Regaleon: The Forgotten Knight

Regaleon almost thought he was imagining things. But looking closely, he confirmed what he saw...

That smile. That twisted, horrifying expression stretching across the Drake’s mutilated face.

For a single moment, coldness crawled down his spine. This was not because the creature looked monstrous, but because it looked intelligent.

Like something ancient had suddenly recognized him. Especially, recognizing the crimson markings hidden beneath his Armour...

But now was not the time for questions. Now was the time to fight for survival...

The Drake lunged suddenly... It’s massive maw crashing downward toward Regaleon with enough force to shatter stone.

BOOOOM!

Regaleon threw himself sideways instantly as jagged fangs slammed into the cavern floor where he stood moments earlier.

Stone exploded violently as the shockwave alone nearly caused the cavern walls to crumble. And then, the battle resumed afterward...

This time, there were no pauses or mercy. Only desperate survival as: Valmyr roared while slamming his damaged Shield into the creature’s flank...

The impact barely staggered it but it created enough opening for Aureleah to emerge from the shadows again...

SHING!

Her Dagger pierced another vulnerable spot near the Drake’s neck in a spray of blood. The Drake shrieked furiously with crimson eyes glowing with primal fury...

Meanwhile, Vaelorin continued to unleash streams of blazing Aether from afar. Flames exploded repeatedly against the creature’s exposed flesh, filling portions of the cavern with smoke and burning heat...

Yet despite everything, the twisted Drake still stood; still fought... Still hunted them like insects.

Time passed by brutally as minutes blurred together into endless violence. By this time, the cavern was no longer beautiful as flowers had been crushed into ruin and Essence Crystals had long since shattered across the floor.

Blood covered the stone walls. A mix of their blood and the Drake’s. Then finally, Vaelorin was the first to break...

”I.. can’t keep this up much longer...” His voice sounded strained as he spoke.

Regaleon glanced toward him briefly and saw that the failed Pyromancer’s breathing had become ragged and uneven. Sweat drenched his body while his hands visibly trembled from overusing Fiery Aether...

Clearly, twenty minutes of continuous casting had already pushed his fragile body beyond what he could bear.

Valmyr gritted his teeth while raising his cracked Shield again. ”We need to finish this thing!” His voice was hoarse and raspy as he defended himself against a swipe of the Drake’s tail.

Several deep fractures now stretched across his Soul Essence surface while his Broadsword had long since gained multiple chips and broken edges from repeatedly striking the Drake’s scales.

Even his arms shook from exhaustion as he was sent flying back...

Regaleon’s gaze hardened beneath his helmet. ”We can’t.” His voice was chilling and metallic as he spoke through gritted teeth...

The words landed heavily, truthfully and coldly as he didn’t even bother boosting morale. He had long since known that they stood no chance against this monstrosity and killing it was nothing but a pipe dream...

Also, they were not the only ones that were having it worse. Beneath Regaleon’s rusted Armour, agony surged through his body endlessly...

Several ribs had already broken while his left shoulder burned terribly as every breath felt like swallowing knives. Yet, he continued fighting because at this stage, pain no longer mattered. Only survival does...

Regaleon calculated that it was about twenty minutes since they’ve been fighting against the Drake. By now, Slyveris and the rest should have escaped far enough.

He had never truly believe that the four of them could bring down this monster. No... His objective from the very beginning was simple; buy time. And somehow, against impossible odds, they had succeeded.

Just surviving against this thing for twenty minutes was already absurd. A testament to their skills, luck... And desperation.

Regaleon tightened his grip around his Halberd. ”We might not be able to kill it...” He started, his golden eyes sharpening. ”...but we can escape from it.”

The others immediately understood what he meant. Retreat! That was their only option now.

Regaleon deflected another strike from the Drake’s wing sour before shouting, ”On my mark!” Immediately the words came out...

The creature lunged again violently...

Aureleah vanished once more into the shadows...

Valmyr blocked another tail swipe with his Shield...

Vaelorin forced himself to unleash flames...

Then, ”RUN!” Regaleon shouted, dashing towards the creature.

Vaelorin reacted immediately. Being the closest one to the entrance, he thrust his hand forward desperately before a torrent of blazing fire exploded directly toward the Drake’s face...

The creature recoiled momentarily but that moment was enough. The failed Pyromancer turned and bolted...

He didn’t do it with the elegance of a noble nor with the heroic posture of a warrior. He ran like someone chasing after salvation... With pure desperation with adrenaline fueling his movements.

