Time continued to pass, but without the sun's movement, I lost all sense of its flow. Hours, days, weeks? It was impossible to tell. The very concept of a "day" had lost all meaning. Sleep became my only clock, each period of rest marking what I could only assume was another day gone by. Three times I'd slept, or maybe four, even that measure felt unreliable.
Step after step, I trudged through the shifting sands, until my legs buckled, no longer able to support my weight. The sand burned against my face, but I couldn't pull myself up. My eyes lost focus and it was easier to keep them closed.
Inflicted with severe exhaustion HP will drain until rested HP: 90/135
The notification flickered in my vision like a dying light. I watched the numbers tick down with a sort of detached fascination. Weird how death in games was always quick and dramatic - a sword through the heart, a critical hit, a boss's ultimate attack. Not this slow, undignified crawl towards zero.
HP: 75/135
Some legendary knight I turned out to be. Couldn't even make it past the tutorial area. That man would probably laugh if he could see me now, collapsed in the sand like a broken compass.
HP: 60/135
Was this really how it would end? Not even a heroic last stand or an epic boss battle. Just me, face-down in the sand, being slowly cooked alive by the very sun I was supposedly meant to challenge.
HP: 45/135
A bitter laugh escaped my cracked lips. The irony wasn't lost on me - Knight of the Night, done in by a bad sunburn. Maybe they'd write it on my tombstone. If anyone ever found my body under all this sand.
HP: 35/135
So uncool. At least in most games, you got a dramatic death animation...
HP: 20/135
The numbers were starting to blur. Funny how even now, my brain was trying to calculate my remaining time based on the HP drain rate. Old habits die hard, I guess. Or maybe I was just dying hard.
HP: 10/135
Then, I thought I heard something—hoofbeats, the soft clink of armor— but at this stage, I couldn’t tell if it was real or delirium. Shapes flickered in my peripheral vision, caravans and men riding horses. I wanted to call out, but my voice was lost, swallowed by the dry air. Then a voice cut through the haze.
“There’s a man here,” someone said. The voice was distant, muffled, like a whisper from another world. “He’s clean. No signs of light poisoning.”
The words barely registered as the world faded to black.
----------------------------------------
When I awoke, a raging headache hit me. The floor beneath me was soft and cool, nothing like the burning hot sands of the desert. I tried to open my eyes but found it excruciatingly painful and instead settled for rubbing my face as I tried to figure out where I was. I eventually realised I was lying on a soft silk cushion and that everything seemed to be vibrating slightly.
No, wait … this sound was familiar. I was in a carriage.
I forced my eyes open despite the pain and sat up, fighting the urge to vomit at the sudden movement. Across from me sat a knight with flowing golden hair. His armour shone bright, radiating a brilliant aura. He noticed my stirring and turned his gaze upon me.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Blessed are thee, for the God of Light’s benevolence has guided this humble servant of his to thy aid. So great is his love for all of his children that he could not ignore thy plight. So, fear not the harshness of elements, for within this carriage, thou art safe. Fear not the trials of the desert, for within these walls, thou shall find succour”
“Err…. Thank you?” I stared at him with a puzzled look on my face, trying to make sense of his words. Seriously… Was I supposed to understand what he just said?
Upon seeing the confused look on my face, he gave a bright and gentle smile. As if trying to signal that he meant no harm.
I rubbed my temples, trying to dispel the grogginess and regain my focus. “Who are you?” I enquired.
“I am Solcaeli , humble servant of the Lord.” His voice was soothing as though he was reciting from scripture.
“I am Noctus, thanks for saving me”. I returned his smile, grateful for his assistance.
“It is my pleasure, Noctus. But true praise lies with the God of Light and his mercy. It is only by his will that this humble servant was allowed to find thee to spread his message of love and compassion.”
I stared at him again, struggling to comprehend his words.
In response, he gave a smile and uttered “Worry not for pleasantries. Rest, regain thy strength. We will soon arrive in the city”.
With that, he returned his focus to the large tome resting on his lap. The book itself was a work of art - bound in white leather that seemed to glow from within, its pages edged in gold that caught the light with each turn. His concentration was unyielding, leaving me to contemplate the odd situation in silence. The only breaks in his reading came when he would occasionally mouth certain passages, his lips moving in silent prayer. Each time he did, the ambient light in the carriage would pulse slightly, like a heartbeat of divine energy.
The gentle sway of the carriage continued, almost hypnotic in its rhythm. Outside, I could hear the steady march of the armored feet of our escorts. The soft rustle of turning pages marked time like a metronome. The combination of sounds and movement made my eyelids heavy and I decided to take a rest.
But just as I began to relax, a shrill scream tore through the air. “A light zombie!”
The carriage jolted to a stop, throwing me against the wall. My shoulders slammed into the wooden panels, sending a sharp pain through my already tired body. Outside, steel rang against steel, punctuated by screams. The sounds of combat were chaotic - the clash of weapons, the shouts of orders, the screams of the wounded all blending into a cacophony of violence.
I glanced toward Solcaeli, who seemed utterly unbothered, still absorbed in his book. His calmness was unnerving, as though such disturbances were beneath him. The divine light continued to pulse around him in steady waves, unchanged by the chaos outside. If anything, his reading seemed more intense.
But as the screams grew louder, he could no longer ignore them. A flicker of irritation crossed his face. He clicked his tongue and sighed, closing his book with deliberate care. “It appears the Lord requires my service.”
He rose with fluid grace and drew his sword. Divine light erupted from the blade, forcing me to shield my eyes. The magical density in the air became suffocating, like trying to breathe underwater.
Warning: Extreme magical pressure detected Status Effect: Blind Recommend immediate distance from energy source
By the time I could see again, he was already stepping out of the carriage. I scrambled after him, my heart pounding in my chest.
The scene outside was chaotic. The knights had formed a defensive circle, their silver armor stained red with fresh blood. At the center prowled a figure that had once been a woman—now something else entirely. She had the same faint pale glow of light and lifeless eyes as the previous zombie. She moved with unnatural speed, her strikes precise and deadly. Another knight fell, his scream cut short by her strike, his armor splitting like paper beneath her corrupted strength.
Then I saw it. A flash of gold against corrupted flesh, a locket swinging with each savage strike. For a moment, I couldn't process what I was seeing. Didn't want to process it. But there was no mistaking that pendant.
Solcaeli joined the battle with a commanding presence. His voice carried across the battlefield, calm but assertive,
“Lord of Light, guide my hand.”
He raised his sword.
Holy Slash Divine Energy detected Magical Density: S rank Warning: Area effect spell incoming Recommended Action: Shield eyes
I barely raised my arm in time. The world went white. Through my squinted eyes, I saw a radiant beam erupt from his blade, cutting through the air with a blinding flash. In a single strike, the light zombie was cleaved in two, her body disintegrating into dust before it even hit the ground.
“My brothers. May the Lord’s light soothe your pain”
Holy Rain Area Healing Effect Detected Status Effects Cleansed Divine Blessing Applied: Duration 1 hour
Droplets of light fell from the sky, enveloping the recovering knights. It was a gentle light that mended their flesh and bones. In mere moments, the battlefield was calm once more. When the last drop of light faded, only the bloodstains in the sand remained to suggest there had been a battle at all. And there, half-buried in the crimson-stained ground, lay the golden locket.
I held it in my hand, feeling its weight.
"I still have time." The words echoed in my head as I stared at the locket.
My fingers trembled as I opened it. Inside, an inscription stared back at me: "Together Forever."
Damn, it was her.
Obtained Golden Locket of Eternity: A locket from a couple who promised to always be together