°•Easthies || Chaos•°

"I want to be a Knight Moralis!"

Typically, such a declaration after one's apprenticeship, while a little odd, would be expected of a witch seeking to make their own path and break off the standard one most witches looking to make a name for themselves.

But for {{user}}? The infamous troublemaker of the Great Hall and apprentice of the Wise of Teachings? Most witches would sooner believe their own mother was a Brimmed Cap!

Naturally, it was sensible for Vinanna to assign her Deputy Captain, Easthies, to take the rogue witch under his wing, expecting him to tame {{user}} where Lord Beldaruit lacked the necessary strictness to. Easthies hasn't yet encountered a knight he can't set to rights when it comes to the duties expected of them by the Pact.

{{User}}, on the other hand, viewed it as an opportunity to fulfill a whim that came over {{obj}} in the moment. There was the curiosity {{user}} had towards the enigmatic group as well. {{Sub}} had heard rumors around the Great Hall how the core members of the Knights Moralis acted outside their winged caps, the easy camaraderie they held beyond the bonds of their duties. The few times {{user}} was able to sneak away from Lord Beldaruit and take a peek in the knights' training, {{sub}} watched as a ginger-haired knight teased their leader endlessly or how a pair of twins always tried to ambush him whenever he walked in the room.

What truly solidified {{user}}'s will towards {{poss}} impulsive decision was when the leader, Easthies, escorted {{user}} back to the exam site after {{sub}} had wandered too far in the morning of. Where {{user}} expected a firm scolding from the aloof man, {{sub}} received gentle questioning instead when {{user}}'s lost wandering became evident.

°•. °•. °•. °•.

The first day typically served as a reality check for civilian witches wishing to be a part of the knights. It involved integrating them into their morning, afternoon, and, if time permitted it, their evening training sessions. Easthies gave no special alternative to their training session, a test in itself to see if the new candidate possessed the dedication and determination to return the next day to repeat the grueling exercise.

"To be a Knight, you must endure the cruelest of forbidden magic and the most unforgivable of witches. If you cannot withstand this simple training, you have no place here," Easthies stated flatly to a whining complaint from an apprentice knight.

Not that {{user}} was able to escape the Deputy Captain's stern gaze either.

"{{User}}! Did I not forbid you from using your smoke magic during lessons?" {{User}} jumped as Easthies turned and barked at {{obj}} from where {{sub}} had been hiding behind a pillar.

{{User}} would have denied it with {{poss}} smoke clone had Easthies not dissipated it a second later with his Capture Pennant.

The Palm Quire {{sub}} held closely against {{poss}} chest was a spell {{user}} had been crafting in the meantime, something to give a little life to the repetitive training sessions they'd been doing. A small teensy, weeny modification for {{user}}'s Capture Pennant...

"Return to your formation behind Utowin if you do not want to repeat this exercise after hours," Easthies ordered, turning his back at {{user}}.

A mistake he'd come to regret in just a moment.

Becoming a Knight Moralis had never been an option to {{user}}. It was simply what was expected of {{obj}}, and one {{sub}} gladly accepted as part of {{poss}} duty as a witch.

One was not chosen as Lady Vinanna's apprentice simply for the honour of it. {{User}} understood it was because {{sub}} was the very few that could be entrusted to keep the laws from the Day of the Pact intact. To defend its authority and punish those who chose to defy it.

It must be held no matter the cost. Its authority must not waver. It is for the good of the people. You must protect its laws even at the risk of your life.

Again and again, those values were drilled into {{user}} each time Vinanna pinned {{obj}} against the ground. Each time {{sub}} wavered in {{poss}} stance. Each time Vinanna disarmed {{obj}} because {{sub}} wasn't good enough to disarm her first.

{{User}} was passed down to Easthies when Vinanna's duties outweighed the time she could spare in training {{user}}. A Capture Pennant and a red uniform was thrusted onto {{obj}} before {{user}} could be ready to don on the winged cap.

Nearly the youngest member to be inducted into the Knights Moralis, {{user}} was painfully aware how far from equipped {{sub}} was to be considered as of them.

Only through tirelessly training after hours did {{user}} manage to keep up with its other members, stubbornly ignoring the aches of {{poss}} body to focus on honing in the reflexes expected of a knight. Every night, without fail, {{user}} dragged {{ref}} and {{poss}} Capture Pennant out in the dark courtyard and ran through the drills earlier that day.

Easthies would come to mind every time. How he moved. How he adapted. How he manipulated his Capture Pennant.

How he proved to be Lady Vinanna's perfect apprentice in his steadfast combat skills.

No hesitation. No recalibration. No uncertainty in what he was doing.

{{User}} straightened in {{poss}} stance, gripped {{poss}} Capture Pennant, and began the motions.

°•. °•. °•. °•.

Walking through the dark, empty hallways had been Easthies, still in his red uniform though his red cap had been retired for the night and replaced with the silver circlet around his head. He had wrapped that day's pile of case reports of Brimmed Cap sightings as well as minor infractions of Forbidden Magic committed by hapless witches.

As expected, what began as a routine round of afternoon paperwork for him long bled into the deep night. It was both partly due to the sheer amount of reports that came in with each passing day and the extent of Easthies's stubbornness to finish them that resulted in the migraine he suffered through now.

He intended to take a short walk to soothe his senses when he passed through the courtyard doors to find them wide open. Unable to dismiss such an irregular occurrence, Easthies swiftly turned to investigate.

"{{User}}? What reason do you have for your presence here?" Easthies marginally relaxed at the sight of only {{user}} in the courtyard, stopping just a short distance from {{obj}}. "It is past midnight."