The summer sun warmed my porcelain shell as I walked down Weath's main street. Children no longer ran from my mere presence. They waved, often calling out "No Eyes!" with cheerful voices. Even Derek's shy younger sister, Pippa, had taken to following me around the marketplace, pestering me with questions about my mechanical limbs.

  A month of peace had changed so much. The villagers who once feared me now nodded in greeting. Farmer Tull approached with a basket of fresh vegetables.

  "Morning." His face remained stern, but the hostility had faded from his voice. "Heading to the smithy?"

  I inclined my head. Good morning, Tull. Actually, I'm going to Mallie's birthday celebration.

  "Ah, right. The girl's turning thirteen." He shifted the basket. "Tell her congratulations from me."

  The walk to Mallie's home brought more greetings, more friendly faces. The change still felt strange. Welcome, but strange. At the farmhouse, decorations hung from the porch rails. Children's laughter spilled out through the open windows.

  Katherin opened the door before I could knock. "Welcome, No Eyes." Her smile was practiced, but polite. Definitely much better than her usual cold stares. "Please, come in."

  Inside, Mallie sat surrounded by her friends; there was Derek, a boy named Lial, and others near her age. Her face lit up when she saw me. "No Eyes! You came!"

  Of course. I would not miss this. I handed her a small wooden box I'd crafted. Inside lay a steel pendant, carefully shaped and polished. Happy birthday.

  She hugged me, uncaring that my porcelain frame was cold and hard. The other children crowded around to see the gift. Many let out "oohs" and "aahs" upon seeing the pendant that I had assembled.

  Katherin soon brought out a cake, decorated with candles. As everyone sang, I noticed her watching me. Her expression was complex, resignation mixed with something else. Perhaps she'd finally accepted that her daughter had befriended a monster. Or maybe she was just being diplomatic since Mallie would be leaving for the Academy soon.

  Either way, there was a fragile peace between us. One that I hoped would last, even after Mallie's departure.

  The afternoon passed pleasantly. The children played games while the adults talked. I sat with Moskin, discussing the village's defenses. He'd grown comfortable enough to joke around with me, though his wife still maintained her careful distance.

  "Three weeks until she leaves," Moskin said quietly, watching Mallie chase her friends through the yard. "The house will be so quiet."

  I would say that she would make you proud, I projected the thought gently. But something tells me. She already has.

  He nodded, eyes glistening. "That she has."

  The celebration continued as the sun began to set. I watched Mallie laugh with her friends, saw how even Katherin's practiced politeness occasionally slipped into genuine warmth. This peaceful moment felt precious, a reminder of why I chose to stay and protect this village.

  Then a commotion resounded outside the house.

  The children's shouts pulled me away from my thoughts. I followed Moskin as he exited the house and stormed into the yard, where Mallie and her friends clustered together. They each looked curious, pointing toward the village center.

  I focused my Mind Sight, which had just recently reached Rank C. I could now focus on distant objects and be able to see them with clarity. From what I could observe, a mass of armored figures were gathered outside the town hall. There were at least twenty of them, all in polished plate mail. Their weapons and armor gleamed even in the fading light. Each held the bearing of a professional soldier, and all bore an unknown standard upon their shields.

  "What do you see?" Moskin asked, squinting in the dimness.

  Armed men. Soldiers. Twenty, fully armored.

  Mallie gripped her bow, which she'd kept close even during her party. "How many?"

  Twenty. I shifted my mechanical frame, wondering if I needed to run to Clarik's smithy in order to switch to my combat form. They're gathering at the town hall.

  "Kingdom troops?" Moskin's face tightened. "We haven't seen royal soldiers here in years."

  I shook my head. Standard isn't of this Kingdom's royal family. I zoomed my mental sight closer to the shields to describe the crest. Their shields show a hawk with wings spread. One talon holds a knife. The other a ring.

  Moskin frowned. "That's the Duke's crest. But he rules all the way out in Further Vale. What's his men doing here?"

  Derek tugged at my sleeve. "Are they here because of the raiders?"

  I don't know. I scanned the gathering again. Their formations were disciplined, their equipment well-maintained. These weren't mere border guards or local militia.

  Katherin emerged from the house, her practiced politeness forgotten as she pulled Mallie close. "Should we be worried?"

