Rukus – The Reluctant Juggernaut
"Rukus takes his beating like a champ."
—From the Tale of the First Hour, as recited in Cornelian barracks
Rukus, first among the Lightbound, stood as an indomitable bulwark against the shadows. Born of common stock, he rose through martial discipline and sheer resolve to lead the fabled quartet. Clad in steel and courage, he bore the brunt of countless assaults, his body often afflicted by paralysis, poison, and more, yet he remained unyielding.
When the princess they saved offered warm words and a wistful invitation that one of the heroes might remain in Cornelia, it was Rukus to whom her gaze most often returned. Some versions of the legend say she asked him directly, while others claim her eyes alone made the plea. In that moment, brief yet profound, it is said he stood at the threshold of two fates: one of peace, love, and home; the other of peril, burden, and legend.
But the light he carried, and the weight of the Crystals, had already taken root. With quiet sadness and unwavering resolve, Rukus turned from the promise of comfort and into the calling of legend, stepping onto a path that would demand all he had to give.
Upon receiving the blessing of Bahamut, Rukus was anointed a Knight, inheritor of the sacred blade Excalibur, forged anew from adamantite. His strength knew no equal, his defenses nigh-impenetrable, his presence on the battlefield a force of nature unto itself. While others advanced with grace or guile, Rukus stood as a bastion, unmoving and resolute. And in the final reckoning with Chaos, it was Rukus who laid his very body on the line to shield his companions. As Chaos's fury rained down - fire, blade, and the cruelest of magicks - Rukus stood firm at the vanguard, intercepting blow after blow with battered steel and will alone. His resolve gave Kaili, Clair, and Glitz the precious moments they needed to endure, rally, and strike with all the strength the Lightbound could muster.
Though fate rendered him fallen by the battle's end, his sacrifice became the fulcrum upon which victory was won. It was not strength alone that defined him, but the purpose with which he wielded it: not for glory, but for others. Rukus gave everything, and in doing so, became not merely the leader of the Lightbound - but their enduring heart. None doubted his place at the core of their legend.