Argenti's Palace

[beautifulknight]

The stage is set they say;
They don their masks and shields,
Shadows creep and cover their minds;
Now, what beautiful role shall they play?

𝓜𝓮𝓵𝓾𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓲𝓷 𝓒𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓵𝓮


♫

Comments

[bloodweapon]

I see.

[To become a Knight of Beauty means to sign your life away to Idrila. It means if you stray from your Path, you lose yourself - your life included, but also who you are. Given some of the other answers this knight has given, the fear seems to be that Argenti has lost his way. That he is straying from his Path. That this is what he'll become, and that another Knight of Beauty will need to cut him down just as Argenti cut down his comrades.]

What does this Path entail, exactly? What is it that can cause one to stray from it?

[beautifulknight]

It depends. There are those who choose to follow the Path of Beauty as a Knight of Beauty, as a Mirror Holder, or something else entirely. But all who follow it vow in some way to appreciate "Beauty" from their own perspectives, and never waver from their course.

Even so, ALL Knights of Beauty are expected to adhere to the Chivalric Code, alongside many other oaths Knights take, and the Commandments of Sonnet.

Straying from the Path can occur when one covets Power mindlessly, losing sight of Beauty in of itself. When one breaks their oaths, when one fails to champion chivalry.

[ There's a longer pause at the second question. But an answer is forthcoming for Fray nonetheless. ]

...Or when one fails the many Trials that a Knight faces, no matter in what form they take.

[vogelfrei]

[ .... thinks about that time he told Argenti that he rules by power. Hm. Oops. ]

[beautifulknight]

[ AYYY LMAOOO ]

[bloodweapon]

[Fray can't see how Argenti would be worried about straying from his Path for most of these reasons - he's hardly a man who covets power, or would lose sight of Beauty - but the pause before the last one seems to make it clear. Sayaka's vision certainly does apply to Argenti, it seems.]

I can see how he may have come to worry about such a thing. Being dragged here is... a trial in and of itself.

[Or at least it is for him. If that's how Argenti is seeing things, then...]

We want to do what we can to help him. He isn't facing these Trials alone; surely he must know that.

[beautifulknight]

[ There's a very long pause. Is it because what Fray states happens to not be questions?

Not quite. Instead, this man states the following, the distortion in his voice lowered, so that it's far more clear, and less of a hissing noise: ]

...Dear fellow Knight, all those who travel along the path as a Knight of Beauty are used to traveling long journeys by themselves. Even though they may have peers they can go months or years without seeing them.

Though they may also make friends, it is rare that they linger in one place or another at one time.

Their existence is essentially mostly solitary.

[ The words seem random, but they are spoken as is. ]

[bloodweapon]

[A lonely, solitary life. The opposite of what he's experienced, as he's never been without a companion. Still, he can imagine the pain of being on one's own, relying only on oneself and only occasionally making friends - ever with the idea that one may have to slay them, should they stray from their Path.]

That may have been the case for him back home, but he has found a kindred soul here.

[Fray can only speak for himself, of course, but his next words are heavy, like the weight of an oath.]

I would not have him face the world alone again. I would join him, for as long as I possibly can.

[beautifulknight]

[ ...Ah.

The strength of conviction behind this knight is no less relenting than the others who have spoken before. Though at his words, the place seems to become a little brighter, or maybe it is due to the sheen of the white flowers. ]

I see that he has.

I can tell that your words echo of nothing less than the truth.

[ A Knight should know well what an oath sounds like, or something similar to it, and even this being is no exception, corrupted or not. ]

Though, I believe it impossible for anyone's actions to amount to anything...

I know you would stand with him, no matter what is to come.

The path forward is now open to you, fellow Knight.

[ Right before Fray opens the options of north, east, west, and south. ]

[bloodweapon]

That's precisely why I will free him, no matter what it takes.

[Argenti should already know that, but Fray says it anyway as if to ensure he does. No matter what.

But with a nod to the knight, Fray moves toward the paths - he's headed east. Let's see what this holds for us, shall we?]

[beautifulknight]

[ The flowers remain the same even if Fray walks here, though no danger dares to try to sneak up behind him, nor does he sense danger this way for that matter (12)

In fact, he can see a glimmer of light up ahead. It looks to be shaped in the form of a door of some kind.

...It appears that Fray has managed to find the exit to this place!

