The injured knights were swiftly transported back to the city, each one immediately sent to the clinic where the few available doctors began their urgent work. As the healers moved from one knight to another, the initial commotion transformed into a palpable sense of unease. The citizens of Purewood, catching glimpses of bloodied armour and pale faces, began to whisper among themselves, sensing a hidden crisis.
To maintain order and conceal the dire situation, the Knights of Purewood used carriages to transport the wounded, shielding them from public view. Yet, the shortage of doctors and the urgency they attended to the injured stirred suspicions among the townsfolk. The facade of security and strength the knights had meticulously built began to crack, revealing a city teetering on the brink of distress.
Amid this growing tension, Luke, Gareth, and Sir Carrick stood apart from the crowd. Sir Carrick, his face a mix of exhaustion and resolve, requested Luke to meet him in the barrack office. Luke, despite his reluctance, knew he had little choice but to comply. Sir Carrick's perception of him as a revered mage was not something Luke could easily dismiss without causing further complications. The fear of unnecessary conflict and hardship weighed heavily on him.
With a sigh, Luke followed the order, walking through the bustling courtyard and into the relative quiet of the barracks. He waited in the office, nerves on edge. He hoped to convince Sir Carrick of the truth, just as he had done with Gareth. Surely, if Gareth could come to understand the nature of Luke's technology, Sir Carrick could be persuaded as well.
As he sat, the muffled sounds of the city outside seemed distant and insignificant compared to the task at hand. Luke knew this meeting could determine his future in Purewood and how he would navigate the precarious situation he found himself in. The door creaked open, and Sir Carrick, now free of his armour and freshly bandaged, stepped into the room, his eyes fixed on Luke with a mixture of curiosity and scepticism.
The door to the barrack office swung open, and Sir Carrick entered, followed closely by Gareth. Both were now clad in simple training attire, their formidable armours left behind. Without a word, Sir Carrick locked the door behind them, ensuring that whatever conversation ensued would remain strictly confidential. Gareth positioned himself by the door, arms crossed, his expression serious.
Sir Carrick took his seat, the single chair behind the desk, and gestured for Luke to remain seated. Luke opened his mouth, ready to explain once more that he was not a mage, but Sir Carrick cut him off.
"Before you start, Luke, tell me: how many people know about your... abilities?" Sir Carrick's eyes bore into Luke, demanding honesty.
"Other than you and Gareth, the children at the cathedral know," Luke hesitated only a moment before answering.
Gareth's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"How did they find out?" he interjected.
"They caught me using my phone, so I had to explain it to them. But they promised to keep it a secret," Luke sighed, feeling the weight of the situation. "Thankfully they are good secret keepers."
Sir Carrick leaned back in his chair, contemplating this new information.
"And why do you hide this ability of yours?" he asked, his tone inquisitive but firm.
Sensing an opportunity to explain himself, Luke took a deep breath.
"I'm not hiding any ability, Sir Carrick. I keep telling you, it's not magic. Where I come from, we have advanced technology that can do things like make sounds or show images. It's not magic, it's just... science."
Sir Carrick listened intently, his expression unreadable. When Luke finished, Sir Carrick shook his head slowly.
"No matter what you say, Luke, the things you can do are beyond our understanding of technology. To us, it is magic. And under the Noirist faith, that makes you a revered mage. One of the special people."
The room fell into a heavy silence, the atmosphere thick with tension. Luke felt a sense of defeat wash over him. No matter how much he tried to explain, Sir Carrick remained fixated on his belief. Gareth stood quietly by the door, his eyes shifting between Luke and Sir Carrick, knowing there was little he could do to change his superior's mind.
Finally, Sir Carrick broke the silence.
"For now, we will keep this a secret. The children may talk, but we'll handle that if it comes to it. But understand this, Luke: you may not see yourself as a mage, but to us, you are. And that comes with responsibilities and expectations. Do you understand?"
Luke nodded reluctantly, feeling the weight of those responsibilities settles on his shoulders. The room remained silent, the gravity of their conversation hanging in the air like a storm cloud.
Sir Carrick broke the silence with a question that Luke had been dreading.
"Show me this... smartphone, right? The magic item of yours."
With a reluctant nod, Luke retrieved the phone from his pouch and placed it on the table. Sir Carrick leaned in for a closer look, his expression cautious yet intrigued. In stark contrast, during the first time he saw it, Gareth's face showed a flicker of fear as he eyed the device.
"What can this magic item do?" Without touching it, Sir Carrick asked.
Luke hesitated. He didn't want to reveal too much.
"As you saw today, it can make sounds," he said, hoping to keep the explanation brief and uninteresting.
Sir Carrick wasn't satisfied. He sensed Luke's evasiveness and turned to Gareth.
"Gareth, you seemed to know about this before today. What else can this device do?"
"I don't know much, Sir Carrick. This is more to Luke's expertise. Just that it makes sounds," Gareth, not wanting to betray Luke, feigned ignorance.
Sir Carrick's eyes narrowed. He wasn't easily fooled.
"Gareth, if you withhold information, I'll have no choice but to remove you from the knights."
The threat made Luke bristle with anger.
"You can't be serious. This isn't the Sir Carrick I thought I knew. You've always been the gentle, caring captain of the knights. Now you're abusing your power and bullying us."
Sir Carrick remained calm, not rising to the bait.
"Luke, I understand your perspective. But you need to understand the gravity of our situation. The city is on the brink. The knights are losing morale. We can no longer keep the battles with these monsters a secret from the public. We need help, and if you can be that help, I must convince you to step forward."
He stood up from his chair, walked over to Luke, and, to the young man's shock, prostrated himself at Luke's feet.
"Please, even if you're not the mage we think you are, we need a figure to lead us. Someone to restore our confidence and strength. I beg of you, help us."
The weight of Sir Carrick's words and actions settled heavily on Luke. The knight's plea was sincere and desperate. Luke could see the exhaustion and determination in Sir Carrick's eyes, a reflection of the dire circumstances the city faced. He felt the burden of responsibility pressing down on him, understanding now that it wasn't just about him—it was about the survival and morale of an entire city.
Luke stood there, his mind reeling from the scene that had just unfolded. Sir Carrick, a man he had once seen as an unwavering pillar of strength and leadership, now lay prostrate before him, begging for his help. This wasn't about power abuse or coercion; it was about survival, about the fate of the city and its people. Sir Carrick's plea was sincere, born out of desperation and a deep sense of duty to protect those under his care.
Luke's thoughts raced. He had always believed that his fate and future were his own to choose. But now, standing at this crossroads, he realized the weight of responsibility that came with his choices. Could he abandon these people who were looking to him for hope? The image of the children from the cathedral flashed in his mind. They had believed in him and looked up to him as a figure of guidance and strength. Would he just disappear on them, leaving them to face the unknown dangers alone?
He clenched his fists, feeling the internal battle raging within him. He wasn't a hero, not a mage or a knight, just an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary circumstances. But ordinary or not, he couldn't ignore the trust and faith placed in him by those he had come to care about.
Luke didn't know what the right choice of action was. He didn't have all the answers, and the path ahead was fraught with uncertainty and danger. But one thing was clear: he couldn't turn his back on these people, not when they needed him the most.
The room was silent, the weight of unspoken words heavy in the air. Sir Carrick remained on the floor, his plea echoing in Luke's mind. Gareth stood by the door, a silent witness to the unfolding drama, his face a mixture of concern and hope.