NOVEL SIMPLE The Death Knight’s Tale
"I didn't expect you to be a romantic person."
One of the adventurers who where next to me, gave a teasing look, thinking i was like a greatest cupid in his eyes.
I shook my head towards in front of me, disagreeing what his thoughts of being a cupid. I saw two of my friends where alone at night, gazing onto the lake and locking their gazes with each other.
"I known them for a long time and realised that they were ment to be together. I am their master and their friend, mostly happy about getting them together."
I wasn't a person who are envious of their relationship as i've been with them when we first started out as adventurers. The muscle brained swordsman who only knows how to use his sword and the clumsy girl who overheals and causes accidents with her magic. I knew them both as a couple born with a string of fate.
I'm just an old mercenary, capable to lead this party as we three survive our harsh adventures, the dangerous foes we have encountered and how we almost lost our lives from time to time.
This time, we are gonna face against an army of undead, led by a necromancer who was known to be the right-hand of the demon king.
Knowing this would be our day to die, the guild held a party before they sent us off as i used this opportunity to set up a meeting for both of them to be alone.
I was observing their alone time when a group of adventurers saw me hiding in a bushes, began to tease me about having to set up lovely moment with my companions. I was kinda angry at first when they tease me but i was glad that we are all be smiling before we are sent to our deaths.
The undead army is no joke. We all might die tomorrow and never see this moment again but...
"I love you Melissa..."
"I as well Alfred..."
"...."
I, who saw the couples happy smiles as they kissed, the adventurers who loudly roared when they saw a couple born from this dire moment and me, who started to cry when my companions are happy...
How i wish i could continue with this moment...
******
"So, the demon king and the heroes had clashed..."
I turn my gaze around as bright light shinned from afar.
The undead soldiers who i stand beside began to rapidly ran towards the direction of the light. I also followed the skeletons since my body was not my own. I couldn't resist as the black mist on my body started pulling me towards the light. This black mist had been the necromancer's magic, binding me to his will...
When all of us reach the castle, that was broken beyond repair. I continue to run as one after another, the skeletons who i was following suddenly stopped and broken one after the other.
As the last skeleton lost its control, i finally arrived as my master, the necromancer was slained by the hero.
"The necromancer is finally dead! Its your turn now Demon King!"
"Fufufu... Fools! Can't you sed that all of you heroes are exhausted?! And beyond that, the death knight who serves me has appeared!"
"D-damn..."
They all turned towards me as the heroes lost their braverly when they felt the overwhelming strength i had.
I expressionlessly ignored them as walk with big strides and bowed towards the demon king.
"Now, i command you to-ack! You... You!!!"
"I serve only the necromancer. None shall order me once more..."
Unnoticed my betrayal, i pulled my sword from the sheathe and stab the demon king with it.
He gave a furious look at me for my betrayal but i ignored him and pulled my sword out of his body and decapitated him. He was now dead...
His head rolled on the floor, the neck who was separated from the head began to ooze out blood and i put my sword back to the sheathe as i turned towards the heroes.
"I don't know why you betray the demon king but i'll have you slain to protect humanity."
I let out a surprise look yet wasn't seen due to my helmet as the girl in front of me was someone familiar but once i saw the necklace on her neck, i finally understand the resemblance...
"Girl, i ask you. Are your parents well?"
Having ask a question from the girl, she let out a stern look before readying her blade at me.
Seeing her stance, i gave a smirk as i took my helmet off and stared at her once more.
"Are they still fine?"
".... Yeah."
Having to see my face, the girl let out a suspicious look at me before answering me. Knowing that both of them are fine, i gave a smile as i ask her again. But this time, i bowed my head to her.
"Then, would you let me see them young hero?"
"...."
"Cecilia! Don't listen to him! Who knows what he's planning!"
"I agree with Tras. This Death knight might backstab us while we let our guard down."
Her companions where in full disagreement with me as they didn't agree with my request. I couldn't care about their decisions as i stared at the girl in front of me.
Having paused for a long time, she decided to answer with a question.
"Who are you to them?"
******
"Ack!"
"Andew! Fck!"
"Where the hell are those mages?!"
One by one, the army consist of knights and adventurers are slowly overtaken by the undead army. The people who i shared a drink with, having a small brawls with, and those people who had been with us for so long are losing their lives in this unfavorable battle.
We where battling these undead horde while waiting for reinforcements yet, they where afraid of blindlessly shooting us so they held off using strong area of effect attacks.
