The Sealed Vault

Chapter One: Nessa

Clangs echoed in the air. Metal on metal. Blade to shield.

The scuffing of boots onto the well-packed dirt. Sweat dripping onto the dryness.

The roaring of a crowd around the arena. Royals on stands as they watched eagerly.

I quickly rolled out of the way of the sword, blocking the incoming one with ease, blade to blade.

"Stop moving girl!" My opponent growled roughly, swinging the two-handed sword with the aim to take off my arm to win this fight. "No girl should be a knight!"

"Well, maybe in Basindrift. But here it's just fine." I smirked and dodged it, using the fuller of my blade and smacking it into the exposed back of his knees, causing the man double my size to stumble forward.

He regained his footing and growled angrily, his eyes looking bloodshot as he turned to look at me.

The local crowd cheered, as my king above in the stands nodded in approval. I scanned the crowd for a familiar face, not seeing the onyx black hair among the commoners. Feeling the ground shaking, I turned and saw that my opponent was rampaging towards me, his eyes seeing red.

I bit my lip, knowing I had to make a move. But if I go left or right, I still risk him running into me. I had to wait. Wait until he was within arms reach.

Standing my ground, I grabbed my shield and sword firmly in my grasp. Digging my feet into the ground, shield in front.

The sound of the crowd drowned out in my ears, leaving me only with one sound that pulsed through my body. The colors turning to grey. My heartbeat drummed steadily.

Dah dum. Dah dum. Dah dum.

The thumping that kept the blood coursing through my veins. The soul that inhabited my body knowing to trust the muscle that worked it. It staying still and strong as the bull was coming pounding towards me.

It appeared the man was moving in slow motion in my sight, that everything was.

Dah dum. Dah dum. Dah dum.

The crowd roaring in my ears slowly returned, as did the color, as I watched the man grow faster and faster.

Three. The number of years I have been trained.

Two. The number of fights I have won.

One. One life to live.

Once my mind hit one, the brute attempted to shove past my shield to stab me, as I quickly dodged to the left, keeping my shield in my right hand to block his attack into my left side and using my sword in my left grasp to stab him in the side of his stomach where his chest plate was only connected by leather straps.

An angry and pained scream echoed from his vocal cords, as he stumbled and fell to his knees.

The crowd went wild, as I walked away from him, walking towards the king. I bowed down in front of his liege, before turning towards the opposite side and raising the sword above my head in victory.

I panted, listening to the people chanting my name. Sweat trickled down my neck and into my shirt under my armor.

I scanned the crowd yet again for the hair and saw the figure standing in front and clapping as he grinned ear to ear.

"Knight Nessa," the crowd quietened as the King of Caetin stood up, holding a rose. "As per the tradition of these duels, I give you a rose to give to a fair maiden or bachelor of your choosing." A squire took the delicate rose on a pillow, and carried it down the stairs and into the arena to me, kneeling as I reached and gently took it.