Knights Blessed by Moonlight: Chapter 4 – A Ferocious Idiot

Chapter 4 – A Ferocious Idiot

“The first to kill their leader gets all the glory!” I say as I charge forward. “Everyone else has to pay for the winner’s dinner and drinks!”

“Don’t be a fool, Tramonto!” Trapani says as he chases after me.

“You know there’s no convincing him! We just have to protect him!” Armato says.

As I cut through the enemy beastmen, I think of the people cheering out my name, the beautiful women asking for me to marry them, and the glory of a comfortable life. Delusions of this life end when I see the dead bodies of my friends in front of me who threw themselves at the enemy to protect my life. Even as the enemies are rushing at me to strike me down, I don’t fight instead I accept my death with open arms and am disappointed when I’m saved by my fellow knights. I have to be pried away from my dead friends and I yell at my saviors complaining that I should’ve been killed for my idiocy.

“Tramonto. They sacrificed themselves so you could live so make the most of that life,” a knight says.

“Oh, please! My life is less than worthless! It would’ve been better if I died instead!” I say before storming off.

My sadness deepens when we get back home as I drink bottle after bottle that I managed to buy by selling my armor and weapons. I try hitting on the maid that I usually try to marry, but she denies me even after I tell the story of my last deployment. I’m then kicked out of the bar by the barkeepers and stumble my way through the streets without a destination in mind. The place that I finally decide to rest in is a dark alleyway filled with trash and rats.

“This is where I belong because of everything I’ve done. I’m sorry that your sacrifice was in vain, my friends. I hope you can forgive me, Trapani and Armato!” I say.

As I scrounge through the trash hoping to find that someone has thrown away a bottle with some alcohol left in it, I feel something radiating from above me. Looking up at the moon, I see my friends looking down at me with saddened smiles. Their expressions tell me everything and make me hysterically cry as I run back to base. I throw myself to the floor in tears and apologize for everything at the feet of the generals, officers, and Pope. While crying, I hear the generals and officers whispering to themselves. The Pope gets up from his chair, slowly approaches me, and then lifts me up from the floor. Pope Karol the Second is the first beastmen pope and a turtle at that. A gentle giant of a man who never seems bothered by anything, not even by my pathetic cries and sloppy confession.

He gently smiles and says, “You’re forgiven, Tramonto.”

He hugs me and pats my back as I cry more. Waking up from the dream, I feel that I was crying while dreaming again. Memories from the past that have been coming back to me as a result of the cult’s heretical magic have been bothering me ever since they were used against us, but at least, they’re all gone. Getting up from my bed, I see that I forgot to put on a nightgown before going to bed and have been sleeping in my underwear. Thankfully, I hung up my armor, helmet, and papal garb before doing so. Before, I used to collapse on the bed with everything on after stressful days and deployments so I’ve made some progress in becoming tidier.

After putting on my nightgown, I walk up to the balcony to look at the moon that’s always shining at different intensities during the day and night. I can’t help but notice the places in the sky where there’s a lack of stars. Historically, it’s said that those stars were universes that were destroyed in an instant by heretics and heathens through unknown means. Because of that, it's a good reminder of who we fight against and the lessons of the past. Speaking of the past, I can’t help but look at the towering buildings around Vatican City that are remnants from a futuristic time and wish they’d fallen.

Some of my predecessors wanted the buildings kept in as good condition as possible. We’ve managed to keep several in other cities in stable condition without working electrical lights. Still, several other cities were ignored or abandoned because there are not enough resources to upkeep all of them nor do we have the machinery the people in the past used to make maintaining the buildings easier. Both Pope St. Karol the Second and I share the wish that we could’ve spent the resources in areas that were left more desolate because of the war that ended in the future, however, we both knew that there’s nothing that can be done now about them. For now, it’s best to appreciate them and remember the vanity in legacy and that no one’s works are remembered or kept intact for long. Now that I’ve calmed down from my dream, I go back inside, drink some water, and go back to sleep. Waking up in the morning, I get dressed, pick up my papal spear, and head downstairs where I meet my planner, particularly the party planner.

