Future Knights: Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

"Keep going men!! Don't give them a damn inch!!"

"There's too many of them!!"

"Damn them all! What kind of monsters are Noir?!"

"I don't want to die!!"

She heard the voices but ignored them all. Getting distracted by the cries of battle would only serve to hinder her fighting capabilities and her focus. Besides they were knights of Enestar, they could handle themselves.

Blowing her raven colored hair out of her face, her gaze shifted towards a trio of Noir knights that appeared before her. The one to her left charged forward as his blackened sword swung upwards from the ground, while the one to her right also charged with a black tipped javelin spear.

Without a second thought she acted.

Swiftly pulling her weapon out of the recent corpse she had made, she swung her body in a full circle as the pole of her weapon clashed against the first knights blade, knocking it to the side and into the path of the spear as both knights lost their balance. Using the momentum of the counter she gripped the pole in both hands and spun again as she raised her weapon upwards and swung down as a crescent shaped blade attached to the end of her pole cleanly beheaded the first enemy.

The second knight didn't have time to react to his allies death as she twisted the pole handle and swung the blade upwards again, this time at his head. However the attack was stopped as another black sword intercepted the swing and knocked the blade aside. Grunting in annoyance she withdrew her weapon and jumped back dodging the swing of the third knight.

The knight however didn't follow as instead the spear wielder from before charged again with a powerful thrust. Tilting her weapon vertically she moved her body to the side as the spear glanced off the pole as the knights back opened up to her.

A grin met her face as she knocked the blunt end of her weapon into the knights stomach before swiftly retracting it and spinning her weapon around her body, as the blade pieced through her opponent's back.

Her victory however was short lived as she heard the boots of the third knight approaching swiftly behind her. Her head snapped towards the knight as she retracted her weapon only for the third knight to suddenly freeze in mid run. The black sword fell from the enemies hands followed swiftly by the knights body, as a small but very sharp curved dagger could be seen attached to the back of the helm.

"Am I late?"

Another Noir knight flew from the side, followed by a brown cloaked burgundy haired man. The man grinned as his hand shot out from underneath the cloak as a set of daggers flew out and pierced into the black knights helm and chest plate. As the body fell she felt annoyance run through her.

"Damn you Hammond stay out of my fights!!"

Hammond simply shrugged as he turned and ducked as another black sword swung over his head. Before he could react though the crescent shaped blade of the woman's halberd embedded itself into the chest of the knight before a hard metal boot kicked the fallen enemy off her weapon.

"You're halberd is as brutal as ever eh Hawk?"

Hawk grunted, "And you're as annoying as ever. This isn't a damn game Hammond, it is war! Stop fucking around and take things seriously!"

With that Hawk spun and swung her halberd as it collided against a Noir knights shield, sending the knight onto the ground. A dagger swiftly met the skull of the fallen enemy as Hammond jumped over the body and drew two more daggers from his cloak. Landing forward he moved the first one forward as it intercepted an incoming spear thrust and knocked it just past his shoulder. Before his enemy could react Hammond moved into the knights guard and thrust the second blade into his opponent's jaw while he hurled his first one to his left, as it pierced the back of another black knight attacking a fallen ally.

Retracting the blade from the skull Hammond turned towards the battle cry of Hawk, as he witnessed her slamming the blade of her halberd into another Noir skull and nearly cleaving the poor enemy in half. She then pulled the blade out swift and hard as the blunt end of her weapon slammed into another knights stomach from behind her. The knight bent forward from the blow only for a metallic boot to slam into the helm plate and send the enemy flying into his fellow knights.

Another dagger flew from Hammond's cloak as it met the helm of a charging knight, only for two more to emerge from the sides, forcing him to leap back in order to dodge the black blades. Pulling out two more daggers of his own, Hammond paused as heard Hawk's yell from behind and felt her land back to back with him. Looking around he quickly noticed several Noir knights surrounding the two of them in a circle, their weapons all and armor all gleaming in the blood of their slain.

"Soooo about the whole taking things serious?"

"By the Sacreds do you ever shut up?"

"Only when I'm asleep beautiful."

The Noir soldiers drew their weapons and stood ready to attack as Hammond and Hawk tensed.

Then over all the noise and chaos, a strange sound roared out. To many it would sound like the call of a battle horn being blown. But to the two warriors, and the rest of Enestar, it meant something else entirely.

