I woke to the crack of dawn, the sound of the door opening ringing the bell.
I stood from where I lay and found the sword at my side.
It was sitting there, just asking me to draw it.
Gulping I drew the sword and found myself entranced in it. Of the visage it had gained.
No longer was it a plain sword with no decorations, it now had inscriptions and runes written all over it.
As if someone else had taken the finished product and created something new.
But I instinctively new that this was my work. How I knew or how I did it, I did not know.
"Mihr?" A voice asked.
"Elaine? That you?"
She appeared through the door and looked quite sheepish as she raised her hand to me.
"Yeah it's me, I was just really excited to try out dignity."
"Dignity?"
She nodded and tapped at the sword by her side.
"Yes, it's the name I decided on. When I take hold of the sword all I feel is a knight's dignity. That's why I thought it would be the best name."
I nodded and hummed. It was a good name. And I had sort of focused on that when creating it. Even if matching it to her was more of the focus.
I do wonder too how it turned out.
Nodding to myself I sit up from where I was and look at her.
"You came for a spar, yes? I just finished my own sword too. If you'd like to try out both of ours."
"Yeah, that would be great."
I nod and lead her to the backyard. I hadn't expected it to be quite as big as it was.
But it turns out you need a place for people to try out their weapons.
Especially with how fancy people can get.
Though either way I stood apart from Elaine, my sword sheathed and my body crouched.
I could feel it, the power held within the sword.
It was waiting there, eager for me to unleash it.
I felt as it fed upon my mana, and in turn strengthened me.
Even now the sheath that it was in shook from the sheer power of it.
But I superseded that excitement and nodded at Elaine.
Signaling the start of the duel.
…
A knight, that was what I had strived to be. I do not know when I had seriously decided on that but it was my path in life.
Every waking moment of my life was decided by that decision. To that purpose. I was not one to do things by halves.
Yet still I could not shake the feeling that it was shallow. No matter how much time I had devoted to the profession. To my dignity as a knight.
Was it all a sham, was Aunty Tia right, was she in the right to question my purpose in life.
Tia was skeptical about it from the very moment that she had heard of my determination. And who could blame her as I had soaked up her teaching better than any before her.
When I had announced my new path Aunty was disdainful of it, she had told me to lie where my talents were. To not waste time on useless things.
But by then there was nothing that could sway me from my path, from the moment I had decided there was no hesitation or doubt. With all of my heart I would follow this path.
And whether it me manners, posture, or any noble art I took to them like a fish in water. But that was not what was important to me.
It happened the moment that I took hold of a sword. An intense desire. One that even to today I could not identify but it brought me further down the path.
At that time I had already mastered everything else and swordplay was naturally next. I learned without a teacher.
The only thing that I was allowed to test my mettle over was the subordinates of Nia, of my aunt.
They were told to not talk to me, to not do anything other than spar with me. And I was fine with that.
It was my aunt's way of testing me, of saying that as long as you have talent you I would approve.
And approval I had obtained, it was a simple thing. She had come to me the day before and told me of a smith. One that she trusted to make high quality works.
She had told me that this was for my tutorial. For when I would be picked for the next cycle. How she knew that I never questioned but the fact that she was willing to help me lit my day like no other.
She really was a great aunt. To help me even if she found disdain in my path.
I smiled as I looked upon my opponent, Mihr. The one who had made my sword with his own hands.
Truly it was a masterpiece. It may not compare to the power and sharpness of the ones I had seen but it was unparalleled in one aspect.
The intent of the sword. Even now I could feel the nascent intelligence of the sword. It was thrumming with excitement.
Yet even then it had this faint dignity behind it, one that seemed to be the most trustworthy knight. The knight that was to be my ideal.
The thrumming of the sword gave me purpose, it gave me strength and speed. But above all else it gave me the will of a knight, the dignity of a knight.
It showed me my path and as such I put my faith in it.
My eyes opened as I watched Mihr grow closer and closer to me. He was fast, faster than I could react to.
But I had not spent all of those years training for nothing. I may be inexperienced but I would not fall to someone so green.
My sword was readied, the posture of my hands changed as I readied myself to parry.
A moment later and the sword in Mihr's hand was unsheathed and slashed at me with indescribable force.
But I saw it, the line of attack and I would not falter.
I too had my dignity.
The sound of metal clanging echoed through my ears as my sword was stuck upon Mihr's.
I pushed down and counterattacked.
Taking the moment of time I had created to point my sword at his neck.
Yet that never happened as a moment later the sword that I had thought I had deflected threatened to skewer my own neck.
I staggered back for a moment.
I was so confident in my power, in my ability. And even then I had barely survived.
I took a deep breath and resolved myself.
"Again!" I called. My resolve was on full display and I would learn.
Despite the defeat he was not as skilled as me. Just more experienced.
He had allowed me to party so that he could get in an attack as I put my all into a counterattack.
It was a reading that surprised me. It was like he believed that it would happen and never faltered.