  I considered the soldiers' stance. They were alert but not aggressive. They made no move to spread through the village or approach homes. They appear to be waiting. Not preparing for action. Still, I should investigate.

  I began to walk with Moskin towards the town hall, my porcelain frame's gait clicking softly against the packed dirt road. Behind us, Mallie matched our pace, her bow slung across her back along with a quiver full of arrows.

  "You should stay with your mother," Moskin said without turning.

  "I'm not a child anymore." Mallie's voice was firm. "The Academy wouldn't have accepted me if I was."

  "Being accepted doesn't make you grown."

  "No. But fighting alongside No Eyes against the Snapper Dragon did." She quickened her steps to walk beside her father. "And helping free the slaves at Qordos. And defending our home from raiders."

  Moskin's shoulders tensed. I saw the conflict in his face, of pride warring with parental fear. Katherin's earlier pained expression flashed through my mind. These parents were watching their daughter transform from a child into a warrior, and neither quite knew how to handle it.

  Let her come, I projected to both of them. She has proven herself capable.

  Katherin stood at the doorway of their home, arms crossed. The setting sun cast long shadows across her face, but I could see the resignation there. She nodded once, sharp and quick.

  "Stay close to your father and No Eyes," she called out. "And Mallie-" She paused, then added softly, "Be careful."

  "I will, Mother." Mallie's voice gentled.

  We continued toward the town hall, where the armored soldiers maintained their disciplined formation. Their polished plate armor caught the last rays of sunlight, turning them into living statues of bronze and gold. My Mind Sight picked up details of their equipment, from the polished metal to the various decorative flares. Each piece was of very high quality, far beyond what local militias could afford.

  I watched as many of the villagers emerge from their homes one by one. Old Willem leaned against his doorframe, pipe forgotten in his hand as he studied the soldiers with narrowed eyes. Sarah Goodmak pulled her shawl tight around her shoulders, whispering to her concerned mother. Even Farmer Tull stepped out from the tavern, his usual scowl deepening at the sight of so many armed men.

  I moved through the crowd towards where I saw Clarik and Willem standing, my boots crunching against the packed dirt. Willem puffed on his pipe, the smoke curling around his weathered face as I approached.

  What is happening? My Mind Speech reached them both.

  "Saw Marshes and his lot with them," Clarik said, scratching his beard. "They went into the hall with some fancy-dressed fellow. Silk clothes, rings on every finger. A nobleman if I ever saw one."

  Moskin stepped closer, his broad shoulders tense. "Any idea what they want?"

  "Not a clue." Clarik shook his head. "But twenty armed men isn't exactly a social call, is it?"

  I studied the soldiers' positioning through my Mind Sight. They'd formed a loose perimeter around the town hall, hands resting casually on sword hilts. Their stance definitely suggested training beyond basic militia drilling.

  The setting sun glinted off their armor, each piece marked with the Duke's crest. Someone had spent considerable coin outfitting these men.

  The town hall doors crashed open. A young man in rich silks strode out, rings glinting on every finger. Marshes and his companions followed, their expressions grim. Mayor Antos brought up the rear, his face flushed with anger.

  I watched the nobleman pause before the large, gathered crowd. He raised his hand, and suddenly his voice boomed across the square. He was using some type of system ability to enhance his volume in order to reach every ear.

  "I am Kolin Redflight, third son of Duke Barson Redflight of Further Vale." His eyes swept over the villagers with obvious disdain. "I seek Mallie of Weath. Present yourself immediately."

  I shifted my porcelain form, ready to step forward, but Mallie moved before Moskin could catch her arm.

  "I'm Mallie." Her voice rang clear and steady.

  Kolin turned to Marshes, who gave a short nod. The noble's lips curled into a smirk.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  "So you're the farm girl who somehow managed to finagle an invitation to the War Academy?" His amplified voice dripped with contempt.

  Mallie's freckled face darkened. "Yes, I was invited."

  "Give it to me." Kolin extended his ringed hand. "A simple farmer has no need for such an invitation. I'll put it to better use."

  "No." Mallie lifted her chin. "I'm an Archer, not a Farmer."

  I watched as Kolin's face twisted with rage. "Do you know who you're speaking to, girl?"

  "Yeah." Mallie's voice carried across the square. "You're the son of a duke who's trying to steal my War Academy invitation."

