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- "Whadda ya mean, again!? I ain't broken the fountain yet! ...Although I did crack it a little once."
- ―Keel Langley
Keel Langley was a servant in service to Prince Alexiel and a hero of the Lucifenian Revolution. After becoming disillusioned with the status quo, Keel aided the resistance in acquiring crucial information from the royal palace. He later participated in the revolution, winning fame in his battle with Gast Venom. Afterward, Keel eventually joined the former resistance members as a Marlon soldier in opposition to Queen Zita "Germaine" Beelzenia.
History[]
Early Life[]
- "Back then all the other adults had given up, like Keel had already been murdered."
- ―Kyle
Keel was born on December 4, EC 479 in the Kingdom of Lucifenia, the son of local blacksmith Langley and his wife. As he grew up, the boy watched his father work the forge, becoming familiar with one of his customers, Prim Avadonia, and befriending her foster son, Kyle; he also became close to one of the smithy's employees, Nagisa Coulomb, coming to think of her as a little sister.
In EC 492, Keel entered the Lost Woods and got lost, later getting captured by bandits and taken to their hideout in the woods. During his time there, the traumatized boy convinced the leader of the bandits to reform. Soon after, Rin and Kyle came to his rescue, leading Keel to become enamored with Kyle. On their way back, Keel laughed at Rin's frustration over the bandits' reformation before they all returned home.
Around the time of King Arth's death in January of EC 499, Keel became a servant at the royal palace for Prince Alexiel and earned the royal's favor. While working at the palace, the boy frequently broke things with his destructive strength and Head Servant Gast often interceded to help clean his messes, while also gently encouraging Keel when he became discouraged.
The Birthday Party[]
- "...The food shortage from our recent crop failure is getting increasingly more serious. So all of our people are suffering from hunger. In these times the royal captain of the guard shouldn't be indulging in such luxuries."
- "...I'd like to tell that to the royals and nobles."
- ―Prim and Keel
As the year progressed, Keel observed Prince Alexiel becoming increasingly tyrannical in his policies, increasing his own luxury and beheading others for the most petty offenses. When a famine occurred later that year, he became disgusted by the royal and nobles' apathy toward the peasants' starvation. On December 27, Keel helped with the preparations for Alexiel's fourteenth birthday happening later that night; breaking some of the hall while cleaning, he was placed under Rin's supervision as she was assigned to help him clean the palace gardens.
After cleaning the courtyard for three hours since midday, Keel became exhausted and whined about his duties to Rin; as she calmly rebuked him, he went to clean the fountain before realizing that Rin was meant to serve Alexiel his snack around then; although panicking, he soon learned that she had already traded places with Lily. Relieved, Keel prepared to continue working when they were greeted by Prim, who cheerfully caught up with the two.
As the three talked, the conversation eventually turned to the famine in the country and Keel, when hearing that Primwas not indulging herself for the sake of the people, vented his frustrations with the nobles and the prince. He became increasingly depressed as Prim ranted about Prince Alexiel's irresponsibility towards the people, and stood awkwardly by when Rin began to argue with Prim over whether Alexiel was the only one to blame.
Not long after, Keel listened as Leonhart discussed the mystery of Alexiel's favorite horse being missing. Then he, with the rest, heard Lily screaming and ran inside to find that Alexiel was gone, escaped outside through a hidden passage in the fireplace in his room. After Prim organized the search party and tracked Innovator to the Lost Woods, Keel refused to go with them due to his earlier traumas in the forest.
Once Alexiel was found and returned to the palace, the servants were forced to make up for their lost time that evening and exhaustively served dishes for the guests during the celebration that night. After finishing, Keel took a brief moment to rest with Rin and together they tiredly praised themselves for having done their jobs perfectly. Keel then returned to the kitchen just in case, insisting Rin rest.
After he checked the kitchen, Keel saw Gast and Rin talking by a staircase and approached them, reminding them that the ball would end soon. On Gast's instructions, Keel hurried into the palace gardens and helped send off the guests before joining in the clean up.
