PART II: AFTER THE SEALING OF THE BLACK MAGE

Chapter 5: The Knights of Cygnus

(A/N: As of Ignition, Mihile’s storyline has been completely revamped and has no traces of the original plot. You can find the original storyline in the pre-Destiny page. In short, the original story is that he had grown up as the nameless assistant to Mr. Limbert, an abusive shopkeeper. Eventually, he was discovered by Cygnus and Neinheart, who told him that he was the son of Chromile, the Knight of Light. Cygnus then gave him the name ‘Mihile’, meaning ‘Born of Light’.

During his training, he learned that as an infant, he and his mother had been kidnapped by several unnamed assailants, who had forced Chromile to choose between saving Mihile or his wife. Chromile had chosen to save Mihile at his wife’s insistence, resulting in her death. Chromile had fallen into depression and had left Mihile behind with Limbert before going to Sleepywood, never to be seen again.

I was a bit disappointed that this revamp didn’t answer the question of Chromile’s fate, nor did it keep the backstory of how Mihile got his name or what its meaning was. However, the revamped story does tell a complete story and surprisingly has no canon inconsistencies, which is a lot more than what I had expected, and so I’m okay with what we got.)

After having struggled to repel the Black Wings’ invasion, Cygnus realized that Ereve lacked the military strength needed to protect Maple World. To remedy this, her first act as Empress was to create the Cygnus Knights, an order of knights that would defend the people of Maple World from the Black Wings and other threats. As they slowly began to raise their forces, Neinheart told Cygnus that according to historical records, there existed a Guardian Stone known as Shinsoo’s Teardrop, whose power had once protected Ereve. (A/N: Shinsoo’s Teardrop is another name for the Seal Stone of Ereve.)

He believed that obtaining the jewel would help strengthen her legitimacy as Empress. However, he noted that its whereabouts were unknown, as its guardian, the Knight of Light, had been missing for many years. Neinheart explained that the Knight of Light reportedly held some connection to Shinsoo’s power, and that tracking down the Knight would allow them to recover the jewel in the process.

Meanwhile, on a remote farm somewhere in Maple World, a young boy named Mihile was reading about the Knight of Light, the only one who had the power to wield the Soul Shield. It was said that only when the Knight of Light awakened their true power could they bring out the Soul Shield’s light. According to legend, the Soul Shield contained a mysterious jewel called Shinsoo’s Teardrop, which held the collective will of its land’s people, and which was capable of granting any wish.

As he read about the Soul Shield, Mihile reminded himself that he needed to become the Knight of Light and obtain the jewel in order to bring his brother back to life, which would heal the hurt in his father’s heart. He looked up at the Soul Shield hanging from the wall of his room and recalled how his father had told him that it had faintly lit up the first time that Mihile had touched it.

Though his father had faith that he would awaken as the Knight of Light, Mihile wondered why the Soul Shield had not responded to him since, and he wondered whether he had not been training hard enough. However, he reminded himself not to be impatient, as he was sure that he would achieve his goal one day, recalling how his father would say that effort would never betray him.

Ready to begin his daily training, he pulled out his sword from his trunk when he accidentally dropped an old photograph of his father and his older brother, who had died before Mihile had even been born. Though he had never met his brother before, Mihile missed him all the same and hoped to one day extract the jewel and use its power to wish his brother back to life. Mihile then went downstairs and greeted his father, Atan. (A/N: This isn’t his real father, but Mihile doesn’t know that he’s adopted.)

Atan was pleased that Mihile had gotten up early for his training, though he warned his son not to push himself too hard. Before training, Atan reminded Mihile of the Three Sacred Rules: first, to recognize the truth and stand by it; second, to respect and defend those weaker than them; finally, to take special care to protect loved ones above all.

Atan then sent Mihile to train on the Field Mice and Wild Pigs before sending him to face the Glutinous Rice Sparrows, warning him to be careful of the Stray Dogs. At the outskirts of the Rice Sparrow territory, Mihile noticed a Stray Dog in the area and decided to keep away, instead choosing to finish his training and return back home. When he told Atan about the Stray Dog, his father recommended that he stay indoors for the time being. Soon after, however, Mihile noticed that the photograph of his brother had fallen out of his pocket while training. Against his father's warning, Mihile went outside to search for it.

At the Rice Sparrow hunting grounds, he successfully found the photograph, but quickly realized that there were no sparrows around. Suddenly, a Stray Dog that was wandering nearby charged in to attack. With no other options, Mihile faced the dog and defeated it. He noted that despite how terrifying the Stray Dogs seemed, he had been able to defeat one with relative ease, making him wonder whether he had gotten stronger. He then headed back home and ran into his father. After Mihile explained what had happened, Atan forbade him from training outdoors for a while, as the Stray Dogs were becoming increasingly more commonplace and he was worried for Mihile’s safety.

Mihile was dejected, as his training had been suspended many times in the past because of the Stray Dogs. However, he noted that he had been able to face them this time, and so he wondered whether he could grow even stronger by training against them. He appealed to his father, reminding him how it had always been their dream for him to activate the Soul Shield and revive his older brother.

He explained that he needed to face stronger enemies if he had any hope of unlocking his true power. However, Atan replied that Mihile had been fortunate enough to have only faced one Stray Dog, as he would have been in deep trouble if he had faced a pack, as the Wild Dogs so often hunted in. Mihile protested that he could handle their numbers, but Atan told him that packs were much bigger than he thought, added that he didn't want to lose another child.

