Pap... pap…. pap. They slowly step inside the vibrant, glowing room to one side of the door, a hot, burning fireplace barred by a thick, sturdy mesh. They begin to look around on the floor, there's pillowy baby blue cushions surrounding a soft navy blue carpet.
Tap, clatter. Across the floors, there's carvings and little cubes, spheres, and cylinders. There's not a window in this room, and across its walls are blue tapestries, one depicting lush forests and floating islands, another rivers flowing through the air, winding through giant golden beige mountains with irregular form and holes, so unclear one could not tell where up and down was in the rendition.
On the ceiling, a dangling set of wooden chimes attached to strings.
The knight walks slowly inside, quietly, slowly, carefully.
There's a shelf, with soft white blankets and fine rags, and smooth wooden bowls and little spoons. The knight slowly walks further inside, slower with each step, raising their quivering hands just to their waist. There're beds, not merely beds, tall wooden railings forming bars around soft, small mattresses with pillows and blankets.
Ssswiwssh. The knight ever so slowly, gently glides there, mitten over the rails of one of the many cradles, each adorned with tall canopy drapes that stretched to the ceiling,
Crackle pop, snap. All is quiet, but the fire burning just behind them.
Tuh... pah… tip. They walk further through the crowded small room, a rattle sits in one of the empty cradles, the knight looks to the bone at their hip for but a moment.
Coo woo pssffff. The little knight creeps over to the source of the sudden sound, a baby sleeping on its belly so plump and delicate. The knight reaches out their metal mittens at the sleeping baby, gently taking them in their arms slowly, the baby doesn't wake.
Beautiful obsidian black skin, and curly black hair with long eyelashes. A little angel.
Coo-uuu, booo. They wave their arms reaching out to the knight in their sleep. The knight tucks them close, looking down at them for a moment. They're quite the dreamer, but even dreams can be no different from nightmares.
Sssshhh BOOM! Ssssshhh. Loud thunderous rains poured down upon the knight.
Chik... pap. Chik… pap. Chik... pap. The tall man with seafoam hair is shoveling dirt, digging a hole. His hair was soaked over as the rain flooded his eyes, faintly mixing with the tears.
The knight, in one arm, holds a quiet swaddled child, the other lifts the knight's cloak over them.
Chik pap Chik pap Chik pap. The cloaked man shovels harder more forcefully than before through the murky, muddy rains
BOOM! sssss. The thunder rages on as the knight just stands there watching, clutching the baby in their arms, shrouding them with their cloak.
Huff huff. The man's breath is heavy in the cold winds.
"Oh Runi, I'm so sorry…" quivered the masked man in a low voice as he looked over his shoulder at the knight.
Rattle. The knight raises their head, starting to shake in their armor as their knees buckle and begin to fall.
Sssshhh BOOM! Thunder.
Whaaaann. Soon, the baby begins to cry in the knights' shaking arms, even through their sleep.
"Sshhh shhh." The little knight whispered gently, rocking the child.
Whaaannn wann wuh wan… Within moments, the child is quiet.
Coo woo, showp pou- The baby begins sucking their thumb.
Swissh, swish, pap. The little knight swaddles the baby in a blanket, placing them in the cradle facing up. They look around the room for a moment before grabbing another pillow from one of the nearby cradles, taking it in both hands as they loom over the child, inching ever closer.
They slide it next to the other pillow, creating a valley between their two edges. The little knight gently slides the baby between them. They're fast asleep, quiet.
The knight creeps to the door, gathering their things and lifting the man into their arms once more. As they head to the door, they stop looking to their side, back at the cradles, back at the baby.
G-get to the top, sh-shatter this keep- The words play in their mind.
Swish-swish. They shake their head, rustling under the weight of their helm, they press onward out the door, shutting it behind them.
For hours, the knight walks further up the keep, now shifting the corpse to their back. They don't look behind them, they don't look back, they don't stop, no matter how their hand burns, no matter how much they huff and groan.
Pap. pap. Pap. Get to the top-. The words are heard again in their mind as they ascend a flight of stairs. All is quiet but their march.
Pap. pap. Pap. Find the vassel. The words resonate with the searing sting in their fingers as they rise floor by floor.
Whaaan- The child cries in their ears..
Shatter. The word creeps in.
Thump, thud, pump, Those footsteps Whaaan-, Shatter. The child cries in their ears. The knight's march is firm, they hasten their pace ever so slightly,
Whaaan-, SHATTER! The masked man had never yelled at them. But in the knights' mind, this was loud, sharp, and clear.
SHATTER THIS KEEP! The words were loud and clear as they approached the top.
Sniff. The air hung still with the strong, earthy scent with pungent undertones of metal and musk. At the end of a hall, a set of large stone doors, each decorated with curves and symbols carved into them. The knight slowly approaches, their hand quivering as they reach out to the door.
They pull back for a moment.
Shatter… They push the doors open.