Insurrection[]
- "Not even York could use this behemoth blade! You make a mistake with the size?" "This one isn't for any of you... Seems he's not here today. Kyle, please give this to him later for me. ...Well, I'll pray that you are fortunate in the war."
- ―Kyle and Keel
Sometime later, on an early morning in EC 500, Keel slipped out of the palace to buy supplies for Gast and was one of the many to discover Prim's corpse in the river. Not long after, he met with Kyle and, despite his efforts to help, he witnessed Kyle's subsequent breakdown when he also discovered Prim's corpse. After his friend had fainted, Keel took him to his house and explained what had happened when he awoke.
When the White Hunting began and Kyle had formed a resistance to Alexiel's rule, Keel visited Kyle at his home wearing a cloak and hood. He explained the situation at the palace, feeding him information regarding the war and the atrocities occurring there, and then left. Later in the palace’s Heavenly Yard, Keel enjoyed an afternoon with Lily and Alexiel. Albeit disguised, he continued acting as an informant for Kyle and began visiting the Resistance at its new base in the Lost Woods. Keel was in attendance there when the masked Zita "Germaine" Beelzenia came seeking to aid the Resistance.
Keel joined Lily and Rin as they overheard the meeting following Prime Minister Minis' attempted assassination. He later got in contact with Chartette Freezis after she was released from prison and put under house arrest, convincing her to meet with Kyle and assist the resistance movement. At some point, he also provided Kyle with the disguised Germaine's true identity. As the Lucifenian Revolution approached, he told his father he would fight alongside the revolutionaries and later Kyle gave him a large sword Langley had crafted for him.
Lucifenian Revolution[]
- "I tried to stop him too ...But he didn't listen to me."
- ―York concerning Keel
Fleeing the palace as the resistance swarmed the gates, Keel donned his cloak and joined the fighting, despite York's attempt to stop him; with his massive strength, he sent groups of Lucifenian soldiers flying; when Gast attempted to stop Kyle and the disguised Germaine from invading the palace, Keel faced him directly and revealed his identity to his former superior. Entering a duel with Gast, Keel explained during the fight how he had joined the revolutionaries for the sake of everyone in the country.
During the attack, he accidentally stuck his giant sword in the ground and Gast shattered it in a single strike, before soon after kicking Keel into a palace wall. Before he could be finished off, Keel launched his rocket glove at Gast and incapacitated him. With the handle of his broken blade he prepared to finish Gast off, only to hesitate as he recalled his friendships with Gast and the others in the palace. Gast took the opportunity to escape with a smoke bomb, and Keel rushed after Kyle; he found him inside the palace injured with the corpse of Mariam Phutapie at his feet.
After explaining the outcome of his fight with Gast, Keel was forced to stay behind with his friend while York sought out Alexiel, in light of his injuries during his duel. When the prince was finally captured, Keel advised he be treated kindly despite his wicked deeds. Five days later, Keel was invited to the attend the peace conference and remained bed-ridden due to his injuries from the battle. Two days later, he traveled to Rolled and joined the crowd gathered in Milanais Square for Alexiel's execution, only to be horrified to realize that it was really Rin on the execution platform.
Marlon Commander[]
- "You must be an enormously popular person, Mister Chartette, becoming commander so soon after joining."
- "Heh heh, I do my best!"
- "There just wasn't, anyone else to vie for candidacy."
- ―Yukina Freezis, Keel, and Irina
In early EC 501, Keel joined his now fiancé Kyle on a journey abroad; three months into it, Queen Germaine attempted to eradicate Kyle and the Resistance in the Witch Hunt. With Lucifenia becoming a part of Beelzenia's territory, the two traveled together for years avoiding capture from Beelzenia. In EC 503, they sought refuge in the Kingdom of Marlon, joining with the former resistance members there. In EC 504, both Keel and Kyle became soldiers for the Empire, stationed in Bariti; Keel was made the new commander of the reunited Resistance, dubbed the Langley Unit. Over the years, he became a huge fan of author Yukina Freezis.
