"Fury!"
"No no no no…" Haagen sighed, waving his hands in the air. "You've gotta do it like this!!"
The Pluto Knight took a deep breath then the corridor rang with his thunderous cry, "FURY!!!"
Laudo winced as the echo carried down the hallway, certainly disturbing whoever might be out for an afternoon stroll.
"Like that, see?" Haagen nodded in a smug satisfaction. Then he brought his armored hands to his chest. "It's gotta have passion! Gotta have something that comes from right here! It's gotta have inspiration! … You should know all about inspiration."
"I-Inspiration?" Laudo asked, rubbing through his long brown hair with one hand.
"Yeah! From the soul!" The other Knight replied. "Otherwise, everyone will know it's fake. You're not gonna scare a damn thing with a fake war-cry. Understand?"
"I think so…"
"Go ahead. Try it. This time.. have some passion!"
The young Knight took a deep breath, and felt it stirring within. Passion. Fire… Inspiration… He opened his mouth and it just came out..
"The soul that quakes 'neath midnight's ire, Beware the stirring of fury's fire!"
Haagen just stared at him for a long moment.
"That's it!" Laudo was almost shaking in joy. "That's the final lines to my poem! I've been trying to finish it all week! Thank you, Haagen!"
"You're hopeless, you know that?" The other Knight answered.
The soul that quakes 'neath midnight's ire, Beware the stirring of fury's fire!
"I need a sheet of paper! I'm gonna forget!! Where's a sheet of paper!"
"Uh.. here…" The other Knight fished around in his armor, pulling out a crumpled and yellowed piece of parchment. "Use this…"
"I need a pen!" Laudo searched himself over. "Oh what a time to be found without instruments of artistry!"
The soul that quakes 'neath midnight's ire, Beware the stirring of fury's fire!
Haagen shook his head. "Go try the library!"
"Yeah.. but.. if.. the Captain catches me in the library while on duty again..."
"Up to you…"
Laudo paused to think. "It'll only be a moment.. will you cover me, Haagen?"
"Sure thing."
"Thank you! I'm in your debt!" The young knight grinned, brown eyes sparkling. Then he whirled around, dashing off down the hallway… and managed to trample someone who was coming the other way. "Oh.. Excuse me, I'm terribly sorry…!"
Then he froze.
Captain Steiner glared down at him under the brim of his helm. He did not look to be in a good mood. "Just where do you think you're going, you good-for-nothing slacker?"
"Uh.. huh… C-Captain!" He managed to remember to salute. Then simply stood at attention.
Oh… man… busted. Now I'm gonna get demerited for sure… Again…
"What is all the ruckus coming from these quarters? I've had five complaints today alone. Not to mention the three from the day before yesterday. What on earth is going on here?" The big Knight demanded, fists shaking in frustration.
"Uh.. uh.."
"That would be me, Captain, sir!" Haagen jogged up from the other chamber. He saluted briskly.
The Captain just gave him a withering frown. "Do tell…"
"Oh! Well, I was just showing Laudo the correct form for a battle cry, sir! I thought it might help improve his conduct in battle.." Haagen grinned, elbowing Laudo.
"I doubt anything but a miracle could do that…" The Captain growled, glowering down upon the Knight in question.
Laudo felt tears springing up in his eyes.
"Soldier! You are not going to start crying again, are you?" Captain Steiner snapped.
"Um.. n-no sir…"
"And why aren't you properly attired? Where is your helmet?"
"Uh… Back at the post, sir…"
"Why is it not on your head?"
"I-it's so warm outside today.. er… there was a nice breeze… um…"
"Do you want a demerit, Laudo?"
"No sir! Not again, sir!"
"Then I want to see you at your post when you are assigned to be there, and properly armed like a Knight of Pluto should be! Is that clear you nitwit?" The Captain barked.
"Y-yes sir!" Laudo saluted, attempting to hide the fact he was about to burst into tears.
"Now.. since you can't seem to manage something as simple as guard duty without disruptive behavior.. I have a special task for you."
