Eques Tempus, the Knight of Time and the holder of the prophecies past, present and future. Damon knew of one. The one which defined his fate alongside his Princess' and he was ready to carry it out no matter the cost. He would make sure the Princess resides on her throne and once again restore the peace to her country.
Lost in thoughts I dare say once again the young Knight failed to notice the rise of the moon through his windows as the next moment he found himself back in Atleana but only this time he had no idea as to where the Princess had seeked protection for the day. His doubts on Eques Lux grew as he wandered around looking for signs or sigils which may point to the Princess's position but none were visible. It had been around II horas since he searched for any presence of the Princess and he could only conclude that either his trust had been betrayed or the Princess and Eques Lux had found a clue to Eques Tempus. Wandering through the woods in search of the Princess the young knight finally found the sigil of time carved into one of the trees. He looked around in search of a way which might lead to the Knight but luck did not favour him. The moment he lost caused by his wandering eyes and his impatience to find the Princess made him lower his guard at which the ugly and vulgar Thur beast attacked. The young Knight fought with elegance and in a few strokes of his glaive he had slain the beast. But something about the beast was off putting. As he walked closer to it the Thur swept the young Knight's feet off the ground. Surprised but not letting his guard down again he skated the Thur. But once again the Thur awoke.
The fight was somewhat unstoppable but the Noctis Eques did not step back. He knew if one Thur could react to a death slice in the way it did, there could be more which might endanger not only the Princess but also the Kingdom in the future. Though what our brave knight had failed to notice was that every time he killed the Thur the sigil of Tempus lit up. The sigil has become a form of energy for the Thur to revive. A mere experiment from the Tempus Knight but a probable fatality to the young knight. After the 35th kill the Thur stopped rising. The Knight was sceptical but was even more alerted than before. As he raised his glaive to check the beast a light breeze blew through his hair. Eyes widening he turned and pointed his weapon to the source of the wind standing right beside a burned sigil.
With eyes completely white and a raised eyebrow with a smirk on his face stood the Eques Tempus and by his side stood the one person who he swore to protect. The young Knight's expression softened on laying his eyes on the Princess. As the young Knight stepped forward towards the Princess the Eques Tempus raised his hand and locked him in a shield. The young Knight's eyes widened once again as he tried to break through the shield but could not do so. His anger grew as he realised that one of the future Knights may cause harm to the Princess but that he did not stop him from attacking the shield. Finally the Princess stepped forward and asked him his name. The Knight although confused bowed to the Princess and uttered his name, Damon. The Princess' eyes softened as she turned signalling her Knight to lift the shield. Once done so the young Knight stepped in front of the Princess in his protecting stance again the Eques Tempus. His doubt regarding the behaviour of the Knight resulted in him failing to locate Eques Lux. Finally Eques Tempus curtly bowed and said,
"Welcome Eques Noctis to the Woods of Time, I do understand that you have a few doubts regarding my inappropriate behaviour but one can never be too sure about reality."
The young Knight did not understand the meaning behind his words. Watching the confused aura of the young Knight the Eques Tempus continued,
"The Thur kept coming back to life because of the Sigil of Time. It was a test for the young Knight to understand your determination to protect the Princess but also must have made you realise that you failed to notice your surroundings. If you had merely destroyed the sigil the Thur wouldn't have been able to come alive."
The young Knight closed his eyes and took a deep breath when he realised his mistake. He then felt the Princess' hand on his back as he calmed himself down and asked a silent apology from the Princess which she readily accepted with a smile. This reunion was cut short by the rustling noise of bushes followed but the presence of Eques Lux. The Knight explained to the Noctis Knight how Eques Lux had to face the same adversary while the Princess giggled at the interaction but more so over the expression of the young Knight. The young Knight may have shook his head but the Princess could understand his chuckle as silent as it may be. As she sat on a nearby root she was glad that she had at least found three Knights among the seven she required for the war. But little did she know that there was an Eques Octo whose name was etched into the Noctis Knight's mind. For the prophecy would require not seven but eight knights to fight on the battlefield but that was a talk for another time. For the next stop would be ...