In EC 505, Keel received Irina and Yukina Freezis come to meet Kyle, becoming excited to meet his favorite novelist. As he led them to the Langley Unit's base, he shared the details of his role in the revolution on the way. After they arrived, he entered the garrison with Yukina and found Kyle nowhere in sight. On the way to check headquarters, Keel explained how they had all ended up as Marlon soldiers. At headquarters, Keel asked York for Kyle's whereabouts while Yukina was introduced to him and Minage. When Yukina left, Keel was forced to stay behind to help Minage with the paperwork.
Two weeks after Yukina first arrived, a border patrol guard reported that the entirety of the night shift guards were killed after midnight. After speaking with him, Keel offered to have Yukina, who had taken up residence in the garrison, accompany him to the Imperial City to make a report. Walking through the graveyard, he talked with Yukina until they encountered Lily, who had evidently also become a soldier.
Keel learned that Lily had been the one to kill the night guards, and that the armistice between Beelzenia and Marlon was now void. Shocked at how she'd changed, Keel angrily threatened Lily leave when her attention had shifted to Yukina. Lily began to mock Keel; as she did, she poured wine into the Glass of Marlon and then poured it on the ground, seemingly starting an earthquake. Fleeing to Bariti, Keel and Yukina spoke about what they had just witnessed and agreed they needed to report it to the Imperial City, Keel still in disbelief over Lily's change.
On their way to the gate, they found the citizens being attacked and, investigating, Keel discovered it was a reanimated undead soldier. Shocked and bewildered, Keel scuffled with it before stunning it with his rocket glove. He and Yukina took shelter in a bar and he explained how he wasn't even sure if the creature was human. Outside, they saw Kyle in a drunken stupor and tried to shake him out of it, Keel taking his sword when they were unsuccessful.
With the sword, Keel went outside and, with great difficulty, defeated the monster while Yukina hid in the bar. The palace guards in the city later took its corpse away, and Keel learned that three of the monsters had already been spotted by another soldier. As they traveled to the imperial city, Keel and Yukina talked over the current situation.
Battling the Undead[]
After they arrived at the Imperial City, Keel attended the military meeting and reported his experience to the Emperor. Afterwards, Keel recounted his encounter with Lily to Irina; on Irina's request, Keel sought out Yukina and told him that the mage was too busy to meet. After Duke Oruhari refused to let Yukina accompany Keel back to the garrison, they parted.
With his weapon finally repaired, Keel and the Langley Unit battled the undead army at Bariti for three days; during a brief reprieve following one attack, Keel was shocked by the arrival of Lucifenia's Commander Ney Mouchet, who had defected and sought an audience with the King of Marlon. Later, the Langley Unit participated in the counterattack on Lioness Fortress and helped capture much of the city. When Kyle took leave from the army, Keel was entrusted to continue taking care of the others.
Once he heard Yukina, Germaine, Irina, and Kyle planned to set sail for Beelzenia to pursue Lily and the truth behind the recent events, Keel had his father improve the rocket glove and procured a new sword for Kyle to replace the one Germaine destroyed. Before they set sail, he arrived to see Yukina off and gave her Kyle's new sword, while gifting the rocket glove to Germaine. He soon after attempted to join the others on the ship before being caught and dragged away by Ney Mouchet.
Later Life[]
After Leonhart Beelzenia's death and Abyss P.L.'s defeat, Keel quit the Marlon army, travelling with Kyle to explore the uncharted eastern lands. In EC 508, the two arrived in Holy Levianta during the widespread terrorist attacks by Neo Apocalypse, becoming involved in the Four Horsemen Incident. After Abyss P.L. attacked Kyle and possessed his body, Keel retrieved the Twin Blades of Levianta while Abyss fled. Hoping to keep the vessel of Envy from him, he journeyed East.
