence of the Florence family.
But amidst the ticulously recorded transactions, a discrepancy caught her eye–a significant shipnt of rare magical reagents, gone missing without a trace.
"Tsk, tsk," she muttered, tapping a perfectly manicured nail against the report.
"Such carelessness. It seems even the most loyal of servants can succumb to temptation."
A mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes.
This wasn’t so much a cause for concern as it was an opportunity.
A chance to flex her considerable influence, to remind her subordinates of the consequences of their actions, and perhaps, to acquire a few new… assets.
Knock...knock...knock...
A soft round of knocks rang from her door.
"Mother?" a gentle voice called out.
"Co in, darling,"
Ophelia replied, her voice shifting from shrewd businesswoman to doting mother in an instant.
The door creaked open, and Diana Florence, Ophelia’s only daughter, stepped into the room.
She was the picture of youthful elegance, her long, dark blue hair cascading down her back and her amber eyes sparkling with intelligence and curiosity.
She had grown well into a refined, noble worthy of notice.
"Mother, I just received word from Aethel Academy. The entrance exams for the next sester will be held in a few months’ ti."
Ophelia’s lips curved into a knowing smile.
"Ah, is that so? Then it seems the ti has co."
She gazed out the window, her thoughts drifting back to that fateful night ten years ago, when a young boy nad Julian had saved her life, defying all odds and revealing a hidden strength that had both surprised and intrigued her.
It was a debt she had long awaited, the opportunity to repay.
And now, with the upcoming admission exams for Aethel Academy, the perfect opportunity had presented itself.
"Julian Ryker Uzziel," she murmured, a hint of fondness coloring her tone.
"It’s ti for you to return."
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