When Push Comes to Shove

Noah was over sixteen years old now. He has been working on the farm while also training with David, so he was well built physically. Days off are still appreciated, but the stamina that he has gained has been a great help in relieving his stress and soreness. The world around him just seems to have slowed down in a way. "Can it last," isn't even a question. It won't.

David: "Guess we're done for the day."

Noah: "Yeah, I have work at the farm."

David: "That place won't be in business for much longer, yeah?"

Noah: "Sadly, no. Sarah feels bad making me go through all the work on my own for the most part. Not only that, but I'm nowhere near as skilled as Lucas was. The quality of crops has gone down with me at the helm. Honestly the cheaper prices and pity for Sarah is probably the only reason we can compete at this point."

David: "It's weird talking with you about things like this. You used to be so small, it's weird that you're basically a grown man at this point."

Noah: "I'm probably a little far from a grown man."

David: "You're more of a man than a lot of guys in the world. Taking care of a kid the way you do. You don't complain about your hellish schedule either."

Noah: "Only hell for a little longer. Sarah said she wanted to talk to me today instead of working the entire time, so this talk will likely be about how she's going to move forward."

David: "Don't let her try to do anything crazy now. If she wants to sell that place and move, tell her that I'll be taking her in."

Noah: "Yeah, sure thing."

David: "One more thing, I almost forgot. Where's Ellie at? Usually she's here with you."

Noah: "I woke her up by accident, so I let her sleep in. Anyway, I'm off to work."

David: "Cya!"

Noah then walked to Sarah's farm.

Sarah: "Like I said, you'll work only about half the day, we'll talk the rest. You'll still be paid in full though."

Noah: "What'll it be for today?"

Sarah: "If you could tend to the apple orchard for today, that would be great."

And so Noah went off to his work. The orchard was a fine place to do work. Apple trees provided shade so that work wasn't as tiring. He had to carefully inspect what he got off the trees, so likely this would be the only work that he did today before having the talk.

And so, time passed, and Noah stopped his work and went up to the house porch, where Sarah sat at the outside table.

Sarah: "This shouldn't take too long, but I need to talk about this place's future."

Noah: "I figured that this would be about that. Alright, let's talk."

Sarah: "I'll be selling the property off. If it stays a farm or not will be up the buyer, but this amount of land will be enticing for just about anyone, so who knows. I'm sure David will force me to be taken care of by him, so I'll probably ask if he'll take me in."

Noah: "Funny enough, he told me to make sure that's what happened."

Sarah: "Seems about right. Anyway, I'll be giving that money to you. Raising a child is only going to get more and more difficult, and I'm sure that you don't want to be cooped up in the village forever."

Noah: "Even if I try to deny the money, I'm sure you'll just insist a million times over, so I'll just say thank you instead. Thank you. The experience on this farm has been a painful, but good one."

Sarah: "I appreciate it. I'm sure you'll be successful at whatever job you do in the future. While here you were alwa-"

She suddenly stopped in the middle of talking, staring off into the distance.

Noah: "Sarah? What is-"

Noah turned to where she was looking. A large amount of smoke could be seen sprouting up from the direction of Lynn's village.

Noah: "Lynn..."

Sarah: "Go... please. Save everyone that you can. GO!"

Noah: "Right. Stay safe here."

Noah always had his sword on him for emergency situations, but not once had he ever had to use it. This was likely about to change.

He immediately jumped out of his seat and started running as fast as he could towards the village. He was getting some flashbacks to when he was seven, but he wouldn't let those bother him. No matter what was going on in the village, he would do his best to keep the people there safe. Over the past nine years, he has gotten to know most of the people in the area. He wouldn't let them die on his watch.

The village wasn't too far away, but it still took about seven minutes to run there from the farm. When Noah arrived, many of the buildings were on fire. Likely the attack had already started a while ago, but they only just recently noticed the smoke. The chance to save the entire village was gone. As Noah suspected, there were knights attacking. He assumed that they were there on suspicion of magic users, and were desperate to flush out any remaining survivors. For nine years they have been trying to get rid of them all, and the king was likely impatient at this point.

Right now, the only thing that ran through Noah's mind was Lynn and Clayton. The middle of the town seemed to have been ransacked already, but the home of Lynn wasn't on fire. There was a chance. While no one was looking, Noah took the chance to make a break for the shop.

Noah: "Be safe, please!"

Noah ran into the entrance of the shop. Standing over a bleeding Clayton and a frantic Lynn was a large man. He seemed to be more of a mercenary than a knight. Clayton had a large cut across his stomach and was bleeding heavily. Even with her eye covers on, Lynn was attempting to heal Clayton.

Mercenary: "The hell? You don't have golden eyes do yah? This some kind of trick?"

The mercenary lifted his sword to slash Lynn. Whatever morals Noah held dear, in this moment they meant nothing. If he couldn't save the village, he would throw his humanity to save Lynn alone. Noah dashed forward, sword in hand and blocked the strike from the man.

Mercenary: "The hell-"

Noah stabbed the man through the neck. He was so quick that the man didn't have any time to react to the strike. Noah removed the sword and the man fell to the floor. Lynn was still attempting to heal Clayton.

Clayton: "Lynn, dear, you don't have enough experience. I doubt this is healable regardless."

Clayton probably wasn't wrong. His entrails were exposed and the fact that he was still conscious was astounding.

Lynn: "SHUT UP! I'M NOT LEAVING YOU!"

Lynn was a tearful mess.

Noah: "Lynn, we have to go. I'm sorry but-"

Lynn: "I'M NOT GOING WITHOUT HIM!"

Clayton: "Lynn... you need to go, please."

Lynn: "No..."

Clayton sighed.

Clayton: "I hate to do this to you Noah, but... remember what I asked you all those years ago? Please... for me."

"Save her one day." Those words echoed as Noah, with a heavy heart, stepped forward to Lynn.

Noah: "I'm really sorry about this..."

Noah struck Lynn to knock her out.

Clayton: "Sorry that you had to do that, but thank you."

Noah: "It's fine. I'll make sure to get her out of here safely."

Clayton: "Leave the sword here next to me. It'll look like I did something. I'll give you my eye covers as well, just so they don't find out."

Placing the sword next to Clayton, Noah also took the eye covers from him.

Clayton: "Now hurry, run with her as fast as you can... let her live a nice life. Please continue to protect her."

Noah: "I will... I promise, I'll protect her through everything."

Clayton: "Marry her while you're at it."

Noah: "Teasing me until the bitter end. You rarely ever get out of character. Anyway, I hate to leave on such a sudden note, but..."

Clayton: "I get it, it's more dangerous each second you stay here. Go, and please let her know I love her dearly when she wakes up..."

Noah: "No problem."

Noah ran off, avoiding the sight of the knights roaming town as he escaped into a nearby group of trees to flee towards his village. Clayton lied there in a pool of blood, smiling.

Clayton: "Thank you, my hero..."

He died without any regrets.

This world is cruel, Noah knew that, but turned a blind eye. Now the cruelness of the world has been shoved back into his face. So now what?