After he arrived in Jakoku, Keel decided to settle there and founded a small village in the western edge of Enkoku. Becoming a renowned blacksmith, Keel changed his name to "Inukichi" and hid his foreign-looking face under a monkey mask to better fit in with the Jakokuese. He later married with a woman who loved monkeys and sired a son with her. In EC 549, Keel reunited with Kiril and Irina. He later became acquainted with the wandering swordsman, Gaou Sudou, crafting weapons for him during the Jakoku Civil War against Princess Jahime.
Sometime during the conflict, Keel realized Jahime's wizard ally, Julius PL, was Abyss P.L. Hoping to keep the Twin Blades of Levianta from his pursuer and avenge Kyle, Keel reforged the blades and then sealed them to keep the Demon of Envy from exercising its power. He then took the blades to outside Enbizaka and handed them off to Gaou. Shortly after, Julius arrived and dueled Keel, ultimately killing him with his fire magic.
Afterlife[]
Following his death, Keel's soul was sent to the Heavenly Yard and remained there. In EC 999, he and the other souls were pulled back to the Third Period as the ground world merged with the Hellish Yard. Afterward, he decided to return to his duties as a servant in the palace and helped with the preparations for Prince Alexiel's dinner party in the Hall of Mirrors.
Keel was later put into a deep sleep by Sleep Prince's Gift, although eventually waking up and gathering with everyone else in the Hall of Sounds. As the group discussed the Tasan Party soldiers surrounding the palace, Keel expressed his worry for Alexiel before deciding to join the battle. Later on, Keel took out a Tasan soldier aiming for Kyle, also pointing out the approaching Phutapie Mercenaries.
Later into the battle, a Black Box flew out over the Lucifenian forces and began to suck everyone inside, including Keel. Not long after, the Black Box was defeated and Keel was freed, with the enemy no longer wishing to do battle. When all the souls of the Third Period started singing the Clockwork Lullaby to restrain Ma, Keel eventually joined in their singing. After Rin and Alexiel later created a new world with the Re_birthday function, Keel was presumably incorporated into it.
Legacy[]
- "The son of the old man in the monkey mask came to that land, built a splendid grave for his father, and stayed to live there."
- ―A Freezis Fairytale
Following Keel's defeat, Gaou mourned the blacksmith's death, crying during the subsequent Battle of Jagahara. Keel's son interred his father in a tomb shortly after. His family line, the Rangu Clan, became prominent blacksmiths and each subsequent family head mimicked Inukichi's appearance, speech, and profession in honor of him. After becoming the magistrate of Izami, Gaou sealed the Twin Blades of Levianta away in a local cave and the Sudou Family continued safeguarding the vessel for generations. The village Keel founded persisted over the centuries, eventually becoming known as Momogengou.
Yukina Freezis wrote a novel about the hidden events surrounding Prince Alexiel's tyranny entitled "The Son of Evil", detailing Keel's actions and the aftermath, that had gained popularity around the world centuries later during the time of Nemesis Marlon. The tale of Keel and his friends actions against Princess Jahime and Julius PL up through his demise were published as part of the Freezis Fairy Tales.
Personality and Traits[]
- "It's kinda weird for a former maid to be carryin' a sword, ain't it? But, that's the kind of world it's become now. But that's the kind of world we're livin' in right now. Battle ain't just for professional soldiers, and it ain't just men who are wieldin' weapons anymore."
- ―Keel regarding Lily's military professions
Keel was an energetic and bubbly man. Fitting to his extremely youthful appearance, he was as playful and active as a little boy and those traits only increased as he got older. Free-spirited in nature, Keel had a straightforward way of thinking and acted according to his feelings. This childishness made him careless, somewhat irresponsible, and impulsive, but also kindhearted and friendly. Fitting with this, he spoke in an informal way to everyone around him, especially friends. Keel was similarly sympathetic to others' plights, and would even be kind to those who had done a lot of harm if he believed they had some good inside them.
