The Black Knight

I could never quite remember that day, but that faint memory never left me. There has always been a small irritating thing in memory that nagged me. Something in that memory wouldn't leave me alone. I isolated myself from the outside world that day when the disaster happened. My hate grew strong till it was a storm of rage. How could the world be so cruel to me? The world stripped away everything I cared for. My family, my mentor, my friends, they were all taken away from me. On that day I placed a vow on heaven above that I would never forgive the world. I would never trust the living again. They are selfish, barbarous, and evil critters that swarm the world. My name is Zelgius, and here is my story.

It started on that fateful day at the end of winter. The next day would have been a new year, so all the other trainees and I were preparing to be anointed a knight… or not. It was traditional for a trainee to go back home to their families with their mentor on the last night. It was perfect while it lasted. My family and mentor got on well, and they started chatting away like old friends. My best friends sat near me, listening to my stories about my adventures, and the whole time my very best friend, Annabel, sat there with me.

Annabel was like no other girl. She was beautiful, and strong at the same time. If you made a comment about how women are weaker/inferior/ect, you find yourself on the ground in two seconds flat. Her hair was a lustrous black, and her eyes shone in the night. That night I took her aside for a moment.

"Annabel, you know, I've been thinking," I said casually.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I've been thinking about the future… about us."

"So…?" she asked playfully, with a glint in her yes

"Annabel, when I finish the knighting exam, will you marry me," I blurted out. She gave me one of those mischievous smiles.

"Of course dummy, you didn't think I'd say no did you?" she asked. It would have been a perfect day if not for the attack. The king of the neighboring country of Daein has always been peaceful. In fact our country of Crimeia had been a strong ally with the country of Daein, but Daein had a new king now.

The beat of drums, and war cries broke the peaceful night. All at once, dozens of arrows came from the darkness of the night. I met with me mentor near my house where he was holding back three enemy knights at once. I dove in to help my mentor, but for every enemy I cut down, another replaced him. I used every skill I have ever learned, and even that was not enough. I watched helplessly as I saw my mentor impaled with a lance, and when I finally managed to stumble out of my village a horrific sight awaited me. There in the ground, was my beloved Annabel with three arrows in her back. I fled, knowing that if I fought I would surely be doomed. I only ran a few paces, when I heard a bang, and the night lit up with orange light. Behind me, the village of my childhood was set on fire. The next day right after I left the knighting hall, the guards found the knights' instructor's head on the ground.

Now I'm here on the Beroc Mountains training for the day I could get revenge. I am more powerful than you could possibly imagine, but there was one thing that I was missing…

"If you don't get out of the way then I will kill you," I said calmly staring down the knight in front of me. He had on a full combat set, and was holding a lance and a shield. At his waist hung a short sword. I on the other hand, had only a dagger, and some clothe made from animal hides. Behind me was the Beroc Mountains in the lovely season of winter. The wind pounded against the cave in which I was, and down below were several bodies of dead soldiers, that I had the delight to kill. Snow fell in currents, and the air itself could have killed a man.

"Zelgius, please don't make me kill you," the knight pleaded with wide eyes.

"You? Kill me? No Daniel, it is I who will kill you."

"Zelgius, I am better armed, and better trained," he said, but his voice started to fade into the background. All I saw was a set of black armor and a lone silver blade encased in ice behind him. I drew out my dagger and pointed it at him. He looked stunned, and I saw him tensing to throw his spear at me, but he hesitated. That was his biggest, and last mistake. I leaped forward and slammed into his shield. He jabbed his spear at me, but I dropped down. Swirling down, I kicked him off his feet. Then I jumped up and slashed. Bright crimson blood dripped from his leg, as he landed on the ground. I wasted no time, and grabbed his head and pounded it on the ground, and in the same instant I brought my dagger to his neck.

"Such a shame that you must die, my old friend," I said casually.

"Zelgius, please, remember all those times we where there for each other," he pleaded.

"THERE FOR EACH OTHER! HOW DARE YOU THINK THAT IS TRUE! Where you there when Daein attacked my village! Where you there when they burned down my village! Where you there when my mentor was cut down! Where you THERE when Annabel died!" I screamed at him. Before he could say one word, I stabbed him in the neck and thus ending his miserable useless life. He gave one final breath, and then lied still, but there was one other thing I had to do before I could gain the power of the sword and armor behind him. I lowered down, and brought my mouth to the pool of blood. I drank with glee savoring every last drop. Daniel was not that strong, but he is the best I have right now.

Finally, unlimited power would be mine. I stepped towards the giant cube of ice.

"I, Zelgius Ornith, will take on the armor and name of the black knight, the demon king, and the soul reaper," I announced in a loud voice. Suddenly a huge gust of wind blew in, and an ancient voice echoed off the walls. The voice itself reminded was horrible, and crackly, and reminded me of terrible things.

"If you are to don this armor will you swear to kill your mortal enemy, or die in the process?" The voice asked.

"Yes!"

"Do you swear to take on no mate?"

"Yes!"

"Very well, the energy will go into you. You will don this armor… if you survive," the voice said. Immediately I was knocked off my feet as intense pain filled me. It felt like my body was on fire, than washed away with acid. My arms and legs felt like they were being ripped away, but nothing compared to the memories. Horrible memories kept on flashing back into my head. My mentor's head, the village on fire, Annabel's body… repeat.

Finally the pain left me, and the bitter coldness of the mountains swept back into me. In front of me the ice cube melted, but the armor and sword was not there.

"NO! What kind of treachery is this?" I shouted.

"Relax, this is no treachery," the same ancient voice said in my head, though this time it sounded nearer… more comforting, more like a long lost friend.

"Who are you?" I asked stunned.

