The Primal's Desire
A high rank Tacet Discord which mimics the form and actions that of a knight engaged in a ceaseless crusade. Despite its fabricated appearance, the Crownless knows nothing of a knight's duty, nor does it possess any chivalry.
It attempts to understand and learn the behavior of a human knight in ward of its overlord, yet fails to grasp the true meaning of guardianship the role entails, as the entity only mechanically wields its lance believing that this will make itself into a glorious knight.
In the end, it merely became a sinister ghost of warfare, lingering amidst a prolonged void of struggle, trapped in the infinite cycle of conflict and death. Once the fighting ends, it finds everything meaningless.
Unknowingly, the feathers of the Crownless' wings have been converted into colors of pitch black.
Even the lance that once symbolized honor has undergone erosion and mutation, radiating an unsettling aura.
The "Knight's" Death Struggle
The engagement with the knight includes three stages, each featuring distinct styles of attack and levels of danger. Its condition gradually changes while facing a formidable opponent like the Rover.
1. Attempting
During the initial stage, the knight can be seen making its entrance wearing a cloak and engaging in melee combat with fists and feet.
While the various move sets are relatively slow, such as long preparation and recovery stances before and after throwing a punch, they provide openings for counterattacks.
Despite this, as seen from the knight's evasive maneuvers, it appears as though it is more in a state of enjoyment, giving the impression to be testing out Rover's capabilities in a provocative way.
Yet the threat remains. Occasionally, the knight crouches, slamming its fist into the ground to emit a wide range of shockwave from the center. Although the move displays an obvious preparatory posture, a slight lapse of concentration may lead to receiving a serious blow due to its wide range of effect.
Facing this first powerful foe after awakening can be a tense experience, requiring time to learn its patterns and perfect the timing of attacks and evasions. However, this stage allows Rovers to quickly regain their combat prowess.
2. Riled Up
The Crownless becomes fully riled up after these previous exchanges, having garnered interest in this capable adversary before it. Hence begins the second stage of the engagement.
Compared to the previous stage, the knight will be more vigilant, always ready to strike or evade as though taking up the role of a professional boxer.
Through endless wars and battles, it has forged itself into a proficient master of martial arts.
As a war machine it no longer dawdles in movements, instead employing speed and precision to take down its target.
Its actions become swifter, making attacks difficult to evade, especially with the added combos.
By accumulating energy, the knight can release a devastating blow full of grandeur. However, this ability comes with a long recovery time, providing an ideal opportunity for the Rover to take advantage of.
From this stage, it becomes apparent that the knight has incorporated various combat styles that of a human warrior into its own. Whether it be the stance of a boxer, or multiple forms of melee techniques, all shows the knight's ability to quickly learn and adapt to human behavior.
3. Fury
Having been torn by battle, the knight's cloak is now replaced by a pair of large feathered wings. A lance is called out from beneath its feet, as though showing it now has truly entered the role of a knight, ready to carry out a final duel with the Rover.
With this transformation comes a complete change in the knight's fighting style. It shifts from pure melee attacks to menacing lance strikes, and the newly-obtained wings grant it the capability to pounce from the air.
As the Rover faces sweeping lance blows, the initial strike is easily avoidable, but may be battered by the latter two that come in immediate succession. A combo of three sweeping attacks demands more accurate timing in evasion from its receiver.
In addition to the lance, it would also fling sharp feathers at the unsuspecting Rover. A dishonorable move unlike that of a true knight, and rather more of a desperate attempt for victory out of fury.
The knight's assaults from the air prove to be even more threatening than those on the ground. With greater flexibility in the direction of attacks, significantly increased range, and speed, they are extremely lethal.
With the increase of frequency in lance sweeps supplemented by feather shots, the Rover becomes overwhelmed.
Not only this, the jet black wings can also conjure up a column of tornado in place of the previous projectiles towards the Rover's way.
After the grueling battle, the mock-up knight fades away under Rover's blade. The Crownless failed to acquire its "crown".
The crown represents a child's rite of passage into adulthood, and it is also the Crownless' initial stage of imitating human beings. However, perhaps only when the Crownless truly understands the nature of human beings, can it find its own "crown" rather than merely imitate.
This battle merely marks the beginning of the encounter between the Rover and the Crownless.