“Is everything ready for today?” I ask.

“It’s taken a couple of days, but everything is ready, Your Holiness,” he says.

“Good, good.”

I’m still not used to people calling me ‘Your Holiness’ and other papal titles. It feels like the titles don’t apply to me, but I should probably take my own advice that I told Ludovico and accept my God-given role and honors. After holding a celebration mass, I join the men and their families in the hall where they are all eating, drinking, and having a good time as they celebrate their victory. Looking through the crowds, I eventually make my way to where Umberto, Irsuto, and Ludovico are sitting.

Umberto and Irsuto get up, bow, and greet me properly except for Ludovico who simply says, “Hey! Long time no see, uh, Your Excellency.”

Both his friends berate him for his lack of proper respect, but I just laugh it off and say, “Don’t worry about it. We’re here to relax and celebrate.”

I then take off my helmet and put down my plate while joining the men at their table. It truly feels like I’m back in the past with my friends with these men. I see myself in Ludovico’s place, Trapani in Umberto’s, and Armato in Irsuto’s. My vision of the past seems to overtake the present so I try blinking it away, however, it doesn’t seem to go away. In fact, my eyes aren’t deceiving me as I see that the past has overtaken the present, and am watching myself and my friends sitting around a table as if I’m a ghostly outsider that they can’t see. What is this magic that’s affecting me? Is the Cult of the Sun still around? Have they infiltrated the Vatican?

Using my papal spear as an amplifier, I use a spell that flashes light from my eyes to dispel the sight of the past around me and find that I’m back in my room overlooking Vatican City. In the sky, I see the sky open up and the light of multiple artificial suns shining from them and heretical crosses descending down and planting themselves on the tallest buildings.

“It’s good to see the light of the sun every now and then, especially in this bleak land. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” a familiar voice says from behind me.

Turning around, I see Cardinal Giorno.

“I’m glad you revealed yourself so I wouldn’t have to guess who the traitor or traitors were, but why you?” I ask.

“Every answer I have to give you is obvious. I revealed myself to you because I’m sure that I’ve already won. I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t be able to figure out I was behind it anyway. No one knew what I was doing behind the scenes because they were focused on the crusades. As for why, it’s to unite everyone under a single belief, a single truth as is the goal of the Catholic faith.”

“You are no Catholic. We don’t force the truth onto others.”

“And yet, you used violence to put down my friends.”

“It was necessary. There’s a difference between self-defense and murder after all, especially when it involves the mind tricks your friends have been using, and how can you say that you’re sure you’ve won when we’ve eliminated your influences in every settlement we’ve come across?”

“It was part of my plan. Let me show you by teleporting us to a place where these spells of light originate from.”

Giorno waves his hand and we find ourselves at a place where many men, women, ratmen, orcs, elves of all kinds, and beastmen are stabbing themselves in the chest and cutting their own throats.

“What madness is this?” I ask with my hands firmly gripped on my papal spear ready to fight.

“The magic of self-sacrifice. My allies gave themselves up to you and sacrificed themselves for God so that this magic could work. It’s a special blend of magic that I learned by visiting the icy magical lands of Polypus and engrossing myself in high elf magic from the Holy Land,” Giorno explains.

“Whatever its origins are, it doesn’t matter because this all ends now.”

“No, this is where it begins. You don’t stand a chance against the light that comes as a result of the self-sacrifice of hundreds of people. Soon the darkness of Noctua will be wiped away and the light from it will engulf the world and the world will finally be at peace!”

“The world won’t be at peace this way! Even if you win, it won’t last.”

“As if you have a better way of bringing an end to the never-ending wars of humanity. Fighting wars with crusades, lawlessness with the blade of a sword and a jail sentence, and patient suffering have done nothing but prolong humanity’s pain for untold years. There is no better solution than mine. Because I admire you, I’ll give you this last chance to join with me and help us lead this new age free of war, suffering, and hatred.”

