Akira and the Holy Grail
by Goupil


email: levik9999@yahoo.com



The surroundings were breath-taking, absolutely superb. Anyone would have
thought that way, but not Sir Percival. Too fed up by the journey in
which he was sent to look for something he did not believe in, he only
hoped this nonsense to end as soon as possible and return to Camelot in
the comfort of his castle.
When he was about to cross the bridge over the crystal clear river, his
horse was startled and refused to go any further.
Very much annoyed, seeing nothing to justify the behaviour of his horse,
Sir Percival started scolding his horse. But suddenly, out of nowhere, a
man with dark, long hair, dressed in a dark suit appeared, holding a
white shining sword in his hand.
'Who are you?' Sir Percival asked.
'I am the Dark Knight,' came the answer.
'Oh boy, this new generation surely loves to show off,' muttered Sir
Percival, with the annoyed attitude so characteristic of him.
'You are not allowed to cross this border, Sir Percival. You are not to
enter the forest of the unicorn.'
'Don't give me that, young man. If you want to fight with me, fine, but
stop giving such fantastic reasons for starting a fight.'
'I will spare you this fight if you will kindly agree to return, Sir
Percival.'
'I am not afraid of fighting!' Besides, he couldn't return to Camelot
without having found the Holy Grail, he would have been humiliated by the
people.
Having accepted the Dark Knight's challenge, Sir Percival got caught up
in a most tough duel. The Dark Knight fought beastly, never caring about
whether he was going to live or die, a thing which Sir Percival couldn't
do and was soon overpowered by the Knight. Just at the moment when Sir
Percival thought his life had reached its end, out of nowhere there
appeared another knight who continued the fight in his place. This time
it was the Dark Night who was overpowered and finally defeated.
All this time Sir Percival had lied on the ground, exhausted. Now he saw
that the other knight was actually a woman, a beautiful blonde, long
haired young girl, dressed in man's clothes, and she was not even
wearing an armour!
'My God,' he thought, 'saved by a woman! Damn crazy young
generation!'
'Ok Akira, I admit my defeat!' the Dark Knight said. 'He's all yours
to do with him whatever you want.'
'Come on, Sir Percival, get up on your feet, you have a mission to
accomplish!' were Akira's words.
Very much confused, Sir Percival rose to his feet, and wondered how could
that young girl defeat the terrible knight, she did not look physically
strong, what could have been the secret of her power? Her attitude
towards him was also intriguing and humiliating. Him, a strong knight, to
receive orders from a young girl!?
But something made him submit without protest.
'I am Akira, princess of Zennor,' she introduced herself to Sir
Percival. 'I shall be your guide for the rest of your journey. Get on
your horse.'
She held his horse and she continued her way on foot.
As they walked through the forest, Akira told him:
'You shall soon see the unicorn you do not believe in, you foolish
skeptical man,' Akira said in her characteristically despising, superior
way.
The unicorn appeared to them on the brook of a lake.
'This is impossible,' Sir Percival said.
'God, you're a hopeless case,' Akira muttered. 'You see it and you
don't believe it.'
At the end of the forest there was a castle. The border was guarded this
time by a beautiful young girl with the ears like an elf's. She held in
her hands a bow of arrows, ready to shoot at them.
'Liselton, I bring with me this skeptic to help him get The Meaning,'
Akira said.
'Ok Akira, you can pass.'
'Now, Sir Percival,' Akira said, 'this is the castle in which the Holy
Grail is kept. Before I let you go in there, tell me, what do you think
the Holy Grail is?'
'A damn cup, perhaps not even made of gold, that I'll take back to
those stupid believers in Camelot to secure my position.'
'Oh my God, you really are a hopeless case! I can't even let you get in
there alone, I'll have to go in with you to protect you. You know,
you're exasperating me! Fine then, so be it! If the sight of the Holy
Grail won't cure you, then I don't know what will!'
Under Akira's protection, Sir Percival entered the castle and was shown
the Holy Grail. He held his arm to grab it, but it disappeared.
'I should have known,' Akira said exasperated.
Sir Percival wanted to leave, but Akira stopped him by brutally grabbing
his arm.
'And where do you think you're going?'
'Back to Camelot.'
'No you don't, because now you belong to me.'
'I don't want to belong to anyone, I am a free man.'
'Any specific plans for the future?'
'No.'
'See, my dear knight? You need a guide, to open up your mind. Besides, I
want you as my vassal.'
Powerless in front of Akira, Sir Percival had no choice but to submit to
her.
In fact, he owed her his life.
He never returned back to Camelot.