Dwight Brecken, the Black Knight
The weak die, the strong live. Some call it war, I call it natural. Even if that war ends, there will always be another. I will start it myself if I have to, because that is what the strong must do.
~ Dwight Brecken ~
The Weak and the Strong
Dwight Brecken was one of the greatest military leaders of Ravenna to ever live. In his time of service, he obtained over two dozen medals across all types of campaigns; from the Tenelean Empire in the west, the Silver Piece Collective in the south, the Gohnic orcs in the north, to even several wars inside Ravenna that major history does not bother to write.
Dwight Brecken grew up under his father, Callum Brecken who was a small officer in the Ravennian army. Dwight was always inspired by his father's willingness to serve and fight for his son, and never forgot Callum's aspiration to one day come home a mighty general. Every day, Dwight was reminded of his father's words that he was always told.
"Son, one day you will see the world for how terrible it really is. And when that day comes, you must be strong. Because the weak's only inheritance is to be left behind while the strong live on. I await the day you become stronger than me."
One year, Callum left west to help fight a border war that was occurring between Ravenna and Tenelea in the west. But after it ended, all that returned to Dwight was his father's helmet and prized sword. The grief hit Dwight terribly and the world became a lot bleaker in the loss of his father. The only final words he was granted were the dying words Callum had told nearby soldiers to deliver to Dwight.
"I fell, because I was weak. This is simply my fate. Do not let yourself be like me, son."
For a long time, Dwight suffered night and day with the reality he'd never get to see his father again, and he loathed whoever had killed him. But, with blood-boiling determination, he kept close that last creed of his father, working as hard as he could to not be weak. When kids came to pick a fight, he did not back down and did not relent when he sent them running. When his father's sword was still too big for him, he trained with it anyway. Most of all, he slowly erased the soft sides of himself until he harbored no empathy for anyone at all. Not even his own mother, Amirah, who died from a deathly illness a few years later.
"She was weak, doomed to die. That is just how it is all meant to work."
Despite the morbid and sinister motives Dwight developed over the next coming years, he still devoted himself to fulfill the dream his father never had. To become a mighty general; he wanted to finish what Callum had started. He wanted to become stronger than anyone and bow to no one. And he knew there couldn't possibly be any better way to prove it. So, with no family to call his home any longer, he made the army his new one.
Only a weak fool chases for the glory of battle alone. Today, you will face your end. Pray it is swift.
There was that word again. Weak. It infuriated Dwight to be called such. It insulted him to still be seen like that. It enticed him to kill this man even more. In a tense duel, the two went toe-to-toe as their swords collided one time after another. Neither of them threatened to back down, and even the Teneleans were unsure who would come out the victor. Dwight was ready to strike this man down. All he needed was an opening. But, it was gone the moment he realized his sword had been flung from his hands and himself knocked to the ground. The Iron Lord's blade aimed at Dwight's neck, ready to go for the kill. However, in that instant the Tenelean armies began their retreat as the siege had come to a failing end. Inclined to fall in with the retreat, Brian stowed his sword, calling Dwight lucky for a godless miracle and that he'd remember him, then departed. Dwight sat still for minutes. He couldn't believe that he had failed, that had come so close just to be bested in the end. He was still too weak. He couldn't achieve his father's dream while he was. But, destiny had given him another chance here. He was still alive, so he must be strong. Though the war came to an end not soon after under a continental armistice, Dwight's intention to finish the fight he'd started did not.
"Son, one day you will see the world for how terrible it really is. And when that day comes, you must be strong. Because the weak's only inheritance is to be left behind while the strong live on. I await the day you become stronger than me."
~ Callum Brecken ~
One year, Callum left west to help fight a border war that was occurring between Ravenna and Tenelea in the west. But after it ended, all that returned to Dwight was his father's helmet and prized sword. The grief hit Dwight terribly and the world became a lot bleaker in the loss of his father. The only final words he was granted were the dying words Callum had told nearby soldiers to deliver to Dwight.
"I fell, because I was weak. This is simply my fate. Do not let yourself be like me, son."
~ Callum Brecken ~
For a long time, Dwight suffered night and day with the reality he'd never get to see his father again, and he loathed whoever had killed him. But, with blood-boiling determination, he kept close that last creed of his father, working as hard as he could to not be weak. When kids came to pick a fight, he did not back down and did not relent when he sent them running. When his father's sword was still too big for him, he trained with it anyway. Most of all, he slowly erased the soft sides of himself until he harbored no empathy for anyone at all. Not even his own mother, Amirah, who died from a deathly illness a few years later.