"I am the spirit of the person that last don the armor of the black knight."

"Wait! Your spirit is trapped in this armor forever?" I asked worried.

"Oh don't worry, you only get trapped here if you didn't die in battle," he said casually, " Anyway just imagine you're wearing the armor, and it'll appear, but when in armor that is when your inner demon comes out."

"Okay…" I imagined myself in the black armor, and the crimson cape with the silver sword at my waist. Suddenly my vision began to cloud up, and when I woke up again everything was different. I could see miles away, and could hear the ants crawling in their tunnels. I could smell the tiniest traces of salt that was encased in the rocks. I instantly knew what I must do, what was my mission. Aldonite seemed to glow red for an instant.

"To Daein Castle!" I shouted, and then suddenly a faint light enveloped me. I seemed to travel through the sky, but it was so fast I wasn't sure. Soon I appeared outside Nevessa the capital of Daein. Something in the back of my mind seemed to keep tugging me, but I wasn't sure what, but there was something in the air. Someone very powerful was here, and he was waiting for me. I knew that power, but I couldn't quite place it. All traces of thought were soon lost as I saw a group of people. My body tensed, and my senses tingled. One word pounded inside my mind, and it soon embedded itself in me. I did the only thing I could. I did what the word told me to… "Kill."

It was a quick and painless death. I swooped in, and crushed his skull with my clawed gloves. The world seemed to have awaited my arrival. Immediately clouds came and covered the sun, and dust rose into the air. The wind grew violent as I approached the city. It began to rain, and I could hear thunder off into the distance. I walked at a slow pace while wondering why all the important battles had lightning in it.

At Nevessa I discovered the full capacity of my powers. I could shoot lightning out of my hands, which was pretty cool. I left no man alive, and whoever stood in my way died. Man or woman, Adult or child. I moved with surprising speed, and soon stood in front of Daein keep.

The Daeins welcomed me with open arms, if you call being met with a volley of arrows welcomed with open arms. The arrows never hit me, and even the ones that did hit me, didn't even put so much as a scratch on my armor. You see this set of armor has some very important history. To make a long story short, only strong willed people can hit me. Second of all, they must be tremendously strong, with tremendously strong weapons to hurt me. The Daeins quickly raised the drawbridge, but that was just an effort against the inevitable. I focused my strength on the bridge, and imagined it lowering. Soon my mind began to grasp the bridge, and by sheer mental prowess, I reeled it down.

Once inside the castle I was met by legion after legion of soldiers. One sweep of my sword, or a little hard thinking took care of them. I shot down legion after legion of men with lighting, and with each one dead, I felt stronger. This was almost no effort at all for me, when suddenly I started to feel a bit nauseous. The strange energy was radiating out strongly now. I slammed open a big set off doors that led to the hallway to the throne room. Finally I could avenge all the people I cared about. I could avenge my village, my family, Annabel, my… mentor? The very foundations of my life fell right there. There, right in the hallway was my old mentor. I stood there stunned, and paralyzed.

"Well hello Zelgius," my mentor said smiling.

"No… I saw you die. You were cut down," I said. He looked at me strangely like I've been living somewhere else.

"I did almost die, because of you! Why did you do it!" he shouted as he drew out his sword.

"No! The Daeins invaded my village. He burned it down, and killed everyone!" I shouted.

"No! We all saw what happened. You killed everyone, and burned down the village! You even used your own bow and shot down Annabel!" I stared down at my hands. It all came back to me now. The memory came back, but now it was clear and bright.

"NO!!!! YOU LIE TO ME!" I shouted as I drew out Aldonite and ran towards him. I slashed at his arm, but he easily sidestepped me.

"Think Zelgius! Who would gain from you turning into the Black Knight!" he said, "End this massacre right now!"

I shot a powerful blast of energy that knocked him off his feet and slammed him into the wall. I leapt up into the air, and brought my blade down, but only to be blocked by his blade. We slashed, and lunged at each other, but he was always a bit better. I then shot out a wave of energy from Aldonite, and then my mentor did the impossible. He swung his sword, and released a wave of energy as well. The two waves impacted each other causing the whole room to shudder. Windows broke, rubble feel, and deep cracks appeared in the walls. I could feel traces of the energy, they were exactly opposite of Aldonite.

"You didn't! You couldn't have!" I shouted, stunned at the power of his sword.

"I did, I have took the sword Ragnell, and have become the vanguard of the goddess Yune. Time to see who is more powerful… blessing of Yune, or blessing of Ashera." He lunged forward aiming for my neck, but the urge of battle increased my senses. I parried, and slashed at him, but he easily dodged. He suddenly whipped around unleashed a blast of energy that knocked me several feet back. My head seemed to clear up a bit, but immediately that same voice whispered to me… "Kill!"

I wildly lunged at him aiming for his head, only to get tripped. He than landed a powerful blow to my head. The pain sent a jolt through me, and my I suddenly began to calm down again, but I knew it was the calm before the storm. Even now, I could sense the armor taking control again. Aldonite was glowing violently red, and it the very air around it seemed to be heating up.

"Kill me now! Before the Black Knight takes control again!" I pleaded. The memory came back so clear. After I talked to Annabel, a black arrow hit me in the back. Annabel was frightened because what stood there with the bow was a skeleton. Suddenly my mind went blank, and after I woke up my village was one fire.

"Kill me," I said again. My mentor looked at me with his sad eyes, and nodded. With one lunge, his sword pierced my heart.

"Annabel, I'll finally see her," I murmured to myself.

"Sorry Kido, but you didn't fight back in battle. So you can stay here in this armor, and I get to go! See you in the next millennium or so!" The voice in my head said happily, "Oh, and by the way. It was my dead body that shot you with the arrow."

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