Atan then asked Mihile why he wanted to become a Knight of Light. Mihile began to reply that he wanted to bring back his older brother for his father’s sake, but he then shook his head and instead replied that he wanted to do it in order to make his family happy again. Atan then asked whether Mihile thought that he would be happy if his son were to get in danger.

Mihile grudgingly acknowledged his father’s point, to which Atan told him that though he understood Mihile’s feelings, he requested that Mihile listen to him. Mihile returned back to his room, where he told himself that his father was right, despite the fact that he felt as though his father’s worry was holding him back.

The next day, Atan told Mihile that he would be away from home for a while. Mihile recalled how his father would often be away from home on secret business. When he asked whether he could know more, Atan laughed that he still couldn't say, though he reassured Mihile that it was all for his sake. However, he added that he had something to say before he left, explaining that he wanted to reveal the truth about how Mihile's brother had died. He explained that he had initially claimed that Mihile’s brother had died in a farming accident shortly after taking the photograph that Mihile carried. However, he revealed that the truth was that his son had been killed by a monster that was similar to the wild Stray Dogs.

Atan explained that he had been teaching his son how to wield a sword, despite his young age. When he had heard his son’s screams, he had rushed to the scene, only to find both his son and the wild dog dead. He added that it was maddeningly frustrating that despite all his strength, he had been able to do nothing for his son.

He then told Mihile that he was the most precious thing that Atan had, perhaps even more precious than getting his son back, and that the reason why he kept Mihile from leaving the house was because he was afraid of losing his child. He added that he would always put Mihile first, as he would never place his younger son in danger just to revive his older one. He then reminded Mihile to stay safe at home while he went on his mission.

Several days later, Mihile went out to train, keeping his father's words in mind about not straying too far. While training on the Field Mice, he heard a girl cry out for help. He rushed to where the cries were coming from and found Cygnus surrounded by a pack of Stray Dogs. The dogs heard him approaching and immediately turned to face him.

After he defeated the entire pack, he went to check on the girl. Noticing that her leg was injured, he offered to take her back to his house for first-aid. As the two came in contact, however, the Soul Shield immediately lit up. Suddenly, Neinheart rushed to the scene and asked Cygnus whether she was okay. Mihile was surprised to hear that Neinheart was calling her an Empress, as he didn't expect the ruler of Maple World to be a little girl around his age.

(A/N: I always assumed that Cygnus was around 7-8 and Mihile was around 13-14 when they first met, but this might mean that either Cygnus is older than I thought or Mihile is younger.)

Cygnus reassured Neinheart that she was alright, after which he thanked Mihile for his timely intervention. Cygnus then told Neinheart that she believed that Mihile was the Knight of Light whom they had been searching for, as she had felt the power of light emanating from him when they had made contact, which she noted was the same energy as Shinsoo. Neinheart then formally introduced Cygnus and himself, and Mihile did the same.

(A/N: Neinheart is a lot more cordial with Mihile in the revamp compared to the original one, in which he frequently treats Mihile like a moron out of a sense of elitism, which is dumb because Neinheart is a self-made man and he should likely value that quality in others as well.)

Mihile then asked what they were doing in such a remote area, far from any towns. Neinheart replied by asking whether Mihile had ever heard of the Knight of Light and judged from the boy’s reaction that he had. He revealed that they were searching for the Knight of Light, the protector of the Empress, as the Knight of Light had been absent for quite some time. Mihile was surprised, as his father had never mentioned that the Knight of Light defended the Empress.

Neinheart then asked Mihile to come with them to Ereve, where he would explain more details and begin Mihile’s training to awaken the Knight of Light's power. Mihile was conflicted and asked for some time to make a decision. Cygnus told him that she could feel the power of light within him and hoped that they could unlock it together, though she added that she would respect his choice either way.

Mihile realized that following Cygnus would lead him closer to awakening the Soul Shield, but he also recalled how his father had told him to stay home. Nevertheless, he was sure that Cygnus held the key to awakening his power and told himself that if his father had known that envoys of Ereve had come, then he certainly would have given his permission. He decided to write a letter to his father explaining where he had gone, after which he followed Neinheart and Cygnus to Ereve.

As Mihile stared in awe at the new sights before him, Neinheart told him not to stare at the Piyos, explaining that it was impolite. He then explained that the Piyos were the native race of Ereve. Mihile and the Piyos exchanged greetings, after which Neinheart told them that Mihile was the Knight of Light, and that he would be training to awaken his powers.

A Piyo elder took a close look at him and noticed that he seemed very familiar. She then asked Mihile whether his father was Chromile. Mihile replied that his father's name wasn't Chromile, to which the elder explained that Chromile had been the last Knight of Light, and that he had a single son who would have been Mihile's age by now. Neinheart pointed out that the Knight of Light was not a hereditary title, to which the elder apologized for her mistake and wished Mihile well on his mission.

