Fated Demise: Quenderian Wars

Purity in Ivory

Our king had already been living for more than 120 years and already had gone blind. He could not anymore stand and walk. And had never left his bed for years.

"It is time", he said.

"Evil is knocking on this realm's doorstep and even in our most protected chambers. They are waiting. Assembling", King Elmer announced.

Pointed at me as he said, "The pure destroys the burden. Crushes the heads of evil. Devours the hideous pretenders and rebukes all hell divine."

That was probably the most words he had ever uttered since the last decade. It was true that he was dying but was unable to produce an heir before so.

We could not understand anything that he was saying. The king of Ivoryhill made no more sense.

With a sigil of three elephant skulls, the kingdom of Ivoryhill is the home for most Morphi including I but shifting appearances could not save us from our enemies. Or could it? The elephant's ivory tusks are both pure and deadly.

What did he mean by evil? Who would come? No one knew. Did he mean the kingdom of Grockhaven that had just arrived west by sea?

I, Ser Simuel Fallon - Commander of the Ivory Knights, had to prepare the king's armies before the Grockhaven's army arrived.

They strived to win against the Kingdom of Elekti but they needed to defeat us first before they would do. They knew we are Elekti's allied kingdom and that we would favor them in war.

I gathered the Elders right away for the Grockhaven armies were arriving and it was time to strategize.

I left the king's bed-chamber and into the Sundome where the Commanders of the other armies and the Elders were.

The Sundome is a room that is at the castle's highest floor level. It has no ceiling and its roof is made of thick glass designed to cover the room in its semi-spherical form. This enables the sunlight to pass through, lighting up the room for the Elders to see the Map of Quendere - painted on the concrete floor.

"Where is Master Abe?" I asked.

"He is currently gathering information on the Frechione's strategy", Ser Manta answered directly as if he knew I would ask.

So I nodded and ask for Master Vinsent's knowledge on the matters of our crisis.

Master Vinsent Amaton informed while pointing at Elekti right after Wailstone Castle on the map, "Thimony's army has already landed at Wailstone. We are sure that as we speak, the alliance of Frechione and Seran is already being forged. Wailstone has been our kingdom's enemy long before the war of the 5 kingdoms ended. And now when Grockhaven's king died through the hands of its heir, Thimony Frechione schemed to claim the throne in Elekti. We know that Elekti is the heart of Quendere and there lies the one true throne".

Master Vinsent of House Amaton is the kingdom's Shipmaster/Tradesmaster.

"But why destroy Ivoryhill, first?" Ser Manta Chester, Kingshield Commander, asked.

Master Vinsent answered, "To be called King of Quendere, there must be no other king present."

Master Lenox added as he slightly laughed, "The Kingdom of Aurore has already fallen in the hands of the Frechiones and the Wailstone agreed to give way for Thimony's reign. He must fulfill a prophecy, they say."

The Lord Cognizance - Hiero spoke, "What our king said, it might be of great importance. He has spoken that evil will come. It is not just Frechiones nor Wailstone. There must be something else."

Psychelons are often sent to Anarvin where they will be trained to be maests - persons of knowledge. They will spend 10 years learning about everything. Anavrin chooses 5 outstanding students to serve as Lord Cognizance in each kingdom. Some of the trained Psychelons are deployed to be maests in small villages.

"What does that mean, Lord Hiero?" Master Vinsent queried.

"I went to Anavrin the other day to discuss to the other Lords Cognizance about the fall of Aurore's kingdom. The Lord Cognizance of Elekti was there and so was Lord Fritz of Grockhaven. He had informed the Anavrin of the disorderly condition that the citizens of Frechione are in.", Lord Hiero stated.

"And? What information have you acquired, My Lord?" said Master Lenox.

"Thimony has led his subjects to worship the god of sacrifices - Azazel. This had utterly abolished order in their land," Hiero added.

"How so?" asked our mage - Allis Stefan.

"They've started to sacrifice their newborns to the said god. They would leave the infants naked at doorsteps hoping their god would claim them. They also cut every man's reproductive organ, offering their future generations to Azazel; this exempts their King Thimony who would be the Father of the new generation. Lord Fritz fled from Grockhaven after witnessing such", Lord Hiero answered.

"In line with all these," Mage Allis spoke, "the mage who remained in Grockhaven told me that their kingdom has not yet labeled us as their enemies."

"Is that everything he said?" Ser Manta raised a question.

Allis replied, "They are here to offer us alliance. So we must decide, they would kill every one of us if we refuse."

Everyone looked at each other. Searching for everybody's reaction.

"Are you saying we should join forces with the Frechiones?" I asked aloud.

"I am not saying anything but I believe it would save our kingdom", she replied.

"How could you speak of such disgrace, woman? Our king is still here", Master Vinsent reacted to her proposal, pointing his fingers at the Gen.

"Our king is dying. Our allies, even the Elekti, are on their route to their downfall, a lot has revolted against their king. We have no future here", she insisted.

