As it turns out, destiny is apparently still a lie.
Or is it? Not even the supposed gods could answer. Us who strive to know, however, fight in an endless cycle for what to believe.
I was heralded and sent to hopefully die down one of these battles. As a knight by my rather blameless father, whom almost everyone calls the Dark Lord.
And I witnessed. People of all fantastical races apart from myself, dying for their individual cause. My inky-dark armour, royally fit for a grown stature, wouldn't protect me for long.
Bullets pierced through the wind. Explosions shattered the village buildings. Magic was used not to cultivate, but to reap blood. In the name of prophecy. And those against it.
It was all for the greater good, depending on who you ask. But for me, it was merely another civilian riot under the kingdom. I was here to please my superior people.
And so, in the heat of sunset, I charged into the crossfire with my royal chariots and men. They all fell, like the innocent lowly townspeople.
My big-headed self was suddenly crushed by a single crumbling building.
So I blacked out and forgot everything I was.
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Black Knight
Then I woke up sitting in a room with a man pointing a flintlock to my head.
My eyes immediately jolted open. In a panic, I realized I was also strapped with golden-like steel to a chair, in a greyish room with armed soldiers watching me. Like they were expecting something.
"Where am I? Who. . ." I demanded, unarmed and unarmoured. "Who are you people?"
The man with fancy golden-lined armour and a helmet that covered his face, who previously was pointing his gun towards my face, calls out to the other men.
"Call the headmaster, now. The Drownei woke up."
They were also pointing weapons of some kinds at me. Including more guns and scepters. And finger rings, for some reason. I had no clue what any of this meant.
"What's happening? Tell me or i'll-"
"I wouldn't try anything and waste my energy, if I were you." The man with the flintlock said. "Those chains are as strong as they are magic resistant."
"Let. . . me go." I ignored what he said, trying to fight back. Attempting to shake off the thick chains tying me to the heavily bolted chair. I could tell I had some natural strength, compared to these people. Maybe I was not part of them.
They had smooth skin on their faces. . . like a Human would? I felt I had dark green scales in most spots except for the hair. Like a. . . reptilian sort of creature. Is that what they meant by calling me a 'Drownei'?
It was here when I realized I had no idea why they should let me go, or keep me in.
So I asked, trying the calm route this time. "Why am I here?"
"You're here to answer our questions, Drownei. About your Dark Lord and all. Speak the truth about Kyronia unless you wish to die." He continued stating through his helmet.
I heard the backdoor of the grey room open.
"I haven't a clue about anything you had just mentioned." I spoke truthfully.
Well, except for the dying part.
"Out of anything you could say to fool us," A white-haired, unhooded and cloaked middle-aged man entered the room, with more of the same fancy troops following his presence. "That was quite possibly the most desperate, Drownei."
I blinked. "What does that even mean? My name?"
The seemingly lead figure with white hair studied my expression for a split second. I noticed his priest's wardrobe with the same logo imprinted onto it, like of the armour on the troops. A shining book surrounded by a gilded circle.
Then he also noticed the soldiers who were already in the room, now giving a greeting bow to him. Including the man with the flintlock, now holding his helmet to his side, revealing his scarred face with an eyepatch.
And I suppose nobody needs to notice any of my burning questions around here.
"Headmaster Chronisius." The flintlock man stated to him straight in an orderly manner.
"Thank you, Neri." He stated back to him with a nod, as Neri and his troops stood back up."Fate for all."
"Fate for all." Neri repeated flatly.
They both turned their sights back at me.
"Let us make this quick, shall we?" The headmaster ordered. "Is the Dark Lord dead, or in hiding? Speak the truth or die here, under The Chronicle Order."
I continued to defend myself. "How am I supposed to know? As I've repeated I don't. . ." I stared off into the distance. ". . .remember anything."
The headmaster burned a stare into me with a questioning look. "Name your Overlord."
I blinked yet again. "Wha-?"
"The Dark Lord. Our almighty leader, as you 'superior' Drownei say, correct? Say his name."
So they'll kill me if I can't?
I thought as he continued studying my confused expression. Come on, think. Think. Name. Wait. My name. I don't even remember my own name.