The three then made their way to Shinsoo, whom Neinheart explained had been the protector of Ereve since the time of the first Empress, with her power being manifested through all the Empresses of old. He then told Mihile that protecting Ereve was their current goal by forming the Cygnus Knights, as historically, the Knight of Light had been the only guard for the Empress, with the title passing down over generations. Mihile was unsettled by how much his father hadn't told him and he began to wonder why, as all he had been told was that the Knight of Light was the only one capable of extracting the jewel within the Soul Shield, not that they were sworn to defend the Empress.

Neinheart then went on to explain that the Knight of Light had a second, secret mission, which was to protect Shinsoo's Teardrop, a gem said to have great power. Though the exact nature of the power was unknown, Neinheart explained that it was undoubtable that the gemstone had great influence in protecting Ereve.

He added that even before Cygnus had become Empress, generations of Knights of Light had continued protecting the gem over the centuries. He then told Mihile that despite him having the power of light, he had not yet awakened, and he would likely not do so by training alone, as the Knight of Light’s power manifested while serving the Empress. Mihile agreed and proceeded to undergo the same test that all Cygnus Knights applicants went through, which was to collect a Knight Emblem from the monsters in the First Drill Hall, after which he became an official Cygnus Knight.

Mihile then began to gather his thoughts, realizing that the Knight of Light's purpose was to guard the Empress, not to wield great power as his father had told him, with even the jewel within the Soul Shield functioning as a guardian power for Ereve, not for granting wishes. He then wondered whether he would be able to both protect Cygnus and make his father’s wish come true, though he decided that for now, he would keep on training so that he could fulfill his father’s dream.

Neinheart soon decided to tell Mihile about the last Knight of Light, Chromile. He explained that Chromile's name had appeared the most during his research into the Knight of Light, as he had been an example of a perfect knight and a role model to others. However, a mysterious assailant had killed him, along with his wife and son, because of a grudge that they had carried against Chromile. Neinheart then showed Mihile a photo of Chromile and his family, which Mihile found vaguely familiar, recognizing that he looked just like Chromile.

Elsewhere, Atan returned back home and was shocked to find Mihile's letter. Upon reading it, he was outraged to learn that Mihile had left for Ereve. Soon after, Neinheart told Mihile that one of Empress Aria's keepsakes had gotten lost in Perion while being transported, and so he sent Mihile to recover it. (A/N: There’s a good chance that this keepsake is Aria’s diary, which Cygnus eventually gives to Phantom. This quest also happened to carried over from Mihile’s original storyline.)

After he recovered it from the Stumps, he brought it to 10 Boogies, who introduced herself as a new informant. She thanked Mihile for recovering it, as she was too afraid of the monsters to do it herself. Mihile reassured her that bravery didn’t mean not being scared, but rather, it meant knowing that something was scary and doing it anyways. 10 Boogies thanked him for his insight, after which Mihile began heading back to Ereve.

Meanwhile, a hooded Atan stormed Ereve and fought through the Cygnus Knights, claiming that he had come to take back something that belonged to him. Soon after, Mihile returned to Ereve and learned from Kidan that an assailant was after the Empress. He rushed to the Empress' Resting Spot, where he found a lone Neinheart standing between the assailant and Cygnus.

The assailant asked what they were trying to do by taking Mihile, and whether they were planning to use the jewel within the Soul Shield to make a wish for Ereve to return its former glory. Cygnus was surprised that Atan believed that Shinsoo’s Teardrop was capable of granting wishes and assured him that they had no such designs, as all she wanted was to awaken the Knight of Light, whose duty was to protect the Empress, Ereve, and Maple World. However, Atan merely pointed his blade at her and demanded to know where Mihile was. (A/N: What exactly is Shinsoo doing here besides sleeping? This is the real reason why Aria died.)

As Atan swung his blade, Mihile rushed between them and raised the Soul Shield, which gleamed with a brilliant light. It deflected Atan's sword, throwing off his hood and revealing his face, though the Soul Shield broke in the process. (A/N: This feels weird because there's a broken Soul Shield NPC on the ground, but we still have our secondary weapon Soul Shield equipped.)

Mihile was shocked to see his father, but Atan merely smiled warmly and congratulated Mihile for awakening his power. He then told Mihile to use his new power and extract Shinsoo's Teardrop from within the Soul Shield so that he could wish upon it to revive his brother. However, Mihile angrily confronted him about all the people he had hurt during his siege on Ereve.

An irritated Atan asked Mihile how he could care about the lives of strangers over his own brother. Reminding Mihile about the reason why he had become a Knight of Light in the first place, Atan asked him to extract the jewel, claiming that he was very proud of him. When Mihile hesitated, however, Atan expressed his disappointment in Mihile, claiming that he had always trusted Mihile to see their mission through before wondering what the people of Ereve had done to him.

As Cygnus and Neinheart urged Mihile not to hand the jewel over, Atan reminded him about the Three Sacred Rules and asked which of them was the most important, to which Mihile grudgingly replied that it was to protect loved ones above all. Neinheart interrupted and reminded Mihile that Shinsoo's Teardrop was meant to protect Ereve, not to just give away to anyone, but an angry Atan stopped him and explained that he wasn’t merely ‘anyone’, adding that Mihile considered him more important than anyone else.

He then told Mihile that Neinheart and Cygnus were trying to break their family apart and urged him to protect his loved ones above all else. Realizing that his father was right, Mihile reluctantly extracted Shinsoo’s Teardrop from within the Soul Shield. As Neinheart attempted to stop him, Atan slashed him with his sword, causing Neinheart to collapse in pain.

