The King - Violeta

Rufus took long strides as the soldiers ran alongside him, their sheathed swords clinking against their armor. His destination was the Royal Quarters, a smaller version of the royal fortress located outside the castle. It was built to house the military might of the monarchy and served as a stage for the training of the royal guards. Some soldiers still ran in confusion as the King arrived at the quarters.

There, his subordinates reverently lowered their arms to their waists and puffed out their chests in respect, exposing their hearts and lowering their weapons, demonstrating that even their souls belonged to the monarch. One of the rooms in the quarters was exclusively reserved for the King, where his battle pieces were faithfully kept. In the absence of his right-hand man, the soldiers themselves helped Rufus prepare. The King ascended the central platform of the room, a small circular step that facilitated the maneuvering. His breastplate matched the rest of his attire: made of black diamond with silver threads running latitudinally, swaying as he walked and clearly indicating the presence of the monarch nearby. The gentle sound of silver constantly tapping against diamond always pleased Rufus' ears.

The gauntlets were made of white gold-plated leather, so magically flexible and impenetrable that they were the only piece left by his grandfather, enchanted to possess such capability, as the stories went. The greaves and poleyns were made of obsidian plates, the secret material found deep in Ard Akhdar, impenetrable yet extremely rigid. His armorers overcame this challenge by tracing diamond links on the obsidian plates, allowing for some degree of movement, at least to facilitate running on the battlefield and galloping during marches on horseback. The royal armor was not heavy; the impenetrability and strength of black diamond and obsidian ensured that even a small sliver could protect against any attack. However, the rarity of these materials made the pieces exclusive to the King.

Rufus lifted his feet so his boots could be put on. They were two pieces of white gold contoured with leather and fur on the inside, providing comfort for the monarch's feet. In no time, the King was clad in a black and silver ensemble that added to his imposing figure. Only after meeting Illia at the gates of the Quarters did he mount his horse. The brown stallion displayed eccentric black markings that extended halfway up its legs, as if it were wearing its own armor in addition to the metal one accompanying its saddle. The horse stood at two meters tall, with black eyes like the night and a patch as dark as coal between its eyes, descending towards its nostrils. It was named Violin by the monarch himself. Atop his battle companion, Rufus appeared even more powerful, though not as much as he did with empty hands.

Two soldiers arrived running, bringing what the King needed to depart. One of them carried his helmet, a smooth layer of rigid black diamond that fit perfectly with his breastplate, more resistant than any other piece. The lack of mobility in the upper part of the armor was compensated by its durability; nothing could penetrate it. Only impenetrable slits allowed Rufus to see the outside world, while three long horns made of translucent diamond rose from the helmet towards the sky, two stemming from his temples and one from the back of his neck, the tallest.

The other soldier brought Violeta, the Sword of Darkness, a long and vorpal double-edged blade with a handle of black gold outlined in gold. It had a handguard of the same black material, which extended into two descending slits, ensuring perfect maneuverability. The blade split into a transparent filament that divided into two long columns, one larger than the other, both ending in an extremely sharp point as deadly as a needle. It was entirely sculpted from the largest diamond ever found in Pangea, shaped and molded under the moonlight. The sword would cleave in half anyone who stood in its path.