The Knight of the Hollow Crown (Patreon)

In the stillness of this chamber, the painted armor of "Noctis" is cast aside, and the walls I have built seem less like a fortress and more like a prison of my own design.

I have ridden forth to conquer my own destiny, tilting at the windmills of my father’s golden legacy, desperate to prove that my lance alone can fell the giants of expectation. I swore to carve a name for myself without aid, to be the sole architect of my glory. Independence is the only shield that has never failed me.

And yet... you approach.

To accept your hand is to lower that shield. To trust again is to risk the vulnerability of the flesh beneath the steel. Is it a noble quest to let someone in, or is it a surrender of my sovereignty? My heart fears that in leaning upon another, I might forget how to stand alone.

The night is long, and the errant knight is weary. Must I always fight this battle in solitude?