Andew who was the guy teasing me when i set up a moment for Alfred and Melissa, his body being skewered by multiple spears of skeletons. Greg, the guy who gave me a drink after i was seen crying on my companion's romance, having been dismembered each of his limbs and head being squash by a hammer...
Only me, Alfred, Melissa and a few adventurers and knights where left as we are faced with the might of the undead. The newbies cowering in fear, the knight's despairs...
"Ocrad. Heh, this would be it for us."
"Couldn't agree more."
"Yeah, guess me and Melissa ain't gonna get married at this rate..."
"Alfred..."
"........"
Our hopes where bleak and each of our fallen comrades began to resurrect from the dead, we knew that this place would be our deathbed.
I gave a sigh and stabbed Alfred's shoulders, looking at me like i betrayed him...
"Wha... Ocra-"
"Melissa! Get Alfred away with the rest of the group! I'll hold them off!"
"Wait! Ocrad!"
Having realised my intentions, Alfred had a pale look on his face while Melissa pleaded me to reconsider. I gave a smirk and stabbed the wound deeper into Alfred as he cried out in pain. The other adventurers realised what i was doing as they where furious about my actions. Yet, they understand my intentions and started to pull Alfred and Melissa and retreated from the battle.
I grab a nearby hammer which was twice my size and swung in every direction i could muster with my remaining stamina. I boiled my rage inside me as i swing the hammer blindlessly, not caring if i had hit anything.
'Goodbye...' I look at both of them who where crying towards me as i continue to push on towards the necromancer.
The necromancer realised my intentions as he focus all the undead towards me but i didn't stop my berserk state.
One swipe had wipe out like 10 skeletons but each of my body had been injured or torn off by the undead trying to bite me. I grit my pain to the injuries that continue to bore and swing wildly until i reached the necromancer.
"Well, well, well.... It seems this adventurer has guts to take on the undead by himself just to reach me in a half-dead state..."
All the undead had stopped attacking as they drew a circle between the necromancer and me. His corpse-like look when he observe me was unpleasant to look at but i had little strength to muster as my life was nearing it's end. I had accomplished my objectives as a single tear bore through my face, the only regret i had left...
'Alfred, it seems i can't be your best man for the wedding...' Having my final resolution on my face. He had welcome me by preparing his staff against me. I push forward with little strength i had as i charged forward.
"Admirable."
My honorable challenge was betrayed as multiple spears had punctured every inch of my body. I had coughed out blood as my eyes became blurry and the remaining my last vision was him giving a wicked smile on me.
"I shall add you.... My Death Knight..."
******
In a small town, all the people who had seen the hero suddenly started to cheer joyfully as they returned home. The news of the Demon King was foretold by everyone and once they spotted them, they wanted to celebrate their victory. Yet...
"Is that... The Death Knight?! What the hell is it doing here?!"
"Are the heroes insane?! Why did they bring the servant of the demon king in this remote village?! They even lost to him countless of times. How can we even hope to stop him if he starts going loose?!"
"Citizens, hear us!"
Having to recieved the terror and anger on the people's eyes on me, i was unfazed at the provoke of them as i only followed the heroes steps. This young girl however, stopped her tracks and gave the citizens relief by adding unnecessary words in her mouth.
"This Dark knight had only been released by the Demon King's grasp after having his master slained. He is the person who had slain the Demon King Himself!"
"""W-What?!"""
The people's expression changed into surprised as my patience was running out. I grabbed the girl's hair as i gave her the cold glare.
"Compliments are useless on me. I'm just a cursed undead. Just bring me to your parents..."
".... Y-yes..."
I didn't care if the girl's face turning red nor having people's favorablility on me, what i care was having to head to her place as my memories seems to be slowly returning.
Having to approached a house which was different from the others, the guards who stand by at the gate had a shocked look on their faces as they bowed to us.
"Welcome mistress! Your parent await you inside the hou-"
"My child!"
Then, a woman came out of the house and started running towards the gate. Her beautiful outline that was mixed with her mature age gave a warm and motherly feeling gave a unique charm yet at the same time gave a childish remark when looking at her current state.
Having the guards realize this sitiation, the quickly opened the gate with haste. But her legs gave an unnatural incident as they where caught together, which made her stumble as the girl tried to catch her.
"Mom!"
"My child... How mommy is glad to see you safe..."
Having a unique reunion between mother and daughter was something which everyone felt warm when to look at yet i just unexpressionally look at them in uncaring as my mind gave a shock through my brain.
'Please hide here while we persuade the men outside.'
'Okay mommy...'
