Advent of the Dragon - Book 1: Destiny's Call

Chapter 19: The Black Knight Reborn

I pulled my eyes open, trying to bring my vision into focus as I awoke from what seemed like an eternal slumber. It wasn't even a refreshing slumber—more like I had just gotten an ass kicking before crawling out of a space the size of my chest.

But as my vision began to come into focus, and I could finally see and think straight, I could feel the discomfort beginning to leave me, almost as though I had just recovered from something fierce.

But I had no idea what it was. In fact, I couldn't even tell how and when I got to this place, much less what that place was.

The place I found myself standing in was completely black, void of any scenery, objects or even any kind of ground. And yet, somehow I was standing on my feet as though this was the same simple gravity as Earth, even if there was nothing to stand on.

Then, just as I started questioning everything, I saw a light. It shone from behind me, brighter than anything I had ever seen. It illuminated my body, as well as my mind. Suddenly, everything that had happened was beginning to come back to me.

Where am I?

Did I … Did I lose consciousness?

Then, I felt some strange force inside me—a familiar force—nudging me ever so gently toward the light. I started walking toward it. The closer I got, the more my mind began to regain focus.

I was … I was in the middle of something, wasn't I? I shouldn't be here, should I?

Despite how wrong this seemed to me, I still kept walking toward the light, unable to stop myself, even when I started to recognize more and more of my grim fate.

Wait. I remember now. 

I was fighting Rallix. The Burning Beast.

And he was winning.

The light grew brighter and brighter as I continued to approach it. I was almost upon it when I suddenly knew what it meant.

That means … That means I'm … I'm dead, aren't I?

I stopped.

No! No, this isn't right! I can't be here!

I tried to turn around. I tried to run. But some force coming from the dark place around me kept me from moving even an inch in the opposite direction. Then, there it was again—that strange force inside me—only this time, I recognized it.

It's okay, he said, Do not be afraid. Step toward the light.

I hesitated. I knew what entering that light would mean, not just for me but for the entire world. And yet, somehow, that voice was comforting. Somehow, I knew that, despite this fate, everything would be okay.

I continued to step forward.

Then, just as I came within only a few steps of that blinding light, I found myself suddenly stopping. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't move any farther ahead. I couldn't reach that light—until it reached me.

The light grew brighter and brighter, blinding me with its glow as it began to envelop the entire void I had found myself trapped in. I shielded my eyes, waiting for it to dissipate, hoping that I would then find myself in the world it would yield to me.

But the world I then found myself in wasn't what I thought it would be.

It was on Earth!

Suddenly, I was baffled.

I don't get it. How could I go from the brink of death at the hands of Rallix to some light at the end of a tunnel to what looks just like home?

Maybe … Maybe I'm not dead. Maybe I did beat him…

As much as I wished it though, deep down, I knew that wasn't it. Something told me this wasn't the Earth I knew. Something about it seemed off.

The place I had found myself in was a wide open terrain, untouched by the hands of men. In one direction was a cluster of tall, beautiful mountains, and in the other was a clear, shimmering lake. A gentle breeze began to blow across the fields, rustling through the grass, almost like an enchantment. The sky was completely clouded, and yet, it couldn't help but look so beautiful, almost like a concealed paradise.

The place I was in was like a dream. It couldn't have been Earth.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

I spun around, nearly falling backward in shock as I saw a dark, ghostly figure appear before my eyes. At first, I could have sworn it was something along the lines of the Grim Reaper, but as his spirit took shape, I soon figured out that I was wrong. In fact, that dark garb of his wasn't even any kind of robe. It was more like … armor.

Wait. It can't be!

"You're …" I stuttered, "You're my ancestor! You're the Black Knight!"

I could hear a light chuckle slipping through the air holes in his helmet.

"It is nice to know that you have not left your memory behind on your journey to this world."

My heart suddenly sank.

"'This world?'" I echoed, "So … I really am dead, aren't I?"