Valmyr followed immediately afterward. With a roar, the failed Vanguard raised his damaged Shield once more before rushing toward the Drake...

Noticing the puny human who still refused death, the Drake whipped it’s tail towards him...

BOOOOOM!

The impact sounded like the crack of thunder mingling with the sound of bones cracking. And yet, instead of resisting, Valmyr used the momentum...

His body flew violently toward the cavern entrance. Even while coughing blood, the failed Vanguard laughed loudly, ”HAHAHA! That actually worked!”

Aureleah remained as her Dagger plunged once more between the Drake’s scales. Black blood erupted outward once again...

Regaleon’s eyes widened slightly as he shouted, ”What are you doing?!”

The creature’s tail whipped toward him instantly. Regaleon intercepted using his Halberd desperately...

CLANG!

The impact numbed both arms instantly but he held his ground as he turned toward Aureleah, ”RUN!” He shouted, his metallic voice reverberating across the chamber.

Still, Aureleah hesitated. For the briefest moment, her silver eyes met Regaleon’s desperate golden ones through the chaos...

Then, that was when the Drake seem to come to realization. It’s preys were actually escaping... Again?!

Rage exploded within it’s crimson eyes as it opened it’s massive jaws once more. Fiery crimson light gathered deep inside it’s throat...

But once again, Regaleon moved instantly. He sprinted toward the creature fast and desperately. His Armour groaned beneath the strain as Aether surged violently through his body...

Then, he jumped. Higher than humanly possible. Especially for someone in such heavy Armour. The Drake’s eyes widened slightly as Regaleon appeared within it’s line of sight...

And then, Regaleon slammed his Halberd downward with evey strength he could muster within him...

SHING!

The silver blade pierced directly through the side of the Drake’s snout and for the first time since the battle, the Baron Tier actually dealt a significant damage.

The Drake unleashed a horrifying scream. Like the wailing of a banshee, the scream was primal as it was filled with pain, fury and madness.

The creature thrashed violently, it’s serpentine body sweeping through the cave while Regaleon held tightly onto the embedded Halberd in it’s snout...

The world blurred around Regaleon as the creature shook it’s head furiously, trying to throw him free but still, like filth, Regaleon refused to let go.

Aureleah remained frozen briefly as she watched him struggle against the creature...

”I SAID RUN!” Regaleon’s roar thundered throughout the cavern when he saw her still standing there dazed.

His Armour was beginning to creak dangerously from the strain while blood continuously pour from his helmet...

For several long seconds, Aureleah simply stared at Regaleon with complicated emotions reflecting in her eyes. Then finally, she turned and vanished into the shadows...

Just like that, she was gone and Regaleon became the only human inside the cavern.

Afterwards, the Drake finally succeeded in throwing him free...

BOOOOM!

His body crashed violently against the cavern wall. Stone shattered around him as pain exploded through his chest instantly.

Regaleon coughed violently before vomiting a mouthful of blood across the floor. His vision blurred briefly but the Drake wasn’t done yet...

It shrieked furiously while ripping the Halberd free from it’s snout. Black blood poured endlessly from the wound as it focused it’s gleaming crimson eyes entirely upon Regaleon now.

Regaleon slowly forced himself back to his feet; his body screamed in protest as every movement hurt but he stood anyways, because he was not done. Not yet.

Normally... It is at this point that he would have made his escape and follow behind his peers as that was actually the most logical choice but he didn’t.

Not because of some misguided sense of heroism or because he felt that he could take the monster on, it was because he was a knight...

Though he might be called a failed Knight perhaps...

A discarded Knight even...

Or a forgotten Knight...

But still, he was... Is... And always would be a Knight.

And if there is one thing about knights, they protected people. Even if no one remembered them afterward...

Even if no songs were sung to praise their deeds...

Even if they ended up dying in darkness alone...

They still do what they have to do.

Regaleon slowly picked his Halberd and raised it once more and around him, the cavern trembled beneath the creature’s rage as it stared at the failed Knight with malice...

Regaleon’s breathing grew heavier inside his Armour and yet, his golden eyes still remained steady, cold and resolute.

Now it was just him and the twisted Drake but this time, he was fighting for time. Just few more minutes to enable the others to escape completely. That was his duty now...

And that was enough.

The Drake lunged again... And rather than retreating or defending, Regaleon charged forward, alone.