It was late September and things had more or less slowed down in the knighting world. Lonnie called this the beginning of “The Lean Times”. Lance had continued his training. Aurora had been out every day since August. Sometimes she would quietly watch him spar with Lonnie. Lately, she’d asked if she could try using a sword. Lonnie had laughed at her and refused on the grounds that Lance was a special case. Lance had obliged her when Lonnie wasn’t around.

  That had been the start of it. Aurora’s brother Miguel had started coming out on Sundays after church. He’d started training with the sword as well. It was awkward trying to train two people when Lance himself was barely above novice, but he did his best. Then other folks from school showed up asking about training. Then from the rest of the county. Out of those, thirteen of them remained and were still coming out on Sundays. Lance told them all about Terry Lingal, The Errant Apprentice. Some of them followed Terry's socials, but not all. Lance would read from Elton’s blog. He'd show them videos. All of them wanted to by like Terry. Even Lance was surprised.

  That was when Lonnie had thrown in the towel and started training everyone. He’d said he wasn’t going to stand by and watch Lance get a bunch of kids killed with second hand training. They were mostly humans, but there was actually a dragonkin in the group named Randril that wanted to be a knight. A dragon wanted to become a knight. Everyone who remained seemed to have a knack for the sword or some form of marshal weaponry. Even Aurora. Especially Aurora. She was out so often she started outpacing everyone but Lance.

  Oh, Aurora. Lance found every excuse he could to spend time with her that WASN’T training. He’d driven her to Gulfport for a movie twice. He’d only been pulled over the once. The cop had been very understanding though. He still hadn’t worked up the nerve to kiss her. She hadn’t kissed him either, aside from on the cheek. Part of HIS reason was because she was so pretty. Intimidatingly so. The other reason was because every time they got together and talked, if either of them became remotely quiet and one of them might think about kissing the other, they’d both break into a fit of the giggles. It was awkward, kinda cute, and extremely frustrating. He wouldn’t trade it for the world though. They spent every night talking. Just talking and getting to know each other. He didn't think he had a crush any more. Lance could describe his feelings as "complicated".

  Lance was stacking junk for Lonnie on a Friday morning. He finished piling the giant off-road tires and heard someone running. Noise carried well out here. He trotted up to the front of the building and it was Aurora. He smiled. Then he frowned. It was Friday. She should be in school. He should too, but he was a special case now. He and his father continually argued about that. He had a tally now. He was a registered Squire.

  Aurora barreled into him hard and hugged him. He hugged her back. Gosh, she smelled nice.

  “You ok? What’re you doing out here?” He asked. She pulled away.

  “Trolls!” She said, half frightened, half excited. “There’s like, six trolls at school! Big ones! They’ve taken over the building and they have the whole school on lock down!”

  Lance swallowed.

  “How’d you get out?” He asked, suddenly worried she’d put herself in danger.

  “I was, uh, I was skipping. I was going to come up her and see you.” She blushed.

  That was extremely sweet and any other time he'd be flattered, but he was suddenly more concerned with work.

  “I guess I better suit up.” He put his hands on her shoulders. “Do you want a sword?”

  “You’d let me help?!” She squeaked.

  “Uh, yeah. Gotta get started sometime.” He said with a grin.

  Aurora, very suddenly, grabbed him by the head and kissed him. He thought his eyes were going to bug out. She let go and he had to keep his knees from folding. She was blushing furiously and had a giant grin on her face.

  “I, uh. . . I need to tell Lonnie.” He said smiling with a thumb pointed back at the office. She giggled as he awkwardly tried to run backward for a moment, then turned and ran.

  He burst in the door and Lonnie looked up from his paperwork.

  “There’s lipstick on your mouth, kid.” He said with a smirk. Lonnie had been amazing about not giving him shit over his sort of odd relationship with Aurora.

  “Trolls, Lonnie. In town at the school. Six of them.”

  Lonnie sat his pen down and looked at Lance.