Cygnus begged Mihile to reconsider, to which Mihile suddenly recalled the Second Sacred Rule, which was to always defend the weak. He pointed out that Atan had attacked the Cygnus Knights, Neinheart, and even the Empress, despite them all being weaker than him, and asked him how he could justify it.

Atan replied that their weakness was merely a plot for sympathy, explaining that they wanted to brainwash Mihile into using his power for their own gain. He then reminded Mihile of the First Sacred Rule, to recognize and stand by the truth, causing Mihile to realize that the Empress’ claim that the Knight of Light’s duty was to protect her seemed too convenient for it not to be a lie. Believing that his father was right, Mihile handed over Shinsoo’s Teardrop to Atan, despite his sense of uneasiness. Atan then prayed to the Goddess to revive his only son, but when the jewel refused to heed his wish, he grew angry and demanded to know why all his pain and efforts weren’t enough.

(A/N: Atan prays to the Holy Goddess of Light, which might be another way to refer to the Goddess of Maple World. It could also be an entirely separate deity from local folklore that Atan believes in. The reason why his wish isn’t granted is because the Seal Stones can only grant the wish of a population, not an individual.)

As Atan collapsed in disbelief, Mihile rushed over to check on his father. However, Atan furiously told Mihile to get out of his sight, and to never call him ‘father’ again, claiming that only one boy ever had the right to call him ‘father’, and that it wasn’t the son of a worthless knight. Upon seeing Mihile’s confusion, Atan laughed that he had raised a loyal and foolish child, and that it had been worth taking Mihile into the remote mountains to bring up.

Suddenly, the wounded Piyo elder arrived and recognized the unhooded Atan as the student whom Chromile had expelled, adding that Chromile had been right to do so. However, Atan challenged her claim before turning to Mihile and revealing the truth. He explained that he had been searching for a long time in order to find a way to revive his only son.

Eventually, he had discovered the existence of Shinsoo's Teardrop and its power to grant any wish. As only the Knight of Light had the ability to extract it, he had gone in search of Chromile. After having become Chromile's student, Atan had tried his hardest as a low-born to become a candidate for the next Knight of Light, but Chromile had never once considered him.

Eventually, he had attempted to steal the Soul Shield when Chromile had discovered him. Atan had asked Chromile why he had never once allowed him to even hold the Soul Shield when so many others had been permitted in order to see if it reacted to them. Chromile had then told him to consider the difference between him and the others.

When Atan had remained silent, Chromile had told him that he ought to have known the answer by then, but the fact that he still hadn’t meant that he never would. He had then ordered Atan to lay down his sword and return home, adding that both he and everyone else had known about Atan’s obsession with the Soul Shield from the start.

Chromile had then told Atan that there was no light to be found in that obsession, neither in the shield nor Atan’s heart, but only darkness. He had added that there was a better path for Atan elsewhere before expelling him. However, Atan had begged Chromile to at least let him use Shinsoo's Teardrop first, as his only wish had been to bring back his son who had died at a young age. Though Chromile had sympathized, he had explained that he could not grant Atan's request, as Shinsoo's Teardrop could not and should not be used for the wish of a single individual.

(A/N: Atan likely interpreted this in a “it shouldn’t be used selfishly” sort of way, rather than it literally meaning that it fundamentally is incapable of granting an individual’s wish.)

Infuriated, Atan had formulated a plan to steal the Soul Shield while Chromile had gone away on a trip with his family. One night, he had broken into the house where they were staying when he had come across an infant Mihile sleeping in his cradle. While searching the room, however, Chromile's wife, Rikella, had entered and turned on the light. (A/N: GMS localized her NPC’s name as Rikella, but they call her Ricella in the dialogue.)

Atan had drawn his sword and ordered her to give him the Soul Shield in exchange for Mihile's safety. Rikella had reluctantly handed over the shield, but when it had come into the proximity of Mihile, a great flash of light had emanated from it. Furious, Atan had struck down Rikella, just as Chromile had rushed into the room. Atan had then told Chromile that he had found it surprising that Chromile had a son, and yet he still had not been able to empathize with Atan’s situation.

He had then threatened to kill Mihile unless Chromile extracted Shinsoo's Teardrop. Chromile had attempted to reason with Atan, asking whether his son would thank him for bringing him to life at the cost of having taking someone else’s. He had added that though he had stopped Atan from becoming a knight, Atan himself had chosen not to be a man that his son would have been proud to call ‘father’. He had then told Atan that even if he were to obtain Shinsoo's Teardrop, Atan’s wish would never come true.

Atan and Chromile had then begun to fight, which had resulted in a scar on Atan's right eye. However, he had noticed that Chromile had briefly paused when Mihile had begun crying, giving him the opening needed to fatally wound Chromile. In his last moments, Chromile had dragged himself painfully across the floor in order to check on Mihile before passing away.

Atan had then taken the Soul Shield, but knowing that he could not take the jewel himself, he had decided to take Mihile and raise him in the hope that he would one day become the next Knight of Light, making up a story about his son being Mihile's older brother in order to motivate him to use the gemstone. He had burned the scene of the accident in order to cover up all traces of Chromile and had released trained hunting dogs around the countryside in order to keep Mihile from leaving.

