Monster Jousting Book 3 - Chapter 13 (Patreon)

The gate had opened. The knight, in his dark, thickly plated armour, stood there as imposing as ever. No monster dared to enter. Or even get close.

“Okay,” Pillow said. “What now? You think the knight is just going to let us waltz past without a fight?”

“I do not like it, but should we lure over a big monster and have it fight with it? When it is busy, we run past. Easy. What did you call it? Oh yes, fishing,” said Thaz with his large two-handed sword in his grasp.

“I’m not sure,” Noah said as he scanned the surrounding area. Even if he could lure monsters over here, who was to say that it would even work. The monsters lived in this area for far longer than he did. They knew of the dangers. Knew of the knight and the gate.

“Well that’s it then,” Pillow said, turning around. “Mission failed.”

Noah, shaking his head, said, “Don’t jump the gun just yet. THe gate has only been open for a couple hours at most. Give it time. We don’t know what will happen. Maybe the knight will go back into the castle? Maybe something will leave the castle?”

“Are humans always this optimistic?” Pillow asked.

“Definitely not,” Noah said with conviction. “You should meet my good pal Peter. Ever since I had the idea of volunteering, he kept on telling me how bad of an idea it was. How I was going to get myself killed for the entertainment of others. Didn’t stop him from helping me, though. That’s what friends are for. Sometimes they go along with your shitty ideas.”

Surprisingly, Pillow didn’t respond. He just nodded along, as if Noah knew what he was talking about.

Carnage meowed. Noah thought it just wanted to piss, or shit, or maybe knock some things over, because, cat. But it–he–leapt down from Thraz’s shoulder and sauntered into the open.

Thraz lunged for him, but Noah pulled him back. He could feel Thraz’s strength resist against him, but Noah was too strong for the powerful dragonborn.

“Don’t,” Noah warned. “Who knows what the knight might do now that the gates are opened. It might be tense. It might lash out. Just wait.”

“But–” Thraz said, eyes locked onto Carnage. To him, and the others, the cat was already dead.

But what happened next caused Noah’s eyes to widen. The cat got within 20 feet. Then 15. Then 10. He walked right in between the knight's legs. Tail coiling around the armoured, thick leg, he paused for a few seconds. Carnage then walked straight ahead, through the gates.

The knight didn’t even spare the cat a second glance. Hell, it didn’t even so much as look at the cat. It was as if Carnage didn’t exist. But Noah knew. The knight was well aware of what was happening in its surroundings.

“Well shit,” Pillow whistled. “Now what?”

“We need to go after Carnage,” Thraz said.

“Right after you, lizard brains,” Pillow spat. “I ain’t walking in between that things legs. It probably didn’t gauge the feline as a threat. That’s why it let him through. Noah, talk some sense into him.” He glanced at Noah, then scowled. “No–”

“Thraz is right,” Noah interrupted. “I think it’s okay. Gluttony and I will go ahead first. We'll go forward one step at a time. If it shows aggression, we’ll dash back. We should have the movement to dodge one of its attacks if it decides we’re intruding.”

“Crazy,” Pillow mumbled under his breath.

With his mind set on his so-called ‘plan’, Noah crept forward one step at a time on the back of Gluttony. One step. Two steps. He made it three steps before the knight’s red jewelled eyes descended upon him. He felt his heart stop.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out that the knight in front of him could turn him into ground meat within seconds. He just hoped he could dodge in time. Noah raised his leg. No reaction. Finally, he placed it on the ground. No reaction. Another step. And another. Noah’s nerves were in his throat as his gaze was locked against the knight's own.

Thud. Thud, thud. His heart smashed against his chest. He took another step. He was close now. Too close to move if the knight decided to attack. Shit. Maybe that’s why the knight hadn’t moved until now? It wasn’t waiting until he passed the land of no return.

Noah waited for the better half of 5 minutes. It still didn’t react to him. It just stood there, menacingly.

Screw this, Noah thought as he took a big, wide, confident step forward. It still didn’t react. Picking up his pace, he bypassed the knight while keeping his eyes glued. As he got nearer, he had to crane his neck just to see its face.

Noah approached the gate. He stepped beyond. The knight hadn’t moved a muscle. Noah had entered the castle grounds. He felt all of his adrenaline dump in an instant. Yet he didn’t let that stop him from keeping his guard raised.

He scanned the grounds ahead. It was wide open ground. Flower beds, at least fourteen of them, had long dead and rotten plants within them. Once upon a time, Noah could imagine this place looking like heaven. Now it looked like hell.

Beyond the once magnificent gardens, was the castle. It was huge. Spires reached the clouds above, but apart from that, didn’t look as grand as the gardens beneath it. It was mostly simple in design. He imagined one time it had quite the warm appearance.

The king mustn't have been one for putting on airs, Noah thought as he heard footsteps cautiously approaching.

Glancing over his shoulder, Pillow was tiptoeing forwards. Thraz had his arms crossed together, as if he wasn’t worried in the slightest of being torn apart. The slight tremble in his arms betrayed him. Krall also seemed a bit shaken from the gaze of the knight, but otherwise looked happy. Like a golden retriever.

“Right,” Noah said. “Let’s see what this place is all about. Stop the corrupted fog. Kill whatever is inevitably guarding the source, then get out of here in one piece. Easy.”

Spoiler alert: It wasn’t easy.