1. Chapter 1: The Death of the Black Knight
The Death of the Black Knight
Author: Blue Knight – Leysen
Beneath a blood-red night sky, a knight clad entirely in black armor walked amidst ruins. By his side, a towering warhorse followed like a steadfast guard. Faint wisps of black mist seeped from the cracks in the knight’s armor and the horse’s tack.
Around them, an eerie silence hung. Just moments ago, cries for help and pleas for mercy filled the air, but now all that could be heard were the occasional crackles of houses not yet fully consumed by fire.
“Pathetic humanity, thinking fire alone could halt the charge of the Darkness Knights? Not when it’s not a mere expendable force like Gulu’s army!” The knight stopped, surveying their handiwork with satisfaction – bodies lay scattered in great numbers, among them men wielding swords and armor, women holding shovels, even elderly and children of humanity. But all the corpses had one thing in common – a single wound. “Truly remarkable work, handpicked and rigorously trained by myself and Commander Tarze. To deploy ‘Toxic Fang’ here, against such weak opponents, is a bit of a waste.”
“Likurude?” With the sound of footsteps behind him, the knight asked without turning, his voice hoarse and low.
“Yes, General Leysen.” A black knight with a blood-red rose embroidered on their shoulder armor emerged from the shadows, saluting sharply in reply.
“How did the battle go?”
“This time, ‘Toxic Fang’ numbered 30 troops, having slain 324 enemies, among them 37 combat personnel, with no losses on our side.”
“Excellent. What about Luxenburg?”
“No signs of deployment so far.”
“Then let the teams in ambush withdraw. Truly impressive, the ‘Valkyrie’s’ patience.”
“What about that other matter?”
“Following the General’s orders, we let a few escape to the west and north. But General, why leave witnesses? If Lord Intalon finds out, you might be punished.”
“He won’t.”
“But…”
“Likurude, what is our objective?” As usual, the deep voice now revealed a hint of authority that Likurude knew meant their superior officer was irritated.
“To capture Luxenburg and cut off Brendel’s supply lines!” To alleviate the pressure he felt, Likurude stepped up to the Deputy Commander and replied with passion.
“Good that you understand.” Satisfied by this answer, Leysen continued, “Currently, the remaining forces in Luxenburg are held together solely by ‘Valkyrie’s personal reputation. As long as she neglects our actions, and humanity loses faith in ‘Valkyrie’s brilliance, taking Luxenburg will be as simple as that.”
“But why leave survivors intentionally? Doing this, our ‘Toxic Fang’ battle record and reputation…” Likurude still couldn’t understand.
“Battle records and reputation?” Leysen’s gaze swept over the bodies surrounding them. “If wiping out a village with no real fighting ability counts as an achievement, it’s not worth keeping. As for reputation, as long as Luxenburg falls before the next full moon, what do we have to fear from what other Generals might say?”
“So fast?” Likurude responded, sounding surprised.
“Because someone will help us poison Luxenburg?”
“Poison? Impossible, isn’t it? Besides, didn’t you, General, always despise the practice of the necromancers?”
“Poison named ‘terror’ and ‘rumors’.” Leysen looked up at the blood moon and continued, “The intelligence brought by scouts, often restricted by upper management, cannot fully reach the lower ranks. However, the narratives of escapees spread easily among soldiers at the grassroots level, and will further spread panic and rumors. Once the soldiers of Luxenburg lose morale and lose confidence in ‘Valkyrie’…?”
“Moral? Humanity is indeed mysterious. Truly worthy of the Deputy Commander…” Likurude began to get excited but soon became aware of his slip of tongue.
“Please don’t worry, Likurude.” Leysen’s tone remained as calm as always.
Before receiving the title ‘Toxic Fang,’ he was always called ‘defective product.’ Thinking back on those times, Leysen smiled bitterly. Unlike other dark knights who were completely baptized by the force of darkness, retaining only knowledge and memory, forgetting other memories of being human and becoming the favored of the Plague Dragon, Leysen retained some memories of his human self, although these memories were hazy and even unrelated to each other.
Perhaps a favor from the Plague Dragon or out of some interest certain high-ranking figures had in Leysen as a defective product, at the time, he wasn’t discarded but instead incorporated into the company of his contemporary Tarze, starting from the rank of a common soldier, becoming a piece in the expansion tide of Madara.