Having told his story, a defeated Atan told Mihile that he had wasted decades of his life and had spilled gallons of blood over a useless rock. The Piyo elder called Atan a monster, but Neinheart replied that Atan was even lower than that, having murdered an innocent family and kidnapped their child. However, Atan replied that the blame lay not with him, but the one who had made up the story of Shinsoo’s Teardrop being able to grant wishes. (A/N: Quality gaslighting.) Atan looked around and noticed Kidan, calling him a poor head of security whose entire force couldn’t even stop one person, and Neinheart, whom he called a bookworm who could barely lift a book. However, he claimed that the blame lay with none but Cygnus.

Though he acknowledged that she herself had not started the story, he nevertheless believed that she should have known, and that it was time to harvest the seeds that her ancestors had sown. He then added that if she believed it to be unfair, then she could blame her ancestors when she met them in the afterlife.

Before he could strike, however, Mihile rushed in front of Cygnus and parried Atan’s blow. He asked Atan whether the story was true, to which Atan pointed out the First Sacred Rule to always recognize the truth. He then mockingly claimed that his story had been a lie, and that Mihile really was his dear son. Upon seeing Mihile’s face, Atan laughed and called him a weakling, pointing out how Mihile would believe anything when shown any affection at all.

Atan then ordered Mihile to leave his sight, but Mihile refused and fought back against him. As their battle continued, Atan was surprised to find that Mihile was glowing with light, despite the Soul Shield being broken. Mihile slowly drove Atan back to the edge of a cliff, which he suddenly fell off. To his shock, however, Mihile grabbed his hand to stop him from falling.

A confused Atan demanded to know why Mihile had saved him, even after killing his family and lying to him, to which Mihile called him ‘father’, claiming that Atan was the only family that he had. He explained that though he would never trust him or even look at him again, he would never let Atan die in front of him.

Atan was overwhelmed by the fact that the child whom he had never considered a son would still save him. He then wondered whether Chromile had been right all those years ago about him being an unworthy father. Filled with remorse, he let go of Mihile's hand and allowed himself to plummet to his death, hoping that he could be with his son at last.

As Cygnus and Neinheart rushed to the scene, Mihile lamented that with Atan’s death, he no longer had a family or a home anymore. He turned to Cygnus and noted the irony that the man who had always told him to recognize the truth had kept it from him for so long. He told Cygnus that he had no idea what the truth was anymore, claiming that he wasn’t even a proper knight anymore, but just a fool with a broken shield.

However, Cygnus told him that he had always been a true Knight of Light, claiming that even when he hadn’t known true from false, he had still known right from wrong. She added that he had stood between her and a killer’s sword, and he had even tried to save Atan, despite knowing all that he had done. She explained that he had the heart of a great protector, and that she, Ereve, and Maple World needed people like him.

Regarding the shield, Cygnus asked him whether he could feel its light. A confused Mihile looked at the broken Soul Shield, from which emerged the golden spirit of Chromile. Chromile explained that when Atan had attacked their family, he had poured all of his power to save Mihile into the shield, with his spirit being a manifestation of that power, which explained why the Soul Shield glowed despite being broken. He told Mihile that he had grown up well, even without his parents guiding him. He added that he had been worried that Mihile would grow up with a heavy burden, but having seen what Mihile could do, he could now rest in peace.

However, Mihile replied that the rules and values that he had been taught had all been to make him the pawn of a lying murderer. Filled with doubt, he asked how he could know whether anything was true anymore. Chromile replied that it was natural to feel that he had lost his way, but he explained that Mihile already knew what he needed to protect.

He then told Mihile to stand by the Empress, all that she represented, and all the people whom she cared for. He added that if Mihile hadn’t had the heart to do so, then the Soul Shield would never have shone for him. However, the fact that it had meant that Mihile was worthy to be the Knight of Light. He told Mihile that the Empress and the people believed in him, and that Chromile believed that Mihile would soon believe in himself too.

Chromile then told Mihile that their time was growing short. He told Mihile not to be sad, as he and Rikella would always be watching over him. He added that he was glad to have gotten the chance to meet him, even for a brief time, and told Mihile that he loved him. (A/N: I took 20 points of emotional damage.)

He then faded away, telling Mihile to always stay at Cygnus’ side, and to protect Maple World in his place. After Chromile faded away, Mihile expressed his doubt to Cygnus about whether he could be trusted to protect her when so many had been hurt on his watch. However, Cygnus told him that she trusted him because everyone who was safe was safe because of him. She acknowledged that no words could take away his pain, and that she had his leave to resign his post if he wished to do so.

After considering her words, Mihile noted that despite his doubt, the Soul Shield had signified him as the Knight of Light. Cygnus agreed, though she added that the Soul Shield was merely a shield, and that it couldn’t make his decision for him. She explained that destiny was merely a recommendation, and that much like him, she had chosen to stay as Empress, despite having been given the choice to walk away. She then told Mihile that she was speaking not as the Empress, but as Cygnus, when she asked him to stay at her side.

Mihile asked Cygnus whether she believed that he was good enough to stay, and whether he was strong enough to protect others. Cygnus replied that despite the truth about Atan shattering his world, he had still chosen to stand and fight, adding that he walked in the light, which had lit a fire within him. After reflecting, Mihile decided that he would stay and serve as the Knight of Light.