Even when the room was full of arguments, the kingdom's Apothecary and the Chronicler had both remained in deep silence.

Master Bane of House Kourg is our Chronicler. The Apothecary is from Leversville named Master Rowel Rahenstein. Lastly, the Bailiff is Master Abe of House Reigal.

What could have they been orchestrating?

Ser Manta emphasized, "We swore an oath to protect the kingdom and work for its benefits alone."

"Indeed, we have", Allis answered, "and at this moment, surrendering to Grockhaven is what gives the kingdom the most benefits."

"I refuse to agree so. It is never a solution", Master Lenox announced.

Master Lenox is the Chamberlain of Ivoryhill. He is the one who manages the kingdom's debts and finances.

"Now, our king cannot decide on our kingdom's welfare. We, the Elders, must decide on our own. They are with me", Allis imposed while pointing at Barron and Rowel as they nodded in coordination.

"If that's the case, I am against your proposal", said Master Vinsent.

"I support Vinsent's stand. We must continue to fight at all costs", Ser Manta added.

"I am on their side also," I stated.

"You have been outvoted!" The Lord Cognizance made it clear.

"I know", Allis bragged as she smirked differently.

Lord Hiero declared, "Therefore, the proposed action shall be nullified..."

Unexpectedly, without hesitation, Master Bane let his sword pierce through Lord Hiero's neck. It was deeply pierced that we could see most of the sword's blade in front of his neck.

We were frozen for what we saw as Lord Cognizance held the sword reasoning to himself that he could still do something. He did this until he lost all of his blood.

As soon as Master Vinsent moved a muscle, Master Rowel had already sliced his throat open for us to see.

Master Lenox tried to draw his sword and fight back but the Mage - Allis. Struck him with powerful blood magic. The magic that was potent enough for him to be hurled and crashed to the Sundome's steady walls. His head cracked like a chicken egg prepared for cooking. Lenox's eyes leaked rivers of blood.

The floor was swamped with the Elders' blood. The ones who were pure. The ones who saw justice and bore honor.

"Protect the king!" Ser Manta quickly said as he blocked Master Bane's sword with his.

I ran outside the Sundome, shutting the door, and locked it. I went down to the king's chamber through a thousand strides on each of the stairway's steps.

Five Ivory knights met me on my way while I was trying to regulate my breathing and govern the speed of my every heartbeat.

"The king is in grave danger... Follow... follow me", I ordered them.

We rushed toward the king's chamber and as we did, we witnessed the Ivory Knights that were guarding the king, dead as if battling with the Kingshield Knights who were also lifeless on the floor and some, leaning on walls.

"What happened here?" I asked myself.

Quickly, as I kicked open the room's door, I had the chance to witness how Ser Manta strangled the king with both of his armored hands. He looked at me after releasing it. I thought for a moment, maybe he was under Allis's spell.

Yet his eyes were never influenced by anyone's magic. It was his pure intent that drove him to do so. But never did I understand why. His sole duty is to protect the king at all costs but in his hands, the withering life of the one whom he vowed to safeguard.

Together with him were 20 of his soldiers. I only had 5 of mine so I figured I could die anytime. Even with the enormous chance of losing the fight-to-be, I clung to that inconsiderable certainty I had of avenging my king whom I served all my life.

So with all my might and my soldiers' swords, we fought the soldiers of the Kingshield of Ivoryhill.

The Ivory Knights are more highly trained than our present enemies at that time. We swung our swords as if dancing to the rhythm we set on our minds. Only by mastering our rage toward the traitors and work as if 6 parts of a super soldier's body could we win against all of them. We fought with each other's back behind another's. Though we struggled to assist our allies on their blindspots, we were still untouchable until there were only three of them left and one of them is the traitor named Ser Manta Chester.

He tried to ruin our very focus as he shoved his soldiers toward our assembly. And even though we easily jabbed swords to their chest, he had disrupted the balance of half our number. And just as that, happened the start of my soldiers' murder.

Who's left was the Commander of the pure Ivory Knights and him of the dishonorable Kingshield.

I thrust my sword leading toward him. It was a sword thirsty for the traitor's blood. We fought with admirable motivations, or at least that was what I thought.

I knew Ser Manta for half our lives. I also know how he fights and that was not how he would have fought me. He was from the House of Chester, a family of great honor. Was he making himself lose? What was he up to?

He whispered with only a limited voice but mostly air, "Attack over your head."

I didn't know why he wanted me to but that was supposedly my next move so I did. Spun my sword around my head. He positioned to block it from above when I would strike his head. But I never aimed for it and instead of accomplishing his plan, I straight thrust my sword inside his gut.

He smiled at me without me knowing why.

He said, "Perfect. Now protect the king and our people. They're at Harnessal, on their way to the kingdom of Elekti."

I ran toward King Elmer, laid on his resting place. I looked at him as I gradually realized his identity. He was not my king. He was a Morphus and the kingdom's Bailiff - Master Abe Reigal.

But why?