NIMBUS AND THE KNIGHTS OF CENFERUM

Chapter 8

Challenge...

Nimbus stood there, facing that elderly gentleman. From this perspective, without carrying any weapon, he seemed more like those old folks who spent the whole day drunk at Anabele's father's bar. However, he exuded an air of superiority greater than any man the boy had ever seen, even loftier than Lonios.

— But you have a thin twig there, and no armor. I might seriously hurt you if I use my sword — Nimbus spoke, visibly scared at the prospect of injuring the old and obese knight.

Sir Lonios found it quite amusing, leaning against the doorframe next to him, merely observing with his ironic smile.

— Don't be foolish, lad. I am a knight, and you are a squire. Do as I command,— Sir Ahbran insisted.

— I can't. It's too risky for you, — Nimbus repeated.

Lonios chuckled beside them.

— Alright, let's make things more interesting then. If you manage to grab the flag behind me or draw at least a drop of blood, tomorrow I'll speak with the Grand Leader, and you'll be proclaimed a knight! Deal? — Ahbran seemed eager.

Lonios laughed even more.

Ignoring his master, Nimbus thought about the possibility of becoming a knight. He pondered on the years of training ahead and wondered why the old, obese man in front of him had such self-assurance.

— So? I don't have all night. Come on! You have three attempts! — Ahbran urged.

— Alright, I'll try, but I won't be responsible if you get seriously hurt — Nimbus spoke with a slightly trembling voice due to the adrenaline rushing through his bloodstream.

—Hahahaaa — Lonios couldn't contain his laughter now.

— Come on, lad, give me your best shot — Sir Ahbran exclaimed with a tone of disdain and now with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

— HERE I GO! — shouted the squire.

He ran towards Sir Ahbran at full speed, in the last second before striking the knight he veered and tried to pass by the old man, but noticed that the knight was already in front of him again, still with his arms crossed.

"How did this old man move so fast?" Nimbus thought as he recomposed himself in a combat stance. "Certainly, he will dodge my attack and move out of the way, giving me an opening to pass," and the boy began with a new strategy.

In a charge, he leaped over the knight and attacked with his sword in a diagonal strike from top to bottom. When the blade descended with full force towards the knight's body, he raised the dry branch he wielded as a sword a bit and, without even leaving his position, struck the boy's hand with the branch, disarming him.

Next, Nimbus felt a strong impact on his abdomen, and his body flew several meters backward, dragging his back on the dirt floor. His stomach hurt a lot where the knight had hit him.

"What happened? How did he do that?" he thought while getting up, with his hand on his aching belly, and when he raised his head, he saw his sword embedded in the ground on the left side of the old knight, and he himself was about four meters away from both.

— What happened, lad? I wasn't going to hurt myself if you attacked me with your sword? — Ahbran spoke, suppressing a laugh and kicking the sword towards Nimbus.

The boy caught the weapon mid-air and, ignoring the pain in his abdomen, stood up and got back into a fighting stance.

"I guess I'll have to get tough with this old man. But if I make another top-down attack, he'll probably disarm me with that branch again. I have to use a different tactic," Nimbus thought, launching into a new charge against the old knight.

This time, he didn't dodge at the last second but crouched, attempting to strike the old knight's legs, thinking that he would jump, allowing Nimbus to roll under and reach the flag.

However, that's not what happened. The knight jumped toward the boy and kicked his wrist; once again, the sword slipped from his hand and flew far away, with the boy watching its trajectory. Suddenly, he felt a blow to his chest and flew back again, another four meters, dragging his back along the dirt.

— HAAHAHAHAAAAA — Sir Lonios was laughing again, this time holding his belly.

"Darn, how does he do that?" Nimbus thought again, this time with his chest and abdomen hurting.

Sir Lonios, barely able to contain his laughter, kicked Nimbus's sword lying near him.

— Last attempt, kid. Are you going to grab that flag or not? I don't think I'll need this anymore — Ahbran said and tossed the dry branch away.

Nimbus noticed the opportunity. "Now I'll pass by him; let's see him disarm me from a top-down attack without that branch."

Nimbus picked up the sword that Lonios had kicked near him and charged again at full speed towards Ahbran.

— AHHHHHHH — he jumped almost two meters up and three meters away, and in a parabolic motion, he fell with the sword towards the knight's head. The old man threw one leg back for support and in a motion as if clapping, he caught the blade of the squire's sword between his two hands.

Again, Nimbus felt another strong impact on his abdomen, and he jumped several meters back, once again falling on his back on the dirt floor. The knight, once again, had kicked him in the stomach. He looked at Sir Ahbran and sat on the dirt floor, then noticed that the knight still had his sword between his hands.

— It's a shame, kid, you won't be knighted tomorrow, hahahahahha — Sir Ahbran spun the sword in the air and held it by the hilt, then threw it to Nimbus, who caught it again in the air.

Nimbus got up from the dirt ground, totally dirty, the old knight was already entering the hall, and his master went towards him to help him get up.

— Hahaahahaha, don't feel embarrassed about it, Nimbus. Sir Ahbran is one of the best warriors in the world, a living legend. He is one of the seven legendary knights; I'm sure even I, under the same circumstances, would have taken a beating from that old man. — Sir Lonios walked towards the hall, supporting Nimbus on the shoulder.

— You did very well, Nimbus. — Sir Ahbran was sitting at the table. — This boy has a future, Sir Lonios; he made me move. Congratulations!

— I know, he's a special boy, but we must retire, Sir Ahbran. Tomorrow, we set sail before sunrise, as usual.

— You're right. We should give this boy a chance to recover for the journey tomorrow, hahahahaaaa.

Nimbus almost stuck his tongue out at him and, shrugging off Lonios's assistance, ran to his quarters on the second floor.

Until shortly before the squire went to bed, the two knights were talking in a hushed manner in the hall below. Nimbus thought about going down and trying to eavesdrop, but gave up when his abdomen began to protest being strained, so he went to sleep.

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