  “Suit up. I’ll get my armor out of mothballs. I’m guessing Aurora’s coming too?

  “Wait, you’re suiting up?”

  Lonnie stood and leaped into action getting his armor out of a storage closet, so Lance did too.

  “Lance,” Lonnie said, “if you think I’m letting you fight six trolls that can walk in sunlight alone, then I haven’t taught you a damned thing.”

  A few minutes later, Lance and Lonnie were both in armor and tabbards. Lonnie’s was white with a blue cross on it with gold border. Lance still wore the blue with a yellow cross of a Squire. He walked up to Aurora and handed her a sword and shield. He was suddenly worried.

  “We have GOT to get you some armor. PLEASE try and be careful.” Lance said as she took the sword and shield from him.

  “I will. YOU be careful.” She said, patting his stomach with the shield.

  “He’s right.” Lonnie said. “I probably should have talked to you about getting armor already. That's my fault. And we don’t have time to call the rest of the Burger King Kids’ Club.”

  “The hell is that?” Lance asked.

  “Jesus CHRIST, I’m too old for this shit.” Lonnie said as they climbed into the van.

  Lance sat in the back next to Aurora on the bench seat and she held his hand the whole trip. The excitement from earlier had waned, and now Aurora looked terrified. Her hand shook. Lance remembered something.

  “Lonnie?” He asked. “What was that thing you said Glen Lingal used to say about fear?”

  Lonnie met Lance’s eyes in the mirror and Lance could tell he was smiling.

  “Right. The fear thing. Aurora? I know this is your first time, and you’re probably scared enough to piss yourself. Well that’s ok. The Cavaliers used to have a saying.”

  Lonnie winked in the mirror at Lance.

  “You tell her. I’m driving.”

  Lance cleared his throat and hoped he wasn’t going to sound as cheesy as he thought he would.

  “Fearlessness is for the foolish and the dead. Bravery is acknowledging your scared and doing what you have to anyway.”

  He squeezed her hand.

  “And I’ll try to keep you safe.” He said. She met his eyes, and she nodded.

  “Thanks. You’re scared?” She asked.

  “Oh yeah. Probably not as much as I should be, but I’m scared.”

  “Hell,” Lonnie added, “I’m scared. I haven’t done this in a while. Everybody should be scared going into something like this.”

  Aurora smiled. Lance was glad to see it.

  "That makes me feel better. Thanks." She said.

  The van pulled up outside the school and Lance immediately noticed his mom in the surrounding crowd. He jumped from the van and ran to her. She saw him and hugged him as soon as he reached her.

  “I have never been so glad you dropped out.” She said into his overly spiky hair.

  He stepped out of the hug and Aurora and Lonnie were both there.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked.

  “Your father was arguing about getting you put back in school.” His mother said. “He’s in there. Then the trolls started demanding food, and tribute, and more of that enchanted sunscreen from the drug store or they were going to start killing hostages.”

  She suddenly seemed tired.

  “Did you bring some knights with you?”

  “We kinda ARE the knights.” Lance said.

  His mother looked at them all in shock. She saw Aurora with her sword and shield and her face seemed to collapse into sadness.

  “Oh no.” She said. “You’re going to get this poor girl killed too.”

  Lance looked at Aurora and she looked crestfallen. Lance walked away from his mother, took Aurora by the arm, and led her away.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  “I don’t care what she says. I’d rather have you and Lonnie here than an army. We can do this.” He said.

  “You DAD is in there!” She looked terrified again.

  “And so is your brother. Are we letting them stay in there?” He said.

  At that she shook her head. Lance nodded.

  “What should we do?” He asked Lonnie.

  “Check for a classroom. See if someone can let us in the windows, then find these bastards. Stay sneaky if we can.”

  “Will that work?!” Aurora asked. Lance wasn’t sure about this himself.

  “Trolls are stupid.” Lonnie said. “If they’re awake in the day they’re doubly stupid because it means they’re sleep deprived. They must think there’s some advantage to being out in the daylight. Probably vitamin D or something.” He led them around the side of the building.

