The Cursed Knight
Prologue
I see you are interested in learning my story. Well if you truly wish to know what has happened throughout my long life, then I shall tell you. My story will go through the ages of modern man, it shall tell the fall of mighty kingdoms, loses of major armies, and the true faults of our worlds greatest leaders. I will start my tale at the time in which this hell was bestowed upon me. In my time known as the greatest Knight in what was known as the greatest kingdom of all time, but if it was so great then why is not still here.
My tale starts in what was the capital city of this great kingdom; I suppose I should tell you the name of this city. The name of this almighty city was Camalote, and no, I did not misspeak. The city in which you are thinking is nothing but a legend based off this city. To be honest all the Arthurian legends are based off this mighty kingdom and its countless Knights. As I was saying, my tale starts over one thousand years ago in the city of Camalote as I prepared for my next quest, which ended up being my last.
Chapter One
“The Curse”
Has I stood on the balcony that over looked the city I saw the normally calm river frozen over by winters harsh temperatures. While staring at the beautiful site I heard someone calling out to me. As I turned around, I saw my beloved Lilis running towards me with her arms wide open.
“Edge I finally found you.” She said her arms wrapped around my waist.
“I’m not that hard to find, all you have to do is go to the quietest area in the castle and you’ll find me for sure.” I said in response to her as I held her closer to me.
As we stood there, in each other’s arms Lilis all of a sudden moved back.
“Oh yeah I almost forgot to tell you that my father is looking for you.” She said with a bit of displeasure in her voice.
“Well if he’s looking for me then it must be important. So I better go find his majesty.” I said with a depressed tone as I walked away from her.
“If he gives you another quest, you better come back alive. Because you still have to marry me.” She screamed out to me as I walked down the long hall that leads away from the balcony.
When I got to the giant doors of the throne room, I stood there wondering if I should go inside, at that very moment the King opened the door.
“Ah, Edge I see you got my message. I was thinking I would have to send someone else to get you.” The King said as he waved me inside.
“Sorry to sound impatience my Lord, but what is the quest you have for me?” I asked.
“How did you know I was going to send you on a quest?” he asked with a questionable sound in his voice.
“Well I figured you were sending me on a quest, because you sent Lilis to get me instead of a Royal Herald like you would have for any other Knight.” I told him.
“Ah… well then I guess there is no reason for small talk then. I sent for you because you are the best I have and I need this problem taken care of as soon as possible.” He said as he walked over to his throne. He sat down and waved for me to come closer to him.
“So what is so important about this quest that it couldn’t wait?” I asked as I walked up to the throne.
“There is an evil wizard terrorizing the farmers in a small town that is no more than two days ride. All I need you to do is kill another one of these fake wizards that makes the locals believe they know magic and come back here and become my son-in-law.” He said as he smiled.
“One question for you my Lord, why send me if he’s a fake? Don’t we have other Knights that could easily take care of such an easy obstacle?” I asked.
“Well I’ve been losing favor with this area, and I figured if I sent my best Knight to face their wizard problem, they might feel differently about me.” The King said with a bit of uncertainty in his voice.
“As you wish my Lord, I shall take of this problem as quickly as I can. But before I leave I need to go tell Lilis where I’m going so that she won’t worry about me.” I said as I started to walk towards the doors.
“Wait… do not tell Lilis. We don’t need to worry her about you a week before your two’s wedding.” The King said as he quickly got out of his throne, “All you need to do is get your armor and ready your mount. I’ll tell her as soon as you leave the castle gates.” He said as he grabbed my shoulder.
As soon as he grabbed me, I let out a slight sigh, when I was back in the main hall, I realized he was hiding something from me, but I honestly could not figure out what it was.
