Phantasia: The Princess Knight

Currently, Alicia was stuck in a small crevice between two large rocks while a large creature almost four times the size of her was staring at her with bloodshot eyes. She was scared out of her mind since she had never seen such a creature before. It was like a lion but it's back was covered in red scales and it had a fiery mane around its neck. Its claws were taking huge chunks out of the hard rock. She had already lost her sharpened stick when she tried to poke out one of its eyes in an attempt to try to scare the creature away but it reacted too quickly and just smashed the sharp stick into splinters.

Thanks to this creature she had lost all her items and only had the rabbit horn left for self defense. All her other items were used as a distraction to try to escape the creature in front of her. But it only slowed the creature down by a little bit just enough to allow her to squeeze herself into this crevice.

The creature continued to swing its large paws at the rock in front of it. With each swing, it took out another chunk of the rock. The creature was slowly getting closer and closer to Alica. With a final swing, the last bit of remaining rock crumbled exposing the tiny Alicia to the creature. The creature opened its large mouth baring its sharp fangs that had saliva dripping down it. Alicia really wondered if this was how her life was going to end!

"No! I will not die here! I have already died once!" Alicia suddenly shouted out. All her fear that she had before disappeared as she threw herself into a trance. "Kill it before it can kill me! Kill it before it can kill me!"

Alicia did a head dive under the large creature. She twisted her small body around causing her blonde hair that was now caked with mud to swirl around. The tips of her hair sizzled as it passed close to the fiery mane of the creature. With her rabbit horn in hand, Alicia thrust it upwards into the underbelly of the creature. But she did not stop there, she pulled it out and continued to stab the creature over and over.

*Roar!*

The creature let out a painful roar as it jumped up into the air backing away from Alicia! It stood there staring at the small girl who earlier was as scared as a rabbit. Now her eyes were cold as ice and her body exuded a faint killing intent.

Alicia knew if she attempted to run it would be useless. Alicia shouted out her battle cry as she went to charge at the creature! "Kill it before it can kill me!"

"Well said!" Alicia stopped her charge and looked stunned up at the tall boy in front of her. He was only around eleven years old but he stood tall and strong in front of her little body. His armor glistened in the sun that pierced through the canopies of the trees overhead. His shoulder length silver hair swayed in the breeze seeming to create sparkles as the sun's rays landed upon it.

This was a knight! A young one but still a knight! Alicia's eyes sparkled. There was no way she would not know what he was! He was most likely a squire but he still stood strong in front of the creature in front of him. The young boy charged forward causing the creature to swing its large paw at him. The young boy sidestepped the paw with ease and got to the creature's side where he thrust his sword into the creature's side slicing down leaving a large gash as blood and guts spilled out all over the ground. One strike! One strike was all it took to kill the creature! This was Alicia's image of a knight!

The young boy flicked his sword and looked at the many puncture wounds on the creature's belly and was very surprised. He looked over at Alicia and saw how little and thin she was and couldn't help but feel astonished. Those thin arms were able to do this much damage to a magma lion.

As he gazed at Alicia he could see the sparkle in her eyes as she gazed upon him. This was not a look of love but one of reverence. Seeing this look caused him to let out a light laugh as he asked: "Why are you so far out into this forest? Don't you know that this place is filled with demonic beasts?"

Alicia did not know what to say. She could only tell the truth. "I had to leave the hut I was staying in so I would not be sold off to a brothel or someplace else..." Even though it was embarrassing Alicia was not one to lie. She would only lie if the truth would harm someone.

"Someone was going to sell you!?" The young boy became enraged. "Who!?"

"Umm… Two men that are now dead wanted to sell me to a brothel and I overheard them say the village chief wanted to sell me when I reached ten years of age." Alicia explained.

"Hah! They really know how to go against the King's decree! Wait…. You said two of the men are dead? Who killed them?" The young boy asked.

"I-I… did..." Alicia said quietly. She had no choice at the time though. It was either kill them or be beaten and then sold. It was a life or death situation!

The young boy was shocked yet again. This girl was able to kill two grown men? That was when he saw that besides fresh blood stains that came from the magma lion there were also dried up blood stains on her face and clothes as well. "I see. So you escaped to the forest in order to not be sold off. Your thinking is not too bad. If you went by the main road bandits might have targeted you which would cause you a whole mess of trouble worse than being sold to a brothel. The forest has food as well as water so you could bide your time and grow stronger until you were strong enough to leave and head to a city somewhere." The young boy paused and thought for a second.

"Mmmm… I can not do much for you since I am on a mission but I do have a spare short sword on me. I will gift it to you. This magma lion is very nutritious and the scales and hide can be used as armor. I will help you dismantle it. This is all I can do for you. If you can survive for three years, head to the capital and take the squire's test. I wish there was more that I could do for you..." The young boy looked at the little girl and let out a sigh. He felt pity for her. She was all alone out here in this dangerous forest. All he was able to do was this little bit of help.

"Just gifting me this short sword is more help than I could ever imagine. Sir knight, may I ask you your name?" Alicia had no way to repay this young boy but if anything she will remember the young boy's name for the rest of her life.

"Blake! Blake Roseland and I am still a squire. One day I hope to make it and become a real knight!" This was the first meeting between Alicia and Blake Roseland.