"Mmm, not exactly," he corrected me.

My heart jumped.

"Wait, I'm alive!?"

He nodded slowly.

"But then … where am I?"

He sat down next to me, somehow taking away the sudden sense of urgency that was just thrust upon me. He seemed so relaxed.

"Well," he said, "That depends on what you mean by 'where.' If you are asking what world you have found your way to, well, I suppose you could call it the bridge between Life and The Afterlife, where spirits of the living and the dead may comingle—a place where time and space converge, creating infinite possibilities, both physical and spiritual. As for this particular location…"

He stood up.

"This is my homeland."

"Wait," I said, "So we are on Earth?"

"Well, not the Earth you know," he specified, "This is Earth as it was 1,000 years ago, back when I was there to protect it."

He lifted out his arm, pointing to all the magnificent landmarks that were around us.

"The land you see before you was once a part of a worldwide paradise, still untouched by the Burning Beast you know as Rallix."

"It's…" I could hardly come up with the words to describe what I saw, "It's amazing!"

"It was amazing," he said, "but as I am sure you know, Rallix's ruthlessness was quick to change this."

Suddenly, a roar came bellowing down from the skies, immediately bringing the peace of the land crashing to an end. I felt a sudden burst of flames from behind me—far, but more than intense enough to make up for the distance—raging throughout the land. Screams of panic and terror were soon beginning to sound, while the clouds above us began to turn from a calm grey to a burning red. Birds were flocking from their homes. Leaves were being singed to a crisp. The dream-like paradise I found myself in was suddenly turning into a nightmare.

"I am sure you know the source of this sudden outbreak of chaos," the Black Knight told me, "And this is no ordinary attack either."

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"There is a reason I brought you to this particular time," he turned toward me, "Would you like to see the place that the Burning Beast is attacking right now?"

I nodded slowly.

"Then turn around."

I hesitated for a brief second, but then, as I turned around, I could see the scenery changing around me. There was still the same nightmarish chaos ensuing the place, but as my surroundings began to fade into a blur, spinning around me as though they were morphing into something else, I could feel myself moving straight into the eye of the storm—until finally, I saw what Rallix's flames were engulfing: a village.

Houses were burning down to the ground, people fleeing their homes, desperately trying to squirm free, only to be stricken down by Rallix the minute they tried to seek refuge. They were helpless, every single one of them, and yet he refused to spare anyone's lives—women, children, families, even the animals were slaughtered.

All those people … and for his amusement!

I clenched my fist and gritted my teeth, barely able to watch this torment go on, especially after what he had put me through.

"If you think you are having a hard time watching this, just have a look over there."

The Black Knight pointed to his left, toward a person who was watching this all happen from the sidelines, dropping to his knees in grief and anguish; it was him!

"This … this was YOUR village!"

"Yes," he said, "I came back just as Rallix had begun to attack my people. I was helpless to save them; all I could do was stand and watch."

I turned back toward the Black Knight's past counterpart as he watched the flames engulfing his village. He collapsed on all fours, clenching his fists in the dirt and pounding them into the ground. Even though his head was covered by that black helmet, I could see what he was feeling. I could see the tears falling from his eyes, the rage building within them. I knew because I had felt it myself when I watched my brother and sister die at the hands of that same beast.

He put his hand on my shoulder.

"Like you, I have felt a great loss at the hands of this beast," he told me, "And like you, it gave me a firm resolve: a resolve to avenge those that had fallen into this beast's ruthless clutches."

"But how?"

He pointed again at his past counterpart.

"You are about to see for yourself."

The flames finally began to die down, leaving nothing but smoldering piles of ash where that once prosperous village used to be, as the Black Knight watching it finally stood up. He clutched his sword, ready to fight—and yet, still hesitating.

Until Rallix turned around, getting ready to take off.

The Black Knight then charged in, wielding his sword in both hands, ready to finish Rallix off. But by the time he reached him, it was too late. Rallix had already taken to the skies and flown out of his reach.

