His Personal Knight of Light
Fandom: Seven Knights
Rating: T/Pg-15
Genre: Romance/Drama
Pairing: Knox/Kris, a bit persuasion of Kris to Rudy
Summary: He should have known. In hindsight, it is never about loyalty or kinship. The moment Knox has laid his eyes on his lord, he is done for. It is just a shame that he cannot tell him explicitly. Well, even if he wants to, he won't. Because he knows he isn't the right one for him and all he wants is for Kris to be happy. However, Kris has his own opinion about it.
Disclaimer: Seven Knights © NetMarble Games
Warning: Hopefully none… Oh, who am I kidding? Language (will be weird, trust me. I'm attempting at formal English since it's knights and lords and such, but never expect it to be accurate, sorry… -.-), heavy persuasion of slash, possibility of open ending, mistypes and grammar mistakes (hopefully not much), also temporary character death (because of Knox), and OCs (for Kris' parents), and probably some oOC-ness (I hope not many)
A/N: This is a gift fic for… wait, I don't know their name *sweats*. Um, for one of my readers, Anonym, in 'A Gift from A Faraway World', they gave me the right answer in my… challenging question. Therefore, here's the reward. A one-shot of Knox/Kris (as rare as a pairing goes). Enjoy.
His Personal Knight of Light
© lunaryu~
0.
"Sir Knox, would you mind coming here for a second?"
Knox heard his name being addressed directly by his lord. He had just come back from patrolling the border of Terra Kingdom, part which became responsibility of the noble family he was serving, in late afternoon.
The head of the family at the time was a beautiful pure-bred elf with dark sapphire colored eyes and equally long, straight, dark bluish hair, accentuated with some silver strands on each side of his head. His given name was Lord Ashura. But unlike human nobility, he didn't possess common family name. The family names of elf-race were never in human language, so they preferred not to use it.
"My Lord, what service do you need of me?" Knox bowed politely with his helmet nestled in one of his arms. Some strands of his short, silver bang fell on his forehead and his electric blue eyes only dared to look upward at his lord's face directly after he heard a light chuckle from him.
"You do not have to act so formal with me all the time, Sir Knox. You have been serving our family for quite a long time. I dare say you have become a precious part of our family," Lord Ashura said, his smile mirth and his dark eyes glittering kindly.
For an elf which had lived over a hundred years, Lord Ashura still looked like a young man in his prime time. Unearthly beautiful, extra-ordinarily graceful and quite slender, giving an impression of almost feminine even, but it was all just his outer appearance. Inside were brimming with wisdom and cleverness, bravery and loyalty that could rival all knights in Terra Kingdom combined.
Lord Ashura had been a noble even in his Elf race, but he chose to serve under a human king as one of his council members, helping Terra Kingdom prosper, protecting lands that housed humans, elves, and other races and beings who desired to live in peace after the last dreadful war with the God of Destruction.
Lord Ashura had been noble in his lineage and aptitude. Knox felt very blessed that he served as a knight under his family.
"But Sire, I am just a knight that serves under your care. I wouldn't dare speak so informally to you." Knox sent back a teasing smile despite his words. He knew he could jest freely and his lord would just laugh with him. Their comfortable relationship had gone way back, almost over three decades ago, since the first time they met.
At the time, Knox was still an inexperienced young knight, participating in the long war against the God of Destruction as one of Goddess Elena's loyal Knights of Light. There were several, more experienced knights that fought before him, beside him, and mostly did not return alive. Knox was almost perished himself, but Lord Ashura found him and then saved him in his dying door. He bestowed Knox with a piece of his life that helped Knox heal his mortal wounds and support his flickering life-force to shine once again, even materializing as blue fire engulfing his body and armor when activated, giving Knox the advantage of eternal youth despite being human.
In the war they fought side-by-side, conquering the differences between races in a sole purpose of helping Goddess Elena defeat the God of Destruction. After winning the war, Knox decided that he would serve under Lord Ashura family while Lord Ashura decided to settle in the human realm and serve Terra Kingdom as one of the councils. Therefore, in extension, Knox also became the knight of Terra Kingdom.
Lord Ashura, as predicted, chuckled again in good humor. "Well then, walk with me, Sir Knox," he asked.
"With pleasure," Knox bowed once again and waited for Lord Ashura to walk first before he followed a foot behind him.
"I want to share a happy occasion with you, Sir Knox, because you are my friend as much as my knight," Lord Ashura began and Knox tilted his head slightly aside, wondering what kind of occasion that his lord was talking about. "My son was born this morning," he said and Knox couldn't help widening his eyes in surprise, for he did not know that Lord Ashura's wife had been pregnant at all before, since she was rarely out of the castle and so he barely ever saw her, and the last time he did a couple months ago, she did not look like she was bearing a life in her womb.
"H-how?" Knox immediately slapped his own mouth shut with his free hand as soon as the question was out, feeling shocked and mostly mortified that he had asked such inappropriate question to his lord.
Lord Ashura chuckled again, not minding it one bit, apparently catching up on why Knox was so bemused of how it could be. "Maria used glamour magic to hide her pregnancy. She is exceptionally good at it. If she hadn't told me that she had been pregnant, I wouldn't have realized it either. We wanted to surprise everyone when my son was born. I am so glad that we did, since I could get a full eye of your funny bewildered expression, Sir Knox," Lord Ashura laughed this time at Knox's expense, but Knox couldn't find it in himself to feel offended. Mostly, he just felt content that his lord was so happy at the moment.
Knox smiled widely then. "That is such amazing news. Congratulation on your first born, My Lord."
"Well, that's just one of the reason why I want you to walk with me. The other one, I want you to meet my son," Lord Ashura said with content smile as he looked at Knox and he was touched by the show of trust that went beyond a lord and his knight's.
