The Awakening Of The Last Knight.

Chapter 6, Ali Becomes A Knight.

Ali lay alone in the sterile white hospital room, the hum of machines the only sound breaking the silence. The doctor and nurse had assured him he was no longer in danger, but anxiety still gnawed at him. The government wouldn’t just forget what happened, and the brutal blows from the Black Knight had made it painfully clear how deep in trouble he was. 

A few hours passed before the door suddenly swung open. A short, blond-haired boy, no older than fifteen or sixteen, waltzed in with an almost theatrical energy. 

"Hey there!"  the boy announced, his voice loud and cheerful. "My Name is Laith! And guess what? You’re officially off the hook!"

Ali blinked, caught off guard by the sudden intrusion. "What?"

Laith grinned, plopping himself onto the edge of the bed. "The Knights of Askalan bailed you out! That Blue Knight you helped? He testified that you saved people, and that you fought bravely, he mentioned all that heroic stuff you did. So, congrats! We’re taking you under our wing now."

Ali’s shoulders relaxed slightly, but suspicion lingered. "Under your wing? What does that mean?" 

"Means we’re keeping an eye on you," Laith said with a shrug. "Just to make sure you’re not some sneaky spy or something. But hey, better than rotting in a cell, right?"

A wave of relief washed over Ali. "So… I can go home?"

Laith nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! You’re free to go. Just don’t do anything too suspicious, or the higher-ups might change their minds."

Ali exhaled, the weight on his chest finally lifting. "Thank you."

"Don’t thank me," Laith said, hopping to his feet. "Thank the Blue Knight and your own dumb bravery."  With a playful salute, he headed for the door. "See you around, Ali!"

As the door clicked shut behind Laith, Ali allowed himself a small, hopeful smile. Maybe things would be okay after all.

__

The moment Ali stepped through the front door, his family rushed to him his mother pulling him into a tight embrace, his father gripping his shoulder with relief, his younger siblings clinging to his arms with excited chatter.

"We were so worried!" his mother said, her voice trembling. "When they told us you were taken by the Knights association I thought you would get in trouble."

"I’m okay," Ali reassured her, forcing a smile. "Just a few bruises. Nothing serious."

But even as his family celebrated his return, he couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. The Knight Association had let him go, but he knew they were still monitoring him. The thought made his skin prickle.

---

A Few Days Later

Ali sat in the living room when the doorbell rang. His friends—Karim and Fadi stood outside, their faces a mix of curiosity and excitement.

"You’re alive!" Karim grinned, punching Ali’s shoulder lightly. "We heard you went full hero mode out there!"

Fadi crossed his arms, eyes sharp. "Yeah, about that. What happened, Ali? One minute we’re running for our lives, the next you’re in some crazy armor fighting Ghouls?"

Ali hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. How much could he really say?

Fadi, always the quiet one, placed a hand on his shoulder. "Whatever it is, we’ve got your back. You saved us. We’re not gonna judge."

Ali let out a slow breath. They deserved the truth.

"Okay," he said, lowering his voice. "But you can’t tell anyone. Not yet." His friends nodded, leaning in.

"I don’t know how it happened," Ali admitted. "We were in our graduation ceremony, then suddenly the Ghouls attacked us, we ran for our life and the... The Ghouls killed you both, and they killed my family too, I was cornered by them and scared, then suddenly a screen told me that I could start the day over and get an armor, that armor… it just appeared when I needed it. Like it chose me. And the Ghouls, I wanted to take revenge and destroy them after witnessing what they did I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing."

Fadi's eyes widened. "So you’re like… a Knight now?"

"Not officially," Ali said quickly. "The Knight Association is still watching me. They don’t fully trust me yet."

Karim whistled. "Well, we trust you. And we’re proud of you, man."

Fadi nodded. "You risked your life for us. Thank you."

Ali smiled, warmth spreading through his chest. "I’d do it again."

From the kitchen, his mother called, "Ali, who’s there?"

"Just my friends!" he called back before lowering his voice again. "My parents don’t know yet. I’ll tell them… when I’m ready."

Karim smirked. "Better sooner than later. Your mom’s gonna find out when you start bringing home a glowing sword for dinner."

The group laughed, the tension easing. For now, at least, Ali wasn’t alone. And that made all the difference.

The living room was alive with laughter as Ali’s friends lounged around, swapping jokes and reliving old memories. Karim was in the middle of an exaggerated retelling of their school days, hands flying wildly as Fadi rolled his eyes.

For the first time in days, he felt normal again. His family was safe, his friends were here, and despite everything, the world hadn’t ended.

"Remember when Ali tried to fix the school’s projector and nearly electrocuted himself?" Karim grinned, elbowing him.

"Hey, it worked afterward!" Ali protested, laughing.

"After three teachers had to pry you off the floor," Fadi teased.

Karim shook his head. "And now here you are, fighting Ghouls in magic armor. Life’s weird."

The mention of it made Ali pause, but the usual tension didn’t follow. Instead, a strange sense of resolve settled over him. He had always admired the Knights of Askalan—their courage, their strength, the way they stood between humanity and the darkness. As a kid, he daydreamed about joining them, wearing their sigil, being one of the heroes who kept the world safe.

And now? Now he had fought. He stood his ground.

"You think they’ll actually let you train with them?" Fadi asked, more serious now.

Ali shrugged. "I don’t know. But if they do… I want to try."

Karim whistled. "Ali, office worker by day, monster slayer by night. Got a nice ring to it."

"Assuming I survive training," Ali muttered.

Fadi gave him a knowing look. "You will. You’ve got the stubbornness for it."

Ali exhaled, staring at his hands. A part of him was still scared. He was supposed to graduate, get a steady job in tech engineering, and live a quiet life. Not fight Ghouls. Not wearing armor that appeared out of nowhere. Not step into a world where every shadow could be a threat.

But another part of him, the part that had stood his ground when it mattered, whispered that maybe this was where he was meant to be.

"Whatever comes next," he said finally, meeting their eyes, "I’ll face it."

Fadi smirked. "Spoken like a true Knight."

Karim smirked as well "To Ali, our very own hero."

Ali laughed, the weight on his shoulders feeling just a little lighter.

Whatever came next, he wouldn’t face it alone. And that made all the difference.