I clenched my fist again, still lamenting every opportunity to defeat him that I had so narrowly missed, just as he had.

And yet, the Black Knight refused to give up.

He called his horse to his side, mounted it, and went charging after him.

"Come," said the ghostly Black Knight, "We must follow them."

"What? Wait, what fo—Whoooaaaa!!"

Suddenly, I felt my feet lifting off the ground as some supernatural force pulled me up into the air. I looked frantically in all directions, not knowing what was going on, and before I knew it, I was sent flying after Rallix. Suddenly, I was spazzing out, not knowing what the heck was going on or how I could get down. I shook my arms and legs, hoping to break that force's grip on me—up until I saw the Black Knight flying right next to me, just as relaxed as ever.

"Wh-What's going on?" I asked him.

"Look."

He pointed out in front of him, toward his past counterpart who was still chasing Rallix as fast as he can. For a moment, it looked like he wasn't going to make it—until I saw something on the horizon.

"Is any of this familiar to you?" he asked me.

"Yeah…" I said, "Yeah! You defeated Rallix in the crater of a volcano, didn't you?"

"Yes," he said, "This is the very place that Rallix led me into."

Suddenly, Rallix came spinning upward, furling his wings and looping back down, taking a nosedive straight into the crater of the volcano ahead. The Black Knight stopped at the base of the volcano, while we stopped, floating just overhead.

"You didn't seriously climb that thing, did you?"

"See for yourself," he said.

Sure enough, that Knight went climbing up that mountain hoping to reach the crater so he could take down Rallix.

"But why?"

"Come now," he said, "Surely you of all people would know what it means to have something to fight for. Would you not do the same thing for your brother and sister?"

I paused.

Was I … Was I really that crazy? Would I seriously try something like that?

"True power is not measured by the size of one's strength," he told me, "But by the strength of one's heart."

So that's why I always felt so confident in myself, and why Kevin and Zoey felt so confident in me. That power was my edge. To Rallix, it was always about who was strongest.

But then, why is it that he still stands victorious?

"Of course, that does not go without saying that brute strength doesn't help."

"What do you mean?" I finally asked him.

"Take a look."

He pointed up at the volcano's peak, which immediately showed something eerie going on; there was smoke rising from the crater. As the Black Knight continued to climb, giant puffs of smoke came bursting from the top, sending ashes and embers plummeting right back down. And still, he kept going!

"And that wasn't all that was holding me back," he went on, "Do you remember when you were holding onto Rallix's tail, refusing to let  go, even when you could feel it burning through your skin?"

I clutched my arms, still feeling the burn even through this spiritual body.

"How could I forget…?"

"The same thing happened to me as I continued to make this climb. As you can see by now, dangerous activity was happening inside this crater, which conducted through the walls of the volcano, heating them to dangerous temperatures."

"And you still kept going?"

He nodded slowly.

"But why?" I asked him, "I mean, I can understand you wanting to fight and avenge your people, but … is following Rallix all the way to a place like that really the best way to go about it?"

His response wasn't what I expected.

"I was blind," he said, "In all my righteous fury, I was blinded by my desire for vengeance. It never occurred to me that this beast could be setting me up for a fall like this. And it cost me my life."

It was when he said this that I saw Rallix trigger his trap. As the Black Knight finally reached the peak of the mountain, Rallix came flitting from the depths of the crater, sending out a torrent of flames and smoke with a roar as he gazed at his prey, ready to strike down the Black Knight with one fell swoop.

However, one fell swoop proved to be something that the Black Knight was more than capable of handling.

As Rallix came down for the strike, the Black Knight dodged his attack while maintaining his balance on the crater with ease. Rallix paused, staring at his prey in both fascination and confusion.

He came swooping down again, this time assailing the Black Knight with everything he had. And yet, even with a barrage of punches and kicks coming at him, the Black Knight was able to dodge and block every blow that was thrown at him; he even managed to get inside his blows and take a few swipes of his own!