"I'd certainly love to," Knox was incredibly elated and he smiled softly in return.
Lord Ashura led Knox to his castle. He brought him to his Lady's chamber and then he waited outside while Lord Ashura went inside first to inform his wife that they got company. He entered the chamber when he was asked to and the moment he saw the Lady Maria sitting on a chair by the window with a bundle in her arms, Knox couldn't help arresting his breath.
Lady Maria was very beautiful in her own league. She was a human unlike Lord Ashura, but her beauty could rival any ethereal creatures that he had ever read in any book. Her skin was flawless and fair, a healthy color of milky white. Her eyes were as blue as a clear sky under lengthy pale-silvery eyelashes, and her wavy, long platinum blond hair, tied in a loose bun with golden hair ornaments, seemed to glitter reflecting sunlight.
It was understandable that Lord Ashura never intended to bring her out on any kingdom-related meeting, any commemoration, or on any event that involved other people able to look at her, because her beauty alone could blind every man with desire and every woman with envy. Knox himself had trouble not to stare and he felt embarrassed that he had indulged himself in such inappropriate thinking while Lord Ashura just smirked at him, seeming to catalogue his interesting reaction to seeing his wife, as rare as an occasion it was.
"You still manage to charm any men, even my loyal knight, despite you only being there, holding a babe you gave birth just this morning, my love," Lord Ashura chuckled, reaching his hand to hold his wife's waist intimately as he rested his own hip on the armrest, before he leaned down to kiss her hair.
Lady Maria smiled gently and looked at Knox with mirth in her sparkling blue eyes. "Come closer, Sir Knox. Just ignore your lord, since he is being insufferably dramatic." Lady Maria poked at Lord Ashura's chest to push him back a little, her smile mischievous and Lord Ashura gave her a mocking gasp, feigning hurt.
"Love, you wound me!" he retorted, but the corner of his lips twitched upward amusedly, completely rendering his pretend hurt naught. He knew very well that she was jesting and the love that shone in his eyes, reflected in hers, as they gazed at each other made Knox think there was no other pair that could rival them.
They are soul mates matched in heaven.
Knox chuckled lightly at his overly sweet thought and seeing his lords' lovely, light-hearted banter, almost feeling winded for being able to serve under and witness such incredible pair of husband and wife.
"Alright, my Lady, my Lord. I'd like to see my little Lord now," Knox teased the pair and they laughed in delight as Knox came near them.
"Here, Sir Knox. Meet our dear little Kris," Lady Maria showed him the bundle in her arms.
"Oh." Knox couldn't accurately describe how he felt when he saw the babe. It… Kris was… small, very small. The size of his head was probably smaller than Knox's fist, with a tuft of soft—but spiky hair, in the same color as Lord Ashura's midnight blue and some strands of silver not only on each side of his head, but also on the middle. And his eyes…
Kris opened his eyes slowly, gradually, before he blinked and then looked at Knox's electric blue ones directly. They were also blue but in a shade that Knox had never seen on anything before, darker than his mothers' sky blue, but lighter than his father's sapphire. They were clear, trusting, deep, almost like… a mix between sky and ocean.
"Beautiful…" Once again Knox had to exhale rather breathlessly, for not realizing that he had hold his breath as he was staring, awed. Kris was still a newborn, but he already seized Knox's heart and life.
"Isn't he? He is our love and pride," Lord Ashura caressed Kris hair so gently and delicately, showing how much precious Kris was for him, for them. "From now on, I expect you to give your guidance, care and loyalty to him too, Sir Knox." He turned to Knox once again, still smiling, but instead of gentleness, it radiated with confidence, conviction.
Knox was almost blown away by his new responsibility. But there was nothing he could hope more. He straightened his already straight back, before he knelt on one of his knee, and put his right fist on his chest, just above his heart, a gesture to offer his body and soul. "As you wish, My Lord, My Lady, and My little Lord Kris." At the end, he looked upward at the baby in Lady Maria's arms, Lord Kris, and smiled at him gently.
7.
Kris grew up watching the older knights training with swords, armors, and shields every day. Children his age usually played with something… tamer, toy swords made of soft plastic or small wooden horses or knights figures made of clay, but not Kris. At age 5, Kris already walked around the armory, familiarizing himself with the magnificence of steels and metals, looking at weapons, shields, chain-mail and armors with sparkling eyes of interest and curiosity. At age 6, he watched the training of the knights in his castle training field, cataloguing basic stands, poses and movements, and in his free time (before bed) he repeated the moves (sands the equipment) over and over, until his body remembered it, until he didn't need to think before falling into those movements and stands, not questioning reasons and just knowing that they were important in a sword-fight.
Now, at age 7, Kris got his first wooden sword. It weighted less than actual metal sword, and the edge was carefully dulled to avoid accidental nick, but his tiny hand got a good grip on the sword-hilt and now he could practice the moves and stands that his body already remembered with something solid on his hand.
...
Knox was decidedly impressed when he watched his young Lord practice the movements that usually gave older, experienced knights a hard time to do correctly. And the little boy was flawless in making those moves.
"Lord Kris is a genius," he concluded, eyes staring unblinking at the boy, and Kris, seeming to hear his voice, dropped his pose, and turned to blink at him rather bemusedly.
"A genius?" the word was ostensibly unfamiliar for the child. Of course it was, Kris was still 7. "What is a genius?"
Knox chuckled. "My Lord, it means that you have a very excellent aptitude in something specific," he explained while approaching Kris, and then kneeled in front of him. "In this case, Lord Kris has an excellent aptitude in using sword," he smiled reaching to touch the wooden sword that was still in Kris' grip. "Genius at sword-fighting, how admirable."
