Black Knight

**Black Knight** is one of the several bosses in *Astalon: Tears of the Earth*. Its number is #005 and it can be found in Mechanism (first encounter) & Hall of Phantoms (second encounter). He also serves as the protagonist of the Black Knight mode.

## Profile

### Appearance

The Black Knight is adorned in a suit of purplish-black armor complemented by a crimson cape. His distinctive helmet features elongated horns and eerie, red-glowing eyes. Notably, the visor on his helmet bears a semblance to a mouth-like configuration. As his weapon of choice, the Black Knight wields a formidable longsword.

In poignant flashbacks, the Black Knight emerges as a feeble, ailing boy characterized by short hair—a stark contrast to his imposing armored visage.

Upon the culmination of the climactic final confrontation, the Black Knight undergoes an unmasking upon defeat, revealing his true identity as a long-haired man. His unmasked visage is available for examination within the game's gallery.

### Personality

The Black Knight's tumultuous past, marked by abandonment at the hands of his parents and indoctrination by the enigmatic Gorgon Lords, has left an indelible mark on his psyche. Central to his character is an overwhelming disdain for humanity as a whole, driving him to harbor a fervent desire to exterminate humans en masse. This deep-seated animosity is palpable in his interactions with the party.

During the initial encounter, when Kyuli extends an offer of assistance, the Black Knight swiftly rebuffs the offer and instead revels in his malevolent accomplishment of poisoning the water supply. His chilling confession underscores his commitment to the sinister agenda of human eradication.

In the climactic final battle, the party extends an empathetic understanding of his suffering and pleads with him to halt his genocidal plan. However, the Black Knight remains resolute in his enmity, vehemently expressing his intense hatred for both the party and humanity as a whole. As his defeat becomes inevitable, even with the support of Gorgon Medusa, leader of the Gorgon Lords, the Black Knight channels his final moments into a desperate, last-ditch attack against Algus, driven by the desire to make humanity experience the depth of his anguish.

The Black Knight's unwavering loyalty is reserved for the Gorgon Lords, who serve as his surrogate parents and masters. His unswerving dedication revolves around the fulfillment of their objectives.

## Throughout *Astalon: Tears of the Earth*

### Background

The Black Knight's origin traces back to his earlier life as a frail and ailing boy residing within a post-apocalyptic village. In this dire state, he was afflicted with a condition that rendered him unable to speak, his only expression being labored gasps reminiscent of one on the brink of death. A pivotal moment in his past unfolded when his father, Malus, made the heart-wrenching decision to abandon him, while his mother, Lydia, vehemently opposed this grim choice.

As the parental debate surrounding his fate raged on, a cult paid a fateful visit to their abode. This enigmatic cult proposed a chilling solution: to offer the boy as a sacrificial offering to the Tower of Serpents. Eventually, the parents succumbed to the cult's macabre counsel, leading them to transport their son to the ominous Tower of Serpents, where the cult consigned the child to the enigmatic Gorgon Lords.

Within the tower's ominous confines, the Gorgon Lords themselves engaged in a contentious deliberation regarding the boy's destiny. Among the suggestions was the offering of a suit of armor, endowed with the uncanny ability to mend its wearer when drenched in blood. This sinister plan involved raising the boy as the Gorgon Lords' champion, with the ultimate objective of liberating them from their centuries-old confinement within the tower's shadowy recesses.

As the boy triumphed over the trials meticulously arranged by the Gorgon Lords, he ascended to the esteemed position of their champion. His newfound role ignited within him an unquenchable thirst for vengeance against humanity, with his initial move aimed at the poisoning of the world's water sources.

### Initial Encounter

The saga unfolds when a trio of intrepid adventurers—Arias, Kyuil, and Algas—ventured into the ominous Tower of Serpents, compelled by the mystery of the poisoned water. As they ventured deeper into the tower's labyrinthine hallways, their path intersected with that of the enigmatic Black Knight. The Black Knight, unbeknownst to Kyuil, the party member who inquired about assistance, was the malevolent architect behind the water contamination. In response to Kyuil's query, the Black Knight chose not to assist but instead gloated about his ominous objective to annihilate humanity. He openly admitted to contaminating the water. The ensuing confrontation witnessed the Black Knight vaporizing Arias, impaling Kyuil with his formidable longsword, and incapacitating Algas with a potent lightning bolt, effectively vanquishing the entire party with alarming ease.

Unbeknownst to the Black Knight, Algas had forged a pact with Epimetheus, the Titan of Death, who pledged to resurrect the party multiple times, manipulating the fabric of time itself, in exchange for Algas's eventual surrender of his soul upon completing their mission. Thus, the party underwent a resurrection and temporal reset, with only Algas retaining knowledge of the Faustian pact made with Epimetheus.

### Subsequent Encounters

The Black Knight persistently launched additional attempts to intercept the party within the tower's depths. Despite his tenacity, these encounters culminated in his defeat on two distinct occasions.

### Final Battle

In his ultimate endeavor to thwart the party's relentless advance towards the tower's destruction, the Black Knight positioned himself at the Apex, the highest tier of the Tower of Serpents, where the dormant leader of the Gorgons, Gorgon Medusa, resided. With unwavering determination, the Black Knight unleashed a barrage of his most formidable attacks upon the party. However, despite his fervent efforts, he ultimately met his demise at the hands of the resolute adventurers.

During this climactic confrontation, Algus attempted to reason with the Black Knight, urging him to abandon his malevolent scheme of eradicating humanity. Regrettably, the Black Knight remained steadfast in his animosity, expressing intense hatred towards both the party and humanity as a whole. In a last-ditch act of desperation, the Black Knight merged his essence with that of Gorgon Medusa. Nevertheless, the combined might of the party ultimately led to the demise of Gorgon Medusa and the Black Knight, despite their formidable union.