"She was weak, doomed to die. That is just how it is all meant to work."
~ Dwight Brecken ~
Despite the morbid and sinister motives Dwight developed over the next coming years, he still devoted himself to fulfill the dream his father never had. To become a mighty general; he wanted to finish what Callum had started. He wanted to become stronger than anyone and bow to no one. And he knew there couldn't possibly be any better way to prove it. So, with no family to call his home any longer, he made the army his new one.
Early Service
Even though his father had been an officer, Dwight was still forced to start from the bottom. He was ridiculed, belittled, and taunted by the very people that served beside him, but he didn't let that deter him from getting stronger. To Dwight, they were just mice playing at a game meant for giants. He explored every possible way he could to fight with his father's sword. From the basics between two-handed and sword-and-shield fighting, he even delved into the arcane to make a name for himself, a hobby not many people had the patience for. During his time training, of which happened mostly in the mountain city of Trispire, he finally learned the name of the man who had killed his father. He'd heard it after meeting a veteran who'd served with him. The killer's name was Brian Laoch. A Tenelean soldier who'd just recently rose to become an Iron Lord. From what he knew, it was the highest military honor Tenelea could bestow. But, he didn't care. He now knew who he was going to cut down, and he made a promise he would not die until that happened. That promise came to be tested when the continent's first major war broke out on the day Tenelea struck everywhere without mercy. The War of Turmoil swept Ravenna into countless bloody battles to defend what it called home. And Dwight was thrust into the thick of it. Battle after battle, his skill over his sword and his magic made a name for himself as he proved time and time again how much stronger he was, and how much weaker his opponents were. But, none of that was anything he truly cared for. Not the fellow soldiers who died beside him. Not the walls of a city collapsing around the streets he was tasked to defend. Not even the countless promotions and medals he was bestowed for his service. He only awaited the day he'd meet that Iron Lord, the one leading the entire campaign against Ravenna, and face him to the death. That day presented itself near the end of the war at the siege of Podun. Tenelea was making one of its final pushes to steal its way into the Ravennian mainland. Dwight was among the troops defending the city, and that Iron Lord was on the battlefield commanding the assault. Very quickly did Dwight abandon the orders he was given. This was finally his chance to avenge his father, and he wouldn't pass it up. Abandoning Podun, he maneuvered alone, all the way behind the enemy that had quickly noticed him. He was surrounded and prepared to fight off every one of them, but he called to challenge the Iron Lord that commanded them. To his subdued surprise, it was met. Brian Laoch stood before him, a tall man armored just like Dwight.Only a weak fool chases for the glory of battle alone. Today, you will face your end. Pray it is swift.
~ Brian Laoch ~
There was that word again. Weak. It infuriated Dwight to be called such. It insulted him to still be seen like that. It enticed him to kill this man even more. In a tense duel, the two went toe-to-toe as their swords collided one time after another. Neither of them threatened to back down, and even the Teneleans were unsure who would come out the victor. Dwight was ready to strike this man down. All he needed was an opening. But, it was gone the moment he realized his sword had been flung from his hands and himself knocked to the ground. The Iron Lord's blade aimed at Dwight's neck, ready to go for the kill. However, in that instant the Tenelean armies began their retreat as the siege had come to a failing end. Inclined to fall in with the retreat, Brian stowed his sword, calling Dwight lucky for a godless miracle and that he'd remember him, then departed. Dwight sat still for minutes. He couldn't believe that he had failed, that had come so close just to be bested in the end. He was still too weak. He couldn't achieve his father's dream while he was. But, destiny had given him another chance here. He was still alive, so he must be strong. Though the war came to an end not soon after under a continental armistice, Dwight's intention to finish the fight he'd started did not.