Soon after, Ereve began recovering from Atan’s attack and Mihile came to visit Cygnus at the Empress’ Resting Spot. There, he vowed that he would be the shield between the world and harm. He then gave Shinsoo’s Teardrop to her, explaining that she ought to be its keeper, as it had belonged to Ereve from the start. After promising to keep it safe, Cygnus named Mihile the head of her personal guard. As a show of gratitude, she presented Mihile with a new Soul Shield, which had been created by Shinsoo and blessed by Cygnus herself.

(A/N: While I like the idea of Mihile’s revamped storyline, I’ve noticed that it takes far too many story beats from the movie Tangled not to feel plagiarized. Just like Atan, Mother Gothel kidnapped Rapunzel from her family and took her to a remote corner of the world, where she raised Rapunzel as her daughter in order to gain access to her special powers. Rapunzel’s hair is magical and has healing powers, while Mihile is the only one who can awaken the Soul Shield. Funnily enough, Mihile also has golden hair, although his doesn’t have any special powers.

There’s a bit of a role reversal in Tangled and Mihile’s class story where Rapunzel, the princess, is led away from her home by the ‘knight’ Flynn Rider, although Flynn is actually just a thief. In Mihile’s storyline, Mihile is the knight who’s led away by Empress Cygnus, the ‘princess’. At the end of both stories, the villains - Atan and Mother Gothel - are both killed when they fall off a large height.

Despite all the same story beats, I think the writers did a good job capturing the scope of Mihile’s trauma from the truth about Atan and his real family. Still, I really liked the idea of Chromile falling into depression and exiling himself from the original story and I’m a bit sad that we’ll never know what really happened to him. Getting back to the story, though, Mihile’s knighting ceremony is his 2nd job advancement. This next part is his 3rd job advancement. Cygnus and Neinheart have their regular NPCs and illustrations instead of their younger selves, which roughly gives an idea of how much time might have passed.)

Mihile soon began traveling Maple World in order to grow stronger. Some time later, Cygnus called him back to Ereve, as she wanted to introduce him to his new peers. Back in Ereve, Cygnus greeted him and explained that the royal court had been making efforts to expand the Cygnus Knights, which had finally begun to bear fruit.

She then began to introduce his new peers, noting that they were all stronger together than alone, adding that she hoped that they would become good friends. Oz, Irena, Eckhart, and Hawkeye then appeared and introduced themselves as members of the Blaze Wizards, Wind Archers, Night Walkers, and Thunder Breakers, respectively.

Cygnus then gave them all her first order, which was for them to spend time and grow acquainted. Neinheart and Cygnus then took their leave so that the five Knights could talk freely. After they all introduced each other, they turned back to Neinheart, who had been watching them intently from a distance. Neinheart then explained that they had been summoned not only to get to know each other, but also because the Cygnus Knights had received reports of anomalies in Sleepywood.

He told the Knights that the Drakes and their subspecies had gone feral, with the cave creatures having expanded their territory all the way to the swamp. As the Victoria Guard could barely hold the monsters back, Neinheart feared that other parts of Victoria Island would be in danger, and so he ordered the five Knights to take care of the five subspecies of Drakes.

In Sleepywood, the Knights were shocked to find the Drakes rampaging around the town. Hawkeye noted that the Drakes rarely emerged from their caves, which meant that they were either hungry or there was some problem with their territory. He also speculated that someone may have lured the Drakes into town on purpose. Eckhart immediately teleported over and began fighting the Drakes on the flat grounds of the town. The rest of the Knights then began evacuating the townspeople, after which they decided to split up and take care of the five Drake subspecies.

Hawkeye suspected that Eckhart was taking care of the Dark Drakes in the caves. He explained that contrary to their names, Dark Drakes used electricity, which made them less than ideal for him to fight. Mihile then ordered Oz to protect the townspeople from the Copper Drakes before tasking Hawkeye and Irena to eliminate the Ice Drakes and Red Drakes, respectively. With everyone given their assignment, Mihile headed into the caves and took care of the frenzied Drakes. On his way out, however, he discovered a strange scale that emitted a purple gas. Believing that it was a clue, he decided to take it with him.

Back in town, he rendezvoused with Oz, Hawkeye, and Irena, who all reported that the monsters in the caves were coming back to their senses. Irena wondered why the Drakes would act up when they weren't particularly intelligent creatures, to which Mihile explained that he had found a potential clue. As they prepared to head back to Ereve, Oz wondered where Eckhart was, when the Night Walker suddenly revealed himself from the shadows. Back in Ereve, the five Knights reported their success to Neinheart and noted their concerns about the Drakes’ abnormal behavior. Neinheart suspected that the Drakes’ behavior was related to a related incident in Henesys, in which the Golems had started behaving erratically too.

Mihile then presented the strange scale to Neinheart and explained that it seemed to have poison powder. Neinheart grew thoughtful and noted that it warranted its own investigation before congratulating the Knights on their successful mission. Cygnus then called Mihile and thanked him for resolving the issue with the Drake attack. She added that he would be doing many more missions with his new peers, reminding him that they were stronger when they worked together. Mihile swore to meet her expectations, after which Cygnus made him an Official Knight of Light.