"Well, seems our dear lady isn't dead after all," Hammond calmly stated as he began juggling one of his daggers in his palm.

"The fact you thought otherwise is foolish," Hawk replied coldly, though a small smile crept on her face.

"Hmm I suppose so. Guess that means we can't afford to die just yet huh?"

"Just shut up and fight."

Hammond simply grinned as he caught the falling dagger, "Yes ma'am."

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A blue blade pierced into the chest of a Noir knight before swiftly retracting itself and returning, this time into the head. As the knight fell the blade flew threw extracted itself and flew through the air into a black sword, knocking the weapon aside before twisting and thrusting forward into another knights neck.

Anna's gaze was cold as she withdrew Crystal Rose from the slain enemy. While she disliked taking a life, and disliked meaningless deaths even more so, she felt no guilt over killing the black knights. They held no mercy, no compassion, no guilt for the countless lives they themselves took in their reign for Noir, so why should she feel anything?

Anna's eyes narrowed as she suddenly spun and ducked down just under the swing of a black ax aimed for her neck. Pushing off her feet the tip of her weapon pierced forward into the jaw of the ax wielder, before pulling out just as easily. Spinning again Anna's rapier struck forward towards an incoming sword.

As Anna parried the black blade her arm seemed to snake forward as she twisted Crystal Rose's point around the weapon and into the Noir soldiers arm. The knight winced from the blow but let out no cry or expression of pain. Gritting her teeth Anna pulled back her weapon before it swiftly moved into the eye socket of the helm as the knight halted all together.

As the body fell Anna's own thoughts raced.

"They move like ordinary soldiers, but they feel no pain, no emotion. They don't even care if they die."

Anna's eyes narrowed as she witnessed several more knights approaching her. Charging forward her rapier moved like lighting as she parried each blow and strike with equal speed and strength, and met every opening with powerful thrust and slashes upon her enemies. The soldiers of Noir however didn't seem to care as they continued to try and reign down blows upon her body, even ignoring the other enemies around them.

All the while never letting out a single cry. A single shout. Not even a breath of air.

Anna roared out as she moved like a flash amongst the battlefield. Her rapier cut through the air and into the black knights as they continued to charge at her, not even caring how many of them fell in the process.

"Just what kind of power does Noir have to make their soldiers act in such a manner?"

As another Noir knight charged forward with a thrusting sword Anna moved Crystal Rose to intercept and push the blade away. But the strength behind the blow was more than she imagined as the black blade pushed against her weapon and grazed her already injured left arm.

Crying out at the sudden pain Anna gritted her teeth as she shoved against the knight and thrust Crystal Rose's blade through the chest armor and out the back. Anna panted heavily before she looked up to see another black blade descending. Eyes wide she pulled out her weapon from the corpse as she leaped back just as the blade of another Noir sliced through his already slain comrade.

Anna clutched her pained and bleeding arm as she glared at the sight.

"They would even cut through their own forces? Disgusting!"

The Noir knight retracted his blade as he turned towards Anna. Gritting her teeth Anna let go of her arm and readied Crystal Rose for another fight, only for her sight to be blocked by a set of ginger colored armor.

The Noir knight didn't expect the sudden appearance and as such didn't have time to react as a powerful and heavy blade cleaved his head in two.

"That was too close. Lady Anna are you alright?!" Berragot shouted as he turned towards her.

Anna looked up at her comrade in arms and nodded, "I'm fine. Just caught me off guard was all."

Anna then gripped her Crystal Rose tighter as she turned back towards the enemy and charged forward again. Berragot frowned but hardened himself as he let out a cry for battle and followed.

He knew protesting was pointless with her. Anna was a strong but stubborn woman. Even if he tried he knew she would keep fighting despite her injuries and weakened state. It was just the way she was. She was a woman who would not stand by and see her soldiers fight to their deaths without being there to die with them.

Berragot roared out as he backhanded a Noir soldier coming at his left before slamming his blade onto the fallen form of another.

But even still, he would not sit by either. He was Berragot. Knight-Paladin of the Enestar Kingdom, servant of his Lady and King, and protector of his homeland. He would fight this day and die if he had to-

Berragot's eyes widened.

"LADY ANNA!!!"

Anna turned towards the voice only to be shoved down by Berragot.

As a green light flashed around them. Followed soon after by a deafening explosion.