Nearby, it also appears to be that Argenti's spear is embedded in the ground. Does he come closer to it? ]

[bloodweapon]

[A door...? The way forward, perhaps? Well, more pressing is the spear, since he doubts Argenti would just leave it behind. Of course he's coming closer - though he's keeping an eye out in case this is some kind of trap!! (13)]

[fullmoonmutt]

Oi, can opener!

[ Since Eli can't call Fray tin can. That's Argenti. Anyway, Eli's trekking up the eastern path behind him, Celeste in tow. ]

What you got there?

[bloodweapon]

[is that his nickname now??? okay. sure. you could just call him fray, it's shorter—]

Argenti's spear. Or at least one that looks very much like it.

[Hey guys, are you still holding hands... oh of course you are.]

[cirquedesang]

[Of course they are! You could, too, Fray, if you wanted to be extra silly and really give Izou an aneurysm, but there's also Stuff To Do.]

...I suppose he'll be wanting that back, no?

[bloodweapon]

[it would admittedly be really funny to see izou's reaction,,,]

Of course. I don't know why it was left here; he isn't the sort to be unprepared.

[And surely he knows we're here, so if this is going to end in a confrontation... then why is his spear here instead of with him?]

[fullmoonmutt]

Maybe we need to return it to him! In Izou's palace, some shadows gave us pieces of his sword guard to bring to him.

[ don't even mention the handholding or Eli will have to start yelling at Fray and get completely distracted, pls ]

[cirquedesang]

[No, if it gets mentioned it'll be right before regrouping. For maximum effect.]

Hopefully he didn't leave it behind for a reason.

[fullmoonmutt]

I mean, he had to have left it behind for a reason. Nothing in these places are random.

[cirquedesang]

Let's hope it's not because he couldn't carry it anymore.

[bloodweapon]

[Oh no, he has wisely decided that whatever you two are doing is your own business and not his. He will not comment on it.]

Did they? That would make sense... as much sense as anything makes in these palaces, anyway.

[fullmoonmutt]

Let's try picking it up... I can do it if you two don't want to.

[bloodweapon]

[Immediately:] I'll take it.

[What's another giant weapon to wield, anyway?? He may be a Dark Knight right now, but he's got some experience with lances. You'll never guess who was a Dragoon in Heavensward—

Anyway. Can he safely pick up the lance or is this going to trigger a boss battle?]

[beautifulknight]

[ Yeah, he can...well, temporarily. The spear seems to shatter in his grip, pieces of it all fall to the ground, littering it until they sink in and disappear clearly from everyone's sight.

Nothing else dangerous emerges. Nothing else but one more scene for their very eyes:

Everyone sees themselves gazing across an area littered with bloodstains, scattered as if it was the sight of some deadly battleground, even if there is at first not a single corpse in sight. In the middle of it all is a blood-stained spear. Its form and shape is familiar - after all, it is Argenti's spear.

Maybe, wherever the bodies lay, they are simply not nearby. Or, they have been completely decimated. The possibilities are unfortunately endless.

...In fact, for those who glimpse closer, they see darker figures slumped at the edges of the environment.

Everyone does witness something else next - the emergence of Argenti walking on over to pick it up. Argenti himself covered in blood from head to toe, in every sense of the word - not even his hair has been spared.

Then, a strange whisper of a voice rings out:

"You defy infamy. You proclaim glory. You are the Knights of Beauty. With each triumph, you must confront yourselves anew, peering into the depths of your hearts and acknowledging the potential for malevolence.

Congratulations! Once again, you have triumphed in the Trial of Reflection."

Praise. From whoever this being is. The presence they give by even the utterance of such words is great, yet unknown.

...And that is it, the images dissipate, and the spear still remains gone. There is nothing else to be otherwise glimpsed either.

Maybe it is time to gather everyone else. ]

[bloodweapon]

[A trial. A bloody, messy one, from the looks of it. Who were the people he slaughtered? Other Knights? The wicked? It's impossible to tell. Some part of Fray isn't sure it would make a difference.

His hand grips nothing now and he finally pulls it back with a shake of his head, reminding himself where he is and that they need to move forward.]

Let's return to the others. We'll need to press forward soon.

[fullmoonmutt]

...the fuck?

[ Once again, Eli gets chills from these memories of Argenti's. ]

Was that his goddess? God? Thing? Why the hell does a God of Beauty demand so much bloodshed?