The lead knight drew his sword with a metallic ring that echoed through the clearing. His five companions followed suit, their blades gleaming in the fading sunlight. They spread out slightly, forming a loose semicircle around Shinichi with practiced efficiency.
"Last chance, boy," the lead knight said, though his voice carried less confidence than before. "Walk away now, and we'll forget this ever happened."
Shinichi didn't move. The light around his fingers continued to grow brighter, casting sharp shadows across the clearing. He could feel Mynd's presence in the back of his mind.
Be careful, Mynd's voice whispered. You can win this easily, but don't show too much. If you completely dominate them, word will spread. People will start asking questions about the weak Sunvolt child with impossible power. You need to look skilled but still believable for your age.
Shinichi acknowledged her warning with the barest mental nod. He needed to win this fight in a way that wouldn't draw too much attention from the wrong people.
The knights attacked simultaneously, clearly hoping to overwhelm him with numbers. Three came from the front while two circled to flank him. The sixth knight hung back, probably planning to strike once Shinichi was distracted.
Shinichi released the gathered light in a controlled burst that spread outward in a spherical wave. The brilliant flash caught all five attacking knights directly in their eyes, and they stumbled backward with shouts of pain and surprise, their coordination shattered.
Before they could recover, Shinichi created barriers of solidified light in front of each flanking knight. The barriers weren't particularly thick, just enough to trip them as they stumbled blindly backward. Both knights went down hard, their armor clanging against the ground.
The three knights from the front were recovering faster, blinking away the afterimages. The lead knight snarled and charged forward, his sword sweeping in a wide arc. Shinichi sidestepped the clumsy attack and tapped the flat of his light blade against the knight's wrist. The contact wasn't hard enough to break anything, but the sudden shock made the knight's fingers spasm open. His sword fell to the ground.
The other two knights pressed their attack from different angles. Shinichi created a rotating barrier that deflected both strikes harmlessly, then dismissed it and moved forward with speed that made him look skilled rather than supernatural.
He delivered precise strikes with his light blade to each knight's sword hand. Neither strike was powerful enough to cause real injury, but both knights dropped their weapons with yelps of pain.
The two fallen knights were climbing back to their feet, fury and embarrassment clear on their faces. They charged together, weapons raised. Shinichi waited until they were almost upon him, then created a low barrier directly in their path. Both knights tripped spectacularly, their momentum carrying them into an ungraceful tumble.
The sixth knight finally made his move, coming in fast and silent from behind. But Shinichi's light-sense had been tracking him the entire time. Without turning around, he created a barrier behind himself that the knight ran into face-first.
The impact was enough to hurt but not cause serious damage. The knight staggered backward, his nose bleeding, his attack completely foiled.
The entire fight had lasted less than thirty seconds. All six knights were disarmed, scattered across the clearing in various states of embarrassment and minor injury.
Shinichi dismissed his light blade and looked at the lead knight. "I believe I asked you to leave. Are you going to keep making this difficult, or will you be smart about it?"
The lead knight's face went through several shades of red as he struggled with his pride. Finally, he jerked his head toward his men. "Retrieve your weapons. We're leaving."
"And Lord Vastin?" Shinichi asked pointedly.
The knight's jaw clenched. "I'll inform Lord Vastin that this settlement is under the protection of the Sunvolt family. He'll reconsider his... request."
"Good boy, now shoo."
It was a face-saving excuse that gave the knight a reason to retreat without admitting complete defeat. The six knights gathered their swords with as much dignity as they could manage, mounted their horses, and rode off without looking back.
For a moment, the clearing was completely silent. Then someone started clapping, and suddenly the entire settlement erupted in cheers.
Elves poured out of their homes and down from the walkways, surrounding Shinichi with smiles and gratitude. The women who'd been threatened were crying with relief, thanking him over and over. Children ran around him in excited circles, treating him like a hero from their storybooks.
"You actually did it," one elven man said, his bow still in hand. "We've been dealing with those bastards for years, and you just sent them running."
"A human defending elves," another said, shaking his head in wonder. "I never thought I'd see the day."
Yuffie pushed through the crowd, her parents right behind her. Her face was glowing with pride and excitement, but it was her father's expression that caught Shinichi's attention. The suspicion and hostility from earlier had been completely replaced by respect mixed with careful calculation.
"Shinichi Sunvolt," Yuffie's father said formally, loud enough that the crowd could hear. "You've done our settlement a great service."
"You've shown honor and courage far beyond your age. I believe I may have judged you too harshly based solely on your race."
"I'm just glad I could help," Shinichi replied, uncomfortable with all the attention.
Yuffie's father stepped closer. "My name is Aldric Floria. I serve as the settlement's chief hunter and protector, though clearly I haven't done the best job protecting our people from human raiders."
He glanced at his daughter, then back to Shinichi. "You saved my daughter's life in the forest, then you stood against armed knights to protect strangers. That kind of character is rare in anyone, human or elf."
Shinichi wasn't sure where this was going, but something about Aldric's tone made him nervous.
"My daughter has made it clear that she considers you a friend," Aldric continued, and Yuffie's face lit up with a smile.
"And watching you fight just now, seeing your power and your restraint... In elven culture, when someone saves a family member's life and demonstrates exceptional character, they're considered suitable candidates for joining that family."
Yuffie's eyes went wide. Her mother's hand flew to her mouth. Shinichi felt his brain stutter to a halt.
"I would like to formally propose," Aldric said, his voice carrying throughout the clearing, "that Shinichi Sunvolt be considered as a future marriage candidate for my daughter Yuffie Floria."
The crowd erupted in surprised murmurs and excited whispers. Yuffie's face had turned bright red. Her mother looked torn between shock and cautious approval.
"Dad!" Yuffie finally managed to squeak out. "We just met today! We're twelve!"
"Which is why I said future candidate," Aldric replied calmly, though there was amusement in his eyes. "Elven custom allows for formal courtship arrangements to be established early, giving both parties time to grow and decide if they're truly compatible. It's not a binding engagement, just an acknowledgment of potential."
He turned back to Shinichi. "Of course, this requires your agreement as well. I won't force anything on either of you. But I want you to know that you would be welcomed into this settlement, into our family, if that's a path you choose to walk."
Shinichi looked at Yuffie, who was staring at the ground with her face still flushed. Then he looked at the gathered elves watching with fascination. Finally, he looked at Aldric, who was waiting patiently.
Well, Mynd's voice whispered in his mind with clear amusement. This is an interesting development. What are you going to do?
"I..." Shinichi started, then realized he had absolutely no idea what to say.
He'd woken up this morning expecting a normal training session. Now he was standing in an elven settlement being proposed as a marriage candidate for a girl he'd met less than three hours ago.
"Can I have some time to think about it?" he finally managed.
Aldric smiled, and it was the first genuinely warm expression he'd directed at Shinichi. "Of course. This isn't a decision to make lightly. Take all the time you need."
He placed a hand on Shinichi's shoulder. "But know this: you've earned the respect and gratitude of every elf in this settlement today. Whatever you decide about the future, you'll always be welcome here."
The crowd cheered again, and Shinichi found himself swept up in celebration despite his confusion. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Mynd was laughing softly, clearly entertained by the entire situation.
It had been, Shinichi reflected as elves pressed cups of sweet drink into his hands and children tugged at his sleeves asking to see more light magic, a very strange first day of having a friend.