Accepted

It was a bright summer day in Eriport. The sun glistening on my sweat covered back as I worked the field. I had told Tomas, an old  kind farmer, that I would work his field today since he was aging, and had no children. I finally went to his barn and hung up the tools for the day.

"I should go get my payment now before he spends it on booze." I thought to my self. But I was so tired I decided to go bathe and sleep.

As I walked up to the lake I stared at my reflection. I could see my short blonde hair matted with sweat and dirt, and my skin tanned from working outside so much lately.

As I undressed and slid into the water I thought of tomorrow. "Tomorrow is the day I realize my dream to become a knight. I'll learn to fight, and get revenge for my family."

On our sixteenth birthday in Eriport we could try out to become part of the kings soldiers. Fighting on the front lines against evil spawns of darkness called Krule. They're a evil sort of creature renown for being taller then any man and twice as strong. When I was six they tore through our village near the border of Eriport and their country called Drofain. They  slaughtered my father, but not before they raped my mothers dead corpse in front him. They burned our village and killed every man, woman, and child. I only lived because I hid beneath the floor of our home as my father tried to protect us.

"Tomorrow." I said to no one in particular.

I laid awake in my small put together shack on the edge of the woods to nervous to sleep much. I could hear the birds outside and she a faint light through the logs of my home. "It's time to get ready." I told myself.

I dressed in the leather armor I made from a  deer I bagged last winter. I grabbed the sword I forged when i apprenticed with the Smith I lived with after the incident, and I grabbed my fathers shield.

I walked to the castle and looked up at the imposing walls I had dreamt of while staying in the surrounding village.

A soldier dressed in chainmail hailed me as I walked through the gate. "What is your business here boy?" He asked. "I've come to join the Kings army." I told him proudly.

He looked at me for a moment as if sizeing me up , and said "Fine then go find Alburt, he's probably in the mess hall up ahead, the pig."  I gave him my thanks and headed to where he pointed me as quick as I could.

When I got to the hall I only saw some handmaidens preparing for lunch and some old man wearing tattered cloths, gorging on meat, and splashing mead everywhere as he drank his self to death.

I walked over to the man and asked "Do you know where I can find Alburt?" "Why do you need to find that old fool? You don't look like you have the chops to be a soldier" he slurred.

My face started burning. Why would some old drunk think he was better then me I practiced my sword play for hours each day. What did he take me for.

"I have plenty of chops!" I blurted out. "I have to be a soldier, so I can become a knight, and slay the horde!"

The man got a strange glint in his eye. "Okay, no need to yell" he said. I'll tell you where he is if you show me your sword skills." "Fine then should we go to the ya-." Before I could finish he drew a strange curved sword with a golden hilt and designs of dragons on the blade.

"Come at me" he yelled in a strong clear tone.

I drew my sword and and charged at him. As soon as I got close he locked swords with me. As we held each other at bay I could see the candles reflecting their red light like blood on our blades. In a swift move he pushed me back and broke our hold. I swung my blade at him trying to break his guard, but he parried it as of it was nothing. As we fought it seemed like time had slowed down for us as of stuck in an eternal fight. The illusion was broken only by him knocking the blade from my hands which firmly planted it's self in a table nearby.

"Your not bad kid." He said. Was him being drunk all an act? He didn't slur his words at all. He now had an elegant and stately manner to him. "Th-thanks you" I stammer from exhaustion. "Don't let it go to your head boy. My name is Alburt. You did well today go to the barracks and tell them I said to set you up a bunk. Training starts at dawn." "Thank you sir, I won't disappoint you." I told him  "I'm no sir anymore they stripped that title from me long ago. Before you go tell me your name boy." He said.

" My name is Gavan of house Doran."

"Well met Gavan." He said

And I headed to the barracks excited for my first day.