Hell Knight looked at Saint Knight's hand and began to shake it.
"My name is Rea, but some people call me the Hell Knight."
"Hell Knight? Are you the one from the legend?"
"Legend? What do you mean?"
Saint Knight shook his head. "No, forget it."
Saint Knight turned around and saw Yuna kneeling in front of the statue of the Goddess of Divinity, praying.
A few moments later, Yuna finished her prayer and stood up, then turned around and approached Saint Knight and Hell Knight.
"Alright... Let's go to the Saint Associate Headquarters," said Yuna enthusiastically.
Inside the Vifla Royal Palace, in the Throne Room, there were four people. The King looked like an old man sitting on his throne. In front of him was someone kneeling, wearing white full armor with gold trim, a black mask with gold trim at the edges, and a red cloth on his head. That person was Royal Knight.
Beside the Royal Knight was another person kneeling before the King. He had black hair with blue irises, wore a black robe, and had a longsword tied to his waist. That person was the Hero, the last hope of humanity.
There is also someone wearing white full armor with yellow stripes, a white lance, and yellow ring-like patterns. He is Lance Knight.
"We have so many refugees that this city cannot accommodate them all... Royal Knight, I want you to escort the refugees to the city of Pertula." The King commands.
Royal Knight replies, "As you wish, Your Majesty."
Royal Knight stood up and left the throne room.
King ordered the Lance Knight, "Lance Knight... Go to the city of Ertao. We must reclaim that city."
Lance Knight replied, "Very well." He turned and walked toward the exit of the throne room. "I'll go first."
"Lance Knight... Bring the royal troops and the Hero to assist you."
Lance Knight smiled slightly, "You underestimate me, but... I will do it."
A few hours later, Lance Knight waited outside the city gates. He saw the troops approaching him, along with the Hero leading the way.
"We are ready, Sir Knight."
"Alright, we will depart now."
Two days later, the troops began to rest. They were already close to the city of Ertoa, but there were many demons there. Lance Knight approached the Hero, who was sitting by the campfire.
Hero, come with me. There's something I want to talk to you about."
The Hero smiled slightly. "Alright."
Hero stood up and followed Lance Knight into the forest. They had entered a fairly deep part of the forest.
"Sir Knight, how much longer will we walk? We've been in the forest for quite some time."
Lance Knight stopped. "Hero, are you a traitor?"
Hero asked with a confused tone, "Huh? What do you mean?"
Lance Knight turned around. "I've seen many people with eyes that want to kill, but... Your eyes are more like those of a killer who wants to join various groups to kill."
Hero smiled broadly. "Ah... I've been found out."
He quickly drew his sword and advanced toward Lance Knight, swinging his sword to the side. Lance Knight quickly aimed his lance to pierce Hero's sword, but Hero lowered his sword slightly, causing Lance Knight's lance to miss Hero's sword.
As Hero's sword was about to touch Lance Knight's chest, Lance Knight managed to hold Hero's sword-wielding hand with his left hand. Then Lance Knight kicked Hero, sending him flying into a tree.
Lance Knight began to jump toward the Hero and stab him from above, but the Hero quickly ran forward, causing Lance Knight's stab to hit the ground, shattering it.
"Heh... It seems I need to increase my strength."
The Hero quickly ran toward Lance Knight, then swung his sword to the side again. Lance Knight immediately blocked Hero's sword swing with his lance. Lance Knight successfully blocked Hero's attack, but dozens of trees behind him were immediately cut down.
Lance Knight immediately stabbed Hero with his right arm in front and his left shoulder behind to tilt his body, followed by Hero. Both of them successfully avoided each other's stabs, then both of them immediately jumped backward.
"Let's settle this quickly," said Lance Knight.
Lance Knight began holding his lance upward with one hand, then pressed the hand holding the lance against his chest like a sword user. Yellow lightning began to emerge from his body and his lance, then the lightning began striking everything around him. Lance Knight moved as quickly as lightning, appearing before Hero. Hero was startled, and Lance Knight began stabbing at Hero. However, Hero managed to dodge, and lightning erupted from the tip of Lance's weapon, shattering and setting fire to the tree in front of him.
Lance Knight swiftly delivered hundreds of stabs to Hero, much like a rapier user. Hero began to sustain severe injuries, his body bleeding profusely and unable to move.
As Lance Knight was about to kill the Hero, suddenly a black sword with a horn-like guard flew out from behind the bushes and stabbed Lance Knight from behind. Lance Knight vomited blood, and blood flowed from his helmet as he released the lance from his grip.
The wounded Hero began to smile slightly, "You took your time... Bastard."
A figure wearing black armor with horns on his helmet emerged from behind the bushes. He was Demon Knight, the same one who had recruited Bandit Knight. Demon Knight began approaching the two of them, then pulled the sword that had pierced Lance Knight's chest from behind.
"So, what should we do with him? Should we kill him?" Demon Knight asked.
The Hero began to answer, "Let him be. He'll die soon anyway. We should inform Lord Dark Mage."
The Hero and Demon Knight began to head into the forest to meet Dark Mage in the city of Artoa.
Blood continued to flow from the Lance Knight's chest, and he could barely move his entire body. Damn... It seems my life won't last much longer. I must tell everyone.
Lance Knight took out a blank piece of paper and wrote the words "Hero is a traitor" with his own blood. After writing that on the blank paper, he took his last breath, and his body began to fall to the ground.
The soldiers who had heard the intense battle earlier rushed to the scene. They were shocked to see Lance Knight lying on the ground and approached him.
One soldier said, "Quickly check Sir Knight's condition!"
Another soldier checked Lance Knight's condition. "It seems he's already dead..."
Everyone who heard that was shocked, then they saw the letter Lance Knight had written
with his blood. One soldier quickly took the letter and returned to the city of Artyxia to inform the king, while the other soldiers wanted to carry Lance Knight away. However, the healed Hero, Demon Knight, and a person wearing a black robe with black hair and purple irises—he was Dark Mage—intervened.
The Hero said cheerfully, "I didn't expect anyone to come here."
The soldiers immediately aimed their weapons at the Hero, Demon Knight, and Dark Mage.
"Kill them," Dark Mage ordered the Hero and Demon Knight.
The Hero and Demon Knight began to smile, drew their swords, then advanced and killed all the soldiers there. Dark Mage approached Lance Knight's body, then placed his hand on Lance Knight's body.
Dark Mage spoke. "Rise, you are my subordinate, you are my servant... and you are my slave."
Lance Knight's armor, which was originally white with yellow stripes, now turned black with blue stripes. The Lance Knight began to rise and kneel before Dark Mage.
Dark Mage smiled and began to touch Lance Knight's head. "From now on, your identity is no longer Lance Knight, but Shadow Knight."
Shadow Knight, upon hearing this, remained silent and continued to kneel. Dark Mage began to take the lance and handed it to the Hero.
"Take this to the city of Artyxia; we will destroy that city.
To be continued.....