Knight of Lions | The Assemblage of the Stars - Book 4.5

CHAPTER 5

Regulus swung his sword hard at a pole with many wood chips in it. It had been a few weeks of training, and No had been testing Regulus' unnatural strength with his weapons for all the time.

No had apparently concluded that when Regulus' lion was out, it increased his strength and intelligence greatly.

Even now, as Regulus practice fighting against the chipped pole, Pip and Alya watched his fight.

"Beat it up! It gave me a bad splinter once!" Pip complained, sounding semi-serious.

Regulus laughed gently and attacked with different defensive moves, acting as if the pole would strike back any minute.

"What happens if I break the pole?" Regulus asked Pip, stopping to catch his breath.

"I dunno. No one's ever done it before," Pip replied, twiddling with the strings on his instrument.

"Maybe it's time to change that," Regulus smiled. "I bet there'll be some cool reward."

Regulus started attacking it harder, hitting the same spot repeatedly. When he noticed it weakened, he summoned his lion and hit with all his strength and stopped.

Pip and Alya watched as the pole creaked and fell over, sounding throughout the castle.

Regulus smiled at it daringly. "See that?" He asked, turning to Pip and Alya. "That's the strength of a star!"

"That's the strength of a god!" Pip countered. "Are you sure you're not a god?"

Regulus sighed. "I've told you before, Pip. There's only one God. And it's not me."

Pip shrugged and stared at the pole, while Alya walked over and stared at the lion.

"So how does this thing work?" She asked, waving her hand through it. She drew it back in shock. "It's transparent?"

"It's transparent to who I wish it to be," Regulus explained. "The lion'a my way of defense."

"So what's its name?" Pip piped in.

"Name?" Regulus asked. "Why should I name it?"

"It's almost like a pet," Alya replied. "Plus, it's boring to refer to it as 'the lion' every time."

Regulus stared at it in thought. "What about Leo?"

"As in your constellation?" Pip asked.

"It sounds cute!" Alya exclaimed. "Stars are so fascinating."

An arrow whizzed by Regulus' head suddenly, and he turned around to block another one with his shield. He noticed No standing ahead of him in the clearing, holding a bow.

"I see you cut down the pole," No pointed out.

Regulus nodded. "Yes, I did! Is there some reward?"

No stared at him blankly. "No."

"What?" Regulus asked in childish disbelief. "But I was the first to cut it down!"

"It's just a pole for practice. It's not like it's a challenge," No replied.

Regulus pouted and grumbled to himself angrily.

"That's enough training for today, anyway," No said. "You can head to the barracks."

Regulus smiled. He had gotten used to his hay bed, and he found it more comfortable. As he turned to leave the practice yard, he watched Pip and Alya follow.

No suddenly stopped Pip. "Pip, I need you to bring this pole to the carpenter. He can make some extra planks out of it. Give the coins you receive to me."