  Aurora saw a row of windows and made a crouching run toward them. Lance shrugged at Lonnie and followed. Aurora lightly tapped on the window and suddenly there was Miguel looking at them. Aurora mimed opening the window and he started to. A teacher came and snatched him away from the window but not before he had released the two handles. Aurora pried the window open from the bottom with her sword tip then slid in, followed by Lance.

  Lonnie gave the window a distrustful look. It was the kind that opened outward at the bottom and it didn't open far. He grabbed it, gave it a quick, careful jerk, and the metal bars that held the bottom to the frame snapped off. He climbed in quietly after that and closed the window behind him.

  “Who in the hell do you think you are bringing children into a locked down school?!” The teacher whisper-shouted. Lance didn’t know her. She was new this year.

  “Fuck you, that’s who.” Lonnie said and gave her a shush with his finger to his mouth.

  Aurora and Miguel stopped hugging and Lance walked over. Surprisingly, Miguel hugged Lance.

  “Four of them are in the office.” He whispered. “Two are patrolling the halls with the lights out and making noises to scare everyone.”

  “Do they come into the rooms?” Lance asked.

  “No.”

  “They don’t have enough sunscreen.” Lance said mostly to himself. “These guys ARE idiots.”

  “What should we do?” Aurora asked. She’d managed to belt the sword and scabbard on and had the shield on her back. Lance thought about it.

  “Two of them? You’ve seen them?”

  “Yeah.” Miguel said. “Saw them through the window on the door. I don’t know if it’s the same ones each time or if they’re trading out. They come by every ten or fifteen minutes.”

  “Why hasn’t anyone climbed out the window?”

  The teacher strode up and gave Lance a disgusted look. She obviously didn’t like the Order.

  “LOCK DOWN.” She said entirely too loudly. “No one leaves until the police deal with this. It's standard practice which you'd know if you were in class.”

  Lance was already done with this woman. He needed to nip this in the bud right now.

  “Listen, I don’t know who the hell you are, but I’m not one of your students.” Lance said quietly, but firmly. “These are Fantastics. They’re out of the cops’ jurisdiction. We ARE the rescue team. Now if you will please keep your voice down and shut up we’re going to try and get you out of this.”

  The woman’s mouth was opening and closing like a dying fish. Lance realized what he’d just done.

  “Right, Lonnie?” He said, turning to his trainer. He hoped Lonnie would take charge. Lonnie was leaning against a storage cabinet with a giant grin on his face, though.

  “You heard what the boss there said, lady.” Lonnie said.

  Lance just shook his head and walked over to the door and squatted down under the narrow window above the doorknob. He’d have at least fifteen minutes to wait. Aurora and Lonnie both slipped over quietly and took up positions on either side of the door. Lonnie winked at him. Lance turned to Aurora.

  “I wish Lonnie wouldn’t do that. I’m supposed to be the squire here.” He whispered.

  “Didn’t you say Lonnie renounced his vows?”

  “Yeah?” Lance said.

  “Well,” Aurora said, giving him a smirk, “that makes you the only commissioned member of the Order in this group. This is your operation.”

  He just stared at her and felt like he was going to have a panic attack right there. She kissed his cheek then whispered into his ear.

  “You’re doing great.” She said.

  Lance was blushing and he knew it. He thought about saying something, when he heard horrible grunting and bleating sounds in the hall, followed by pounding on one of the doors. Barely three minutes, Lance thought. The timing was perfect.

  He heard a deep, guttural voice shout threats in English, then laughter as the trolls came down the hall and did something similar at the next door. Lance stayed down and faced the classroom.

  Lance drew his sword quietly and that caused some eyes to widen. Then he saw everyone’s eyes go to the window.