Meanwhile, two Black Wings henchmen reported to Admiral Martini in the Verne Mine and confirmed that they had completed their tests on Henesys' Golems and Sleepywood's Drakes. (A/N: Martini is the antagonist of the Riena Strait storyline. I actually expected him to have been recruited by Gelimer much later in the story, but I guess it technically doesn’t contradict anything.)

Based on their tests, they reported that their hallucinogen worked on both marine and terrestrial life. Martini expressed his relief and noted that it had been difficult to obtain the hallucinogen back in the military, adding that he never would have thought that he would need so much of it. He then ordered the henchmen to proceed as planned, as the Black Wings needed to take care of their enemies swiftly before they became a threat.

(A/N: This next part is his 4th job advancement.)

Mihile soon received an emergency telegram from Neinheart, who ordered all knights to return to Ereve immediately. Mihile rushed to Ereve and met with Neinheart and the other senior Knights. Neinheart explained that several Cygnus Knights had inexplicably begun to turn on each other, as though they had been bewitched.

Hawkeye noted that it seemed as though someone wanted to cause a division amongst them, causing Eckhart to wonder whether the perpetrators were spies. Neinheart told them that he believed otherwise, adding that Shinsoo was doing what she could to keep the rest of the knights pacified. Mihile then asked him where Cygnus was, to which Neinheart regrettably replied that he had lost sight of her. He then tasked the Knights with defeating the wayward knights and rescuing the Empress.

While the other Knights defeated the ensorcelled knights of their respective divisions, Mihile fought through the bewitched Dawn Warriors. One Dawn Warrior came to his senses after being defeated and wondered what he was doing, as the last thing he remembered was Black Wings soldiers attacking him. Realizing that he had been bewitched, he pointed Mihile towards the Empress' direction and warned that more Knights would be there.

Mihile rushed towards the Empress, where he found a Dawn Warrior poised to attack. He parried the Dawn Warrior's blade with his shield and knocked back a second Dawn Warrior who had raised his sword. Mihile then escorted Cygnus back to the others, who were relieved to see her safe. Neinheart noted that the same thing which had happened to the Drakes had happened to the Knights, concluding that the same person had been responsible for both. He added that only the Black Wings would attack them so brazenly, but nevertheless, he expressed his relief that the crisis was over.

With the situation resolved, Neinheart and Cygnus announced that they were planning to name the five Chief Knights that would lead each division of the Cygnus Knights. Cygnus then appointed each knight and blessed them with the power of an elemental spirit:

• Oz was appointed Chief Knight of Fire and led the Blaze Wizards with the power of Ignis.

• Irena was appointed Chief Knight of Wind and led the Wind Archers with the power of Ventus.

• Eckhart was appointed Chief Knight of Darkness and led the Night Walkers with the power of Umbra.

• Hawkeye was appointed Chief Knight of Lightning and led the Thunder Breakers with the power of Fulgar.

Before she appointed Mihile, Cygnus explained that she wanted to confirm something. She noted that he knew his duties as the Knight of Light well, and that he exemplified the light itself. She then asked him to use that light not only to protect, but to inspire, as the Chief Knight of the Dawn Warriors.

She explained that the Dawn Warriors channeled the power of their souls into pure light. Though Mihile used the power of light himself, she noted that the light of the Dawn Warriors was different. Whereas Mihile’s light represented purity of heart, the light of the Dawn Warriors was the light of the cosmos. She added that he and the Dawn Warriors could share their knowledge and training with each other if he chose to accept the position.

Though Mihile wondered whether he could handle the responsibility of protecting the Empress and leading an entire unit of Cygnus Knights, he ultimately decided to accept the position if it was Cygnus’ will.

(A/N: Both Mihile and Dawn Warriors have gone through a few iterations regarding the source of their power. Initially, Mihile and Dawn Warriors both used the same skills and derived their power from Sol, the spirit of light. When Mihile was released as a class, some of his skills overlapped with those of Dawn Warriors, and though most of them were different, it was clear that both of their powers stemmed from the same source. In fact, during Mihile’s original tutorial, you could even see Sol briefly appear over his head.

After the Cygnus Awakens revamp, Dawn Warriors got a new sun and moon aesthetic, although it was still said that their power came from Sol. With the Ignition revamp, however, the sun and moon aesthetic for Dawn Warriors was expanded to just be the cosmos itself. Dawn Warriors are still bonded to some sort of light spirit, although the game has removed all mentions of its name being Sol. Instead of being golden, this light spirit is now more orange and appears in this magical circle that’s half blue and half orange, which is meant to correspond to the sun and moon aesthetic.

In contrast, Mihile’s powers are now heavily tied to the Empress, rather than an elemental spirit, and they’ve made a clear distinction between the Knight of Light and Dawn Warriors. I’m guessing the reason why they did this is because when they initially released Mihile, they had likely planned to release the other Chief Knights, although the poor reception led them to revamp the Cygnus Knights instead. With Mihile existing in this weird spot as the only released Chief Knight, I’m guessing they doubled down on his uniqueness by making his existence as Knight of Light separate from not only the Dawn Warriors, but the other Chief Knights as well.)

Soon after his appointment as Chief Knight, Mihile began reflecting on his time serving the Empress and decided that he wanted to thank her for all her faith and guidance. He collected rare Peridot gems that the Rashes of Minar Forest hoarded and brought them to Cygnus, who graciously accepted them and vowed to continue supporting him.