"Well, so far, it looks like you're holding your own," I said.

"I am afraid it didn't last," he said, "The environmental effects of the seismic activities Rallix had triggered were staggering. I couldn't possibly handle all of it."

As fatigue began to kick in, I could see the Black Knight struggling to keep his balance, and the second he took the time to regain his footing, Rallix struck, forcing him down to the ground. He flew back up, ready to finish him off with one sweltering blast.

But just as he fired the blast, the Black Knight rolled out of the way—and into the crater!

"What the…!?"

"Come," the Black Knight motioned, "This fight is far from over, and it is in your best interest to see the rest."

"Wait a minute!" I interjected, "How did you—whoa!"

Suddenly, that force was tugging me into the air again, dragging both me and the spirit of the Black Knight directly over the volcano's crater.

"Are you sure we should be floating up here?" I asked.

"Do not worry," he assured me, "The environmental hindrances of this place will have no effect on either of us."

He was right. Even though both of us were completely shrouded in smoke, I had no problem breathing in it, or even seeing through it! I could see everything that was going on as plain as day. It was like the smoke wasn't even there.

"Observe."

The Black Knight pointed down at his battle-worn counterpart, who was still plummeting into the depths of the crater, leaving him with only two places to land, the tall stone pillar standing in the very center of the crater, or the boiling pit of magma below it.

As the Black Knight fell, I could see where he was seeking refuge—but by the time he made it to the center of the crater's radius, he had already missed his chance, leaving him only one place to go: the inferno below him.

Still, he refused to quit!

Acting on sheer instinct, I saw him take out his sword and thrust it into the side of the pillar, stopping him immediately from falling any further as he hung by a mere thread.

"Whoa!"

"Yes," said the Black Knight, "The instinct you carry through your bloodline is one for battle, an unstoppable force of tenacity and ingenuity. It is no fluke that you were able to make it through every obstacle that has stood in your way thus far; it is in your blood. The Knights are the most persistent and resourceful of warriors, and their instinct for battle lives within you."

I see … It all makes sense! That's why Kevin, Zoey, and I were chosen to face Rallix out of all the other people in the world. An ordinary person wouldn't be enough.

It would take someone who had that same instinct for battle that he did.

But … why us?

BOOM!

Another blast from Rallix—this time, it was aimed to blow the Black Knight right off the pillar. However, it soon became clear that the Black Knight wasn't the only one whose battle instinct this smoke was hindering once I saw what that blast had hit—the very top of that pillar! And with enough of it reduced to ash, the Black Knight could now climb straight to the top and regain his footing once more.

With his patience wearing thin, Rallix hovered down with a stern gaze piercing into the Black Knight's eyes.

"I tire of thy refusal to simply admit defeat," he said coldly.

"The day I am defeated is the day I die!" the Black Knight said firmly.

"Then thou shall die!"

Whoa, déjà vu…

"I can see you fight with the same spirit, yes?" said the Black Knight, "And your refusal to give up produced the same result, did it not?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Your perseverance," he specified, "The more you persisted, the less patient Rallix became. And as his temper began to rage out of his control, so did his power."

"He began to make mistakes, didn't he?"

The Black Knight nodded, his arms crossed, saying nothing as he continued to watch this moment as if it was his most treasured one. I looked back down at the fight just as I saw Rallix's tail whipping up against him from behind, knocking him down again, but as he clenched the dirt, desperate to get back up, I saw Rallix turn toward him again, growing even further with rage.

That was when the Black Knight made his move.

While it was still within reaching distance, the Black Knight made a frantic grab for Rallix tail. The minute he managed to wrap his fingers around it, Rallix's wings furled up as he screamed out in pain, stunned and weakened.

"So you found it too?" I asked.

"The reserve of Rallix's power?" the Black Knight answered, "Yes."