“I refuse.”

“I guess I should’ve figured. You were always a fool. I should’ve been there to teach you the truth when you were learning from Pope St. Karol the Second, but it’s too late-”

I swipe my papal spear at Giorno’s neck; however, the blade of the spear simply passes through it.

“You don’t deserve to even speak his name,” I say.

“Whatever the case is, I’m sure you’ll be happy to see him soon.”

Before I can do anything, the scene around me shifts to the one where I find myself behind Pope St. Karol the Second as he blocks me from a barrage of arrows and advances against the enemy. This is the day that I saw him die for the sake of the men he led. His turtle shell makes him tough, but not invincible even when he’s wearing his armor as he is now.

“I won’t let you lead on alone!” I scream as I charge forward into the barrage of arrows with my shield raised above my head.

My reason for always leading my armies from the front is not only because I’m inspired by Pope St. Karol the Second’s example, but also as an act of repentance for all the times I charged ahead for my own fame and glory and because Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins by Himself with no support from anyone. Why should I not do the same? If I am meant to live, then God will protect me. If not, then my life is an offering as penance for the sins of many and to shield the men behind me. I charge ahead through the memories where I was weak and selfish throwing myself into danger so that the people behind me will be safe.

Eventually, I find myself in Leo. The sun is setting and my family and friends are sitting on the top of a hill looking at the sight of it. It’s one of the moments of peace that I’ve treasured the most where the constant wars and suffering of the world seemed to disappear and not exist for a brief moment.

“I can make that brief moment last for the rest of eternity,” I hear Giorno say from behind me.

“As bad as it may sound, humanity doesn’t deserve that kind of peace, at least not now and certainly not won by our hands. We must continue to suffer and strive until God brings the end of time,” I say.

“This is God’s doing and I am His instrument of bringing everlasting peace to the world. I’m impressed that the pain of your past memories could bring you down despite all that you’ve gone through. Your friends, on the other hand, haven’t been able to break free of their grip.”

I see that I’m back in my room. Looking out from the balcony again, I see my soldiers and citizens wandering the cities as if they were in a happy and drunken daze. Among them, I see Umberto, Ludovico, and Irsuto. The skies are completely alight with the false sun’s light that oppressively tempts me to give up with a soothing feeling of peace and happiness. It takes every bit of strength I have in my body and soul to regret the temptation and concentrate my energy on my papal spear. Once I feel that I’ve charged my spell to its fullest, I release a dark torrent of fog that immediately bloats out parts of the sun and restores the minds of many below me.

My friends have noticed me standing above them so I slam down the end of my papal spear and say, “Fight against the temptations of false peace, my faithful soldiers of God! Embrace the darkness of suffering as Christ did on the cross, offer up its aches and pains as penance for the salvation of souls, and let it propel you towards Heaven!”

The people below me cheer while drawing their weapons.

“The enemy is within our very walls! Seek them out and give no mercy to the traitors! Spare none of them! Let your blades silence their blaspheming tongues that proclaim Christ but embrace the anti-Christ instead! Today, the darkness of God will overcome the light of Lucifer!”

Again, my soldiers cheer out, this time banging their weapons on the floor and their shields before they scatter throughout the city looking for the enemy.

“I must admit. You had me stunned there for a good while,” Giorno says. “I didn’t think that your darkness could pierce the light and break your men free of its spell.”

“It’s all God’s doing. I am merely His foolish servant,” I say before reading my spear for battle.

“Well, this is only a minor setback. As I said before, there’s no reason for us to hide since we’ve assured our victory, so your troops have their work cut out for them. The light will overcome the light as surely as the day overcomes the night.”

Looking back outside, I see that the false light is slowly beginning to shine again from the sky and my soldiers are clashing with ratmen, beastmen, elves, orcs, and traitors of all kinds.

“At least we get to fight normally now. Even if there’s a slight chance of victory, I must take it!”