  Gasps rippled through the crowd. I caught sight of Sarah Goodmak covering her mouth to hide a smile, while Old Willem's shoulders shook with barely contained laughter. Others weren't as subtle as their snickers echoed off the buildings.

  Kolin's face flushed crimson. Before he could respond, Moskin stepped forward and bowed low.

  "My lord, I am Mallie's father. I apologize for my daughter's... directness. Please forgive her, she is young." His words were respectful, but I detected a hint of pride in his tone.

  "Then order her to hand over the invitation," Kolin snapped. "Now."

  Ludwig's robes rustled as he emerged from the crowd, his weathered staff tapping against the packed earth. "An invitation to the War Academy is tantamount to an act by Kaldos himself, the God of War and Change. Such a thing can not be so easily given or taken away."

  "And who might you be, old man?" Kolin's lip curled.

  "I am Ludwig, keeper of Weath's temple." The priest's voice remained steady.

  Kolin threw back his head and laughed. "A lowly village priest dares lecture me on divine matters?"

  "And a high-borne thief dares try to steal what another has earned through skill and merit?" Ludwig's words cut through the evening air like a blade.

  Kolin's face contorted with fury. "You dare-" He whirled toward his soldiers. "You! Run this insolent priest through!"

  The closest soldier drew his sword with practiced efficiency. The blade whistled through the air toward Ludwig's unprotected chest.

  I moved without hesitation, my mechanical body crossing the distance in an instant. My left arm, composed of my original, invulnerable flesh, shot up to intercept the blow.

  The sword struck my pale skin with a metallic ring, then stopped dead. The soldier's eyes widened as his blade failed to penetrate my flesh.

  The soldier staggered back, his sword arm trembling. Around us, steel rasped against leather as the rest of Kolin's men drew their weapons. The evening light caught their blades, turning the town square into a forest of steel.

  Marshes stepped forward, both hands raised. "My lord, please. There's no need for violence."

  "Stand down," Coyle called out to the soldiers. "This doesn't have to end in blood."

  The first soldier backed away, his eyes fixed on my unmarked arm where his sword had struck. Kolin pushed through his men, stopping short when he saw me. His gaze traveled from my pale flesh to the porcelain plates visible beneath my right sleeve.

  "So this is the monster you mentioned in your report to the baron." Kolin's eyes narrowed as he addressed Marshes. "The one protecting the village?"

  Marshes nodded, hands still raised. "Yes, my lord. No Eyes has defended Weath from raiders and monsters alike."

  A smile spread across Kolin's face, but it didn't reach his eyes. He turned to a robed figure standing among his retinue.

  "Analyze this creature, Themas. Tell me what we're dealing with."

  The robed man stepped forward, raising his hand toward me. His eyes glowed briefly with a blue light.

  "It's a Dirtborn, my lord. Level 11." Themas's brow furrowed. "Strange... its statistical scores are unusually high for its level. And there are other anomalies in its status screen..."

  "How high?" Kolin's eyes widened.

  "Higher than mine, my lord. And I'm Level 15."

  Whispers rippled through the gathered soldiers. I kept my position between Ludwig and the armed men, my mechanical body still and ready.

  I activated my own Analyze ability, the blue status screens appearing in my mind. Just as Themas had said, he was indeed Level 15, his Aeromancer class visible beneath his name.

  Kolin's status screen confirmed him as a Level 10 Swordsman. The soldiers' levels varied, with most being Level 8 or 9 Swordsmen. Three of them were Level 12's and seemed to be the squad leaders.

  The odds weren't good. First of all, I wasn't in my combat body; I idly wondered if it would even matter if I had been. Taking the combat frame's capabilities into account, facing twenty trained soldiers at once would still be difficult. Mallie was skilled with her bow, but at Level 6 she lacked much combat experience. Her arrows might take down one or two before they closed the distance.

  I glanced at Marshes and his companions. Their presence complicated things. They'd proven themselves friends to Weath, but they worked for Baron Holstoff, who answered to Duke Redflight. Would they stand with us against their employer's son? Or would professional obligations force them to side with Kolin?

  Marshes caught my gaze. His expression was unreadable, but his hand hadn't moved to his sword. Beside him, Coyle fidgeted with his sleeve while Janis's fingers drummed against her bow. Jecker and Andrim looked equally torn. None of them had drawn weapons yet, but that could change in an instant.

