Knights

A knight must value his oath and his fealty above all else. —Sir Therius

Knights under the command of General Asthar ready to fight

Knights are one of the two classes of soldiers in the world of The Last Story (the other being mercenaries). Knights are in the higher ranks of society, being likened to almost-nobles in many people's eyes.

Zael's greatest aspiration is to become a knight, as he sees them possesive of the greatest skill and respect; however, the Lazulis knights in-game are initially portrayed as cowardly, incompetent, and lazy.

Lazulis Knights

Most knights appearing in the game are Lazulis Knights. They have sworn loyalty to Count Arganan and operate primarily on Lazulis Island. They reside in the barracks of Lazulis Castle and train here as well. They are not allowed to leave the castle grounds except under direct order of the Count to complete a certain task. After completing the mission, they must return immediately to the Castle. They have only a few hours of practice each day, which gives them much freedom to do what they want (as long as it is within the castle).

Due to the peace on Lazulis Island, many of the current knights are relaxed and not worried about fighting. General Asthar notes that many even forget their swords. They have forgotten the true meaning of being a knight, and many are more focused on exploiting their privileges as knights rather than fulfill their duty of protecting the people. However, there are a few remaining who know the real responsibility of knighthood. One such example is the knight that aids Zael during the Gurak attack of Port Lazulis. This unnamed knight is part of a group that is running from the fighting, but the knight comes to realize that as a knight, the last thing he must do is put himself first and run away. He joins with Zael to take down a Wyrm using Burst Arrows. Although he is fatally wounded in the battle, he dies understanding the true purpose of knighthood.

When the Lazulis Knights invade Gurak Castle, Zael notices that they are concerned only with the plundering of valuables, much like the bandits that destroyed his village. Their ethics are also corrupted, as they murder innocent Gurak civilians, who are mostly women and children, and enslave them as well. However, one knight is against this and can be found isolated from the others, disgusted by all the needless bloodshed and slavery. (to the point where it makes him feel sick to his stomach. This could very well be the same knight who helps Zael fight the Wyrms and dies, but this is not confirmed.)

The captain of the Lazulis Knights is often derogatory to Zael, viewing himself superior to everyone else, but he is in fact a coward (evident by him calling for his "mummy" when attacked by ogres in Gurak Castle). He is recognizable by his large shield and his obnoxious laugh, leading Syrenne to dub him Captain McChuckles.

Empire Knights

Appearing less frequently in the game are the Empire knights. These knights swear loyalty to the Emperor himself. They can move freely through the Empire, but they must obey the Counts or regentors of each region if they're needed. General Asthar and Sir Therius are two of these knights. Sir Therius expresses deep shock at the incompetence of the Lazulis Knights, and thus Empire knights may be more accomplished than Lazulis knights.

Becoming a Knight

To become a knight, one must be selected by a ruler of the Empire, this being the Count on Lazulis Island. They must then pass a rough training. When the ruler decides that someone is ready, a ceremony is prepared with other knights asisting in which the future knight swears loyalty to the ruler and to the Empire. In the ceremony, the trainee presents a sword to the regent that selected him, to symbolize his sworn fealty. The selected trainee is then promoted to a Knight.

A long time ago, to become a knight, the knight-in training-had to surpass the Tower of Trials to prove the skills required to be a real knight. However, the Tower of Trials was dangerous, and many hopefuls were gravely injured or killed. Thus it was eventually not required to take part in, and the training for future knights became less brutal. However, if a knight wishes to, they can take up the challenge.

Trivia

• In the wardrobe of the guest room of Lazulis Castle, Zael can find worn-out Lazulis Knight armor which can be upgraded.
• The hue of the knights seen on the ship invading the Gurak Military Base varies, but for the rest of the game Lazulis Knights are seen only in the same gold-coloured armor. Possibly the other knights were from different regions of the continent under General Asthar's command.
• No female knights are seen in-game, but Dagran claims he will make everybody in his mercenary group a knight, suggesting that women can become knights. Either it is generally less common for a woman to be knighted or the Lazulis barracks are simply devoid of female knights while others exist in separate parts of the Empire.

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