(A/N: Completing this quest gives Mihile the “Empress’ Prayer” and “Empress’ Shout” skills. These next several quests are for enhancing Mihile’s “Noble Mind” skill, which also reveals the backstories of the other Chief Knights.)

As Mihile continued training, Irena met with him and suggested that they walk in order to break the monotony. The two headed into a remote forest in Leafre, which Irena revealed had been where she had grown up with the Halflingers as a forester. She then decided to tell Mihile about how she had joined the Cygnus Knights and explained that she had one day come across a boy defending a girl from a Rash. Upon learning that the two were heading to Ariant, Irena had agreed to escort them to the Leafre station.

Irena told Mihile that Queen Areda of Ariant’s greed was legendary, and that she had levied harsh taxes and punishments upon her citizens. Because of this, the children’s father had sent them to the forest for safety, though he had been forced to remain behind. Because of this, Irena had decided to accompany them all the way to Ariant, where they had reunited with their father. Irena had been shocked to find that the father’s arm had been severed in a mining accident, as Areda had been forcing the townspeople to mine for jewels.

After their father had expressed their regret in sending his children away, Irena had done what she could to help them. Nevertheless, she had been filled with sadness that she couldn’t help the rest of Ariant, and so she had decided to leave Leafre and travel the world, where she had been disappointed to find great suffering all across Maple World. Hoping to make a difference, Irena had joined the Cygnus Knights. (A/N: Sadly, the situation in Ariant still hasn’t been resolved, even after Tenebris, as the writers have seemingly forgotten all about it.)

Irena then told Mihile that Oz was looking for him in Ereve, and so Mihile returned to find that Oz was sharing another birthday cake with everyone. Mihile was surprised that she had received yet another cake, to which Oz explained that she had a large family, all of whom had been magicians. During her magic lessons, Oz had been revealed to be a prodigy, and so she had been recommended to join the Cygnus Knights. Despite being far from home, Oz kept in touch with her family, who fully supported her dreams. She then wondered whether Eckhart wanted cake, causing Mihile to wonder whether Eckhart had ever even had cake before.

Oz then asked Mihile for a favor to drop a letter from Hawkeye to a house in Lith Harbor. After delivering the letter, Mihile turned to leave when a steward named Edmunds called after him, mistaking him for the young master. After learning that Mihile wasn’t who he thought, Edmunds apologized and explained that the young master of their home had left several years ago and hadn’t written since, though the seal on Hawkeye’s letter had given him hope.

As Mihile began to head back, he ran into Hawkeye, who nervously asked him why he was in the area. Upon learning that Oz had asked Mihile to send the letter, Hawkeye reluctantly decided to reveal the truth. He explained that the house was his family home, and that he had grown up rich and pampered. Early on, he had discovered how artificial his life was, with fake smiles and niceties all around.

With no friends, he had grown to love the ocean, though his family had only seen it as a path to riches for their shipping business. Unable to handle his life, he had run away and had become a Cygnus Knight in order to give freedom to those who had none. Hawkeye explained that after becoming a Chief Knight, he had written to his family in order to let them know where he had been, and that he had asked Oz to deliver it for him, though he hadn’t expected her to dump it on Mihile. He then asked Mihile to keep it to himself, as he feared that Neinheart would involve his family in the Cygnus Knights if he were to know about their affluence.

Hawkeye then asked Mihile to speak with Eckhart, who seemed quite out of place with the others. After Mihile agreed, Hawkeye told him to go to El Nath, where Eckhart spent a lot of his time. Mihile tracked Eckhart to a remote part of El Nath, where Eckhart reluctantly agreed to share his story, as it was his remembrance day. He explained that he had grown up without family or friends, and that he would steal in order to survive. One day, he had encountered his savior - a woman with beautiful, long hair who ran her own outlaw band that stole from the rich and gave to the poor.

Eckhart explained that the woman had taught him everything he knew, and that she had given him a purpose beyond surviving. Though they had happily continued stealing, the rich had grown angry that their money was being stolen for the poor, and they had soon discovered the outlaws’ headquarters. Eckhart, who had been out on a mission, had returned to find their base being attacked by assailants. There, he had encountered his teacher, who had ordered him to run and save himself. Though Eckhart had refused, she had told him to carry out their legacy and save those who suffered in the darkness.

After giving him her mask, his teacher had explained that he could understand others’ pain because of how he had suffered himself. She had then teleported him away, leaving herself alone and surrounded by enemies. Eckhart explained that he had looked for her many times, though he had never been successful, adding that he hoped that she was merely good at hiding. After spending a lot of time thinking, he had decided to join the Cygnus Knights. Having shared his story, Eckhart teleported away.

(A/N: Although Mihile’s storyline doesn’t reveal the name of Eckhart’s teacher, his backstory was actually first hinted at a long time ago in an obscure Insight quest. If your Insight is at least level 20, you can speak to Hawkeye in Ereve and complete a quest called “Hawk’s Eyes”, in which Hawkeye demonstrates his own insight by sharing what he knows about Eckhart through watching him. He explains that Eckhart’s teacher was named Lana, and that she was also his first love. The details of this quest line up perfectly with the backstory that we see in Mihile’s storyline, and so we can pretty much just assume that Lana is her actual name.)