  Lance arched an eyebrow at Miguel, who gave a slight nod. Lance spun on a heel, unlocked the door carefully, and just as the pounding started he threw the door wide and plunged the sword upward, into the heart of the troll. He sprung to his feet and ran forward, pushing the dying troll back into the hallway and against the lockers across the hall. The second troll fell backwards and landed on its back.

  Lance was barely aware of the sound of Lonnie and Aurora taking care of that second troll. He made sure to meet his own enemy’s eyes. He stared into them as the light slowly faded from them and the form became dead weight. He pulled his sword out and shivered. Lance would never, ever get used to that. He’d watched several monsters die like this. They deserved that much. He had to pay for the lives he took and this was how he’d do it. It sickened him.

  He pulled a rag from his pocket and turned, cleaning his blade. Aurora was hugging herself and leaning against the wall by the classroom door. He walked over to her. She was shaking.

  “Does. . .does it get easier?” She asked. Her sword was still in the gut of the one she had killed with Lonnie’s help. Lance pulled her from the wall and held her.

  “No. And I hope it never does.” He whispered. He rubbed her back. Miguel came to check on them. Lance looked at her.

  “Are you ok to go on? Do you want to wait here with Miguel?” He asked. He wouldn’t blame her if she wanted out now.

  “No. I’ll be fine. I just. . . I just wanted to make sure I’m not supposed to like this part.”

  She looked at him seriously.

  “Besides. I wanted to see what you went through. This is definitely part of it.”

  Lance didn’t think about it. He just kissed her. When he stopped and caught sight of Miguel, her brother was rolling his eyes and walking back into the classroom.

  “Thank you for caring, Aurora.” He said. “We need to get going. There’s four more and they’ll know when these don’t come back.”

  Lance and his tiny team stumble upon a two troll search party in the side hall leading to the main entrance. They looked so tired, they almost didn't notice the humans at first. Before they could raise a stink and before Lance could raise his sword, Aurora ran forward and pulled a tarp down off the wall. The exposed window behind it let in sunlight and one of the two turned to stone on the spot. Lance managed to decapitate the second as it shielded its eyes. Maybe he had the sunscreen, but that did nothing for his night adapted eyes.

  Lonnie had his sword out, but continued to let Lance lead. Once the second troll was taken care of, Lance turned to Aurora.

  “You’re gonna do really well at this.” He said. She grinned. She hadn’t had to use a sword and she’d still taken one down.

  “So where now? Won’t they see us in those big windows at the front of the office?” She asked.

  He pointed at a door just past the drink machine down the hall.

  “Guidance Counselors’ offices are right there and connect to the main office. Hopefully the last two are idiots too.” Lance said.

  “That’s where they’re gonna have the hostages, Lance.” Lonnie said gravely. “You got a plan for that?”

  Lance didn’t say anything. He’d been wracking his brain as they crept toward the office and so far all he had was sneak in and hope they were close enough to jump.

  “Let’s just say I do and get on with it.” He said.

  Lonnie laughed softly.

  “Ah! A McAlpine Plan. Hadn’t been involved in one of those in over twenty years. I hope you’re as good as I hope you are.” Lonnie said.

  Lance shook his head. He hoped Lonnie understood what he’d meant by that, because Lance sure didn’t.

  The counselors’ office was deserted. They’d moved everyone into the main office it seemed. Lance had no idea how six trolls had managed all this but here they were, living with the outcome. Someone else could sort that out. They reached the closed door to the office and Lance listened at it.

  He could hear two trolls arguing on the other side and the occasional whimper of a hostage. It sounded like one troll was on the left side of the room and one was on the right, near the entrance. They spoke in their horrible, grumbling language that Lance couldn’t hope to decipher. It sounded like deep, gibbering goats.

  He turned and looked at Aurora. He pointed at her and Lonnie, then toward the direction of the main entrance to the office. He pointed at himself and pointed to the left. Lonnie looked at him and raised his eyebrows. Clarification. Lance made a fist and softly hit his palm. Lonnie rolled his eyes but nodded.