With that I left Camalote on my quest to rid the country of the so called wizard, but what I didn’t know was that would be the last time I saw my friends, family, King, and my dearest Lilis. The journey took me what seemed like two day to finally find where this supposed wizard was hiding. A small cottage came into view; I prepared myself for a small battle. I hooked my shield on to my arm and I used my left hand to guide my horse closer to the cottage, while my right hand was next to the hilt of my sword. When I came within shouting range of the cottage, I yelled out.
“Wizard, show yourself so that I might convict you of the heresy in which you are guilty.”
For ten minutes, I sat atop my horse waiting for this wizard to come out, but he never did. When all of a sudden I heard the sound of rushing fire closing in on me, I quickly jumped off my horse, barely being missed by what looked like a fireball.
“Ahh… I see you’re faster than I expected.”
Said a raggedy voice from behind me, I stood up and turned around, I saw a man that looked no older than forty years of age.
“Are you the wizard that has been terrorizing the locals?” I asked the strange figure in front of me.
“Why yes I am, and the name happens to be Thuro Malus. So what is the name of my newest victim?” He said with a chuckle.
“I have no idea who your next victim is, but I can tell you the name of your executioner and my name happens to be Sir Edge of Camalote.” I said boastfully.
“For your insolence I shall send you to hell on a ball of flames.” He remarked as he raised his hands over his head and started chanting a spell.
The next thing I know a massive fireball appeared above his head, and in no time, he flung it towards me. As the massive fireball grew closer to me, I quickly raised my shield in front of me hoping it would take the impact instead of me. Then all of a sudden, a rush of heat and pressure forced me to take a couple steps back. I regained my footing as I felt the heat of melting iron; I looked at my shield, realizing it was melting as if it was snow being touched by the sun. I quickly dropped it as to ready myself for another attack.
The very second my shield hit the ground I heard Thuro say, “Ah, I see you’ve finally given up hope in this battle.”
“You wished I’m only preparing myself to kill you with more ease.” I explain to him.
“Your cockiness will be the end of you, but it shall be I that sends you to hell.” He said as propped his hands in front of him as a white glow started to form in the palm of his hands.
“The same trick will not work on me twice.” I yelled as I ready my sword for the up coming blast.
“You believe this to be the same as the other? Ha, this attack is five times stronger than that one. There is only one way to stop it, and you’re no where near me to kill me.” He explains, as the object grew bigger in his hands.
I stood there thinking how to kill him without getting close as he mocked me as if I was as helpless as a child. Then it hit me, if I could not get close enough with my sword then I shall send my sword to him. With that thought, I swung and released my sword. Because of his attack, he could not see the blade closing in on him until it was too late to move. As my sword entered into the ball of white light I heard Thuro scream out something, but the noise of everything drown out whatever he said. Then the next thing I knew a great white flash flew towards me sending me flying into a large rock.
I opened my eyes, I could see falling snow, as I laid there on the ground looking at the light grey sky. I started to wonder if I was dead, because at that time I could feel no pain what so ever. I then realized I was not dead, and that the wizard might still be alive, so as I started to left myself up I felt the hilt of my sword as my hand rubbed against it. I realized it would be an important factor to my survival, so I grabbed it with my right hand as I used my left hand to push myself up.
While scanning the scene of destruction I saw a figure standing in the middle of a deep fog, as I crept closer to the figure my blood started to run cold from the mumbling noises I heard coming from the figure in the fog. However, the closer I got the more the voice died down, soon I saw the wizard standing there, I raised my sword to finish him. As I swung my sword at him, I saw that I only held half of my sword while the other half was buried deep within the wizard’s chest. As soon as I saw the blade protruding from his chest, I busted out in laughter, because I saw that I had not taken any damage. This surprised me because I remember slamming into a huge rock as my armor was shattering right off my body cutting my flesh and muscles as if it were glass, but at the time, I could careless why I was not hurt. The only thing I knew is that I had to get back home to Camalote, and to Lilis. Therefore, I started back on the path to Camalote I dropped what remained of my once mighty sword leaving its broken blade impelled in the wizard.