"I am sure many other people are better at sword-fighting than me," Kris titled his head aside and glanced around a little, looking slightly shy, but quite happy as well because there was a faint smile in addition of a tinting blush on his cheeks.
Adorable—Knox couldn't help thinking before he shook his head mentally, and then responded to his little lord.
"But not at your age, My Lord, no." Knox sought Kris' eyes while smiling elatedly. "With a bit more training, I am sure you can beat most of our knights in a year or so."
"Really?" Kris looked rather hopeful then.
"Do you want to train with me?" Knox offered and Kris' eyes lit up with excitement and Knox had a hard time holding back his laughter at the way the boy jumped upside down, a picture of absolute giddiness.
"Come, Sir Knox! Show me your moves!" Kris requested eagerly.
It was the start of Knox and Kris' daily training as a mentor and a student, and the beginning of Knox's personal experience in tending and caring for his little lord more directly.
10.
When Kris was 10, he was allowed to possess his own very real sword for the first time at his birthday. His father brought him to a blacksmith and he told Kris to choose his own sword.
Kris loved big swords, but he didn't like the heavy ones (didn't even like using a shield because the extra weight slowed down his speed) and he told the blacksmith as much before he asked whether or not the old man had such sword in his possession. The blacksmith seemed quite impressed with Kris' specific preference even though he was still so young, and admitted that he hadn't seen that kind of sword before, but he vowed to his lord and his son that he would make one that would suit Kris' expectation. He just needed some material that couldn't be obtained in Terra and needed time to get his hands on them before he started to make it.
Knox, who accompanied Kris and his father at the time, asked, "What kind of material do you need to make the sword?"
The blacksmith described some kind of precious stone, looking like black crystal that could only be obtain in a certain cave in the land called Revengers Hell.
"That's almost at the end of the Asgar continent," Knox peered at the world map on the blacksmith's work-shed wall. "How will you get there?"
The blacksmith smiled mysteriously. "I have way, Sir," but he refused to elaborate further.
Knox was kind of bemused with the slight strange feeling he got from the old man's vibe. But he didn't pursue further because he was quite distracted as Kris said he would be excitedly and patiently waiting for his present and in the meantime, would it be okay if he borrowed Knox's prized sword for their next training?—much to Lord Ashura's amused murmur seeing his son and his –coughs-nanny's-coughs exchange.
Knox gave Lord Ashura a look and he reluctantly amended the 'nanny' with much respectable 'knight'.
"It is quite heavy, My Lord. Perhaps my spare, the lighter one will be more to your liking," Knox answered Kris, a bead of sweat on his cheek. He was lenient most of the time to Kris' strange requests and bizarre escapades during their training, but he would not have lent his sword to the young boy before he was sure Kris wouldn't cut himself with it on an accident.
Knox's sword was rather special. The hilt was embedded with a cursed stone that could give a death curse to any mortal that was struck with it. It would be unbecoming if the curse landed on Kris by a mishap.
"Cheap-skate," Kris pouted and looked extra adorable when he sulked. Lord Ashura had a hard time to stifle his laughter and Knox almost let out an undignified swoon.
Maybe Knox just wanted to see that expression on Kris' face again when he suggested another smaller spare sword for Kris to use in their next training, much to Kris utter dismay.
12.
Kris went to his first hunt of monsters at the age of 12, accompanied by Knox and some of Lord Ashura's knights (who had sworn to protect their lord's son no matter what). They went inside the Mystic Woods, a large forest surrounding Terra Kingdom, believed by the locals as a home of those monsters. There have been numerous reported attacks of giant dumplings and mushrooms, and some kind of enormous flower-sprouts.
The Knights were rather fuzzy on the details, but those monsters attacked people that crossed the woods indiscriminately, and it became a problem because Mystic Woods was the only way to establish connection to other lands and kingdoms in Asgar Continent. Traders and dealers of inside and outside the kingdom have to use the road in the woods to reach villages and the capitol to do their jobs and those attacks meant they could not. It became quite a problem that caused losses, in both life-safety and monetary of the kingdom.
The monsters though, were unlike what the knights thought they would be. They looked… cute, almost harmless even. But judging a book by its cover was a bad move and when those monsters began to attack the knights, they got a firsthand experience in tasting their unnatural deadly power, physically and magically.
Most knights were wounded pretty severely. Not Kris, though. His specially made sword was quite extra-ordinary and somehow, it channeled some kind of hidden power from inside Kris' soul. Just like Knox's, Kris' sword struck inflicted not only physical damage, but also death curse on the monsters. Two strikes were all it took to slaughter them all and Knox was quite baffled by the intensity of the curse.
Even Knox's 'cursed stone' wasn't that potent in inciting Death curse. This sudden manifestation of dark power was alarming and Knox asked Kris how he could use it, despite the non-existent of any cursed object embedded in Kris' sword.
"Oh… I thought you knew." Kris seemed nonplussed by Knox's question. "Hadn't my father informed you? I am one of the chosen vassals to be the bearer of the Shards."
Knox paled at that. "The Shards?" He got a very bad feeling about it.
Kris nodded. "The Shards of the God of Destruction's power."
...
Knox went to Lord Ashura the moment they came back from the expedition of slaying monsters and sent most of the injured men to the healer, to confirm of what Kris had told him in the woods earlier.
The bearer… Goddess, Lord Kris is one of the containers that hosts the God of Destruction power Shards!—it was incredibly shocking, because Kris was… he was just a child. To bear such a burden in such young age…! It was too horrible.
"My Lord, please tell me you did not allow such thing." Knox knew his protest was useless since it already happened, but he couldn't bear the thought that his lord, his lord—for Goddess' sake! –willingly surrendered his babe to be a container for such terrible power.
