Chapter Text
Speechless, Argenti could only stand before the formidable castle, eyes helplessly stuck to the monstrous sight like an ant awaiting its short-lived fate. With the blue skies cursed with a relentless snowstorm that bit at his polished armour, it was best to take shelter somewhere – that somewhere being…this. The knight gulped, fighting back a grimace before opening the rusted gates with an eerie, echoing creak, almost like it dared him to take a step further.
Being the chivalrous knight he was known for, Argenti had his fair share of battles and frights, from defeating a band of drunken bandits mere seconds after he woke up from his beauty sleep to taming a group of ghostly marshmallows he deemed as ‘cute little creatures’. When he recalls this story to his comrades when they meet once in a while, they shake their heads, unsurprised at the redhead’s misfortunes that added to the long list of already existing ones.
It made for an entertaining story, although the intense emotions he felt at the time were real and rushing. This castle should be no different , the knight speculated, it will just be another one of my amusing stories to tell .
With his spear clutched tightly like a shield rather than a weapon, he climbed the stairs closer to the castle entrance. There greeted him an unexpected but pleasant surprise of roses, its crimson colour vibrant and oddly magical amongst the pale winter snow. Being self-proclaimed as the world’s number one admirer of roses, Argenti resisted a blooming urge to pluck one of the beauties, knowing it wasn’t his place to do so and heck, maybe it would give him a curse, considering the ominous nature of this area.
“May the Goddess aid me in my time of need,” he prayed aloud before gently pushing the colossal doors open with a loud, echoing creak. It was unlocked – not that the odd surprise did anything to calm his nerves.
One step was all he took, observing the dark surroundings of the castle, two staircases curved, leading to the upstairs and in the middle was another set of double doors. Where would that lead? Was someone living here?
Another step in. Now the doors have shut by itself, perhaps a warning to him that there was no turning back. Argenti was too engrossed in the peculiarity of the castle to care about the sound of the howling winds being shut out so quickly.
Step by step along the creaky floorboards of dark wood, the knight’s curiosity rose like an ignited flame, a desire to explore his temporary shelter despite it having a certain feel of obscurity. Courage was what a knight had – he reminded himself. A knight like him had a mind of optimism and utter resilience, striving to spread the unchanged message of his Goddess. Yes, that’s who he was, and he shall never forget until his dying breath.
Another step. Bewildered, Argenti stared down at his feet, glued to the same place, the same plank of the floorboard, the same vein of wood. It wasn’t his.
Like a swift snap of a branch, his head upwards towards the sound, preparing for anything but the sight he had beheld.
Sharp eyes devoid of colour pierced into his like bullets, reminiscent of a glossy sheen of silver polished to perfection – a true, unique beauty – Argenti noted. A gaze of hostility pricked at Argenti’s presence like he was an unwanted thorn, an intruder to be more specific….oh wait, he was .
With a faint, meaningless smile meant to comfort himself, Argenti clears his throat, hugging the cloak around his armour closer as a natural reaction to somehow calm the intensity of the figure’s stare.
“I did not mean to intrude…my deepest apologies,” how should he admit his need for shelter amongst nature’s relentless gunfight? Considering Argenti was a mere stranger, he understood if he were to get kicked out in the next remaining minute. Perhaps he wouldn’t complain or think much of it either.
Silence.
Argenti kept his polite stare on the figure’s eyes of abnormality, wishing for something to break this moment of tension. Just something…
Silence.
By this point, the knight processed the message. He needed to leave.
Nodding in silent acceptance, Argenti gave an understanding smile, bowing before facing the grand doors that welcomed him minutes ago. Abruptly, the weight of his cherished spear vanished from his hand, too quickly and suddenly for an act of impulse. The knight’s defensive nature flared up, swiftly turning back to question their actions.
“What are you–”
Their eyes were much closer now – close enough that the knight distinguished the black eyeliner accompanied by two moles underneath. Close enough to notice the extent of his metallic body. Close notice the contrasting strikes of his hair; black and white. The light overpowered.
“Good spear ya got there, w̶e̶i̶r̶d̶ pretty knight, I’m kinda jealous even if my bullets hit harder than this h̶e̶a̶v̶y̶ m̶e̶t̶a̶l̶ s̶t̶i̶c̶k̶ glorious weapon,” the man smirked with a scoff before shoving the spear back into the bewildered Argenti’s grip where it rightfully belonged.
“....Thank you, kind sir?”
“What’cha thankin’ me for? Oh damn it…it’s been too long since I talked to someone,” he rolls his eyes, seemingly annoyed at something, “The name’s Boothill.”
“Nice to meet you, good sir, and I am Argenti, one of the Knights of Beauty,” the red-haired bowed politely before getting out a flower seemingly out of nowhere.
“May this rose convey my heartfelt salutations, for you are a truly unique beauty my eyes have beheld.”
Boothill raised an eyebrow in disbelief – was it only him but dim rays of light were oddly centred on the knight like a miniature spotlight, showcasing the rose he held delicately in his hands.
Ah yes, the ugly sight of such a deceiving flower. An alluring red, bleeding into your eyesight like blood, with thorns underneath to only cause harm. A serpent in disguise. A reminder of his fate.
Not to mention that ridiculous knight referring to him as a ‘unique beauty’. The audacity to mock and satirise him, when he already knew the truth. Boothill snapped.
“Leave.”
“I…beg your pardon?”
“I said. Leave,” he harshly grabbed the stem and threw it towards the door, ignoring how the thorns scraped his metal hands.
Argenti picked up the rose in the lingering silence, feeling the man’s cold stare burning holes in his back.
“Very well, I am truly sorry to have offended you in any way,” despite Boothill’s sudden outburst, the knight managed a farewell smile.
“May Idrila recognise your beauty as I have.”
Back in the familiarity of nature’s wrath, Argenti had no time for self-pity, only time to strive forward, after all, it wasn’t the end of the world if he couldn’t seek shelter in this castle, although it seemed like the best option amongst the barren land buried in snow.
With his back to the castle shadows, he proceeded out of the gates, slowly but surely recovering from the unexpected rejection. Perhaps it was his attitude, his compliments, or just his identity as a Knight of Beauty that led to his current predicament. After all, a faction of Knights spreading the word of a so-called fallen aeon wouldn’t have any source of credibility in anyone’s books. Argenti sighed, replicating an unusual sight of him with a dejected face, viridian eyes cast towards the bleak whiteness.
His footsteps, slowly but surely, imprinted into the snow, until he noticed a group of suspicious-looking men with a familiar aura of evil sensed from his gut feeling. They were headed towards the direction of the castle seen in the distance.
Argenti would continue his merry way in hopes of finding another place to seek shelter from as a man’s business was his own and nobody else’s. That’s if he didn’t care the slightest about the person inhabiting the castle. That’s if he wasn’t a knight striving to protect all beauty in the universe therefore cannot turn a blind eye to a possible tragedy.
Hastily, he traced the footprints in the snow, silently thanking nature for its unexpectedly useful tool. Foolish he may be for turning back, but his heart told him a different story – it was an action he would not come to regret.