Despite his smiling exterior, Keel had a more mature side. Far from ignorant, he was disillusioned with the nobility and detested how Alexiel let his people suffer. Keel also enjoyed reading and frequently bought books, becoming a big fan of Yukina Freezis' works in particular. As a servant, he had also been self-conscious of his clumsy behavior and tried to limit himself from breaking more things. Keel showed much more responsible behavior in military matters than as a servant, adapting quickly to battle and later being trusted as a commander; he firmly believed that women, and not just soldiers, also needed to wield weapons to help.
This maturity, mixed with his upbeat personality, made Keel remarkably brave. Although traumatized by his abduction in the Millennium Tree Forest, he quickly overcame that fear while helping the Resistance who made their base there. He regularly risked his own life in combat, holding strong convictions for the well being of the masses as well as wanting to protect individuals. He similarly, although initially frightened by it, became determined to stop the evil magic of the vessels of sin. This culminated in how he kept the Twin Blades from falling into Abyss P.L.'s hands for decades, even when it meant staying far from home in the east.
Skills and Abilities[]
- "He's fine. There's no problem with him. He's sturdy."
- ―Irina after flinging Keel into the air with a tombstone
Keel possessed extraordinary physical strength, capable of wielding a nearly two meter long broad sword and dealing damage to even objects as strong as stone with ease. He similarly had amazing physical endurance, able to withstand a great amount of physical force with minimal injury, and he was agile in battle because of his small frame. His massive strength made him clumsy, however, and Keel had a hard time performing more delicate tasks without breaking things.
Although having never had combat experience prior to the Lucifenian Revolution, Keel was a prodigy with the sword and wielded her massive blade effectively in battle. Still, his lack of formal training made him inexperienced with weapons besides, and he had little knowledge of fencing. He also effectively wielded the rocket glove Nagisa invented, taking his opponents by surprise with the incredibly advanced technology. His skills in battle, however, faded as he grew older until he was only a shadow of the warrior he'd been in his prime.
Under his father's tutelage, Keel was adept at blacksmithing and could reforge small tools into new shapes or forms. He was also one of the few among his peers to learn how to read and write. Keel also had an impressively youthful appearance, always looking much, much younger than he actually was, which continued even when he had become an old man.
Character Connections[]
Alexiel Lucifen d'Autriche: Keel's employer. Keel greatly disapproved of the callous way Alexiel treated the people of Lucifenia and Elphegort, and so joined the resistance mounting against him. Despite this, Keel got along well with Alexiel on a personal level and felt sympathy for him, asking that the prince be treated well after he was captured and often spending time with him as a servant.
Rin Avadonia: Keel's childhood friend and fellow servant of Alexiel. Due to their friendship, Keel and Rin were able to converse on a more formal level than the other servants, though he was sometimes frustrated by her dedication to their jobs and constant supervision of his work, as well as later saddened to go against her side in the Revolution. When witnessing Rin's death, Keel became hysterical and caused a scene.
Lily Venom: A fellow servant of Alexiel and later his opponent. Keel and Lily got along well while they worked in service of Alexiel and spent time together as servants, though they often quarreled about trivial things. He was shocked to learn that Lily was an agent of Beelzenia and stunned by her mastery of the Glass of Marlon, unable to understand how the maid had changed.
Kyle Avadonia: Keel's childhood friend and later his fiancé. Keel looked up to Kyle despite his younger age; the two became very close over the years and during their time in the Lucifenian Revolution, with Keel wishing to aid Kyle in any way he could. The two continued to travel together as swordsmen until Kyle's possession; after encountering Abyss P.L. decades after, Keel battled him in an attempt to take back Kyle's body.
Gast Venom: Keel's superior and later his opponent. Keel appreciated the understanding that Gast showed to him for his clumsiness and held him in high regard; this regard caused him to hesitate during their duel. Despite this, Keel was fully prepared to kill Gast in battle for the sake of the revolution and was frustrated by his disappearance.
Yukina Freezis: Keel's favorite novelist. Keel was greatly impressed by Yukina's writing ability and became a big fan of hers. He became very excited when finally meeting the girl in person, squealing, and gave her a personal tour of the outpost he and the former Resistance members settled in.