Chapter Two
“Destruction”
As I was walking back to Camalote, my mind raced with my dear Lilis, and the thought of what our lives would be like together. I was walking through a small town as I heard an old woman call out to me.
“Young man are you not freezing in this weather?” she asked me.
“What do you mean? I do not feel cold at all.” I responded.
“That’s ridiculous you’re only wearing a pair of pants and boots, and you are telling me you’re not cold in this weather? It’s snowing pretty hard out here, so I suggest you come stay with me for the night.” She said as she grabbed my arm and pulled me to a large cottage.
“Here take a seat by the fire as I go grab you some cloths.” She said as she walked up stairs. I walked over and took a seat right next the roaring flames. I sat there thinking of nothing but my dearest Lilis. I truly could not wait to get back home just to hold her in my arms.
“Ahh, here we go. You seem to be the same size as my son.” The old woman said as she handed me a white shirt, and a pair of black pants.
“Excuse me, but I do not need a pair of pants.” I told her as I stood up.
“Have you seen the backside of those pants you’re wearing?” She asked with a chucking in her voice.
“No I haven’t.” I said as I turned to look in the mirror on the wall.
“What in the hell!” I shouted as I saw a huge whole in the rear of my pants revealing my bare ass to the world.
“Well I suppose I’ll have to wear these pant if I want to get back to Camalote, and not be laughed at.” I said laughingly.
I walked back down the stairs from changing as I noticed the old woman holding on to a dagger.
“Whose dagger is that?” I asked her as I walked up behind her.
“It was my son’s dagger.” She responded tearfully.
“Was... What happened to your son?” I asked her as I sat down across from her.
“He was killed by one of those damn Camalote Knights. If I am correct it was their champion named Edge. They say he was planning a rebellion against the King, so they found it fit to kill him without asking what he was really up to.” She said angrily as she gripped the handle of the dagger.
“I thought this town looked familiar.” I said as I ran my hand through my hair.
“What do you mean you thought it looked familiar?” She asked with a puzzled look on her face.
“I am Sir Edge, the Knight that killed your son two years ago.” I told her as I stood up.
“Hahaha, that’s funny. I doubt you are the greatest of the Knights. You look nothing like a Knight should.” She said laughingly. While she was still laughing, I walked over to my pouch and pulled the seal of the King out.
“Only the Knights of Camalote are allowed to carry these seals, and this very seal is marked with my name, so if you do not believe me then read the name engraved in the seal.” I told her as I tossed the seal towards her.
The seal landed in her hands, I saw her face turn from sorrow to anger in no time at all.
“Well I suppose this does mean you are the very Knight that killed my son.” She said angrily.
“That I am… so I’ll be leaving now. I’ll send someone back here to pay you for the cloths.” I said as I walked over to my stuff.
“You will be going nowhere until morning. It is snowing very hard and its midnight, so you will not be allowed to leave. So you get up stairs and get some rest because you’ll be needing it tomorrow.” The old woman said with a forceful voice.
I lay in the bed as I had a strange dream. I found myself in Camalote as it burned; I started walking through the blood soaked streets seeing the bodies of the people that lived within the city walls. When I came upon the castle, I saw the most horrifying image possible. I walked through the castle all the way to the throne room, I am not sure what drew me there I just had a feeling to go inside. As I pushed open the door I saw all the Knights of Camalote dead on the floor, and the most horrifying thing I saw was my dearest Lilis impaled by a sword in her throne next to the King’s throne. I drew closer as I saw a figure sitting in the Kings throng; I stepped closer as I saw it was the King, or at least someone pretending to be the King. I bent down, grabbed the sword of one of the fallen Knights, and ran towards the figure.
The next thing I knew he was right in front of me with a blade running it through my heart. He stood there looking at me; he spoke these words before I awoke.
“You’re King has been dead for two years now, and now his kingdom as finally fallen. You will join me, or you’re life will be a living hell.”