Laudo swallowed, quivering. Special task? This.. doesn't sound good…
"I-I.. will do my best, sir!"
"For your sake… I hope so. There's not place in our ranks for a Knight who cannot hold his own. Is that understood?" The Captain frowned again.
I… I… I've never heard him talk like this. He must really be in a fowl mood.
Haagen gave a hiss and inched away.
If Captain Steiner had been any hotter, sparks might have been flying.
"Yes sir.."
"As you two imbeciles probably don't know, there has been a string of robberies reported through all the city as of late." He grated, closing one big fist and shaking it. "Last night, the culprit managed to break into the castle itself, and make away with a number of rare and priceless items from the treasury."
Laudo managed to swallow his tears in shock. He hadn't heard this news yet…
"What!" Haagen was rigid with anger. "Just put me on the trail, Captain! The low life will be eating my fury before the day is done… sir!"
"No. We can't afford to lighten up security around the castle after last night's incident." The Captain disagreed, poking Laudo roughly in the chest. "Which is why I'm sending you out to hunt the criminal down."
"M-me sir?"
"Yes, you." He snapped back. "And your performance on this task had better be above average, Knight, or I know a certain spot on the roster that will be opening up very soon."
Laudo swallowed.
He never wanted to be in the military. His one love and inspiration was writing. And writing fantasy novels at that. Sometimes the occasional love poem. However, at this point in his life, he had no where left to turn. No where to go if he were to be expelled from the Knights of Pluto.
I don't want to be here… but how else will I make it by? I have no one to turn to…And… whatever honor and good name I had… would be thrown to the winds. Oh.. heavy shame…
"I see I have made myself clear." Captain Steiner continued with a heavy look.
"Very much so, sir. I.. will not fail you!"
"Good." The Captain began to pace. "The string of robberies began roughly two weeks ago. At first there was very little to go on. However, as of late, it seems an inflated ego must be dragging the quality of his work down. A number of witnesses have claimed to have seen a mysterious man with spiked red hair and outfitted in brown leather armor running from the scene of the crime."
"Red-haired man.. in brown armor..?" Laudo mused. "That's.. all there is to go on?"
"I'm afraid so. No one has been able to figure any sort of pattern or reason for his actions as of yet. I want you to hit the streets and find this man. Have him brought in at once! Robbery of the castle as well as the good citizens of Alexandria cannot be permitted!" Captain Steiner was nearly hopping up and down in fury, armor clanking loudly.
"Yes, sir! Of course, sir!" Laudo realized he was beginning to sound like a broken record. He winced.
There's no other way to keep him from breathing down your neck unless you agree with him…
"Fine.. I leave this in your hands, Soldier." He frowned down on him. "Just remember what's at stake…"
Laudo saluted.
Captain Steiner then turned promptly on one heel and marched off without another word.
The two Knights slumped in relief.
"Oh… man.." Haagen wrinkled his nose at Laudo. "Who suck what up his ass today?"
Laudo clutched his head between his hands.
I cannot cry… I must not cry.. Knights of Pluto do not cry…
"Haagen… do you think he'll expel me?"
"Hey… no sweat.. just do your best out there…"
"Thanks…" Laudo grumbled under his breath. Then he began to formulate where he should start, striding slowly down the hall.
To find one man in the middle of all of Alexandria.. this is impossible! Oh.. woe… I'm gonna be out on the streets… a beggar.. or even worse… what to do.. I'll never be able to face anyone again… I…
"Hey Laudo!" A shout broke his concentration.
Laudo turned to look, just in time to catch the helmet being pitched to him. It nearly knocked the wind out of lungs, ringing loudly against his breastplate.
"Don't forget that! If the Captain catches you 'unproperly armed', you might as well hang it all up."
"T-thanks.." He managed to smile weakly.
"Good luck, buddy!" Haagen waved.
The young Knight simply turned and plodded out of the chamber, the weight of his armor nearly too much to bear.