I only made it a few feet. Yeah, despite my resolve to not fight, I ended up getting sucked into a battle. On the other side of the street was a squad of magic knights. Two women, a guy and a… centaur?
The first woman was dressed in a pink dress skirt with white knee high socks and black clogs. Her hair was dyed a more vibrant pink than her pastel fit, and was pinned up in loops that looked like rabbit ears. She had a small nose that made her face look rodent-like.
The next magic knight was the regular guy. He wore a blue cloak with white lighting bolts on it. He had short brown hair and green eyes. In his hands was a pair of daggers, one bathed in blue mana, the other not.
The second girl was the next mage knight. She wore a low cut powder blue robe dress that seemed to magically hover on her body despite not having shoulder straps. She had white hair and cold blue eyes. She remained expressionless as she held her staff out in front of her. It was a pale white wooden rod with a large red crystal on its head.
The biggest mage knight was, as you guessed it, the centaur. He had skin darkened by countless days in the sun. His large muscles were a clear sign that he trained his body to the pinnacle of both mankind and… horsekind? In his hands he dual wielded two heavy axes. They looked as light as daggers when he twirled them in his hands; his feet trotted impatiently.
"You, there!" The centaur barked. He was talking to me.
I feigned stupidity, looking around me for anyone else he could be pointing at. Then I pointed to myself and asked in the weakest voice I could, "Who? Me?"
"Yes, you. Where is your knight, squire?"
"My knight?"
What is he talking about? Weren't they the knights?
"Yes. Every squire apprentices under a knight. Now where is your knight? He is still alive isn't he?" he sounded impatient. His hooves were getting restless.
I didn't have a knight. I had no clue that I needed a knight. I didn't want a knight! I just wanted to live the rest of my life as a squire.
"We don't have time for this." the mage knight with the daggers pointed to the dragonling. It had abandoned the merchants and was eyeing us now. "We need to get rid of that thing. Now!"
The knights rushed past me, then stopped. They all stood between me and the dragon.
"Hey, man. What kind of spells do you know?" the knight with daggers asked. "Any chance you know any combat spells?"
The others all looked at me, expectantly.
"All I know is the fireproof spell." I pulled my spellbook from my bag and waved it at them. It flapped lazily in the air; the dragon was still studying us from afar.
The knights all looked at each other. The male knight asked the centaur, "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Shield him?"
The dagger knight nodded. "Shield him."
I sighed with relief. I was so sure I wasn't going to have to fight. Judging by what they said, they were going to shield or protect me because my magic was so weak, right?
These assholes used me as a shield while they charged the dragonling.
The centaur told me to cast the fireproof spell on myself. I did as I was asked. "Don't have to tell me twice."
Closing my eyes, I pictured dormant mana all around me. Translucent shades of color surrounded my body. As the spell instructed, I imagined a layer of protective magic forming around me. I pulled on the blue mana, the color of protection and enhancement. "O' great spirits of Hephaesti, grant me protection from your flames." my mana flared, crackling like flames. When I opened my eyes, a thin membrane of blue mana covered me like a suit of armor. Over my chest was a red diamond made of mana. This was the symbol of the diamond kingdom. The red diamond. Not the blue ethereal armor.
When my spell was finished, the knight in pink said, "For a low level spell, that is pretty useful."
All at once they grabbed me. As I fought back, the centaur plucked me from the others, dangling me in the air like I was nothing. Then they continued to plan out a strategy like I wasn't being held against my will.
"Miska," the mouse looking girl in pink must have been Miska. "Do you have enough mana to use a gigantification spell?"
With my feet dangling in the air, I kicked and screamed. "Hey! Put me down!"
"Yeah I have enough for that."
The expressionless knight spoke up. "I just received the spell ice bolt. It should be enough to hold off the dragon from the rear, even if ice doesn't work on them."
"That dragon is looking at us?" I shouted. The hatchling licked its lips and was beginning to crawl toward us. Without legs, it wouldn't be able to move fast.
"That's a great idea, Aysha. While you're doing that, I'll charge the dragon to get its attention off of you, Steppen." said the blue clad knight.
"Excellent idea, Marlen. That should buy Miska and I time to charge the beast. I'll use the squire as a shield while I flank it. When I give the signal, Miska, do your thing."
Miska nodded. Clapping the head of her heavy wand into her palm, she snickered.
"Hey! You guys are gonna use me as a shield? Aren't you supposed to protect me?"
"Relax, squire." Steppen chuckled. "Imagine the new spells that you'll get after you help defeat a dragon. Most squires these days haven't even fought a wolf."
"He'll probably get a spellbook with five spells." Aysha noted. "Though he could get a ten drop if his knight is still alive."
I gave what was my final attempt to bet out of this. "I don't have a knight! I didn't even know I needed one. I'm clearly not capable of fighting a dragon alongside you, so please, put me down!"
Steppen burst into laughter. "Enough games, little one. You have the one spell that we need to beat this thing." Then he held me by the scruff of my neck and my belt. "When this is all over, I'll dub you as my squire. How does that sound?"
"Fuck-!" Before I even finished my sentence, the five of us charged into battle. "Nooooooooooooo!"