I tried to shake the thoughts off and finally responded out loud. "I cannot."
Everyone in the room looked at me like I was a mad man. Even Neri with the battle scars and eyepatch on his face had a visibly stunned look.
"He's either a traitor to his kind, insane, or both." I heard him mutter.
"Or perhaps he's neither." The headmaster thought out loud in realization. "No Drownei would ever disregard the Overlord's name. It's their code. They would be captured if they are seen rejecting it; or worse."
Neri looked at me like he was watching used metal scrap. Except the scrap was trying to find a way to unchain himself from a bolted chair."Then this one hit his head too hard when we found him. He's no use."
"Now hold on. I've dealt with soldiers and knights with amnesia before. The only thing preventing their use is their lack of memory. But. . ."
He studied my predicament again. I stared back at the middle-aged leader, trying to hide my confusion about anyone's intentions.
"Even that can prove quite useful. And I can tell this one's not faking it." He finished, then knelt down at my level for some kind of proposal, I assumed. "Loosen the chain. We can handle it."
"But headmaster-" Neri argued.
"Trust me."
Neri stopped himself mid-sigh. His hand shifted over to the flintlock in his waist belt, and he ordered his troops to do what was commanded.
As soon as the chain was loosened, I finally felt what it was like to breathe enough. That was soon countered by most of the troops pointing their weapons at me again, more on-guard now than ever. The headmaster told them to lower some of it, and turned back to talk to me.
"Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot. My name is Chronisius the 7th. Head of the Chronicle Order, an organization which exists under the almighty god Niytri, writer of destiny and prophecy."
The headmaster explained before taking a moment, letting it sink in, then asking me something more to my understanding.
"Now, I don't wish to keep you here. This was quite a misunderstanding, it seems. You wish to be free, don't you?"
He was being surprisingly inviting compared to the rest of these people, even allowing a light friendly smile.
I decide to slightly match the sudden respectfulness. "Of course. . . sir?"
Free. Where would I even go to if I was free? I had no idea about, well, anything.
The headmaster gave a small laugh. "Well then. Perhaps we can assist you in that. Do you have anywhere to go to?"
I paused. And paused again.
Why can't I remember? Where have I even been? What. . . what happened to me? Who am-?
"Headmaster." Neri interrupted my thoughts with a concerned tone. "What are you trying to imply?"
"You can stay within Chronicle Order territory, as you are right now. Not like this, however." He continued. "We'll supply you with food, clothes, a place to stay and all. You could figure out who you are, even. But only if you agree to a quest."
"A quest." I repeated to myself. That sounded familiar. Why was it important?
"Remind me of what that is." I told the headmaster.
"A quest is a special mission, if you will." He explained at once like it was common knowledge."Whatever kind it may be, it is given to us from the divine, written down in prophecy. The Chronicle Order helps heroes, or what most call 'questers', who are willing to step up and follow said scriptures."
"I see." I started to understand. Almost. "But why do they have to follow?"
He paused for a split second. I noticed Neri looking at the headmaster as well, listening closely what he had to say but keeping silent.
The headmaster stood up, with his friendly demeanor briefly turning into a more preoccupied look. "Because fate says so. And fate, or destiny, under its god Niytri, controls all."
"Says the Chronicle Order?"
He answered simply. "And fate itself. None of us would be here if not for it."
It was all beginning to sound more important. He allowed the thought to sink in again. The leader then started casually paced back and forth in front of me.
I looked over to Neri. He was still beside his troops, pocketing a small piece of paper, then checking the wooden-framed clock up on the wall. Until Headmaster Chronisius spoke again.
"Now, we need you for one very important quest that can potentially save the world of Midkyron as we know it." The headmaster continued, facing back again to look at me.
"You, Drownei, come from a very. . . eh- ambitious race, let's just say. To the point where your people helped to herald a quester of your own kind to be an Overlord, and began controlling the rest of the world, as the kingdom of Kyronia."
"Another question." I said in a possible attempt to learn more about anything. "Why would they do that?"
"The Drownei have evolved to combine all the strength of the sentient species combined." He explained further. "This has made them very, quite proud of themselves."