"Wait," I said, "The reserve of his power? I thought that tail was just a weak spot of his."

"It is," he said, "But there is a reason for this. You see, according to the ancient legend, the gem on Rallix's forehead is the embodiment of his elemental power; it acts as its source. As it generates the enormous amount of energy needed to produce such power, the gem transfers it to a key body part capable of storing the bulk of this power: in Rallix's case, the tail. Therefore, when it is damaged, so is the capacity of Rallix's strength and endurance."

The Black Knight fighting Rallix clawed his way forward, grabbing Rallix's tail with his other hand and pulling it with all the strength he had.

"Watch."

I heeded his instruction and watched as Rallix's attack was brought screeching to a halt. His wings were no longer moving, nor were his limbs. And then, frozen in the air and helpless to fight back, Rallix came falling down and was brought crashing into the pillar below, leaving him to plunge into the boiling inferno beneath him.

"I think I get it," I said, "Rallix didn't just get hurt. You weakened him, didn't you?"

"But not for long," he warned me, "Just as the damage to his tail was only temporary, so too was the loss of his power."

I looked back down at the fight as Rallix came erupting from the depths of the magma with a vengeance, soaring upward as his claws ripped straight through the Black Knight's armor, emerging in blood, leaving four large bleeding slashes where his chest plating used to me.

The Black Knight fell to his knees, clutching his chest as he looked up at Rallix, who was still flying higher and higher.

"Whoa!"

He was headed straight for us!

Unable to move, I braced myself for impact, only to find that there was none, and in the other direction, I found that Rallix was already high above me. He had flown right through me!

Man, this not-existing-in-this-world thing is getting creepy…

Then, as Rallix finally stopped, he put his two fists together, igniting a fierce flame around them, and after hovering in the air for a mere moment, he brought them crashing back down like a meteor. The Black Knight scrambled to his feet, holding his shield up and bracing for impact, but before he could fortify his defense, Rallix's attack had already hit, knocking the Black Knight right back down to the ground once more.

I winced at the sight of his attack, watching the Black Knight writhe in pain just as I had when Rallix was toying with me.

He put his hand on my shoulder again.

"Be strong," he said, "Remember, the fight is not over until the last breath is drawn."

I looked back down at Rallix, who was hovering just over the Black Knight, ready to finish him off. Still, he hesitated. He waited for the Black Knight to get back up, just as he did with me. He wanted to see his enemy's helplessness as he finished him off.

Not over? Well … I know the Black Knight managed to get the best of this guy, but right now, it looks about as over as it can get.

Still, the Black Knight was able to get on his feet, but from the way he was trembling in pain, it soon became clear that he was on his last legs. And yet he still stood firm, tightening his grip on his shield, refusing to yield.

Rallix, knowing that neither his shield nor his armor could hold off his power any longer, readied yet another blast of fire in his hands. He fired, and with nowhere to flee, the Black Knight had no choice but to take the blast head-on and finally meet his end—or so I thought.

Just as the blast came upon him, the Black Knight thrust his shield at the attack, sending it flying right back at Rallix, hitting him in the chest and knocking him against the wall. His wings began to furl up, and his eyes were squinted shut. Suddenly, he was helpless to fight back.

Wait. I've seen that trick before, haven't I?

Then, it hit me.

Kevin! He used that same trick to burn away Rallix's wings!

So the instinct that flows through us really does have the power to turn the tides of any fight…

Finally, the Black Knight turned the tides on Rallix—permanently—as he clutched his sword and hurled it toward Rallix with every ounce of strength he had left. Rallix came around just as the Black Knight made his move, but before he could react, it was too late. That sword had already pierced his chest, striking him down and leaving him to fall to his death in the magma below.

I couldn't believe it. Even when he was backed into a corner with what seemed like no way to fight back, the Black Knight struck down the beast that threatened to destroy the entire world.

"Do you see now?" said the Black Knight, "It is not power that determines the outcome of the fight. It is the will of the fighter."