“It’s a fool’s choice to bet on a slim chance of victory, but then again, it’s in character for you,” Giorno says before drawing his two rapiers.

He is then joined by beastmen who are wearing papal guard uniforms. I cut down these two and chase after Giorno as more traitors dressed in the armor of allies reveal themselves and come after me and each one, I execute without a second thought. It doesn’t matter if I recognize them or not. If they’re a traitor and choose to raise their weapon against me, I won’t hesitate to raise my own. My true loyalties are with God and not with them.

“Why did you draw your weapon if you aren’t going to fight me?” I ask as I continue to chase Giorno through the halls and rooms of the Vatican.

“You’ll see soon enough,” he says.

After chasing Giorno and cutting down every obstacle he throws at me, we enter the halls where the earlier celebration was happening. Now, it’s infested with traitors with their weapons raised against me and not a single ally in sight.

“You’re outnumbered, not only here, but also outside as my allies overwhelm yours. Again, because I admire you, I’ll give you a chance to join us. It’d be a shame of a man of your talents and conviction to die here,” Giorno says.

Looking around at the hall, I see that it’ll be difficult to defend myself against everyone. Even if help does come for me, I’m not sure how long I’ll last, but that doesn’t matter since I’ve already made my decision. I look down at a bottle of opened unfinished red wine and pick it up.

“It’s a shame that all this good food and wine will go to waste,” I say.

I pick up the bottle of wine, chug it a bit, throw it aside, and charge at the enemy while casting a spell that fills the room with a dark fog. This allows me to thin the herd a bit before they clear my fog with their light. Fighting light with light, I cast a spell to flash light from my eyes to blind them, continue thinning their numbers, and continuously casting the blinding spell until I no longer feel like I can. Now, it’s just me carving my way towards Giorno with no tricks left up my sleeve. I overwhelm him with a tornado of attacks from my spear until I cut away his legs and then his head. This stops the fight for a second allowing me to catch my breath and take a swig of a nearby white wine bottle.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m not done yet,” I say after throwing away the wine.

Charging ahead back into the fight, I begin to feel the wounds and strain of the fight finally affect me, which gets worse as the fight goes on. Still, I continue on until my arm refuses to swing my spear and I’m launched across the room by an attack from a beastman’s hammer. My arms and legs refuse to listen to me as I try and continue to fight even as the enemy is quickly closing in on me to tear me to shreds, and because of that, I accept this as my end. It’s not too bad of an end given who I was. Just as the enemy nears me, the barred doors behind me burst open and my soldiers swarm into the room pushing back my attackers.

“Your Holiness! Tramonto!” I hear Ludovico say behind me before holding me while kneeling on the ground. “Hang in there! His Holiness needs help! Get a medic over here already!”

Irsuto and Umberto are talking to Ludovico who seems to be crying and frantic. I can’t really hear them as everything sounds muffled. Still, I try to smile despite my pain.

“Don’t worry about me, Ludovico. I’ve ended up worse after drunkenly fighting over a woman at bars,” I say while painfully laughing.

I see and hear him laughing as well until an overwhelming light takes over my vision, and before I know it, I see myself in front of a set of gates and St. Peter waiting by it.

“Entering into your well-deserved rest, my worthy successor,” St. Peter says.

I can’t help but smile and be happy to such an extent that I’ve never felt before, but then I remember below and ask, “What about the people on Earth?”

“They’ll be led by your successor to victory over the Cult of the Sun. You, Ferocious Lion Knight Tramonto, have inspired Ludovico who will take your place as Pope and become known as the Jester Pope. Not because he’s a fool, but because of his ability to make people laugh and happy during the bleakest of moments.”

“I see then I’ll simply pray for him while I’m up here and intercede on his behalf.”

The gates behind St. Peter open and I enter into Heaven, satisfied with the life I’ve lived and the legacy I left. Ahead of me, I see the Lord, Pope St. Karol the Second in human form, family, and friends including Armato and Trapani. I’ve finally made it here. I’m sorry that I took so long! You know me, always the slow one.

The End