"So what do you want me to do about it?" I started to say, not allowing anything unanswered.
"The world of Midkyron is revolting against it. You see, the Drownei gave the overlord the Crown of Infinity way back then, made to wield the four gemstones, which are the source of all magic."
He stood straighter, promptly clearing his throat for the lecture.
"Those gems remain attached to the crown, allowing the host to live forever with the power of the world." The headmaster then took a moment for me to breathe. "Perhaps you see where I'm going with this."
"You're taking the crown." I guessed.
"Indeed." He gave me a quick nod. "However, only someone as strong as a Drownei can withstand holding its, quite overused, power. Thick, scaly skin and all."
I glanced at my hands and arms before realizing. "So you want me to do it."
"Any other Drownei would refuse, if you couldn't tell already. But you." The robed man pointed at me with an open hand."I sense something special in you."
Right. Is it apparently my amnesia? Is what I could've said out loud.
"Headmaster." Neri finally had the chance to speak up, giving a small bow to the leader before saying. "I will depart now to assist in gate duty. One of our officers hasn't been available recently."
"Ah." He replied with a curious face. "Is that so?"
"Yes, headmaster." Neri continued with a straight face. "It's not a surprise these days."
The headmaster scoffed halfheartedly. "I suppose you're right. He very well could've been a Unity spy. Look out for any suspicious activites. They might attack again."
"I will, headmaster." He replied, giving one last hesitant look at me with his single surviving eye, before leaving the greyish interrogation room.
"Now that's another reason for this quest, Drownei." The leader explained even more. "Organizations like the Unity. . . kill thousands upon thousands to shut us down." He shook his head at the notion. "They think we're liars. We'd have to put an end to that, too."
"Huh." I was feeling drowned in thought now, enough to almost muffle out his previous sentences. "So if I join this quest. . . I get free hospitality, a place to stay, while I'm still figuring out about. . . everything. . ."
"And save the world with our help in more ways than one, mind you." He added.
I could put all my trust into this. What else was there for me to do? It's an obvious choice. Maybe if I just keep following for now, I could keep learning about them as well.
I'll just trust my instincts, and what else I knew. This man seemed well enough.
By all what he said about the world, I'm not working for the wrong side.
"I'm in." I finally said to his face, which lit up in like he expected it.
"Excellent! Believe me, you have done the right choice pledging to Niytri and fate." He promised, briefly ordering the troops still in the room to unchain me at last.
They hesitated at the sight of me, but he commanded, so they followed.
But they still remembered to point all their weapons at my face as the chains fell. Even if I wanted to escape like a fugitive, there was no way I could survive, is what I assumed immediately.
At least I'm a little taller. I thought to myself as I stood up to stretch, my scales feeling comfortable now, as I fixed my semi-spiky short dark hairstyle that I'd just noticed.
But my innocent enough demeanor still didn't convince the people in the room to be unfazed. Except maybe for the headmaster, who was still standing in front of me confidently with his rich robes and shining old white hair.
"I reckon you don't remember your true name, Drownei?" He asked. "Usually I'd give a codename or two instead."
"Unfortunately, still no." I answered. Then I noticed the back corner of the interrogation room. The headmaster's golden-lined armoured security were checking pieces of bulky black armour, and looking stunned at a dark double-edged knight's longsword.
With those on the table, a dark helmet was placed right beside, presenting lines of white around the sharp edges. A few thorns like a serpent's fangs curved upwards from its face. As if it was created with intimidation in mind.
"I assume those black items are mine?" I said to the headmaster while peeking over.
He noticed my relatively surprised look, and pointed his eyes at the same direction, towards the relatively larger supplies fit for a Drownei. "Ah, yes. Rightfully so, I suppose."
Then, as he turned back, I noticed his mused expression.
"How does. . . 'Black Knight' sound?"
I thought for only a second.
"Black Knight."
Everything about it felt right for what I barely knew.
"I could get used to that."
He gave me another performing charmed expression. "Likewise, Black Knight."
Then, the Chronicle Order troops lined up for him, and finally opened the door out for me.
"Now come on. Let's meet your other questers, shall we?"