But then … why is it that MY will has gotten me here? Am I really supposed to make some sort of comeback from this?

"Wait a minute," I said, as I just realized something, "I thought you died in the battle against Rallix as well. If you beat him, then … what happened to you?"

Before he spoke, the Black Knight looked down and clenched his fist—not in anger, but in shame.

"I may not have died in the battle," he said, "but Rallix did succeed in taking me down with him."

"What do you mean?"

"Observe."

I saw the Black Knight collapse on the ground, as the foul conditions of that crater finally began to take their toll on him. He had already suffered enough damage from Rallix, but spending too much more time here would prove fatal.

Then, things got worse.

The blade that showed its handle above the lava after Rallix had fallen was gone. I didn't know what to think of it, until I saw what the Black Knight was peeking over the pillar at. He saw the magma rising.

"Wait," I said, "Is the place gonna—"

"Yes," he said, "Brace yourself."

"What!?" I burst out, "Brace myself!? I thought stuff couldn't touch us here!? What do you mean—"

BOOM!

Just like a match setting off a powder keg, that magma kept on building and building, until suddenly, it came bursting out of the crater in a fiery explosion unlike any I could imagine. I watched it erupt from just under the surface of the crater as the lava came shooting out in a torrent of molten destruction. I closed my eyes and shielded my face with my arm, bracing myself for the worst. To my relief, nothing happened. I didn't even feel a thing.

I opened my eyes several seconds later, suddenly finding that the spirit of the Black Knight and I were no longer anywhere near the crater of the volcano—but I saw it from a distance, smoke bursting out of it sending ashes and embers flying everywhere, while lava continued to pour out of it.

At least we were at a safe distance now—or so I thought—until I saw something else flying out of the volcano's crater, heading straight for us.

I almost ran for cover, but then, reminding myself once again that I couldn't be harmed here, I stopped, watching to see exactly what that object was. Then …

CLANG!

It came landing on the ground with a thud, right at our feet. The Black Knight leaned down to look at it—it was his helmet, smoldered and damaged from both the scars of battle and the eruption of lava. All that was left of the legendary Knight that fought against Rallix was that hollow fragment of armor, which hardly resembled what it once was.

The Black Knight took to his knee. He touched it as though he was holding a lost loved one. Even though he had succeeded in saving the world, he still seemed to look at it with such regret.

Then, I realized.

"Umm…" I hated to interrupt his sad moment, but I had to ask him, "Back in the Underworld, before we fought, Rallix told us something. … Something I think you may know about."

"Yes?" The Black Knight stood up and turned back toward me.

"Is it true that he's … that he's still alive? Even though you managed to seal him away in that place?"

He sighed.

"It is one of my greatest regrets," he said, "But yes. It is true."

So he wasn't bluffing after all. That's why he's had the will to escape for all these years—because he still had a life to live outside of that place; a life to devote to taking other lives.

"You see," he went on, "During those last few moments I had, even when I realized that death was upon me, I took comfort. I took comfort in thinking that I had saved the world from his tyranny; thinking that I truly had stricken him down, and that he would pose no further threat to the world.

But as I watched over the world from the heavens, I soon saw that I was wrong. When Rallix still retained the will to escape, even during the centuries that he failed, I knew there was something wrong. Then, when the fortuneteller Leona told him of the day you would have to face him, it became clear that I had failed."

He looked down at his helmet again, staring at it as though it was nothing but a shell of who he thought he once was.

"I have faced many regrets since my death. Regrets that I had no possible way of rectifying. Though I would have given it gladly, I no longer had a life to risk in finishing what I had started.

But you…"

He looked back up at me.

"You have already helped me to ease these regrets. Even as a boy, you have shown that the bloodline of the most legendary of warriors lives within you. You have shown that you can defeat Rallix, that you can silence him for good."

