The grass shifted with the wind, its warm air turned cool, as bushes, and trees rustled. The sun was lowering from the sky; it was no longer battering the land, as it passed its zenith and was falling below the horizon.
As Emil was watching the sunset his face was solemn as he traced midnight's handle. His brown hair parted and his wavy hair flowed in the wind, reaching down to his ears. His lips were slightly parted in awe at how beautiful the sunset is even if death still flourished in the world. He can smell the sand in the air as they march ever closer to the Canteran Desert and its mountains.
"Emil!" Chuckled out Damian now without his helmet his black hair freed from it's constraints reached down to his shoulders, as his obsidian eyes stared at Emil blue eyes, with warmth "looking at the sunset?" Questions Damian.
"Yes, it's a pretty sight to be sure" Emil answered with a smile growing, as he began dismounting his horse.
"I couldn't disagree, now I have a better suggestion than watching the sunset, let's go speak with bookman" Emil knew who Damian spoke about a nickname he gave Hans, that man never stopped reading.
"Hans? Where is he anyway?" Emil said as he looked at the camp, Damian grabbed his shoulder.
"He's next to the supply cart I can already see him reading the histories, or reading fairytales" Damian began laughing heartily as he began slapping Emil's back and led the way.
After a short walk, they soon saw the supply carriages, a man sitting on the ground leaning on the cart, his eyes reading every word on the page of his book.
Emil stepped forward and tapped Hans on the leg "What are you reading now?" Hans turned to look at him, his eyebrows arching in surprise.
"Oh uhm I'm reading about the war of fire and shadow," Hans stated nervously as he watched the two men, "what do you guys want?"
Damian looked at Emil and let out a grumpy sigh "Always reading aren't you, I wouldn't even doubt if you start fighting with a book instead of a sword," A slight smirk flashed on Emil, his shoulder bumped into Damian.
"Enough, we are just jesting Hans but what is the war of fire and shadow?" Asked Emil questionably as he pushed back Damian who tried to bump Emil back.
"Oh the very same war that led to your family being exiled" Hans stated bluntly, "I still don't know why the histories never say."
Emil's brows furrowed ever so slightly as he stayed quiet "but if you uhm really…want…to…know…Emil?" Hans began stammering as Emil unknowingly began glaring, and then closed his eyes and shook his head.
"Forgive me Hans continue"
"Oh alright from what I can remember the war of fire and shadow began when the horde of dragons attacked the continent, bringing chaos in its wake from the rivers of Avaraine and as far west as the bearswood forest, as far north as nenethyr and-"
Damian cut him off "We get it" as he began rubbing the bridge of his nose "I thought it would be fun to talk to you bookman, but alas I was wrong."
Hans shook his head slightly at Damian's complaints as he continued "After the waves of the dragons the shadow mages with their shadow men army attacked, crushing kingdom after kingdom. Until the remaining kings grouped up and Began engineered weapons to kill the dragons, and-"
"It bores me that my teacher taught me this already after they killed the dragon horde. The remaining dragons escaped to some islands and the shadow mages were defeated, the end. Every lord knows this." Damian muttered quickly, clearly bored, "You really do nothing but read." He scoffed.
Hans let out a frown "I'll let you know knowledge is power," as he stood up to Damian but was shrunk in comparison.
(in comparison Damian is 6'2 and poor little hans Montford is 5'5 a real short king hehehe, but Hans is smart like really smart :)
"Shut up with that shite philosophy!" Damian groaned "Have fun reading bookman" he said as he began walking away to his tent.
"Don't take it to heart bookman, he's just playing with you, I can already see the smile he has while walking away," Emil said warmly patting Hans on the back. As he also walked away.
"Cunt" Hans said as he began to continue reading his book, but his eyes drifted to Emil's departing figure, "Emil!" He called out.
emil turned and walked back "yes?" He asked with a questioning look on his face.
"i felt i had to tell you this but there are rumors going around that…Um the kingdom of Leonis are putting forces on our border," Emil examined Hans for a strong moment before sighing "rumors are rumors they wouldn't dare," Emil gave one final smile and then at last left
.
The bright orange flames shone brightly in the starry sky as they crackled. Its warmth was pleasant and touched the soul. Men sat around the flames, Emil and his buddies laughing and drinking.
Emil smiled but behind the smile, he felt…empty his laughs were genuine but the smile was half genuine. Emil wondered why he still smiled after killing a man with his own two hands and witnessing the death of thousands. 30 thousand of his men died, and another 50 thousand from the canterans, his mind flashed with the images of the ground soaked with blood.
Emil shook his head as he listened into the jests, continuing to drink more ale pushing those thoughts away.
"Oh, how I miss cutting down those canterans!" Damian howled and men chuckled "I'll say that those cunts we're hard but a sword is still a sword, or hands" Damian said as he turned to Emil "I'm told that you killed Alonso with your bare hands, left his head splattered on the ground" as he laughed.