  This was something Lonnie had taught him. The hand signal meant “burst through the door and try to stab every mob in the room before they had time to think”. It was a very simple plan, but Lance didn’t think finesse was going to work here. He had no way to peek without alerting them to his presence. Stupid Move #1 it was.

  Lance stood, slowly turned the doorknob with his left hand, then burst into the room leaping to the left, sword raised. He froze just past the door and heard a troll die behind him, quickly. But standing there was a larger troll with clear, bright eyes. He was surrounded by hostages tied up on the floor. He was holding one up by the neck allowing him to slowly asphyxiate. Of course it was Lance’s father.

  “Don’t move, muttling.” The troll said in English. "I’ll make a deal with you. You let me out of here, I’ll spare the hostages. You take one step toward me though and I-”

  Lance threw his sword like a javelin as hard as he could and the blade went straight through the trolls head. His father hit the ground gasping. The troll fell backward and crashed into a desk.

  It was a completely useless maneuver. Lonnie had told him that. He’d also let him learn it anyway. Lonnie had told him that more than once a stupid piece of showmanship had saved his life. Lance had done this to entertain the other trainees once he’d figured out how to do it, throwing his sword at wooden targets.

  He walked over, pulled a small knife from his boot, and cut his father’s bonds. His father just kept staring at him. Somewhere behind him he heard Lonnie and Aurora cut everyone else loose. The air filled with sobs and whimpers. Lance ignored it all. He just looked into his father’s eyes and wondered if he had a home to go back to.

  His father sat up slowly. Giant, sausage thick bruises circled his neck. Lance winced at them. His father threw his arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug.

  “I’m sorry, Lance. I’m sorry.” Lance felt stunned and just patted his father’s back.

  “It’s ok.” Lance said. “We’ll have a chance to talk about it now. You’re ok.”

  The reception as Lance, Lonnie, and Aurora led everyone out of the school was not what any of them had expected. Lance’s immediate reaction was to stand behind Lonnie, but the burly ex-knight wouldn’t let him. Neither would Aurora.

  “If I have to stand here and take this, you have to stand here and take this. You did the hardest parts.” She said, grinning.

  They’d had to face the press, authorities, parents, the school board, and just about everyone else in the county worth their salt. Almost all of it was praise. Some of the parents were concerned about “knights” on campus but they eventually shut up once they realized their kids were safe.

  Aurora had started holding his hand as soon as they’d gotten outside. She didn't let go until her parents arrived to pick her up. She’d wanted to stay. Her parents gave her five minutes before she HAD to go.

  “You really should go be with your family.” Lance said. He knew he’d have to go home tonight. Especially after all this.

  She hugged him and he put his hands on her back.

  “I’m not trying to butter you up when I say this. That was amazing. YOU were amazing.” She said, squeezing him.

  “I dunno.” He said, feeling embarrassed. “It’s like Terry says. I’m just trying to help people.”

  Aurora didn’t let go of him, but she pulled her head back and looked into Lance’s eyes.

  “Don’t try to live up to him. You are more than enough.” She kissed him. It was a much more gentle kiss than before and when she stopped, Lance knew the expression on his face must be goofy as hell, because Aurora laughed at him.

  She waved and walked to her parents. Lonnie was talking to someone from the media when Aurora tried to give back the sword and shield. He waved it away. Lance heard him say “No. You EARNED that” and went back to being interviewed. Lance just watched her climb into her parent’s car and watched her go.

  A moment later, he found his parents. They were talking quietly. His father took him up in a bear hug. His mother stood back and watched.

  “Your mother still thinks this is a terrible idea.” His father said. “But after this, she’s willing to leave it be.”

  “What about you, dad?” Lance asked.

  “I can admit when I was wrong. Please come home.” He smiled, and Lance had to rub his eyes. He turned and waved at Lonnie, who gave him a single flap of a wave. Lance grinned. He’d go back to the yard on Sunday. Today, he wanted to go home.