At that instant I awoke in a frenzy because I could feel that shape pain of a blade in my heart. I sat up as I saw the old woman on the floor praying to God to save her from a demon.
“What in the hell are you doing here, and why are you praying for protection from a demon?” I asked her.
“I came up here to kill you like you killed my son, and you are the demon I’m begging for protection from.” She said fearfully.
“How in the hell am I demon?” I asked questionably.
“Look at your chest, and see my son’s dagger sticking out of what should be your heart.” She cried out as she crawled away from the bed in which I was in.
She moved away, I saw the dagger in the same spot as to where that mysterious figure had run the blade, in my dream.
“You tried to kill me, you bitch I swear if it wasn’t for the fact I am not suppose to kill villagers you would be dead by now.” I yelled at her as I pulled the dagger out of my chest. I then stood up and walked down the stairs.
“How are you not dead?” She screamed out to me.
“I fear I don’t know the answer to that question.” I responded as I entered the living quarters.
“I’m not letting you out of this house alive. If you want to leave you’ll either leave here dead, or you’ll leave here with me dead.” Is what the old woman said as she ran in front of the door.
“I doubt you could kill me, and if you really want to die so fast then I’ll help you meet your son once again.” I told the old woman as I stepped closer to her.
As I walked through the darkness of the night, I heard the voice of the old woman screaming at me from her home.
“You will regret not killing me you fucking bastard. I hope you freeze out there, with nothing to keep you warm… I hope to find your frozen corpse in the morning.”
I walked as my head filled with the images of my dream. I could have sworn that all of that was really happening. I could smell the burning flesh; hear the screams for help, the noise of buildings crumbling around me, the feeling of blood running through my hands, the stinging of smoke in my eyes, the pain of the blade entering my heart. Was it a dream, or was it something that was actually happening?
All these questions started to enter my head, as I grew closer to my destination. I could not even feel the cold biting my flesh like hungry a beast. I barely noticed the sun rising over the horizon. As the sun rose from the earth I knew were I was, I was only a couple miles away from my home. I started to run faster in hope to get home sooner to rid my mind of these thoughts of my homes destruction. As I closed in on Camalote I noticed a giant black cloud starting to form; I thought to myself that it was just rain, but was I ever wrong.
As I grew closer I started to smell something that seemed familiar, and then it hit me. That smell was the scent of burning flesh. At that instant, I lost all hope, and started to sprint towards Camalote. As I got closer to the burning kingdom, I heard the sounds of people screaming, buildings crumbling, and all those sounds of that horrid dream of mine.
Then it hit me, if all these things were in my dream then what are the chances it was all real? I could not grasp the thought of taking orders from a madman for the past two years. How many good people did I kill without thought? At the thought of this, I dropped to my knees holding my head trying to understand all the things that had been ruined because of me. That old woman’s whole life thrown away when I killed her son, I sat there in the middle of the road it started to rain, but it did not matter to me for the simple fact I could careless what happens to me at this point in my life. At that time, I rose back to my feet and went back on my way to Camalote or at least what was left of it.
Chapter Three
“Hell”
When I finally came upon the burning city of Camalote’s once great walls I was finally able to comprehend the massive power that I was soon about to do battle with.
The once mighty walls had fallen like a child’s wooden blocks, the great gates splintered like that of a cheap board, the once busy streets of thousands of people now empty of life, but full of death. The smell of burning flesh was smoldering in the air as I walked to what I hoped was my finally destination. I finally came upon the once marvelous castle of Camalote as I heard a faint cry for help, with the sound of that one single voice a bit of hope was restored to me. I soon ran over to the location of that voice, which turned out to be the location of what used to be the control panel for the drawbridge. I pushed the rubble away as I caught a glace of the face of the person buried there.
When I saw the face of my greatest friend Draiken, my heart filled with joy.
“Draiken what happened here?” I asked.