I clenched my fist, looking down at that helmet on the ground, suddenly feeling that same shame that he had felt toward his fight with Rallix. Even though I could feel my connection to him, I didn't see how it would make any difference. After all, if he couldn't take down Rallix, then what chance did I have?"

"I'm sorry…" I said, "I can't…"

He put his hand on my shoulder again.

"You don't realize just what power you possess, do you?"

I looked back up at him, hopeful, but still dismayed.

"No…"

"Tell me," he said, "Do you recall a time during your fight with Rallix when your brother and sister called out to you after they died?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Moments after those occurrences, you tapped into reserves of strength and cunning the likes of which even I have never seen before. You were able to take the offensive against Rallix, and even when you were on the brink of death, you still had a way to win against him."

"For what good it did," I said, "All that was only for a moment. No matter what I did, it was only a matter of time before he had me back in the palm of his hand."

He crossed his arms.

"So you couldn't control it," he said, "Of course, you couldn't be expected to master such power right away. After all, the first few times, instinct will only carry you so far."

"Well, that's a problem," I said, "Cause right now, I kinda NEED to be able to control it."

The Black Knight uncrossed his arms and reached over his shoulder behind his back.

"Then take this."

He pulled his arm back over his shoulder, and with it, his sword came unsheathed.

"Your sword!?" I said, almost dumbfounded.

He held it out toward me. I couldn't help but stare at it for a minute, but eventually, I couldn't help but take it from him, holding it in astonishment. And as I looked at the blade, I noticed something.

"It's … It's completely black," I said, "I thought you never wiped your opponent's blood off this thing. Isn't it supposed to symbolize victory or something?"

"For a long time, it did," he said, "But sometimes, when you face regrets, it is best to start again with a clean slate."

I looked back down at the sword, still trying to grasp that I was holding one of the most legendary items in existence. There was no way I was worthy of holding something like this.

"I … I can't accept this."

I held it back up toward him. He said nothing, but merely pushed it back toward me, insisting that I keep it.

"I no longer have any use for it," he said, "You, on the other hand, need this now more than ever. You see, there comes a time when every great person—not just the Knights—is awakened. They look at themselves at the most critical moment in their lives and discover who they are. For you, that time is now."

It was then that he did something I never expected. He reached up with both his hands and grabbed his helmet, slowly lifting it off his shoulders. Once it was off, he threw it to the ground, just next to its battle-worn twin.

"You are a Knight," he said, "And you always have been. When you awaken, you will be reborn, and you will see who you truly are."

What I saw beneath that helmet shocked me to the core, causing me to nearly drop the sword he had given me. His hair was almost pitch-black, grown down just between his ears and his shoulders. His face was like mine, and yet much more mature—much more confident. And as he smiled, I couldn't help but realize—his face was exactly like mine!

I couldn't wrap my mind around it. There had to be something to all this: all the thoughts and feelings that we shared, all the ways between our fights with Rallix that history seemed to repeat itself, all the connections I seemed to have with him that even Kevin and Zoey didn't, and now his face being essentially an older version of mine.

That was when it hit me.

I wasn't just a descendant of the Black Knight.

I was a reincarnation of him!

It was upon realizing this that everything the Black Knight had just told me came to pass—who I was, why me, what I was destined for—it all became clear. Like a rush of sudden revelation and self-fulfillment, a sense of self-worth hit me like a thunder bolt. I knew who I was, I knew my purpose, and most of all, I knew that I couldn't possibly fail.

And as my mind raced through these sudden realizations, I could even feel the world around me warping out of control. The Black Knight standing in front of me, within seconds, soon became nothing more than a small, dark blur in front of me, while my surroundings stretched around him—as if pulling me away from where I was.

Soon, the entire place I found myself standing in was nothing more than a light in front of me—a bright light at the end of a dark tunnel. With each passing second, that light got farther and farther away, until suddenly, I got the sensation that I was falling. The light that continued to dwindle in front of me seemed to now be above me as I continued to fall and fall. Until…