Emil licked his lips as his blue eyes shone with melancholy, "Yes, he fought for a while but nothing could stop me from killing him." Emil continued "That man was a monster, but also an exemplary swordsman no doubt but still a horrible man, he kills his own people helping his king cousin to reign as a tyrant." Emil spoke with a disgusted tone.
Silence took over as the group looked at one another.
"Aye but we bring justice in the end," a man said, breaking the silence.
"Yes, we did…Sir Julien I heard your cousin killed a dozen men and a knight, it wouldn't be too hard to knight him as you are sir!" Another man cheerfully bellowed.
Sir Julien sat with his expression thoughtful as he tapped on his sword, then stood and began walking toward his cousin who was sitting next to another campfire chatting.
"Cousin!" Julien said Nico turned around; he was a young lad 17 years old only a squire as he stood and bowed his head.
"Yes?" Nico replied respectfully, as Julien stopped in front of him, they both stared at each other for a long moment.
"Kneel" Julien said calmly, Nico's eyes widened as he stood frozen then quickly kneeled.
Emil's eyes narrowed at the memory of his own knighting Emil had fond memories of Sir Harold Brython knighting him, the man was infamous around the whole continent. Stories about him humiliating the prince of the kingdom of Leonis, and rumors of him taking the maidenhead of a princess.
As Emil thought this more memories dashed into his head, the sun high in the sky, the smells of beer and sweat, and Sir Harold Brython standing over him as he put his blade on Emil's shoulder.
Now he watched as Julien, his sword in hand tapping Nico's shoulder. "Nico Gance do you hereby swear to uphold vows of chivalry to protect the weak and the innocent?"
"Yes I do do hereby swear it"
"To be loyal to the Kingdom of Avaraine, to be just. To be good, not to be swayed by gold but by honor?" Julien continued "to be brave in the face of danger, and to fight until your last breath?"
"Yes, I swear it…I swear it on my honor." Nico swore his voice tinged with sincerity.
Julian's sword lightly tapped Nico"s right shoulder with the flat side of the blade, as he began dubbing Nico, "In the name of god, I dub thee Nico a knight
Julien lifted the sword elegantly as he tapped the left side as well, "arise sir Nico Gance as a knight of the kingdom of Avaraine."
Nico stood proudly, his eyes glistening with tears as he hugged Jullien, and Jullien embraced the hug as well. As kin, they had a special relationship, one that Emil was jealous of, they were cousin but they were close. Coolest then he ver was to his own brother, all his brother showed him was hatred and jealousy.
Emil's eyes flicked down to the sheathed Longsword of midnight, its size will make it difficult for a man to hold it with two hands but Emil can do it with just one and while holding a shield.
As he looked at midnight and unsheathed it enough to see the steel that showed his reflection he could see his brother's eyes staring at him full of hatred, remembering the way his brother looked at him when his lord father gave him midnight. All he could see from his brother's eyes was distrust seeing him as a threat to his legitimacy.
He could scarcely even hold midnight Emil thought, as he sheathed the sword and stood.
"That's enough for me tonight, I hope to see Nico slay a dozen more when we take Port Arena" Emil chuckled as Damian watched him go.
Emil entered his yet looking at his 'bed' if you could call it that it was scarcely comfortable and Emil's back will definitely not thank him in the morning.
Emil's armor was set aside earlier when he first put up the tent. Emil lay on the ground as he put a small cloth over his body; it barely reached past his stomach leaving his legs out in the cold. His tall body didn't even leave the blanket a chance to give him warmth. Emil began drifting to sleep dreaming about the softness of pillows and beds that felt like lying on clouds.
.
A soldier entered Emil's tent cold air flowed in, the coldness bit into Emil's skin as he awoke, as his eyes followed the soldier. "My lord," the man said nervously, "there seems to…be a problem, a strange one at that?" The man said, questioning himself. Emil's brows furrowed in confusion as he stood.
"What do you mean?" Emil's voice groaned as tiredness still reigned over him as the soldier just opened the tent entrance beckoning Emil to look at himself. Emil nodded as he stepped out to see something he didn't expect to see. He saw an ocean and a river's mouth and the river flowing upwards Emil's head turned to look at everything around. The sky was cloudy and the winds were followed by the cold.
His eyes widened as Emil thought to himself this isn't our home as he turned to look at the soldier, as the man spoke "My lord what are your commands?" Emil's mouth was agape as he then said "sent scout parties to map out the surrounding lands, and send word to all the lords that an emergency meeting has been called" The soldier bowed as he left to relay the orders.
Emil's mind raced with thoughts 'magic. It must be magic. But I never heard of magic doing this, never at this scale. To bring a whole army to be transported to some unknown lands. It wasn't unheard of. People say my family was blessed because of their size and strength. But alas it does not matter, the only thing that is clear is that this is definitely not Cantera.
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That's it for the prologue expect chapters to come out every three days well i hope it does. School does take a toll but i do plan to release 2 chapters every week so i hope you enjoy and tell me your suggestions and any misspelling i had missed!