"I couldn't keep running like this," Nico said to himself. Nico felt his legs starting to weaken, his breaths were labored, and his hunger made his vision blur.
Moreover, at the moment, Nico felt trapped and didn't know where to go. The alley he chose turned out to be a dead end, and he couldn't go anywhere. When he felt like everything was over and he couldn't run anymore, suddenly Nico jerked in surprise as a large sword appeared, barbarically smashing through the wall to his right.
Someone had just crudely destroyed the wall with a sword until it collapsed. Bricks and dust scattered, creating a thick cloud of smoke. The arrival of a mysterious man who appeared from an unexpected direction left Nico startled and terrified. Without leaving any time for Nico to think, the man's hand quickly pulled Nico's body and forced him to enter the wall he broke before.
Nico was almost screaming, but the man calmly said, "Don't worry, I come to help you."
Nico was confused and didn't believe what was happening. He looks back and see the broken wall. How could someone destroyed a wall by sword in this modern era? However, he felt that he had no other choice but to trust the stranger. He followed the man, and they ran towards a safe place.
The man's eyes were vigilant, looking left and right, making sure they only passed through alleys and streets that had no CCTV. Nico didn't pay much attention to it when he was running away earlier. Maybe that's why the agents knew where he was running.
They kept running until they finally stopped at an empty house. Fortunately, the sound of gunfire that the agents had been doing had attracted many people there, especially when Florence is so peaceful. So there was no one around who saw them enter the house. The homeowner seemed to be out. They couldn't stay hidden there for long. They had to leave before the owner came home.
After Nico took a few deep breaths, it was time for him to ask the stranger who he really was.
"Who are you?" Nico asked with a voice that sounded hoarse and gasping. His throat was dry after running all day.
"My name is Arman," said the man. Although he had been running beside him, his breath was calm and steady as if he hadn't been running at all.
"I am a Knight," Arman said.
Nico looked at him incredulously. Out of nowhere, someone suddenly called himself a Knight? What was this person talking about in the middle of the day?
Nico said half-mockingly, "A Knight? Like in bedtime stories?"
Arman nodded. "Yes. Like in those stories."
Nico didn't understand what Arman was talking about. He had never heard of Knights in the real world, only in fairy tales and legends of old. And now, Arman was saying that Nico was also a Knight? Weren't Knights the ones who fought dragons? The ones with superpowers who could defeat anything that came at them? Strong people who became the right hand of the king to eradicate anyone who was an enemy of the kingdom?
"And you, Nico, seems to be a Knight too," said Arman.
"What do you mean by saying that to me?" Nico asked, confused. Nico began to suspect that this person might be trying to deceive and take advantage of him. He wasn't a wealthy person. Nico was just a poor child. He had to quickly tell the person that if he wanted to deceive someone, he had chosen the wrong person.
Arman sat on the floor and said softly, "Nico, when the car hit you, what happened to the car? And when I met you, I could feel a Knight's power emanating from you. Something strong, something old, something legendary."
Nico didn't know what to say. He felt overwhelmed by Arman's strange and confusing words.
Arman sighed in disappointment and said, "Nico, there are things in this world that most people don't know about. Some things are hidden from the public. One of them is the world of Knights. We are people who have special abilities. Abilities that allow us to fight and protect humanity from scary things that are born in the darkness."
Nico stared at Arman intently, trying to make sense of what he was saying.
"And why are you telling me this?" Nico asked while raising his eyebrows and squinting.
"You're a knight too, Nico. A very rare, old, strong type. That's why you were able to destroy the car without realizing it. You have a blessing from God, a blessing that if you use it well, can fight the evil in this world," the old man said.
Nico didn't know what to say. He felt like he was in a dream world. He never thought there would be an old man trying to convince him that he was a knight.
Looking at Nico's current appearance, all skinny and haggard, he thought there was something wrong with the old man's mind. Nico was just a skinny kid who had nothing. What was so special about him? What did this person want from him? Suddenly fighting dragon or jumping into abyss?
"Why me?" Nico was confused as he looked at himself, weak and looked like trash to society.
The man scratched his head. He seemed to be giving up on trying to explain it to Nico. He looked like he was thinking about the best way to convince Nico while propping his chin up.
Nico couldn't believe what he was hearing, but after looking at the man's appearance again, he couldn't help but start to believe.
Arman had an attractive appearance and looked handsome with his straight posture. He had slightly dark skin with curly dark brown hair. His eyes were green and looked sharp. Arman had a thin beard, and his lips always displayed a friendly smile.
At the moment, Arman looked very awkward wearing clothes that looked very different in this modern era. His outfit was made of strong and high-quality material. The armor covered his body from the shoulder to the knee, and the armguards protected his arms and forearms. On top of the armor, he wore a long robe made of soft and smooth fabric.
Arman also wore a pair of sword sheaths on his waist, indicating that he was an experienced knight and an expert in martial arts. The sword had a handle made of beautiful wood and decorated with gems, and the blade was sharp and made of strong and shiny metal. Arman also wore high-quality leather boots that looked thick and durable.
Judging from his appearance, he was definitely speaking seriously and not joking. But could he have mistaken the person? Nico, who was so skinny, compared to him who was strong and brave.
"You must have mistaken me. I'm not a knight," Nico said unsurely. Look at him, a 14-year-old boy, skinny and powerless. He was hungry now and hadn't eaten anything since yesterday. It was a miracle he could run this far. Maybe if the wind blew, he would fall now.
"You may not believe me, but the problem is they do," said Arman, looking at Nico with a serious expression as he clasped his hands together.
"They?" asked Nico.
"Yes, them, Nico," said Arman, pointing out the window towards the government agents who had been chasing them earlier. "The government has been hunting us for years. They're trying to uncover our secrets and use them for their own purposes. When they saw what you did with the car, they knew there was something special about you. They think you're a knight and they'll do whatever it takes to get you."
A cold feeling flowed down Nico's stomach. He didn't know who these government agents were or what they wanted from him. Without Arman, he might have been caught by the agents, thrown in jail, or even tortured.
"So, what do we do now?" Nico asked, unsure.
Arman's head turned to look out the window. His sharp eyes scanned left and right, alert and aware. He then looked back at Nico.
"We have to leave this place. The owner of this house would soon return. We have to find a safe place. Somewhere the government can't find us."
Nico didn't know where to go. He had no family, friends, or anyone he could visit for help at the moment. He certainly couldn't go back home. Maybe his home had already been filled with police.
"Where can we go?" Nico asked Arman, hesitantly.
Arman looked at Nico and smiled.
"Don't worry. I know just the place." Arman said with a smirk.
As I was wandering around, I stumbled upon a small shack on the edge of the pine forest. We could hide there until the government agent left. They would never suspect us being there. I doubted that the shack was registered as a house at the village head's office. It was in such poor condition that even a gust of wind from my sword could make it collapse. No camera, far from the street. It's perfect," said Arman proudly.
"Don't tell me you're talking about my house." Nico said indisbelief.
"Wait ... what?"