1. Prologue (His Past) - 17.Tainted Holy Knight

The limp steps sound mixed with ragged breath sounded among the dry and dead trees of the Death Forest. Angel walked with blank eyes as he dragged the tip of his sword across the ground. The blood that flowed from his blade, creating bloody traces on the forest floor and dozens of the monster corpses behind him showed how far he had lost his sanity nor his senses. With his white uniform covered in blood, his messy hair and his pale face from exhaustion, though he was not undead, he was in a worse state than one.

Who knew how many days had passed after Angel entered this dark forest. During that time he had walked without food, drink or rest. His body screamed to stop yet he continued to walk aimlessly. His sword and body absorbed the evil atmosphere in the forest. And he could feel the mysterious power within him growing stronger.
'Kill ... Kill ... Kill everyone ...' The voice in his head grew louder. That sound made him keep swinging his sword and killing every monster that got in his way without any fear.

Again, in the dark fog in the forest, some monsters rushed at him. If normally he would have identified the monsters weaknesses before attacking them, but now he didn't care anymore. He grinned evilly as the monsters that were three times his size were getting closer to him. As the monsters were less than 10 meters away from him, he raised his sword. In an instant, the dark aura that came out of it lifted the monsters.

"GRAHHHHH !!!" The monsters' angry screams echoed throughout the forest as they struggled to release themselves from his dark power.

Angel laughed evilly as he kept walking past them. Then, with one swing, the dark aura from his sword cut all the monsters' bodies in half. Blood gushed from the monsters' bodies like rain, soaking his body and the black soil in that forest. The stench of blood wafted through the air.
"Yes ... I will kill everyone ..." he muttered which ended with his evil laugh again.

As he continued to walk, a light appeared at the end of his path. Gradually, the dead trees around him turned into ordinary trees, the black soil beneath his feet turned into ordinary forest soil covered in moss. The evil atmosphere around him faded away as the sunlight he hadn't seen for days began to illuminate his bloody body. His steps stopped outside the forest, his eyes staring at a small village in the distance. Another evil grin appeared on his face.
'Kill ... Kill everyone, Angelus ... Show no mercy ...' The voice returned to his head.

"Yes ..." he muttered. But as he had only taken a few steps, excruciating pain pierced his chest and head. He stopped his steps and dropped his Nightmare and his broken Loyalty from his hands.

"Argggg!" he groaned in pain as he held his head with her hands in shuffling steps. This time another voice rang in his head. If previously it was a male's hoarse voice, this time it was a young male's majestic voice.
'No! Angelus Raizel wakes up! Don't let the crystal control you! '

The crystal evil laughter came back.
'There's no use! He's already in my control. This Holy Knight is mine! '

'Angelus, wake up! Remember who you are! Though your hands are covered in blood, you have never killed innocent people! The people in that village are not your enemies! ' The young man's voice came again.

'No! Everyone is your enemy, Angelus! Kill them! That way no one will betray you anymore! '

"ARGGGG!" Angel's screams of pain grew louder and he lifted his head as the pain got worse. It felt like his head was split in two. He fell on his knees and was breathing heavily.
"Who are you ?! Who are you ?!" he screamed in frustration.

This time a woman's gentle voice answered him.
'Angel ... I'm sorry ...' Her voice sounded sad, like someone saying goodbye to her beloved one. He had never heard this woman's voice before yet sadness and longing feelings enveloped his heart. He collapsed as he couldn't hold back the pain in his head. His consciousness was fading away.
"Who ...?" he said in a much calmer voice.

'Close your eyes ... Everything will be fine ...' The woman's voice answered him.

Even though he didn't know her, the voice somehow calmed him down. It was as if the storm in his heart had subsided on its own. Slowly he closed his eyes and his consciousness disappeared.

'Cold ...' he thought. He opened his eyes slowly and found he had returned to the previous dark meadow. The cold air bit his body and the dark aura bound him. This time a small light flew near his ear and that woman's voice came again.

"Angel ... I'm sorry ... Because of me, you have to endure everything." Again her voice sounded sad.

Slowly the light, shone brighter and brighter and formed a woman figure. The woman's face wasn't clear, but her voice calmed him down. The woman rubbed his face and hugged him gently. Slowly the dark aura that had bound him disappeared as he could feel her warmth. The warmth that he had never felt before. But rather than a hug from a woman to a man, it felt like a hug from a mother to her long lost child.
"Your fate has been tangled since you were born and that crystal made things worse ..." she said sadly.

"Who are you?" he whispered.

"You will find out soon... But not now ... "she answered.

"Why?"

"Because you have to fulfil your other fate ... Before fulfilling your real fate ..."

"My fate?" His confusion filled his head.

"Yes ..."

"I don't understand ..." he whispered.

"You will find the answer on your way ..." She released her embrace and placed her hand on his chest. Her hand glowed and suddenly, he could feel a strange sensation. His strength returned and filled every corner of his body, no, not return but multiplied and it was as if what had bound him all along had disappeared. He sat down, his eyes looked to his hands that emitted the dark aura in confusion.
"What happened?" he muttered.

The woman stood up and began to fade.
"Your seal has broken. Now it all depends on you ..."

Angel stood up and tried to catch that woman, but no matter how many times he tried, he felt like trying to catch the wind.
"Wait! What seal? Please explain it to me."

"Angel, no matter what happens, don't ever let the crystal take over you." The woman's voice faded away.

"At least, tell me how!" he said in desperation.

"Control it with your true power, by controlling your emotions. Good luck ... My ----" Before she finished her sentence, she disappeared. And the crystal's voice came.
"That disgusting woman and that weak prince always bothered me!"

He turned to the origin of the voice and saw his double standing near him angrily.
"Now, shall we continue our grand plan?" his double said with a smirk.

"Of course ..." He replied as his feet moved to his double and stopped in front of him. Even though he was still confused by all of this, at least he knew what to do first. He had to take over the crystal power.

"Good." His double stretched out his hand.

Secretly, one of Angel's hands emitted a dark aura that formed a black sword that had accompanied him to fight for several days. As the sword appeared in his hand, he thrust it into his double chest. His double eyes widened in shock, not expecting Angel to suddenly have the same dark power as him.
"You ---"

"I've had enough. I don't want to be your puppet!" Then he stretched out his hand and gripped his double face.
"This time I will use you." After that, his double turned into a dark aura that entered his body. But unlike before, he did not collapse and remained on his feet. Slowly, small lights that flew like fireflies reappeared around him.

He smiled, his hand moved to try to take one of them. As a small light landed on his hand, a young male voice came.
"Angelus Raizel ... Now, I will guide you ... Please help my people ..." As the light in his hand shone even brighter, Angel closed his eyes in reflex.

This was the first time he had set his foot in this foreign place and he didn't know much about this kingdom since Euphorion didn't have diplomatic relations with any kingdom.

His mind went back to everything the woman and the young man had said.
'Fate? Seal? What does all that mean? ' His hands tried to take his broken Loyalty and his Nightmare. He knew he had to start his journey to solve this riddle. As he had just touched his sword, his dark aura leaked from his hands. He pulled his hands in reflex and stared at it as a breath escaped his mouth.
'I think the first thing I should do is learn to control this dark power.'