In the war, after Knights of Lights helped the Goddess defeat the God of Destruction, Goddess Elena broke the GOD's power into several shards and sealed them all away from each other so they would never be whole again, so the GOD couldn't arise once again to bring another calamity to the realms. It was the only choice to attain peace. After all, despite Him being the harbinger of war and destruction, He was still a God, and His power was absolutely necessary to maintain balance in the world.
However, Goddess Elena did not tell a soul about where She had sealed those shards or whom She had chosen to be the living vassals of those shards. It was supposed to be like that.
But Lord Kris himself knows about it…
Knox hoped against all indications that Lord Ashura hadn't been aware of the fact either, and the Goddess had decided on Her own volition to seal the shard inside Kris' soul, against Lord Ashura's will.
Lord Ashura's somber, regretful expression told Knox that it was not the case at all.
"Why?" Knox did not understand. Kris was his own flesh and blood. Why would Lord Ashura allow such terrible fate and burden befallen his own son? "Why?"
Lord Ashura was silent for a few moments before he spoke of the oath and loyalty he had pledged toward his Goddess, and what an honor it was for his flesh and blood to be chosen, to be trusted, as a host to contain power that was feared by many, to maintain peace and harmony in their land. He also spoke of great potential to use the boundless power of the shard for good, and whoever hosted the shard, even though it was just a piece, could bring out magnificent ability within their soul to their supreme.
"But, the side effect…!" Knox did not really care about great potential and power. He had heard the tale of people went mad just because they got in contact with the shard miasma physically, let alone if it was embedded in the soul. He feared for Lord's Kris mental stability in the long run. Because the shards corrupted people. They were evil, as evil as the God of Destruction, only in smaller scale.
"Kris is my son, part elf and part human. He is a half, a mix-breed. He is potentially tougher than pure-blood elves and far stronger than ordinary human and he has compassion that most pure-blood elves do not. He is a good person. His soul is strong enough to stifle those side effects. There is nothing wrong with believing in him. For your own good, you should too, Sir Knox. This discussion is over."
Lord Ashura refused to speak further of the matter after that and dismissed Knox with the notion to never bring the subject up again. Knox could only bite back his disagreement, bow and leave despite the lump in his throat due to unspoken distress, and the bitter taste of betrayal in his conscience.
...
Knox found Kris in the yard that night, meditating.
Well, as much as a 12 year old child could be. For all Knox knew, Kris could be sleeping in sitting position. The steady expand and deflate of his chest indicated he was in extremely relaxed state. Only meditation could do that and Kris was taught from early age that it was important for an elf to do it, to feel the harmony of their being with the nature around them.
But this meditation thing was usually done by mature pure-blood elves. Half-ling and young elves spent their time playing and doing mischief. Kris betrayed all expectation of being a Hal-fling and young to be meditating so perfectly, as if he were one with nature.
Knox actually did not want to disturb the boy, but he needed to make sure that Kris was alright. That even though he housed such terrible power, he was still his little lord that already captured his heart the moment he looked at Knox with those trusting, clear, deep, blue eyes.
Kris seemed to feel his distress though and opened his eyes to look at Knox's tight, miserable expression. "What's the matter, Sir Knox?" He asked, a tinge of concern in his voice and expression.
"Forgive my rudeness," Knox mumbled, before he surged forward to hold the young boy in his arms.
Kris was surprised. Knox could feel the boy tense slightly in his sudden embrace, but then he gradually relaxed and looped his smaller, shorter arms around Knox middle. "Sir Knox?" There was a hint of wariness, but mostly confusion in the boy's tone.
"I am sorry, My Lord… I am so sorry…!" Knox couldn't bear the thought of losing this child. Not to madness caused by the side effect of the shard. If only he could do something to relieve Kris from his responsibility as the host… If only there was something to be done to save him from such horrible fate, then… then…
I wish I had volunteered myself as the vassal instead…
14.
When Kris was 14, Commander Aragon of the main army of Terra Kingdom visited Lord Ashura's Castle to look for candidates for the Throne of Light.
The moment the commander witnessed how brilliant Kris was fighting with his training sword in the training ground, the commander instantly asked for permission from Lord Ashura to bring Kris under his wing, to train Kris directly by enrolling him as a Knight in training to the main army in the Capitol of Terra Kingdom.
Lord Ashura was terribly pleased with the request and happily agreed to send Kris to Terra Castle to join the main army as the knight in training. Moreover, Commander Aragon was positively certain, with Kris' extra ordinary skill in sword-fight from such young age, that Kris could be polished more and would most likely be picked as the candidate for the Throne of Light. There was no greater honor than being the Ultimate Knight of Light in Terra Kingdom.
Knox was rather glad with the news and he would probably miss Kris a lot when he was away, but if it could make Kris stronger then…
Maybe in the Capitol, Kris would find a way to control the power of the shard better. In the last two years after his special power manifested, Kris was often plagued by nightmare. Dark whispers and memories recorded and programmed in the shard to corrupt its vassals constantly assaulted the young boy's mind and he had a hard time controlling his own special power when the assault was exceptionally bad.
Knox was worried even more when Kris came to him for an advice, at the night before the boy had to leave to the main castle, on how to ignore those dark thoughts. Kris was beginning to think that it was his own thoughts instead of the shard, and Knox, in his own anxiety, could only cup the boy's cheeks and look at him directly in the eye to tell him very, very carefully that it wasn't Kris and never would be him. It was the shard trying to corrupt him and the only thing he could do to hold on was his principle and compassion as a good person.
"What is a good person then?" Kris had asked, genuinely curious.