A faint recollection of vision pops into my head, a memory of mine since i was young had sprout into my head. It was faint but i had seen a woman who appears to be my mother and a man beside her who also seems to be my father.
They hide me from a wooden closet as the men came bursting through the door and killed my father. My mother was raped and then killed as i had been found by the men and brought me to their base. I gave one last look at my parent's corpses as i was dragged away from my home.
"Cecilia! Melissa! Get away from them you monster!"
As my mind seems to recalled my fragmented memories, a shout came out of nowhere as i quickly blocked the incomming attack in front of me. I was surpised since the attack was strong and the man had a fierce look on his face when he saw me.
Hearing that her daughter brought the death knight who nearly killed her, he rushed at me, thinking that i would not only harmed his daughrer but his wife as well. He retreated back as it seems his surprised attack failed yet he felt relieved since he saw both women where safe.
"I'm glad... Your safe..."
"Alfred..."
"Wait! Dad! Let me explain!"
Having found that her husband was here, she felt a bit safe while her daughter had a complex look as she tried to tell her dad. As i look both people who where her parents, my memories which where once fragmented, slowly comming back to me as unknown why was i smiling under my helmet...
"You didn't seem to change, muscleheaded brat..."
******
"Sir! Please let us be your disciples!"
I was currently collecting my bounty when a boy suddenly called out to me. I turned my head around to see that this boy was half my age. He didn't seem strong yet i could feel determination from him as a young girl was shyly hiding behind him.
"Brat. I have no time for being disciple as i am currently don't have time to teach brats how to weild a sword."
"...Ugh..."
I wasn't in the mood nor have the kindness to teach kids how to be strong. I'm not gonna waste my time on some brats who seems to be some nobles who never experience harsh life judging by the clothes they wear.
But it seems this brat didn't gave up and continue to pester me until i finally gave him a condition.
"If you can remain standing without giving up, i'll be your master brat."
"D-deal!"
Having accepted my proposal, he had a joyful look on his face as he had won. Yet, i might have a little grudge since when i look at the girl behind him, she seems to harbor feelings to the brat. It might had spark a bit of my jealous side...
After being beating the crap out of the brat, he fell to the ground after telling him that he had won. The girl who was behind him started to heal him with her magic. As i thought, the girl was a priest.
As to why he had won, he was so determined that even after beating him while we faught, he was so determined to win against me that with his battered body, he continues to fight me. I gave him credits as even though he was a noble, he remind me when i strive to live to protect what he had.
"Anyways, whats your name brat."
".... Hhaaa.... Hhaa.... Alfred..."
"I-i'm Melissa!"
"Well, since i'm gonna be your master from now on, name's Ocrad."
It might had been fate when we three met but i didn't expect that i would ended up dying for these two kids.... No, this friends of mine...
*****
""...............""
"You didn't expect me to be alive. Right?"
We all sat inside their house while it had a gloomy feeling inside. If my memory serves me right, they were currently 18 since i died and guessing by their daughter... They are currently 38-39 years old. So its 19 years since i passed away...
After knowing who i am, they felt extremely happy but after knowing that i was dead, they felt despair soon afterwards. I explained that after being freed by the necromancer, i regained full control of my body and started to look for them since i wanted to reclaim the memories i lost when i was resurrected from the dead.
"Ocrad... I'm sorry."
"Your apology is wasted. I did it for you and your future with melissa."
"But..."
Having started to cry from losing an important person from his life, i smacked his head lightly. As a brat, it would seem cute but he's already an old man.
"If i didn't do that, the world wouldn't be saved without your daughter, the marriage with melissa which you sacrificed your nobility and strived to make a wonderful life with her would be wasted but most importantly..."
I switch my hand from a fist and started to pat his head. Which the expressionless look which seem to have been gone, was slowly returning to me. Giving a warm smile to the young kid who dreams to be stronger than me.
"I get to see that the muscleheaded brat i trained in the past became a young man with a loving family."
I turned to face the people around me.
The woman who was once clumsy and childish, became a beautiful woman. The brat i trained in the past who was rash became a matured adult. Their daughter who slay the demon king which haunted us for a long time with her friends... But most importantly...
It was there, a monument of me which i saw at the center of the village. I never thought that i became a hero who was just an old mercenary at the time...
'Elli, i became something you had been proud for a long time...'
The sadness from my past, the regrets i had when i walk in this world when i was alive. It was slowly overrun by the memories of my remaining life when i started training these kids, the men who shared our life stories with and... How we bonded and created a bond which we share even in death...
"Its time..."