Vengeance
He had performed so well that he had become an officer just like his father and obtained a small company of soldiers under his wing. But, no matter who he commanded, Dwight knew it was nothing more than another reminder of how strong he'd become. By now, there was no one in the Ravennian military who could best Dwight Brecken. Not only was his ability to fight on an elite level of its own, he'd also successfully manifested the arcane into his blade. Now, it sung through the air and fought for him whether he held it or not. That is the reason why from then on he started carrying two swords. Over a year had past since the encounter with Callum's killer. And after months of searching for the man, his men informed him of his family home in Rivertown far in the west. Truthfully, Dwight didn't focus whatsoever on taking any of Brian Laoch's family's lives. All he wanted was that man. So, he dispatched a few envoys carrying a single letter. This letter contained a blunt and blatant request. Over a week later, Dwight Brecken was waiting at the Delta Dam, just north of the city of Imbractus to see if the Iron Lord had accepted the request. When the two suddenly encountered each other on top the dam, Dwight was pleased by the answer. Dwight and Brian exchanged very few words. Instead, they were intent to let the blades of their swords speak for them. Brian Laoch was ready to fight. Dwight Brecken was ready to kill. Brian began to charge, but the instant Dwight drew his blade, there was a flash of light from it that blinded the Iron Lord, Brian Laoch. The next thing he saw was the enchanted blade alive, pointed at the small of his back before it ran him through on its own. The fight hadn't even lasted more than eight seconds. A cascading wave crashed against the dam as the Iron Lord fell that day, with little more than a thought on Dwight Brecken's part. The ash from the distant mines coated their armor in black as Dwight looked at the dead man in front of him. How weak, in the end. Dwight thought. He gathered the man's sword and shield and had a few envoys in the next few days deliver it back to the family home in Rivertown. Ravennian bystanders had also been present that day, and when their word of mouth circulated all the way to the capital, Dwight Brecken was recognized for his exemplary service in defeating a powerful Tenelean leader who'd managed the killing of thousands of their people. He was given a medal that had been created after the war: the Iron Slayer Cross. And finally, he was granted the rank of general and given the provisions for his own, full-sized army. The day had finally come. He'd finally fulfilled his father's dreams. But, his story didn't stop there.The Black Guard
Dwight took orders from no one. Not even those armor designers who decided what equipment an army was to wear. Dwight knew precisely how to strike fear in his enemies with his army. He coated his armor in a black color just like the ash from the day he fought the Iron Lord who'd killed his father. And he did the same for the swordsmen, cavalry, and archers that were commanded by him. In days, the entire kingdom was calling Dwight Brecken the Black Knight. And in that same time, his whole army earned a very similar name, the Black Guard. Even though revenge had finally been taken, Dwight knew it did not mean his path to strength was over. Until the day death called his name, he would continue to grow and become stronger than he was the day before. The black guard reflected this too. It quickly became one of the most merciless and unrelenting armies in the Ravennian military as Dwight led it through many campaigns against the orcs of Gohn, the pirates of the SPC, and even minor civil wars that surfaced because of Tenelean espionage. One of the soldiers under him was named Raustefen, but after seeing just how malicious and unforgiving Dwight was in how he led, the man transferred out of the guard. To any who would dare challenge him, he is fully prepared to put them in their place and prove just how weak they really are. The strong deserve to live and the weak deserve to be culled, after all.When he looks in your eyes, it's like a man looking at an ant. The general may have come from a mother's womb, but there is no way that man is truly human.
~ Raustefen ~
Year of Birth
1515 AC
Children
Belief/Deity
Cull the Weak
The cavernous landscapes around Dwight looked barren and decrepit, exactly what he'd expected to see from ancient ruins.
Pallus. Just rubble of a bygone era, and nothing more.
Tenelean and Ravennian bodies scattered the surrounding area where the intense fighting had taken place hours ago.
All of them weak, destined to perish.
But, Dwight still stood tall, because unlike them he was strong. Unlike them, he understood how it worked.
And now, he'd achieved full victory and sent Tenelea running from this place that it had occupied for more than fifteen years. Now, he stood outside the gates of the dark elves, the Skein Sovereignty, awaiting the moment they'd make the smart decision and let him in.
At his back was a small platoon of ten guards armored just like him. Unnecessary, he knew, because all it meant was a risk they might get in his way.
"The Long Gates." He breathed just as the gates finally opened. A strange name, he thought, based on the fact the walls in front of him looked nearly half the length of Imbractus'.
A trio of dark elves emerged before Dwight. At the lead was a man taller than him with long white hair that ran all the way down past his elbows. He was dressed in long robes as he had a smile on his face. A smile, Dwight knew, that was as staged as any other noble gathering could provide.
