u/Alive_Climate9815

To clarify, this story is originally in "Spanish" text since I don't speak English, so I ran it through a translator, I'll leave you with an original draft in images.

“In Another Life”

When I was a child I Always like the Idea of be the brave Knight of my town, my mother told me that my father was one, I didn't meet him, never, because when I born, he died, my mother ford that he died in battle, when he tried to protect the town from the monsters, the only thing that he leaves to me, was my name "Hiriko" I know, that's a weird name, but my mother told me that my father choose that name because he thinks that it will bring lucky to me, I really hope that he was right, because today is "my initiation day as knight.

I left my home, that house full of cracks, the unique house in the whole town that is still made with wood, that old house that my mother left to me after she died. When I was walking through my village, I stop and saw a lot of flowers, some beautiful white flowers, then I remembered something my mother had told me, white flowers have an important meaning for the village, mostly for the families, well, more than anything else. What my mother told me was that families make flower crowns for each other, although mainly among siblings.

I decided to stop wasting time and walked to the village barracks, to be honest, it was much smaller than I had imagined, It looked quite neglected for something "important," but I can understand why. This village is very small, and besides, it has been constantly attacked by monsters and bandits looking to steal the little of value we have.

Upon arriving at the main entrance of the barracks, I walked towards where most of the other young people were... Young people like me, young people who were looking for the same thing I was, to protect the village that had watched them grow up, even at the cost of their lives.

However, not many were there with good intentions. There were boys who thought highly of themselves simply because they were related to high-ranking knights, considering themselves "future Promises ," as they liked to boast. Most of these people were always showing off and humiliating others, but luckily, I met two people who were different from the rest, Cassy and Lorenzar. Like me, they had good intentions. Lorenzar was a young albino man with amber eyes, good with words, and always found a way to get what he wanted. I think if I had to describe him in one word, it would be "hyperactive." Cassy was calmer, quieter. She was a girl with gray hair and bright purple eyes, and she loved flowers, especially purple ones. If I had to describe her in one word, it would be "gentle."

While I was talking with them a topic came up.

“What would you really have liked to be if you weren't a knight?”

—"I would have liked to be a gardener…"

Cassy said in a timid voice.

—"I would like to be a musician!"

Lorenzar said, with a cheerful voice.

—"What about your Hiriko?"

Cass asked in a soft voice

—"Me? … I don't know, I mean.. I never thought that, I always wanted to be a knight"

I said.

—"How boring! If I become a musician, I will invite you to join my band, and we are going to be the best!"

Lorenzar said in a confident voice.

As we talked, I felt good. I had never been able to talk like that with anyone before. Everyone had always distanced themselves from me simply because I had a lower social status, and now, I could be with them without worrying about that. For the first time in my life, I felt safe in a place that wasn't my home with my mother. I realized that with them, I didn't have to be afraid or feel isolated; I could switch off my mind and just be myself. I felt like... I was part of a family.

Although this tranquility was interrupted, the alarms sounded, the bell that was supposed to warn us when a threat was near was ringing like crazy. It wasn't a drill; it was really happening right now. On my first day as a knight, I was facing a real danger. We didn't know yet what it was, we just heard the bell ringing over and over again, as we ran towards our guard posts. However, the harsh reality struck us when we saw a huge group of bandits, the same group of bandits that attacked and looted the less fortunate villages.

The only thing separating us from them was that barricade at the entrance; however, I was startled to hear banging coming from the entrance, loud bangs that echoed throughout the barracks. For a moment, they stopped, and we all fell silent, paralyzed, perhaps by fear and surprise. But after that moment of silence, which seemed to last forever, we heard the barricade being completely destroyed. It seemed they had a battering ram, and we hadn't even realized it, leaving the entrance to the barracks completely open. They began to enter.

From my position at the top, I could hear the shouts and struggles of several of the other knights; they were engaged in a battle right now. I was completely paralyzed, I didn't know what to do, I didn't know how to react. I didn't think this would happen so soon, I wasn't prepared. It was all too much. My heart started pounding, and I felt fear.

**"Enough!"**

I told myself, I had to move now. I came to this place to be the knight of the kingdom, not to stand still doing nothing. Even though I was afraid, I decided to go down and help my comrades, not because I wasn't scared, but because I realized that everyone is afraid, that all those who are brave feel this way. However, fear isn't something that goes away; it's something you learn to live with and overcome. That's why I moved, starting to run towards where my companions were fighting, drawing my sword, still trembling, but I didn't back down. I was determined to protect my village and also those I considered family.

As I rushed to support my allies, I was intercepted by a bandit. He tried to stab me in the stomach with his knife, but purely by instinct and luck, I managed to deflect it with a swift movement of my sword, sending his knife flying. I took advantage of this moment to strike him forcefully on the back of the neck with the hilt of my sword, causing him to fall to the ground unconscious. I sighed with relief at having emerged victorious, until I heard those screams again, and I started running once more towards where they were coming from, as that was where my help was most needed.

When I reach to the place where I hear that screams I seen to Lorenzar in a trouble, he was fighting with 3 bandits at the same time, I was pretty sure that he can handle it, but I see how a fourth bandit was behind him The bandit threw a spear directly at Lorenzar; he didn't know what to do, there was no time to warn him...

Would I truly be a knight if I didn't protect others? If I couldn't save someone I consider a friend? Would I truly have the courage to call myself a knight of the people if I couldn't save them? If I couldn't protect him?...I decided to push him away and take that spear, a spear that ended up piercing my chest; I felt a pain, A pain I had never felt before, I immediately fell to my knees, I felt the blood begin to flow, I felt blood starting to come out of my mouth, I felt myself starting to lose consciousness, seeing blurry images, slowly losing my vision.

The last thing I saw was Lorenzar running towards me, although I think it was already too late. I simply accepted my fate, closing my eyes.

You know? I have no regrets, I was a gentleman! I fulfilled my dream, and I saved someone... I was brave, wasn't I? I would have liked to get to know them better, maybe, maybe,I could have seen them as a family, maybe...we would have made flower wreaths for each other…

Maybe in another life.