I gave a look at the two couples as they realize what i said. They started standing up as the girl and the rest where confused about our exchange.
"We'll take you to your grave..."
******
We all arrive at the graveyard as we seem to have gathered a crowd of people. I ignored them as i started to dig through my grave.
"W-what is he..."
The people became surprised while some where angry at my actions yet i ignored them and continue digging. Albert and Melissa began to gather tears while Cecilia and the rest had a grim look on their faces.
After having dug enough space which would fit me, i jump through the hole but was held before i could jump.
"Ocrad! I love you!"
Her parents were surprised,her comrades where surprised and the people felt shock at the confession. I flicked her head with my finger as i gave a smile to her.
"Don't fall for a dead man. Plus, my heart belongs to another as we shall reunite soon."
Having said the harsh truth, she held on to her pained chest as i already guess from her actions since the time i slayed the Demon King.
Her wanting to marry a strong man which came from her father who was strong and me who had defeated her countless times while being the teacher of her father. Her love was just an infatuation and not true love but i guess she'll find a man worthy of her as looking at how she'll recover from her rejection, she'll be fine.
After landing inside the hole, i took off my armor and saw my body was already bones left except my face. After removing the last equipment, i started to recall my life since the begining of my birth.
I was a young kid from a normal village. I had a happy family with friends whom we all shared our dreams with.
How we were attacked by bandits and how they killed my parents and took me away, how i became a bandit and strive to earn a livelihood, a life which i didn't want and wanted to do something good.
About how i fall for a slave girl whom i rescued from the bandits were my comrades, my determination to save her when i realized that she was sick.... And how i failed her...
'Ocrad... Its okay....'
'Elli.... I can't lose you... Please...'
'Pl...ease...find....happi...nes........'
'Elli!!!'
When i became the strongest yet there was nothing i had left, i drowned myself in alchohol. There, where i met with Alfred and Melissa. The people who had brought me back to the living and how i sacrifice my life for them...
My life isn't great, i had many regrets... But i'm satisfied.
After throwing my armor out the hole, the dirt which i dug was being returned as countless people started throwing flowers at me. I turned upwards as people started crying to me while thanking me.
"Ocrad, you son of a btch. Thanks for saving us back there."
"Sir, thank you for giving me medicine when i was sick."
"I couldn't pay you back since last time. I hope i can pay you in the next life..."
'Heh, i never expected that i helped this many people...' I felt relieved since i didn't recieve this much gratitude when i was still alive.
I lay on the ground as the people continue to bury me. My life was slowly fading from the necromancer's magic and i could finally rest....
'Please let me meet her again...'
******
"Oh! I waited a long time for you."
"Sorry about that. Some guy had resurrected me and took me longer from meeting you."
"I see..."
"Well, i'm here now. But this is kinda awkward..."
"What is?"
"Having to see you again, i'm starting to realized why i loved you."
"You... Thats kinda embarrassing..."
"Well, i finally meet you so i couldn't hold my feelings when i saw you again..."
"...So, can you tell me what you did after i was gone?"
"Well, let me tell you everything from scratch then. But first..."
"...?"
"I love you, Ellisa."
".... I love you too, Ocrad or should i say Reiner..."
"Hahah... Ocrad is fine. I really like the name you gave me."
"So... Can you tell me now?"
"Sure. When you where gone, i drowned myself with alchohol. Living on was useless without you so i tried to kill myself by taking on dangerous quests... But i became strong instead.
Because of that, i met these two kids, Alfred and Melissa. They where a troublesome kids but..."
******
There was a story of a young boy who live in a peaceful village. But then his village was attacked by bandits and killed his parents while being taken and became a bandit. He wished he wanted to become a hero and the world grant him an opportunity by giving him a girl he would save.
But it didn't became a happy ending for them as the girl was struck with sickness and died. The boy drowned in sorrow as he tried to kill himself by throwing himself into danger. Yet, he had grown and become the strongest person in the world.
Though, his life became unending pain. He met two kids who became his companions and healed his broken heart. A noble kid who wanted to create fame for him to marry his childhood friend and a girl who was tied to a political marriage but cut off from her family to be with the boy. He knew that he would find happiness if he stayed with them but ended up sacrificing his life to save them.
Though it would have been where his life would have ended there, he was then resurrected as a Death Knight and served the Demon King for a long time. By the hands of the heroes who slain the person who cursed him with life, he was then reunited with his old friends, knowing his life had created a legacy... And how he could finally rest and meet the person who waited a long time for him...
This was just a tale of a simple man who once lost everything, found something new...