Knox did not have a practical answer for that. Someone who obeyed the rules? Someone who acted with good intention? Someone who helped a lot of people? Someone who saved the world?
"Someone who can make himself and his loved ones happy," Knox decided on that answer, because that was how he lived his life, and he hoped he could continue to live it like that.
Kris looked stunned for a moment before he gave Knox a soft breathtaking smile. "I shall be that person then," he said gently, his eyes boring deeply into Knox's, adoring, admiring, and part of Knox's mind, the deepest and the darkest part that he had never ventured and never thought he had before, whispered 'for you' with a deluded tiny, worshipful voice.
Knox was so very staggered at the sudden awareness that he desired for Kris to always look at him that way. His core was absolutely shaken, totally appalled that he would yearn for something like that from his little lord, ashamed that he had such filthy, dirty intention for his charge, a person whom he had sworn to protect with his life.
"Sir Knox?" Kris' sky-oceanic blue eyes were questioning, noticing that Knox had gone quiet and his expression must have been so very interesting in the most unflattering way, because at that moment Knox was so disgusted with himself and couldn't bear to look Kris in the eyes anymore lest his longing would be seen.
Goddess…
Knox had to let go of Kris and turn away to leave, before he could betray his own (and Kris') trust, before he could dirty this precious child in his thought, before he could stain his purity by thinking something so very… inappropriate about Kris.
Kris called his name again, sounding confused, but Knox needed to sort out his thought and feelings. He couldn't be in the same room as Kris if he still had even the slightest –much to his horror– urge to kiss the boy's alluring pink lips.
17.
In a rare occasion, Kris went home to his family castle to take a break from his duty after being officially knighted by the King. He usually came home twice or thrice a year, in celebration of his parents' birthdays and their anniversary, but never on his own.
This year, at his parents' anniversary, Kris came home bringing someone.
"I am Rudy, Kris' best friend," the young man with soft dark brown hair and amber colored eyes in light armor introduced himself with gentle, pleased smile, to Lord Ashura's and his wife's delight, while Knox stood behind them, near the wall, watching neutrally. "Congratulation on your anniversary, Sire, Milady," Rudy bowed very politely, in perfect pose of a gentleman, and he had such handsome face, charming smile and friendly vibe that both the lord and the lady instantly took a liking to the young knight.
"Rudy is the other knight candidate for the Throne of Light," Kris reported dutifully when they had dinner together. "We are best friend as much as best rival in our rank," he continued with glimmer of happiness and pride in his eyes and smile.
"Oh?" Lord Ashura seemed intrigued as he put down his knife and fork, sending Rudy an interested gaze. "Tell me, Sir Rudy. What family do you come from?"
"I am from the Heart Jewel Orphanage of the Capitol, Sire, so there is no need to add Sir in my name." Rudy answered directly, with a slight laugh, earning him a surprised gasp from Lady Maria and a raised eyebrow from Lord Ashura. "Originally, I lived in a small village near the border before I lost my parents in a monsters' raid."
There was a pregnant silence for a moment before-
"Yet you are a knight?" Lord Ashura questioned, sounding and looking dubious.
Kris snapped his head upward and sent his father a disbelieving look, probably slightly shocked at what the older man—even though he didn't look like it—was asking. However, it was normal for the doubt—while the focus of the conversation should be on Rudy's rather tragic past—, because an orphan and a commoner to boot, couldn't possibly be a knight. Kris was gradually becoming more uncomfortable as he flicked his gaze from his father toward Rudy, who didn't seem to be bothered at all with such invasive question.
"Yes, about that… Commander Aragon took me under his wing when I was 12 as an apprentice after he saw me fighting some monsters in Mystic Woods with a stick and a board once, by chance. He said he could use a young squire as a help in the field. Then, he trained me in the art of formal sword-fighting when he had free time. I guess I have a knack for fighting with sword and shield. He formally adopted me as his charge and then enrolled me in the army as a knight in training, Sire, before I proved myself worthy in front of the King. The next thing I knew, I was knighted together with Kris." Rudy scratched his left cheek slightly as he explained, already taking off his helmet and letting it rest on the chair beside him. He looked humble and grateful and not at all sounding pretentious when he told them his accomplishment as a young knight.
"The King and his advisor even trusted us, Kris and I, with a very important mission as one of mean to assess our capability as the candidate of the Throne of Light," Rudy continued, turning slightly to glance at Kris, as if he was asking for confirmation whether it would be alright to relay the information to his parents.
"Yes," Kris confirmed instantly, yet instead of to Rudy, it was to his parents. He focused his piercing gaze on his father more specifically though, as if in silent warning. It told everyone in the room that he didn't appreciate his father's scrutiny on his friend's noble-less background.
"What kind of mission?" Lord Ashura apparently decided not to heed the warning. He didn't even spare him a glance as he spoke.
"It is to look for the other bearers of the shards, Sire," Kris answered before Rudy could, and the way he used Sire instead of father in such informal gathering was slightly alarming.
Knox had never seen Kris so rebellious before. Even though he didn't oppose his father directly, the formal way he called Lord Ashura subtly implied that he distanced himself from him as a family, and now Lord Ashura seemed rather disturbed as he sent his son a disapproving glare.
"Why was I not notified of such important mission?" Lord Ashura asked, his mood darkening slightly. "The King and his advisor seem to plan something that we, the councils, isn't aware of," he huffed, seemingly very displeased.
"Perhaps you should address the King instead of interrogating us, Sire." Again, Kris used the formal way to call his father, but Knox apparently had misjudged Lord Ashura's reaction before. The lord wasn't disturbed about Kris' rebellious act. He was more concerned about the King not notifying the councils about giving the knights a mission as big as that.