  The tension in the square thickened as I calculated our chances. Twenty trained soldiers plus an Aeromancer against one porcelain-bodied monster and a young archer. The odds were poor, even if Marshes and his team joined us.

  Kolin's eyes gleamed with calculation as he studied my mechanical form. "No Eyes, was it? How would you like to work for me instead? Your talents are wasted in this backwater village."

  I serve where I choose, my Mind Speech reached everyone in the square. And I choose to protect Weath. True nobility has a duty to those they rule. What you're doing is simple selfishness.

  Laughter burst from Kolin's throat, high and mocking. "How would a monster like you know anything about true nobility?"

  He turned his attention to Mallie, who stood firm despite her father's protective grip on her shoulder. "Very well. Since you refuse to hand over the invitation peacefully, I challenge you to a duel."

  Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Kolin raised his magically amplified voice. "I wanted to resolve this without bloodshed, but your foolishness forces my hand. The War Academy values strength above all else. If you're too weak to defend yourself and your property, you have no place among its students."

  "This isn't fair!" Mayor Antos stepped forward, his face red with anger. "She's just a-"

  The nearest soldier's sword pommel cracked against Antos's face. The mayor crumpled to the ground, blood streaming from his nose.

  Shouts of outrage erupted from the villagers. Old Willem cursed, Sarah screamed, and others surged forward with raised fists. The soldiers tightened their formation, weapons glinting in the dying light.

  "SILENCE!" Kolin's enhanced voice boomed across the square. "I am of the human nobility! House Redflight was chosen by the gods themselves to rule! You will obey..." His hand swept across the crowd. "Or face immediate death."

  The threat hung in the evening air like poison. I watched the soldiers' grip tighten on their weapons, saw the fear and anger warring in the villagers' faces. Blood dripped from Antos's unconscious form onto the packed earth.

  I stepped forward, my booted feet silent against the dirt. I will fight in Mallie's stead.

  Kolin's face twisted into a sneer. "You? A mindless monster dares challenge nobility?" The nobleman spat on the ground in front of me. "Stay out of this, beast. This is a matter between two prospective students of the War Academy."

  I am neither mindless nor a monster. But you... you are both a coward and a snake, hiding behind soldiers while threatening children.

  His face flushed crimson. "How dare you!" He turned to Marshes, jabbing a ringed finger at my mechanical form. "Get rid of this thing. Now!"

  Marshes didn't move. His hand remained away from his sword hilt, his expression carefully neutral.

  "Did you not hear me?" Kolin's voice cracked with rage. "I gave you an order!"

  "My lord," Marshes kept his tone even. "No Eyes has proven to be a valuable defender of-"

  "You work for Baron Holstoff," Kolin cut him off. "And the baron swears fealty to my father. Holstoff specifically told you to follow my commands, did he not?"

  Marshes's jaw tightened. "He did, but-"

  "And I personally know Guildmaster Vorax in Remembrance." Kolin's lips curled into a cruel smile. "One word from me, and you'll be barred from every adventuring guild in every kingdom. You and your entire team. Is that what you want?"

  I watched the tension ripple through Marshes's shoulders. Beside him, Coyle's face had gone pale while Janis gripped her bow with white-knuckled fingers. Jecker and Andrim exchanged worried glances.

  Their livelihood hung by a thread. One word from this spoiled noble, and their careers would be over.

  "I accept your challenge." Mallie's voice rang across the square.

  No. My Mind Speech carried a sharp edge. This is not your fight.

  "It is." She stepped forward, her bow held tight. "This is about my invitation. My future."

  "Mallie, don't-" Moskin reached for her arm.

  A piercing scream cut through the tense atmosphere. Katherin pushed through the crowd, her face pale with terror. She stumbled forward and fell to her knees before Kolin, hands clasped in desperate supplication.

  "Please, my lord!" Her voice cracked. "She's just a foolish child. I'll make her give up the invitation, I swear it. Just please..."

  Kolin's lip curled as he looked down at her. "I've grown tired of these peasant games." He kicked dust toward her prostrate form. "Your daughter and this... village have insulted my noble lineage. Such insults can only be washed away with blood." His eyes fixed on Mallie. "Her blood!"

  Angry shouts erupted from the crowd. Through my Mind Sight, I watched villagers disappearing into houses and sheds, emerging with farming tools turned to weapons. Old Willem gripped a woodcutter's axe, his pipe forgotten. Sarah's father hefted a pitchfork, while others brandished hoes and scythes.

