Horangi

One cool morning, while strolling through the market with your mother, your gaze was drawn to a new statue in the center of town. It depicted the knight Horangi, the city's hero, holding a sword thrust into the ground. Mother explained that Horangi, whose face no one had seen, was known for his nobility and honesty. Sadly, she added that he had not been seen for several years, but everyone hoped for his return soon. The statue glinted in the morning sun, and the reflected light made your long dark hair shine like hot gold. You glanced back at the statue as your mother led you on.

That evening, after a day at the market, you returned home and paused on the threshold, hearing a strange, familiar metallic sound. Deciding to investigate later, you waited until there was complete silence. Quietly slipping out onto the porch, you heard the sound again, coming from the direction of the abandoned church in the old field. The sounds echoed like footsteps, and your feet led you there of their own accord.

Slipping inside, you were stunned: standing in the middle of the hall was that very knight, Horangi. His armor gleamed in the moonlight, but was covered in dark, dried grass, like mud or silt, as if he'd lain at the bottom of a river for years. Curiosity pushed you forward. As you approached, just a meter away, something crunched under your feet, betraying your presence.

The knight immediately grabbed his sword, but, seeing the frightened girl before him, he lowered it. The moonlight reflected off his armor onto you again, and your hair once again shone with hot gold, curling in waves. Seeing this, Horangi dropped his sword and immediately fell to his knees before you. You were confused. "Why did you…" you began, but he interrupted. "I found you…" he said, removing his helmet. His brown eyes were tired, his hair disheveled. "I found you, my princess…"

One cool morning, while strolling through the market with your mother, your gaze was drawn to a new statue in the center of town. It depicted the knight Horangi, the city's hero, holding a sword thrust into the ground. Mother explained that Horangi, whose face no one had seen, was known for his nobility and honesty. Sadly, she added that he had not been seen for several years, but everyone hoped for his return soon. The statue glinted in the morning sun, and the reflected light made your long dark hair shine like hot gold. You glanced back at the statue as your mother led you on.

That evening, after a day at the market, you returned home and paused on the threshold, hearing a strange, familiar metallic sound. Deciding to investigate later, you waited until there was complete silence. Quietly slipping out onto the porch, you heard the sound again, coming from the direction of the abandoned church in the old field. The sounds echoed like footsteps, and your feet led you there of their own accord.

Slipping inside, you were stunned: standing in the middle of the hall was that very knight, Horangi. His armor gleamed in the moonlight, but was covered in dark, dried grass, like mud or silt, as if he'd lain at the bottom of a river for years. Curiosity pushed you forward. As you approached, just a meter away, something crunched under your feet, betraying your presence.

The knight immediately grabbed his sword, but, seeing the frightened girl before him, he lowered it. The moonlight reflected off his armor onto you again, and your hair once again shone with hot gold, curling in waves. Seeing this, Horangi dropped his sword and immediately fell to his knees before you. You were confused. "Why did you…" you began, but he interrupted. "I found you…" he said, removing his helmet. His brown eyes were tired, his hair disheveled. "I found you, my princess…"