“What happened? The King, he did everything. He just went insane and started to slaughter everyone. I never knew the King was as skilled as you are Edge.” He said as he fought for his life.
“Where is the King now?” I asked.
“He’s in the throne room of the castle… he said he’d be waiting for you.” Draiken said as the last bit of life escaped through his lips.
“I will kill that bustard for all that he has done. All the blood that was spilled by my hands will soon be cleansed with his blood.” I said angrily as I ran towards the flaming castle.
As I came upon the gates of the castle, I realized that I had no weapon to battle the King, but at this point, I could careless. I walked the familiar halls of the once grand castle. These halls now covered in blood and black with smoke. When I finally reached the throne room doors I remembered what I had saw in my dream, but I knew I had to go in and take care of the King or the world would be in crisis. I pushed upon the great wooden doors; I heard a laughter that made my blood run cold with fear.
“Ah, Edge it’s great to know you’re still alive, but I was hoping you’d leave. Because you are the only Knight in this whole shit hole of a kingdom that was worthy of joining me.” Says an evil voice, coming from the throne room,
When the door finally opened, I saw the horrible vision of my dream. The Knights of Camalote slaughter like animals, and the worst possible image, the image of my dearest Lilis dead in her throne.
“So I’ll take it you’re the bastard that took the place of our King, and killed everyone dear to me?” I asked the figure in the darkness.
“Well aren’t you a smart one Sir Edge and here I thought you’d do anything your King told you… Oh wait, you did do everything I told you to do.” The figure said jokingly.
“I am going to kill you for all the people I killed in your name.” I said as I bent down to grab one of the fallen Knight’s swords. The very second I looked up the figure appeared right in front of me with a sword running it through my body.
“You’re not strong enough to kill me yet. Hell you don’t even have a weapon that could cut through my armor.” The figure said.
“Well I hate to ruin your plans, but you can not kill me either. Ever since I fought that wizard Thuro Malus nothing has harmed me yet.” I said boastfully.
“Ha, I don’t want to kill you. I want to make your life a living hell and when you can no longer take it… I will finally be able to control the strongest of all the Knights.” He said as he pulled the sword from my abdomen.
He turned his back to me as I lunged forward with the sword I had grabbed in front of me. It seemed as if he knew I was going to do that, because right then he turned blocking my attack with his sword.
“My, my, my, Edge and here I thought better from you.” He said arrogantly.
“Well that was well thought then.” I said as I kicked him in the side.
“Hmm, maybe I was right that was a dirty little trick you just pulled. I can not wait until you join my army of darkness.” He said as he readies himself for an attack.
“You know you have a point there, but dirty tricks are needed some days, but at this time I just need another sword.” I spoke as I reached for a second sword.
“Ah, a fighting style I haven’t seen for hundreds of years. Show me if you are as good as Achilles was. Hell I’ll even let you make the first move, but be warned it will be your last.” The figure said to me.
With that, I charged forward with one blade behind me, and the other in front of me, ready to move quickly in any direction needed. As my front blade clashed with his sword I swung my rear blade at his arm, but he was able to dodge it. As the blade flew past him he took that chance to swing his sword, I saw the blade coming for my head, so I rolled out of the way.
As I rose back to my feet I caught him off guard by throwing one of the blades at him, he stepped to the opposite side making it possible for me to stab the blade I still had into his lower back.
“How’s that for you, you fucking bastard.” I shouted at my foe.
“Well now, that was better than I expected, but as I said it was your last move.” He responded while he pulled the blade out of his back.
“What do you mean my last move? I just won the battle.” I asked questionably.
“You may have won the battle yes, but the not the war. Oh… before the falling debris crushes you… my name happens to be Aroth, not bastard. I am hoping you’ll call me by that name the next time we meet, because after that you will be my servant, and Master will be the only name you’ll know for me.” He said as he walked past me and through the throne room doors.
The very second he walked through the doorway the whole castle crumbled onto me.