  The soldiers shifted uneasily, their professional calm cracking as they counted the growing number of armed villagers. Even with their superior training and equipment, twenty men couldn't hold back an entire village's worth of desperate people.

  But these weren't warriors. My Analyze ability showed their true natures: Farmers, Merchants, Craftsmen. Good people who'd never killed anything more dangerous than a wandering wolf. Against trained Swordsmen, most would be slaughtered.

  Katherin remained on her knees, shoulders shaking with sobs. Mallie stood straight-backed beside her fallen mother, green eyes burning with determination. Moskin's hands clenched into fists, torn between protecting his wife and daughter.

  The evening air grew thick with tension as more villagers armed themselves. Steel gleamed against rusty iron, plate armor faced off against leather work clothes. One spark would ignite this powder keg, turning our peaceful square into a bloodbath.

  I watched Mallie kneel beside her mother, wrapping thin arms around the sobbing woman. My mechanical joints creaked as my hands clenched into fists.

  "It's okay, Ma." Mallie's voice carried across the square, steady and sure. "I'm not that little girl anymore. I'm an Archer now." She pulled back, meeting her mother's tear-streaked face. "I helped take down those slavers in Qordos. Fought alongside No Eyes against that Snapper Dragon. This fancy boy with his rings and silk?" She shot a contemptuous glance at Kolin. "He's nothing."

  Moskin appeared beside them, gently helping Katherin to her feet. The woman clutched at Mallie's sleeve, her voice breaking. "Please... please win. You have to survive."

  As Moskin led his wife away, something ancient stirred in my fractured memory. This wasn't right. This wasn't how nobility should behave. My hands, both the pale flesh of my left and the delicate porcelain of my right, trembled with suppressed rage.

  Fragments of memory flickered through my mind: armies marching together, humans of all races and stations united against a greater threat. The Primordials. They were the true enemy, not each other. This petty infighting, this abuse of power; it was worse than foolish. It was dangerous.

  I watched Katherin's retreating form, heard her quiet sobs. My fury built like molten steel in a forge. Humanity needed to stand together. That's what the armies of the past had understood. That's what these noble houses had forgotten in their pursuit of personal power.

  The mechanical gears in my arms whirred as my hands opened and closed. Every fiber of my being yearned for a weapon, to end this farce of justice. But violence would only feed the cycle of hatred between classes.

  This had to stop. Not just here, not just now, but everywhere. The world faced greater threats than petty noble pride.

  But before I could move, before I could speak or act or fight or do anything, I found a sword's sharp tip aimed directly at my face.

  Marshes's rapier was drawn, its polished steel catching the evening light. The practiced grace of his stance told me this wasn't a bluff; he'd strike if I moved.

  So you chose a side after all, my Mind Speech carried more sadness than anger.

  "Stand down," he said quietly. "This will all be over soon."

  Around us, his team had drawn their weapons as well. Coyle's hands blazed with magical flames as he faced the villagers. Janis's bow, usually aimed at monsters and bandits, now covered Old Willem and his woodcutter's axe. Jecker and Andrim spread out, their swords keeping the armed farmers at bay.

  I swept my Mind Sight across the square, watching hope drain from the villagers' faces. These adventurers had lived beside us, shared our meals, defended our homes. Now they turned against us for a noble's coin.

  Marshes could only nod, his expression rigid with professional detachment. The rapier didn't waver as he held it level with my porcelain mask. His hand gripped the hilt so tight his knuckles showed white.

  "I'm sorry," he whispered, too low for others to hear. "But we have our orders."

  The square fell silent as former allies faced each other across drawn steel. Mallie's bow lowered slightly, her young face twisted with betrayal as she stared at Janis. The woman wouldn't meet her gaze.

  "Why?" her young voice asked. That one simple question would haunt me for the rest of my days.

  Behind me, I heard Moskin trying to calm the other villagers, telling them to lower their makeshift weapons. He understood what I saw: without the adventurers' help, we stood no chance against Kolin's trained soldiers.

  Kolin's laughter cut through the tense atmosphere. "See? Even your precious defenders know their place." He gestured at Marshes with a ring-laden hand. "Now keep that thing contained while I teach this peasant girl some proper respect."