My Throne of Light (Seven Knights Fanfiction)

Chapter 60: Damnation of Kris pt 2

Silence befell on the two as Rudy stared blankly at her. Her words wrecked the thinnest confidence the knight had that his worry was imaginary.

"Was there someone else the Goddess asked to help anyone who was-?"

"Rudy, is there supposed to be someone else undertaking the Goddess' trials?" Alice whimpered. "It sounds like you think there's a second person."

The Knight of Light's gaze narrowed. "My friend Kris. He's also a Knight of Light like me. We went in together, but we had to choose different doors to-" He twitched. He closed his eyes and finished the meat he had in hand. He then got up and picked up his shield and sword.

"There's still so much left, Rudy." Alice watched him gear up for another round of fighting. "Are you sure you're full?"

"I need to finish this tower as fast as I can," Rudy answered, looking over his shoulder to see her. "I must ask Goddess Elena why I'm the only one receiving help." He moved around to get in front of the door again. "I must leave you now, Alice. See me again later."

The bunny woman watched him walk out of the door. She packed the left-over as she listened to the hacks and slashes outside. She would sometimes stop to listen to the orcs cry in pain or groan as they got wasted away. Alice finished taking care of the mess before carrying her bag; soon, walking over to look out the door.

She watched Rudy swipe his sword clean from the blood of the enemy. He raised his blade along his face, staring intently at his own reflection.

#

He felt his eyelids open, but the darkness was still the same as with having his eyes closed. The sound of dripping water had long made music to his deafened ears, and the sensation of the fire in his legs was long unfelt. He had grown numb to them.

Kris moved to sit on the stone-cold floor he was lying on earlier. He was finally able to sleep through the suffering within the door he picked. If it was the path of honor, it would be unfitting to its name. If it was the path of valor, it would be interesting to go this far. However, Kris was just there waiting. He kept on waiting-

Not.

It was time for him to try and escape again. With the pain ignored, he moved away from his certainty next to the wall-door. He planted his hand against the wall and walked around to see if it was more than a circular enclosure. As he went, he was chuckling to himself. He should have done this way before; it would have been better than doing nothing.

Even though it was too dark to see anything, Kris knew the place's size. He motioned towards the door to pick up his sword. He ran his hand along the broad blade, uncaring if it cuts him. He walked a bit to the left and began piercing his sword against the wall. He was testing how much force should he exert to make dents. Even though he was not making any progress, he kept on striking at the wall-

Frustration and desperation powering him.

#

The loudest screams Alice had heard in her entire life came from monsters created out of light. The bunny woman kept on watching the brunet knight as he raged through the tower floor by floor. However, she did not see the same mellow-hearted Knight of Light she talked to when she first saw Rudy. He had grown violent and aggressive. His actions, however, were calculated and well-executed. She could say he was still in control, but he seemed to have let his Darkness run free.

Rudy managed to reach the floors where the scenario had changed. It was no longer an empty room encased by brick walls; it had carpets and curtains. It had become grand in nature; however, the supposed enemies were not what he expected to see.

Those were humans, like him. They are clad in white armors, and their chest bore an insignia he had seen before. It was the same insignia on Knox's chest; they were the other Knights of Light. He did not know why or how they were there, but he had no intentions to find out at the moment. They looked at him differently- as if they were facing nothing human.

"Rudy," one of them spoke, "Goddess Elena had spoken very high of you" -he unsheathed his sword- "but look at you now! Your Darkness is embracing you!"

"I need to talk to the Goddess," Rudy said calmly.

"There's no way we'll let you face the Goddess like that!" The others yelled and entered stances.

The deranged Knight glared at them and brandished his own sword. However, his own reflection took his attention. He raised his sword up a little to get a look at his changed face. His orange eyes had grown very dark, and his skin was emitting black fumes continuously. For someone to have that much darkness, and for him to have the least as they say. The black fumes coated his image, and they seemed to have form a pair of wings behind him as well.

He kept on staring at his reflection through his blade, confused as to why he appeared like this now. All he could remember was fighting as much monsters as he could; clearing floors to get to the top of the Celestial Tower.

"What'shappening?" he whispered.