Lord Ashura seems to order his priorities wrong—Knox let out a rather forlorn sigh as the mood at dinner became slightly heavy, what with the Lord complaining about the King not trusting his councils enough, Kris being annoyed with his father for offending his friend—even though Rudy didn't seem so—, Lady Maria unable to join the conversation because the subject had turned into politics that she wasn't familiar with, and Rudy who looked rather bemused of why Kris seemed to be arguing with his father for reason unknown.
It seemed that… it would be quite a long night.
...
After the slight disaster of the dinner (salvaged only because of the dancers that came to entertain the Lord and the Lady), Knox was ready to call it a night.
All these years while Kris had been away to train and now had grown up to be a very outstanding knight in Terra Kingdom, Knox had been and was still struggling with his feelings to the younger man. It didn't get easier the longer they didn't see each other. It was like his heart yearned for Kris even more when he wasn't around.
In rare occasions that Knox got to meet Kris, either when he came back to lead his troupe as he patrolled the border, or when there were tournaments in the Capitol, Knox made conscious effort to talk to him casually but still politely, like he didn't hide anything from Kris.
It wasn't easy. Kris was exceedingly observant, trained to be. It was a must-to-have skill for a knight in his caliber. However, Kris didn't seem to suspect anything from Knox, probably because Kris had grown up with Knox at his side most of the time, trusted him to a fault, and only thought Knox as his brotherly, overly affectionate mentor sometimes, and nothing more. Moreover, Knox was very fortunate that they were never alone when they met, so there was not a chance for Knox to babble out his feelings. It was increasingly difficult though, especially when Kris came home this time with someone else.
A 'someone else' named Rudy.
Knox didn't like Rudy at all.
It was irrational dislike, really. Rudy was actually a very good person. General census liked him a great deal. He was kind and humble, possessed dignity but wasn't arrogant, worshiped a high sense of justice, and most of all, he made Kris laugh, made him show more expressions, made him more alive than anything or anyone else that Knox had ever seen him with.
Rudy made Kris genuinely happy.
It was a beautiful sight. Knox was happy when Kris was, so in extension, Rudy made Knox happy too.
… He still didn't like Rudy. It was unbecoming of Knox, being so unfairly petty to such good person. And the reason for that dislike was probably…
Jealousy.
Pathetic.
Knox had a hard time smiling to Rudy whenever they crossed path, however rare the case might be since Rudy was in the 1st troupe and Knox was Kris' right hand man in the 7th. Instead, he glared at him constantly and Rudy seemed to pick up on that.
"I think Sir Knox dislikes me," Rudy confided to Kris secretly once when their troupes met in the Capitol for a meeting. Knox heard it alright, since he was right behind Kris when Rudy whispered into Kris' ear.
Too close! You should maintain appropriate distance to your friend!—a little voice in Knox's head reproached—not sure to Rudy or Kris, against his will. He shouldn't judge his superior's behavior at all. It wasn't right, but he just couldn't help it. He barely held the flinch that almost resurfaced as he watched both Kris and Rudy converse discreetly.
Kris glanced backward slightly, his eyes meeting Knox, questioning, and Knox couldn't help sending him a soft reassuring smile. Kris smiled back at him before he turned to Rudy again to continue their whispered discussion calmly. "I am sure it is just your imagination, Rudy."
Knox felt slightly bad for making Kris worry about it. He would make harder effort to be nicer when he talked to Rudy next time.
21.
Kris was 21 when all hell broke loose.
Or maybe it was the start of his damnation.
The increasing attacks and restlessness of monsters in their land, impending war between lands and nations in Asgar, undeniable animosity between nobility and commoner, secrecy and conspiracy of the King and his advisor against his councils and people, it affected Terra Kingdom balance more than anyone thought, and the tension built up more and progressive before it finally exploded when the massacre began.
Knox didn't know what was going on anymore. Army of the 1st troupe suddenly ambushed the 7th troupe… or so, he thought. The banner and the specific defensive armors the band wore was undeniably the 1st troupe, but the people behind the armors…
Knox had met those people numerous time during his service as fellow soldiers, and these people were not like them at all. Their movement, their silence, and the way they fought… they couldn't be the 1st troupe's.
"Who are you and what do you aim by impersonating Terra Kingdom army?!" Knox shouted in rage while his soul fired its electric blue around his armor when they were under attack.
Kris wasn't here because he was summoned to the Capitol. Knox was acting as a captain in his stead as Kris' right hand. He got to defend their men and their area. They had to stop this attack.
"Ho… as expected of Kris' trusted right hand man. You aren't so easy to fool."
Someone… the attacker troupe's commander, spoke leisurely, sounding impressed. Knox looked for the source amongst his enemies, shield raised and sword pointed in readiness.
"Show yourself!" he commanded hard.
The man chuckled creepily before he stepped out of the troupe and took off his helmet. Knox gasped in surprise as he saw him. He wore Rudy's face, his built, but it wasn't him. It couldn't be him. Glamour magic? His expression was so cold and calculating, downright evil when he smirked and raised his own sword high above his head.
"Kill them all," he commanded unmercifully and the army behind him instantly barraged Knox and his men with single minded attack to eliminate them completely.
Knox of course could handle himself against his opponents, while giving instruction to his men not to falter with their basic defense and offense. They did quite well in the chaos, but something was definitely wrong in them, because no matter how hard Knox man struck their vital organ and killed them, those solders just came back up after they fell on the ground.
Why can't they be killed?!—Knox was confused, and started to panic when their troupe began losing focus because of fatigue in prolonged battle.
However, before they could retreat and regroup to find ways to effectively kill their opponents, it all ended with a single swept of something, a power of mass destruction.
It was a light so bright it blinded them all and the next thing Knox knew something struck his armored body, through his armor, aiming straight to his life source.