In his final moments, the Black Knight summoned a desperate, parting attack, aimed at Algus. The outcome of this attack hinged on whether the tower had been fully explored. In instances where the tower's exploration remained incomplete, the Black Knight succeeded in slaying Algus, thereby fulfilling the pact with Epimetheus, who promptly claimed Algus's soul. Conversely, in scenarios where the tower had been comprehensively explored and all requisite items secured, Algus outwitted Epimetheus by deploying a Homunculus—a construct intricately linked to Algus's soul. This maneuver enabled Algus to endure the Black Knight's ultimate assault. Regardless of the specific outcome, the Black Knight's sinister ambition to exterminate humanity was decisively thwarted by the resolute party.

## Powers

This is a list of powers that the Black Knight has:

* **Magic Orb:** The Black Knight possesses the capacity to conjure a magic orb, affording him brief control over its trajectory. However, it is noteworthy that casting this orb exacts a toll on his health. Furthermore, this mystical orb can activate specific magic switches strategically positioned throughout the tower's expanse.
* **Lightning Strike:** Among his arsenal of abilities, the Black Knight can summon potent lightning bolts, incorporating them into his formidable attacks. This ability is notably employed during the initial encounter to eliminate Algus, one of the party members.
* **Vaporization:** The Black Knight commands the power to summon a vertical red beam, an ability that results in the instantaneous vaporization of his adversaries. This fearsome capability is showcased when he dispatches Arias in a swift and brutal manner during the initial encounter.
* **Hovering:** Exhibiting a form of levitation, the Black Knight can briefly hover within the sky, adding an element of aerial maneuverability to his formidable skill set.

## Abilities

This is a list of abilities that the Black Knight has:

* **Swordsmanship:** The Black Knight's martial prowess is exemplified in his mastery of swordsmanship. He exhibits remarkable agility and precision, delivering swift lunges and rapid, consecutive slashes. His capacity to pierce through his targets with extraordinary celerity is notably displayed when he impales Kyuli during the initial encounter. Furthermore, when playing as the Black Knight, his sword serves as a catalyst for activating specific magic switches within the tower. Additionally, it possesses the unique capability to dismantle select tower structures that would otherwise remain impervious to destruction. (It is pertinent to note that the only other individuals capable of breaching these structures are Bram, equipped with the Morning Star artifact, and Nevus, the gargoyle, who employs his fireball attack.)
* **High Jump:** As the Black Knight, his agility extends to his remarkable jumping prowess. He can execute leaps that exceed the heights attainable by other characters, granting him an advantage in vertical mobility.
* **Blood Healing:** The Black Knight's distinctive suit of armor boasts a remarkable ability—a capacity to regenerate when saturated with blood. This recuperative attribute contributes to his resilience in the heat of battle, enhancing his staying power during protracted confrontations.

## Guide

### First encounter

The boss encounter involves a straightforward pattern. When the boss is in close proximity and positioned near the center of the room, it executes a charging maneuver; players should leap over the boss to evade it. Alternatively, if the boss is nearby and players are adjacent to a wall, it will perform a leaping attack while releasing a large orb in a straight line across the room.

The battle is characterized by these two primary actions. Kyuli, given her extended range, offers a distinct advantage in this encounter. Players should wait for the boss to approach the center of the room while positioned on higher ground. Subsequently, they should descend and launch arrows at the boss, maintaining this tactic as the boss gradually returns. When the boss reaches the closest ladder, players should ascend the ladder on the adjacent wall and continue the cycle, dropping down when the boss moves away and resuming arrow attacks. This strategy can be consistently applied until the boss is defeated.

### Second encounter

The second encounter with the Black Knight closely mirrors the first. The battle should primarily be conducted using Kyuli throughout its entirety. The boss retains its prior attack patterns, with the addition of a new, albeit infrequent, attack:

* **Charging:** The boss charges a short distance toward the player with its sword.
* **Leaping Attack:** When in close proximity to the wall, the boss leaps toward the player, firing an orb that traverses the room in a straight line.
* **New Attack:** On occasion, the boss stands with its sword planted in the ground and releases branching lightning bolts in both directions. Players must simply outmaneuver this attack, bearing in mind that obstruction by walls may limit escape routes.

The battle closely resembles the previous encounter with Kyuli as the primary character. Players should maintain a consistent strategy of dropping down as the boss departs and launching arrows as it moves across the room. When the boss nears, players should employ wall climbing with the Griffon Claw. Repeating this pattern should result in a successful boss encounter, given the boss's slow attack animations. A minimal chance exists that players may be limited in escape routes during the new lightning attack, making mobility a key consideration. Nevertheless, players should maintain an aggressive approach to expedite the boss's defeat.

## Stats

* **HP:** 2500
* **Orbs:** 0
* **Kill goal:** 1

## Quotes

* *The echo responds to the call. You are all scums.*
* *No matter, this will be over soon. It was time for me to take control... and rid this planet from the scourge of mankind!*
* *I... I MUST!!! YOU ARE FOOLS!!! DESERVING ONLY SLAUGHTER!! I... I HATE YOU ALL!!! URRGHH!! I will... kill them... I'll... kill them all... Heheh...*
* *Yes! It was I! Hahahaha! A small price to restore purity... to restore balance.*
* *My lords, do you hear? Take the souls of these fools as tribute! You cannot change the course of destiny, accept your fate.*
* *Y-you won't be helping... anybody... You m-miserable... You... you will feel the suffering you've caused... The pain... Grrr... I will make you feel... what I have f-felt... IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!!! I'LL... K-KILL YOU!*