Persona : The Phantom Duke

The return of the Ravengard Knight Order sent a wave of relief through the gathered vassals. Their anxious hearts eased, and murmurs of reassurance spread among them. However, the mercenaries and Jacob remained frozen in shock, unable to comprehend the magnitude of what had just transpired. The knights, clad in black, removed their masks one by one, revealing their faces to the crowd. 

Jacob's breath caught in his throat as his gaze locked onto three familiar figures among them. His voice trembled as he shouted, pointing at them, "It's the Berserker, Zalthar... and the Demon Twins, Talia and Jairo!"

Zalthar stood out among the knights, a towering presence of raw power. His massive frame dwarfed those around him, his dark brown hair tied back neatly, though a jagged scar ran down the right side of his head. His deep brown eyes held the weight of battles long fought. Beside him stood the twins—Talia and Jairo—almost identical in appearance. Their brown hair and matching brown eyes marked their kinship, though Talia's hair cascaded past her shoulders while Jairo kept his short. They barely looked fifteen, yet their expressions carried an eerie calm, as if they had seen more than their years should allow.

A murmur of curiosity rose among the vassals and mercenaries. One of them turned to Jacob and asked, "Who the hell are they?"

Jacob exhaled sharply, his mind racing to process the revelation. "Do you know about the underground brawl betting?" he asked, his voice grim. "It's run by mercenaries and bandits—an illegal ring where warriors fight for survival. They wager their wealth, their possessions, and sometimes their very lives. It's brutal. More than fifty fighters enter, including slaves, debtors, and even those desperate for coin. The fights only end when one remains standing."

He turned his gaze back to Zalthar, swallowing hard. "Zalthar won five times in a row. He was the only one left standing at the end of every match. The crowd called him 'The Berserker.' As for the Demon Twins... they won four times in a row. That was two years ago, and after that, they vanished. No one knew where they went."

A mercenary standing nearby blinked in realization. "Captain, we met you two years ago, didn't we?"

Jacob, still staring at the trio, nodded. "Yeah… It was shortly after that."

As Kaisel and Ezra spoke, the sound of hooves echoed behind them. Kaisel turned his head, his eyes narrowing slightly. Anton had followed him on horseback, his white stallion contrasting sharply with the black-cloaked knights. His expression held a mix of curiosity and disbelief as he took in the sight before him.

"Brother... who are these people?" Anton asked hesitantly.

Kaisel smiled, a glint of amusement flickering in his crimson eyes. "Ah, Anton. Allow me to introduce them properly. These are the new Ravengard Knight Order."

Anton's mouth parted slightly, his words caught in his throat. His mind struggled to reconcile the reality before him with what he had always known. Ravengard had been without knights for years... and now, in a single day, an entire order had returned?

Kaisel shifted his gaze to Ezra, and in an unspoken exchange, Ezra nodded in understanding. With a commanding tone, he addressed his men, "Knights, let's move. Leave the carriages with the vassals."

Ezra then turned to the gathered vassals and spoke with respect, "These are gifts prepared by the knights for the people of Ravengard."

The knights remounted their horses, guiding them towards the Duchy, while the vassals rushed forward to inspect the carriages. As they opened them, their eyes widened with disbelief and joy. Inside, the carriages were filled with resources—tools, iron bars, medicine, fresh vegetables, fruits, and barrels of fine alcohol. A wave of admiration spread among the commoners and merchants. Their once skeptical gazes softened, replaced by awe and gratitude.

An elderly vassal turned to the mercenaries. "If you lot wish to become knights, you best go to the Lord."

One of the mercenaries scoffed. "Should we?"

Jacob let out a deep breath before stepping forward. "Get the horses. We're heading to the Duchy," he declared. "I came here with the intent of becoming a knight."

The group rode through the Duchy's roads, the morning sun casting long shadows across the path. Anton, still reeling from the sudden turn of events, rode beside Kaisel, bombarding him with questions.

"Brother, who are they? Are they truly knights? Where did they come from?"

Kaisel, still riding beside him, sighed. "Stop with the questions, Anton." His voice, though not unkind, left no room for argument. "All you need to know is that they will serve and protect the Ravengard from now on."

Anton, still unconvinced, glanced toward Ezra. Kaisel followed his gaze and smirked. "Oh, and Anton, meet the new Captain of the Ravengard Knight Order—Ezra Valtieri."

Ezra turned his head slightly and gave a respectful nod. "It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Young Lord Anton. The Duke has spoken highly of both you and the young lady."

Anton, flustered by the formal greeting, struggled to find his words. "Ah... a-a pleasure to meet you as well, Sir Ezra."

Ezra simply chuckled, while Kaisel watched with amusement. As the group rode forward, the dawn of a new era for Ravengard had begun.