Knox could feel the piece of life that Lord Ashura gave him all those decades ago… was ripped apart, out of his mortal body, rendering it immobile and dying once again.
This cannot be…! This is madness…!
A light chuckle was heard in his agony and departing consciousness. "Tell Kris… The Light kills you all, Sir Knox…"
It was… His voice was so…
Who are you? Why are you doing this?
The last thing he heard before the blackness and oblivion consumed him was another amused chuckle that answered none of his questions.
...
"… Knox! Sir Knox! Hold on! Please hold on! Stay with me!"
Knox heard Kris voice and tried very difficultly to cling to his voice to stay conscious after the grasped it once.
"…M'lord…!" Knox tried to respond, but he knew it came out more as a slur.
"Knox!"
Knox wanted to be surprised that Kris forewent his tittle, but he was happier about being called so informally by him after all this time.
"…m'sorry… I've failed…" Knox was feeling so regretful that he couldn't defend their men.
"Do not talk! You're injured so badly! I have to get you to a healer, but your armor…!" Kris looked so scared, so helpless. He didn't seem to know what he was supposed to do. Knox's injury must have been very severe… probably unsightly and gruesome.
Knox couldn't move his body at all. He knew he wouldn't have much time left. He had to say something… their attacker… he didn't know who he was.
"The Light kills you all…"
Knox remembered and unconsciously repeated it in his slur…
"What…?!"
When Knox refocused his blurry gaze at Kris' shocked, horror-filled expression, he wanted to take it back immediately. But his voice was caught in his throat, literally, by the blood stuck in it, and he had to cough it up hard to take breathe, but no air filled his lungs anymore. Maybe his lungs were already destroyed as well, he didn't know.
Ah, he had to say something… anything. He shouldn't let Kris misunderstand who did this to him and his men, especially when he knew how precious that person was for Kris. He had to… but the only thing he wanted Kris to know before he departed from this world didn't have anything to do with that.
"Kris…"
Kris was attentive to Knox again instantly, and told him to shut up and just stay alive. But Knox didn't have much time left and he wanted Kris to know it, his feelings.
"Kris, I… to you… always…"
He should have known. In hindsight, it was never about loyalty or kinship. The moment Knox had laid his eyes on his little lord, he was done for. It was just a shame that he couldn't tell him explicitly. Well, even if he wanted to, he wouldn't. Because he knew he wasn't the right one for him and all he wanted was for Kris to be happy.
So now… even at his death door once again, Knox decided to be against his selfish want and bury it all with his life, his love for Kris.
"…my… personal… light," Knox gradually closed his eyes, attempting to smile at Kris for the last time, and hoping to goddess that it wouldn't look like a painful grimace.
"Idiot…! You are an idiot, Knox! Do not talk anymore… please! It is an order from your lord, Knox! Just stay with me!"
Knox might have been dreaming… or maybe it was just a delusion induced-death. He thought that he saw Kris crying… for him?
I am so sorry… that I cannot fulfill your last wish, my precious little lord… My Kris….
Now, Knox was sure that he was smiling nicely as his final breath left his body and the darkness once again engulfed him for eternity…
26.
Death… wasn't such a bad thing. It was like being asleep, really. There was no pain and anguish. It was an eternal rest, a homecoming.
…or so, Knox thought.
Knox had never thought about life after death when he was alive and wasn't sure how he felt about it now that was dead. He meant, he had a full life and he died in the arms of the person he loved most. There was no regret there.
Except the fact that his love didn't exactly know how Knox truly felt about him. But it was a moot point, really, because as much as Knox wanted to be loved back by Kris, staying by his side as a person Kris trusted more than anyone else was more important to Knox. Besides, Kris' happiness was the only thing Knox wanted for himself. He didn't need anything anymore.
Though, now that Knox stood in front of the Goddess once again, he didn't know what to think about his new self…
Was it regret after all, that made Knox whole once again, with a (not exactly) living body? He looked like a walking dead and the Goddess looked at him with sad eyes.
"My Goddess Elena, why am I here?" Knox was very confused. Was his service still needed in the living world? Why couldn't he stay dead in peace?
"I am very sorry, Knox," the Goddess spoke, her expression very remorseful. "I cannot protect your body from the corruption."
"My body?" Knox was getting even more befuddled by this information.
The Goddess explained that in his crusade to create war and destruction anew to the living realm, Dellons had been experimenting with the shards of Destruction. It seemed that Knox's body had also been experimented with and the result of it was his awakening.
"Let me get this straight. Dellons has been playing with my dead body and then resurrected me using the shard of destruction?" This couldn't get any more bizarre could it? Knox felt a virtual headache coming. "For what purpose? He already had his undead army. What could he possibly want me to do by doing that?"
Then the Goddess explained to Knox that under all Dellons' horrible plans and madness, the one thing he truly wished for was resurrecting his dead fiancée.
Knox's virtual headache got even more painful after hearing that. "Then why doesn't he? Why does he decide to create mayhem and destruction instead? "
"Because Dellons cannot, no one, not even I can bring her back alive," Goddess Elena looked so sad.
"Goddess Elena… have you told him that?" Knox asked and the Goddess nodded.
"In our previous war with the God of Destruction, Dellons offered his help to me to defeat GOD. As a reaper, Dellons dealt with deaths of the living constantly. He knew what could kill a God was turning Him mortal… I should have known that he had ulterior motive behind it all. Dellons lost his lover over centuries ago, but even now he's still grieving. He turned himself into a reaper, hoping he could catch her soul in realm of the dead. But even a reaper cannot possibly bring back a life that has already been taken. So he probably thinks that only God can do that…
"I never realized that Dellons wished to turn himself into the God of Destruction using GOD's power after we defeated the previous One. He has been collecting the shards from the start right after I broke the GOD's power and dispersed them all around the world. He also has been experimenting with them using both living and dead bodies. He has finally gotten a breakthrough after he landed his hand on a pure-blood… He will do something more destructive with them in near future."
