I Will Be the Greatest Knight-Chapter 43: Becoming Nocturnal

The days were warm but the nights in Chemois were cold and Irene realized that from the moment she participated in her first night patrol.

When she was going to her father buried in the mines, it was the warmest point in the season and, despite the rain, she hardly realized the temperature. As she lifted her hood over her head and looked forward confidently, she told herself to simply adjust. Evolving was a requirement to be a knight.

Initially, Gunnar and Phillip split the apprentices in half and patrolled along the forest's edge, occasionally allowing their horses to go into the tree line. The moon was out but because of the thick leaves and denseness of trees, visibility was low.

They were practicing even more caution than usual because of what transpired before. If they lost control of the monsters, they would lose the people's trust, after all.

The group reconvened in the plains south of the Duke's Tower and once the knights were together again, Gunnar spoke up.

"Fortunately for us, it seems that the goblins that escaped last night have hidden themselves deeper in the forests," the older knight explained. "Not even a sign of activity. Was it the same for your group?"

He turned to Sir Phillip who nodded immediately.

"No signs," Phillip confirmed. "Not even a bone or scrap in sight."

The knights glanced over the group of apprentices.

"That could only mean we have to put in a more concentrated effort in clearing out the caves before winter," Gunnar continued musing. "Something to discuss with the Commander when he is in better health."

They said that each time, but the more he saw the Duke growing frail, he wondered if it would ever happen. Duke Arlin was the oldest knight and no longer practiced with a sword. It was obvious he was declining.

The apprentices remained silent upon mention of the man's health. They all had similar thoughts about the old man but their opinions could be seen as disrespectful towards a man who had such higher title than they ever would.

"Now we will split into two groups," Gunnar continued, breaking everyone from their thoughts. "We will need two apprentices on the wall and three apprentices in the valley, staying close to the forest. Lucky for us, we've inherited an archer."

Irene felt eyes on her face and she debated whether or not she liked such attention.

"I will go with him," Leif volunteered first.

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"Good, because I don't want to sit on a cold wall all night," Felix said. "I would rather remain on a horse until the sun rises."

"Then I won't have to put up with your incessant chatter all night," Irene responded easily.

Felix's eyebrows rose. He was quite proud of the way the other apprentice was starting to have more of a spine. Even in a week, it was a far cry from the apprentice he witnessed on the first day getting knocked down unfairly in a spar.

The groups were chosen and they split off from one another.

Gunnar brought Leif and Irene to the wall that stood towards the southwestern end of the valley.

"A relic of the past," the knight explained. "What remains of what used to be a bustling city but monsters crumbled the wall and wiped out almost everything. Only the front tower of the Duke's castle is part of the original building. Back when dragons roamed these lands."

Irene's green eyes brushed across the valley and then up the wall fragment that stood at least twelve feet tall. To her surprise, there were wood and rope ladders already fitted to the crumbling structure.

"We will sit on the wall all night as Felix said?" she asked.

"You will need to have the highest vantage point," the knight explained. "You have quite an important job this evening that normally Sir Phillip takes over."

Sir Gunnar then began rummaging through his saddlebag before producing the items he sought. He then squeezed his knees slightly so his horse would move forward a few steps.

In his hands, he offered Irene arrows with cloth tied to the tips, resin, and flint.

"Tonight, when you get to the top of the wall, the two of you will need to create a small fire against the side of the wall that will protect it against wind," he explained. "If either one of you see monsters, you must shoot an arrow as far towards the Duke's Tower as you possibly can. The rains have been away for quite some time and I believe the grass will burn easily. I will never remain out of eyeshot from you."

The burden was a heavy one but Irene was ready for the challenge.

"I will do my best," she assured the knight. "Leif has sharp eyes as well."

"Then I will entrust this with the two of you," Gunnar said. "Please be careful tonight."

"Yes, sir," Irene responded first.

"Of course, sir," Leif followed with.

Sir Gunnar nodded then pulled a hood over his head. He took off deeper into the valley and began checking over crops of trees or higher grass. There were also a few streams leading to rivers that he thought he should check over as well.

No stone would be left unturned that night until the issue of monsters in the valley was taken care of. Even if Sir Gunnar had to do it himself, he was willing to reform the knights and get to the bottom of the issue. The people of northern Chemois would not be wiped out of history books yet again. They were stronger than the last settlers of the valley.

The apprentices dismounted their horses and tied long ropes to posts along the bottom of the wall.

As they looked up at the towering structure, Irene realized the segment of the wall left was slightly curved. It caused her to wonder what it looked like in that valley in the past.

"I will collect wood for the fire," Leif volunteered. "You ought to get up there and keep an eye on the valley."

Irene agreed with a nod and she tucked the items handed to her into her pockets and belt until she had free hands and was able to climb to the top of the wall.

It was only the first night they were put up to guard duty on the wall, but, for Leif and Irene, it became their new routine.

They would wake up in the late afternoon, eat breakfast which was the midday meal for others, attend their studies in the library, eat another meal, participate in night patrol, and finish their day with what used to be early morning practice and a final meal before they would sleep it off again.

The kids became nocturnal, but Irene was thoroughly enjoying her time. She was so nocturnal that, when Samson sent his apprentices to deliver the new weapons, she was asleep and had to be handed the new sword in the evening.

Unfortunately, she never had an opportunity to use the beautiful weapon at least so far.

In three weeks, she only had to shoot a fire arrow one time. Otherwise, her arrow practice was only used for small hunts in the plains or shallow parts of the forest.

On a particularly cold morning when they experienced a few hours of frost, Leif leaned against the part of the wall that offered back support and he stared up at the sky as the sun rose and started chasing away the stars. He was lost in thought, never becoming that much more talkative.

Irene glanced at the other apprentice but she didn't warn him as she raised her bow.

The noise of the bow itself was almost silent, but what caused Lief to jump was Irene shouting "My first deer!"

She hopped up from where she sat with her legs dangling over the crumbling side of the wall.