Through countless battles, Leysen survived by luck, relying on his strength to accumulate battle achievements step by step, and ascended thereafter. Finally, he gained the upper ranks’ recognition, becoming the Deputy Commander of the “Night Viper” group as a dark knight. His identity as a ‘defective product’ was gradually forgotten. But some, displeased with Leysen’s identity as a ‘defective product,’ challenged him. And he, in public or private duels, repeatedly reduced these challengers back to raw dark forces.
“When did I start being called ‘Toxic Fang’?” Just as Leysen fell into thought, countless images and information suddenly flooded his mind. “Damn, it’s happening again!” Although accustomed to the sudden dizziness, he still felt very uncomfortable, and this time, the images were more coherent and the information clearer.
—
The pungent smell of decay and blood gradually brought the dying Leysen back to consciousness. Just as he wanted to understand what had happened…
“Lord Gulu, there are still two living human cavalrymen here!” A hollow voice sounded in his ear.
“Ha ha, where where… Ah, good, good! This one’s good, the wound isn’t fatal. Ha ha, and it also has the potential to become a dark knight… Hemilion, looks like we’ll have to reward you once we get back! Where’s the other? Quick, lead the way,” another grating voice called from the distance.
“Over here, Lord Gulu,” the hollow voice said.
“Ah, this one’s good too… Damn, isn’t this one dying?” Suddenly, the grating voice screamed.
[What? I’m still alive? About to die, am I?] The loud voice jolted Leysen into finally sorting out the information. [Ugh, my whole body hurts… Where am I? Who am I? Alive? What did I experience?… Ah, my head hurts!]
“Our sincerest apologies, Lord Gulu. This person has too many injuries, the most severe on the chest. If it weren’t for the sudden surge in life fire detected, we would have already converted him. Shall we kill him?”
[Kill? Ah, just kill me quickly. If I die, I won’t feel this excruciating pain, right?]
“No no no, don’t kill him yet. How can we miss such an interesting opportunity?” The grating voice hurriedly said, “Hemilion, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and prepare the dark ritual, the highest level! I want to turn this person into a dark knight!”
“But this body couldn’t withstand the baptism of dark power. I think converting them into an undead knight would be more appropriate?”
“I don’t need your opinion, just hurry and prepare! If this succeeds, imagine how things will develop from hereon… Ha ha, very exciting indeed”.
With that final laugh, Leysen’s consciousness faded away.
—
“Damn! That bone-and-soul playing bastard did it again! If I see him next time, I’ll turn him to ashes!” Leysen finally snapped back from the flashback and couldn’t help but curse. “And before that… what was I before that? What’s the figure continuously appearing in my consciousness? Damn, not nearly enough intel.”
“General, is something wrong?” Witnessing the sudden silence from the Deputy Commander followed by an outburst, Likurude couldn’t help but ask. This was the first time, since joining ‘Toxic Fang,’ Likurude had seen their Deputy Commander curse. Previously, the Deputy always reasoned or settled disputes by the sword, never cursing like this.
“Nothing, just thought about the inferior quality of the reinforcements Gulu provided us last time. You go on and gather the troops, prepare to head to the next place.” That statement completely puzzled Likurude. Gulu’s reinforcements? Wasn’t that five years ago? However, since the order had already been given, it had to be followed. In the “Night Viper,” disobeying orders wasn’t something to joke around with.
Once the subordinate had left, Leysen composed himself, preparing to leave, but he heard faint cries. Initially thinking he’d misheard, he soon sensed a weak life essence in the direction of the sounds.
“A surviving human? But my troops couldn’t have made such a mistake.” Leysen thought, moving toward the life essence. Sure enough, beneath a female corpse, a baby swaddled in cloth was found. Perhaps this woman had also tried to protect her child in her dying moments.
“A human baby? It’s no wonder my men didn’t notice. This life is radiating too faint a life essence.” As Leysen muttered, he drew his sword from his waist.
Raising the sword, it gleamed eerily in the half-moonlit night, blood-soaked red and ominous.
Thrusting down, the sword tip which should have pierced the baby’s throat paused just before the slightly pale skin due to the cold!
“What am I hesitating about?” Leysen stared, astonished, at his own hands. “It’s just a flicker of life essence.”
“Have I extinguished even stronger life essences without hesitation? Why do I falter now?” Leysen continued questioning himself.