It was too elaborate and very complicated. Even the Goddess couldn't explain it clearly, but the point was Dellons wanted to be a God to bring back his dead lover, hence all the mayhem and destruction.
"He is completely mad." Knox concluded, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek.
"That sums it up pretty nicely," the Goddess chuckled sadly.
"It does not answer my other question. What does he want me to do after he brings me back?" Knox asked once again.
"I do not know, my Knight… I honestly do not know." She sounded resigned. She had lost a lot of power in the previous war. She tried Her best to maintain balance and order of the world by Herself, using Her remaining power, so She couldn't have much more left to spare to do anything even if she wanted to stop Dellons.
"What do you want me to do then, Goddess Elena?" he asked Her then and She looked at him with such gratified expression that Knox felt rather embarrassed for being so conceited enough to think that he could do something to alleviate Her burden, even just a little.
"Oh, Knox… my noble Knight of Light…" the Goddess flew down to envelope Knox in Her gentle, ethereal embrace. "You have sacrificed enough for me in the previous war. Your body, your loyalty, your life… I will never ask of you to do anything more that will bring you nothing but grief and sorrow." She spoke so softly and tenderly that Knox fully felt Her warm love and compassion.
"But I want to…" Knox whispered softly. If he could do anything in helping Her stop another war between Gods, before a war like the last one happened again, then by all meant, he was willing to sacrifice everything else that he had.
He wanted a peaceful land so Kris could live contently in it. He just wanted Kris to be happy.
Goddess Elena shook Her head solemnly as She pulled back and loosened Her hold on his neck slightly, but then She smiled at him kindly. "I want you to live, my child. Live for yourself. Think of this as a second chance. Make the most of it… and tell the one you love how you really feel."
Knox was surprised at first, before his cheeks felt burnt, warmer than ever. Oh, how mortified he was. The Goddess had known the truth of his heart and instead of admonishing, she wanted him to pursue his desire this time. It was touching, but also so very embarrassing.
"I will try, My Goddess," Knox mumbled between his blush and She smiled even wider. Goddess Elena bestowed a kiss on his forehead and then let him go completely.
"Live and be happy, then, my Knight…"
Knox opened his eyes and lived his second life.
~.
Knox didn't expect to meet Kris so soon after he was awakened.
"Sir Knox…?" Kris didn't seem to believe his sight as he saw Knox in front of him. Kris' other friends, the Seven Knights (minus Dellons since he was apparently the Dark Knight now), were behind him. Their faces were in various states of expression, but mostly stunned and utterly confused. Knox didn't really care about them now, though.
"I've returned, My Lord," Knox knelt with one knee in front of Kris, bowing slightly, before he looked upward and took one of Kris' hand on his own and kissed the back of his palm. "For you," he added and he didn't hide anything anymore from Kris, his fondness, his feelings, and his love for him.
Kris looked a lot different than before. Instead of dark bluish hair with strands of silver in the middle and the sides, his hair was in pure platinum color. His previous deep sky oceanic blue eyes were now intense red like a pair of rubies. His face had matured and he looked even more beautiful and elegant now. And he was brimming with power, light and dark flowing in harmony, and so much more, so very powerful and stunning.
"But… how? I thought you…" Kris seemed to be shaken up and not know how to react to Knox's return from the dead.
"Kris," Knox called him more familiarly then, a soft smile tugging his lips to show that nothing of that mattered and that he was there with Kris now, and Kris couldn't help but reel, like he had just been pulled out from nightmare. Then, Kris dropped his sword to surge forward to take Knox in his tight embrace.
"Knox…! Knox…!"
The desperation he heard from Kris' trembling voice made Knox smile more widely and hold him back as tightly. "I am sorry for leaving so suddenly before, Kris. I am right here now."
Kris' hold on him tightened for a moment, before it was gradually loosened. Then he looked upward slightly at Knox with such relieved expression. "Welcome back… and don't you dare leave my side again. It's an order, Sir Knox."
Knox blinked once in surprise before he chuckled tenderly. "As you wish, my precious little lord Kris." He leaned down and kissed Kris on his forehead, to Kris's slight surprise and probably his friends' utter shock, with how bold a move it was.
"D-did he just—?!" Rudy made a strangled noise as Eileen elbowed him on his side, trying to stifle her gleeful squeal.
"I did not realize that Kris is like that…" Spike's eyes were very wide as he stared and he covered Jave's eyes in the process, to the younger man's protest.
"It seems that you just got yourself a competition, Rudy." Rachel commented as calmly as she sounded, but her expression was far from being calm. She looked ecstatic for some reason.
"Guys, really?" Kris turned to them, flushing and looking properly embarrassed and annoyed.
Knox just smiled as he let Kris go to bicker with his friends. It was far from perfect, with the chaos and impending end of the world, courtesy of Dellons, it was hardly a right time for celebration.
But being surrounded by good people, Kris' friends, and being by Kris' side, life was…
Knox's second life… would be wonderful.
End of His Personal Knight of Light
A/N:
Oh, My God…! I just wanted to make a short one-shot… and it turned into a monster T_T. I got carried away as always… and sorry if the slash isn't really… slashy. I just couldn't picture them doing the lusty-kind-of-love. Sorry if it is not really to your liking Anon, but I hope you read it ^_^.
So… what do you think, everyone? Got question? Complains? Con-crit is always welcome too! Hit that review button and let's start the discussion!