The infantrymen moved aside.

"Clear the street!" the Knight ordered.

The Garvok turned toward him.

Aeris's entire expression changed.

"Mama."

"Away from-"

"A KNIGHT."

"Quiet!"

"THERE'S A KNIGHT."

"I can see him."

"You've seen one before, right?!"

"Aeris, this is not the time."

The Knight dismounted.

He drew his sword.

The Garvok lowered itself.

Then charged.

Aeris pressed both hands against the window.

"Come on..."

The Knight waited.

The creature came closer.

Closer.

Then the Knight stepped aside.

One movement.

His sword flashed beneath the torchlight.

The Garvok continued forward for several steps.

Then it collapsed.

Silence.

Aeris's mouth fell open.

Eira looked at him.

"Aeris?"

Nothing.

"Are you finally speechless?"

Aeris slowly turned toward her.

"HE KILLED IT IN ONE HIT!"

"Yes."

"ONE!"

"I counted."

"DID YOU SEE THAT?!"

"I was standing directly behind you."

"THAT WAS AMAZING!"

"Keep your voice down."

"HE JUST-"

"Aeris."

"One hit."

"Yes."

"The infantry stabbed it and it didn't even care!"

"Yes."

"Then the Knight just-"

Aeris swung his arm dramatically.

"SHING!"

"Don't do that near the lamp."

"And then it just died!"

"I noticed."

Aeris looked back outside.

The Knight wiped his sword clean while infantrymen approached the dead creature.

Aeris stared at him with complete admiration.

"I'm definitely becoming a Knight."

"Yesterday you wanted to become a god."

"I'll do both."

"That's ambitious."

"I'll become a Knight first."

"Sensible."

"Then Warden."

"Less sensible."

"Then god."

"There it is."

"It's called a plan."

"It's called bedtime."

"But-"

"Bed."

"The Knight is still outside."

"He'll survive without you watching him."

"What if another Garvok comes?"

"Then he'll still survive without you watching him."

"What if he needs help?"

Eira stared at him.

Aeris went quiet.

"Bed."

He sighed dramatically and climbed beneath his blanket.

Eira pulled the curtain over the window.

"Cruel."

"Sleep."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"I'm too inspired."

"Become inspired tomorrow."

"What if I forget?"

"Knowing you, you'll tell everyone before breakfast."

Aeris considered this.

"That's true."

"Good night."

"Good night."

Eira walked toward the doorway.

"Mama?"

"Yes?"

"Do Knights train every day?"

"Usually."

"How early?"

"Very."

"Earlier than breakfast?"

"Probably."

Aeris paused.

"Never mind."

Eira laughed and left the room.

For once, Aeris actually tried to sleep.

He closed his eyes.

All he could see was the Knight stepping past the charging Garvok and ending the fight with a single strike.

Aeris opened his eyes again.

"Okay. Maybe before breakfast."

By sunrise, news of the attack had spread through the entire village.

Aeris was already outside.

Mara arrived to find him holding a wooden stick like a sword.

"What are you doing?"

"Training."

"With a stick?"

"It's a practice sword."

"That's the branch you hit me with last week."

"It has been promoted."

Teran joined them. "My father said a Garvok got inside last night."

Aeris immediately turned toward him.

"I saw it."

Mara frowned. "You did not."

"I watched the whole fight."

"Your mother lets you stay awake during a Garvok attack?"

"I had permission."

From inside the house, Eira shouted, "HE DID NOT!"

The children looked at Aeris.

He slowly lowered the stick.

"I had unofficial permission."

Mara sighed. "You looked through your window, didn't you?"

"Strategic observation point."

Teran leaned closer. "Was it big?"

"Huge."

Aeris spread his arms as far apart as he could.

"Bigger than this."

"That's not very big," Mara said.

"I don't have longer arms."

Teran's eyes lit up. "What did the Knight do?"

Aeris immediately raised the stick again.

"The Garvok charged him."

He crouched dramatically.

"Then the Knight waited."

Mara nodded slowly. "Uh-huh."

"And waited."

"Then what?" Teran asked.

Aeris suddenly swung the branch.

"SHING!"

The branch slipped out of his hands.

It flew across the street.

A basket fell over.

Vegetables rolled everywhere.

Silence.

An old merchant slowly looked toward Aeris.

Aeris froze.

Mara glanced at the scattered vegetables. "Very Knight-like."

"Tactical mistake."

"AERIS!" the merchant shouted.

Aeris spun around.

"Retreat!"

The children ran.

Behind them, the merchant shouted while gathering his vegetables.

Aeris laughed as they disappeared around the corner.

For the rest of the morning, he reenacted the battle for anyone unfortunate enough to ask what had happened.

By noon, according to Aeris, the Garvok had become twice its actual size.

By afternoon, the Knight had apparently cut it in half while surrounded by ten more.

By evening, Mara stopped correcting him.

Aeris had made his decision.

He would learn how to fight.

He would become stronger than the infantry.

Stronger than the Knights.

Maybe even as strong as the Wardens.