War For Underworld

The Headless Knight of Contradictions

Ilia and the others follow the mist to the ends of the shrine, coming to a sudden pause when the mist sinks into the ground and lightning flares down from above. What appears from the phenomenon is a giant black horse with flaming blue hooves. On its back is a black rider with a giant one-handed sword, but what freaks the group about the appearance is what it is missing.

“What the? A huge headless knight?”

“Wait, this is the Taboo Knight? Was it controlling Humbert with its aura?”

“But for what purpose?”

“Kill...Kill everything… Kill... Kill... Kill... Kill... Kill… Must kill…”

Mia scoffs comically. “That answer your question, Tiese? It’s completely insane.”

Ilia ignores the emperor’s apprentice and looks to the senior knight. “Maybe Humbert’s lust for revenge resonated with the slumbering knight’s insanity?”

“Sir Renly, orders?”

Renly glares at the knight and takes his weapon in hand. “Stay cautious! Attack! Let’s start with the horse’s legs!” 

“Right!” Ilia, Ronie, and Tiese grab their swords and split up as the Twin-Edged Wings fly towards the Taboo Knight. As it deflects the wings, the attacks the horse’s legs. Ronie is slow to fall back as the knight realizes he’s surround and thrusts down at her. She’s saved by timely arrows from Mia from the sword, but the horse still attack as it kicks a distracted Ronie with the leg she struck. Ilia watches as her friend rolls on the stone floor of the shrine and comes to a silent stop.

“Ronie!” It’s Tiese who calls for her friend, while Ilia feels an unnatural emotion in her core. The sensation of fear is still present from earlier, and its an emotion she’s not a stranger to. She feels...angry? Pissed? Irate? Is this because of what happened to Ronie? If so...well, Medina always said emotions are good weapons, and it is fine for Ilia to lose her cool in the heat of battle, as long as she doesn’t let them overwhelm her.

Grabbing her sword again, she runs out towards the Taboo Knight. It swings it enormous sword down on her, but she parries it even if it throws her off balance momentarily. But she didn’t advance alone: Tiese flanks and strikes the back left leg, the final one. Whether or not it aids them, the fact is that the horse does indeed stop moving.

And that’s when Renly takes hold of his wings. “Release Recollection! Double Wings!” Throwing them in the air the twin wings become a four-edged projectile that spins at a high velocity. Directing his hand at the Taboo Knight, Renly’s weapon spins down and towards the Ancient Apostle. Ilia thinks to herself that once the blade hits, the battle is over.

Then she remembers something from the previous battle. She never voiced it before, but while Mia didn’t see what happened with Jaymes’ ability, Ilia did. Jaymes’ Release Recollection allows him to manipulate whatever his sword touches, and he usually uses it for eradication. What she saw was unimaginable. His blade of certain destruction didn’t hit the Reaper, but it did hit the scythe--yet the scythe remained and slashes Jaymes in the chest. Only when certain conditions were found did the Reaper fall.

If all Ancient Apostles followed that rule, that not even the blade that defeated Administrator and Vecta could kill them, Renly’s Twin-Edged Wings were useless.

And useless they were. Renly, more than anyone, is shock as the Knight shrugs off the blades after they rip through him. He barely catches the split twins as they come back, his once-determined eyes now filled with shock and awe. “H-How can it be this strong? To shrug off my attack like that…”

“Renly,” Tiese cries out as she heaves Ronie on her back, “we need to fall back!”

“Damn it… But…”