“Bullshit! I’m ‘Toxic Fang’ from the Night Viper!” Roaring loudly, Leysen raised his sword again, but this time slashing downward.
“Crap!” Leysen cursed again as his sword missed the infant, slashing into the ground beside it.
“Am I incapable of killing a human because I’ve seen fragments of my past?” Leysen said, repeatedly lifting and slashing with his sword, yet every slash just barely missed the baby lying nearby.
“Hey… hey…” Perhaps seeing the sword swinging around like some form of play, the baby stopped crying and laughed instead.
“Are you mocking me also? Indeed, how pathetic, ‘Toxic Fang’ Leysen-Havil can’t kill a baby!” Putting away his sword in resignation, Leysen turned and prepared to get back on his horse and leave…
“After all, it’s not like it’ll be eaten by stray dogs… It’ll either freeze or starve to death.” Leysen glanced back at the weak life on the ground one last time.
“Alright.” Unexpectedly, he dismounted and thrust his spear, then used it to lift the cloth-wrapped baby, allowing it to gracefully soar through the air and land smoothly in the arms of the mounted knight.
“If Gulu saw this…?” Leysen couldn’t bear to think further and hastily tore a piece of cloth from his cloak to secure the baby against his chest.
“Kid, this is your lucky break. I’ll deliver you back to humankind, where you’ll become a knight, and then I’ll personally decapitate you with these hands.” With firm resolve, Leysen gripped the reins tightly.
“Old buddy, we’re heading to Luxenburg!” Spurring his horse, he rode west, leaving an afterimage in the dust.
The eastern sky had begun to lighten, and at a distance stood Luxenburg fortress, like a giant beast sitting by the Rhine River. Leysen felt the baby sleeping peacefully in his arms with one hand, faintly sensing its warmth through the cold armor.
“I don’t act like this.” As Leysen thought bitterly, a clear female voice rang in his ear. “No, that’s who you are, Leys.”
“Who?” Despite being disturbed by his recent thoughts, as a high-ranked dark knight, Leysen could never be approached without detection.
“Haha, has Leys forgotten me? I’m hurt. But of course, it has been forty years! Hey, Leys, do you remember our promise back then?” The voice chimed again as Leys looked around.
“Promise? What are you talking about?”
“Ah, so you forgot that too, huh? Then come, Leys, open your heart, Anthia will make you remember.”
“Anth…ia? Anthia? Aah…” As Leysen repeatedly mulled over this familiar yet strange name, a wave of even more intense pain surged from his chest throughout his body, causing his consciousness to blur… Wisps of black gas started emerging from his armor, dissipating into the air.
…
[Leys, I heard you joined the guard. Congrats!]
[Thank you, Anthia. This brings me a step closer to reviving the Havil family. The next step is to earn distinction; I heard there’s unrest in Madara…]
[Havil family…]
[What’s wrong? Anthia.]
[Nothing. By the way, come to our place for dinner today…]
…
[Leys, what’s going on? Why is Uncle Marden gathering everyone?]
[Don’t worry, it’s just Madara’s usual border violations. We’ll stay in Ridenburg for a few days, nothing serious.]
[But…I can’t stop worrying.]
[No need to worry, Anthia. Trust Uncle Marden’s judgment, and trust me. Our Buche Guard will protect everyone!]
…
[Leys, why? You said it would be fine. Why are everyone dead? The bearded uncle next door, the bread shop aunt, why?]
[…]
…
[Sorry, Leys, I got too excited back there.]
[Anthia, Tarze and I are going on patrol. Here’s something for you.]
[Ah, isn’t this the Havil family’s dagger? What’s going on? Why suddenly giving this to me?]…
…
“Ho, ha, haha… So that’s how it all happened.” As the sharp pain faded gradually, the recalled images also ceased. “What have I become these past years… I who aspired to be a knight, I who vowed to protect everyone… Damn.”
“At least, this child…” Determined, Leysen dismounted and lightly slapped the neck of his warhorse. “Go, old buddy! From here on, I’ll walk alone.” The always obedient warhorse surprisingly defied the master’s order this time and stood still. With no choice, Leysen used his dark power to force his steadfast partner to leave.
“I’m next.” Watching the warhorse vanish into the distance, Leysen turned and walked towards Luxenburg.