"Greetings, general Brecken," The elf spoke, "my name is Lodus, majordomo to-"
"If you are not the matriarch I must speak to, then I care not for who you are." Dwight cut the man off. "I'd advise your next words be that she is ready to see me."
There was a pause as Lodus seemed to hesitate on what to say next. When he saw Dwight rest a hand on the hilt of one of his two blades, he finally answered. "Why, yes, the matriarch is ready to see you now."
"Good." And without another word, Lodus led Dwight and his men into the citadel toward the main spire that ran all the way up into the cave ceiling dozens of feet up.
Time seemed to slow for a moment as Dwight caught glance after glance of other dark elves looking his way. And every time he returned their looks, they peered away. He saw some were dressed in foreign ways that still told him they were rich soldiers. But, the others he saw were dressed poor and in rags.
Slaves always looked like slaves.
The strong and the weak. His father's voice sang through his head. Then, the group stopped just as they reached the main doorway into the massive dark elven structure.
With a wave of a strange web-shaped medallion, Lodus willed the doors to open, revealing a massive descending staircase inside. He could see down it to the very bottom where warm orange torchlight burned from within, a strange compliment to the fact it was the first source of he light he'd seen since entering the citadel.
"Please, follow me." Lodus asked, and Dwight did so. They descended until they reached the very bottom, and what Dwight saw amused him.
Three columns ran on either side of him to the far end of the wall. At the other end, a slender womanly figure sat in a throne of dark-colored stone with a strange staff, as if she was some kind of empress.
Behind her, he saw a textured mural of some kind of human-spider hybrid. It had the torso of a man, but the lower body of a spider.
"Please, forgive me," the woman's voice echoed through the chamber, "the way you entered, I mistook you for another Tenelean."
Dwight didn't pay a single thought to that insult. "You are the queen of the Long Gates?"
"Matriarch, actually."
Dwight's men slowly spread about the room as Lodus and the other two moved to stand beside the woman. "It means no different to me." Dwight said.
"As I'm sure your men being alive or dead does as well. You've intimidated my majordomo into an audience with me, you'd do well to speak what you have come to say... cautiously."
The woman was trying to threaten him. But, Dwight had faced many leaders before him, and he was not about to let her be any different. "It is to my attention the Sovereignty have had... intimate relations with the Tenelean Empire for quite some time now."
"The empire has been driven out of Pallus." The woman leaned forward. "Your forces have seen to that."
"Even so, star-crossed lovers can write to each other of their love with letters when they are not together."
"Fair," she remarked, "what is your point?"
"I'm here to ensure the Skein Sovereignty renounce all ties they have to the empire and subjugate themselves to the Ravennian kingdom."
The matriarch scoffed. "Hold your tongue! We Skein will not bend the knee to warmongers that simply demand it."
"Yet your people are outnumbered, and I am here demanding it all the same. The choice is yours: submit, or become just like the bodies outside your gates."
"If you wish me to submit," she raised her staff to the wall behind her, "then show me you are worth it!" The staff glowed with life before that glow flowed into the wall, causing the mural to come to life as the depicted creature erupted from it in a body of pure obsidian. "Pallenistra, punish this weakli-!"
There was a flash of light that consumed the entire room as Dwight merely inched his father's blade from the sheath. When the light subsided, his sword was nowhere near him. Instead, it was pointed straight towards the back of the strange creature.
"The weak shall be culled." Dwight growled before clenching his fist. The moment he did so, the sword pierced deep into Pallenistra like it was butter. The creature arched backwards in intense agony before it broke apart completely. Then, the broken pieces slowly gravitated back into the mural until it was a lifeless picture once again.
The woman just sat there, eyes like they had just seen a ghost. "Im... possible." She barely breathed as Dwight's sword slowly soared back into his sheath. His eyes glared her way.
"Submit." He ordered.
A bead of sweat ran down her left cheek as she hesitated on what to say. "I... will speak to the magistrates and see what I can do."
Dwight smiled. "Then you will accompany me there."
She lurched forward and began to protest, but then thought better of it as she lost her resistance. "Yes..."
The strong rule, and the weak obey. That is just how it all works.
The last time Pallenistra was defeated, it had taken minutes for him to fall. But this... it was an instant. This is impossible.~ Iyvanka
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