《The Lost Book》


 PROLOUGE (Scribble)

    The lights of the lamp flicked once then twice as the sound of scribbling drew on the surrounding, breaking the silence of the night. In the darkest hours while the whole world slept in peace, a man was still awake, sited on his wooden chair unaware of his surroundings, dipped his quill pen in the ink, and scribbled on a papyrus. His hand was moving at an intense speed making the writing disorganized and difficult to understand, yet without caring for these details he continued. He dipped the quill and wrote until it ran out of ink, then he dipped again and wrote again and again filling page after page of papyrus. A cold wind blew through the window chilling the old bones of the man. The white hairs on his arms stood up and his body trembled from the cold, yet he continued. Ignoring the cold night and his old body he kept on writing desperately as if this has to be done now, no matter what.


    The chirping sound of the birds demarcated the rising of the sun and the passage of the night. Most of the people woke up from their sleep and prepared for their day, tidied things up, and went out for their work. One such young man was Tilo, he is a 23-year-old scholar currently staying with the great sage in the High-sky mountain peak to further his studies. He has traveled far and wide in the pursuit of knowledge and finally stumbled upon the master he earned for. With great efforts, he finally convinced the great sage to take him as a disciple despite his old age. He was acknowledged and has been studying various aspects of life and death for the past half a year.


    Like every day he prepared breakfast and warm water for his master and was waiting for him. Time passed, yet his always punctual teacher was nowhere to be seen. This was unusual for the great sage not to be in time for breakfast, fearing something has happened he ran towards the cottage where the sage lived. "master master," he shouted as he banged on the bamboo door. Even after a while of calling no response came from the other side. Tilo''s expression darkened as anxiety filled him, he asked for forgiveness and tried to break into the room. The bamboo door finally cracked and broke open reviling a white-haired old man sitting on a chair with his right arm resting on the desk in front of him and his left arm holding a phoenix feather quill still pined onto a papyrus. He was anxious and nervous as he walked near the old man observing the strange stillness in the room. His hands were frozen and his eyes remain wide open. The great sage the wisest of them all the sorcerer king the maker of history the sear of the future the all-knowing and benevolent, the protector and guardian of humanity has passed away, frozen solid by cold while still holding the warmest phoenix feather and a pile of papyrus on his desk filled with his last words.


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    The great sage has written hundreds of pages filled with scribbles in his last moments, which were collected and made into a book by his last and said to be the most genius disciple Tilo. After cremating his master''s corpse, he collected the remains and went into seclusion to decipher the meaning of the text left in the book. It took him nearly a year to understand the essence of the book. After understanding the message written in the book, Tilo came out of his seclusion it is said that he left the mountains never to be seen again. Many sages and scholars have tried to search for the book time and time again in the hopes of gaining the ultimate wisdom passed down by the great sage. With the passage of time and the curiosity of the people gave rise to many myths surrounding the book. Even some kings and emperors also became interested in this seemingly all-knowing book, lost in the passage of time. With each passing year, the scribbles of the dying old man have become the most revered treasure that every knowledgeable person on the continent ever wanted. As humanity''s search for knowledge continued so did the story ofTHE LOST BOOK.

 City of Swords

    "Clang clang..." sounds of swords clashing with swords, and shield bashing with shields echoed in the great hall. Multiple fully armed soldiers were sparring all across the hall. Loud noises and panting accompanied the clash of weapons.  "BANG" a loud sound disrupted the already noisy atmosphere as a huge metal rod was dropped onto the ground by a brown-haired, dark-eyed young man. A moment of silence followed by annoyed looks fell on the young man drenched in sweat.


    "Hey, be careful," said a nearby soldier "you are disturbing others".


    "ya ya," said the young man, took a deep breath, again picked the metal rod up, and went back to training.


    The hall was filled with similar situations happening everywhere. Young men of similar ages were all around the hall drenched in sweat and panting for breath. Still, they continued on with their actions. Some were sparring, some were stretching, some did weight training and some were running. Nearly 500 people occupied the grand hall and trained together every day. These are the volunteer soldiers who have taken up arms to come here and protect this border city of Bali from the invaders. One might think why will someone volunteer to come to a border city where regular scuffles happen and risk their life? It is exactly because of that very reason that so many young men volunteer to be posted here. Well our story will begin here so we started here and will comeback to the present, but before that lets go on a little flashback on the legend that made Bali the City of Swords.


    <hr><hr>


    Bali is the fortress city on the eastern border of the kingdom of Roge. It blocked and protected the only mountain pass connecting the two kingdoms of Roge and Albania. Due to its strategic location and utility the city was always well fortified and guarded. But after the marriage of the two royal families, the kingdom of Roge and Albania have been in peace for more than 10 years. Resulting in negligence in the city''s defenses. Taking advantage of the situation Albania broke its treaty and launched a surprise attack on Bali. Although the city is well fortified and difficult to attack, the city severely lacked soldiers to man the wall. This is a city at a very advantageous location on the mountain pass connecting these two kingdoms. Once captured would give direct access to the plains of Roge and a strong base for their future expansion. At this time only 100 soldiers were stationed in the city who were the patrol guards responsible for normal security and maintenance. While in such a desperate situation the news of the Albanian army numbering more than 8000 strong shook the morals of the people to the core.


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    Shocked and panicked by the huge numbers of the enemy everyone looked at each other as cold sweat dropped down and contemplated whether to surrender or retreat from the city. The notion of standing up and fighting against the huge foe was something unimaginable by any sane individual at that moment. The Albanian army also thought the same and surrounded the city from all sides and started building their camps and ladders, while giving their soldiers a moment to catch their breath after the long march. A messenger came out of the camp near the walls of Bali and gave the ultimatum to open the gates and surrender before noon or there will be no mercy. "Surrender now and live or fight and die," were the exact words of the messenger.


    The already frightened people became even more fearful. Cries of horror filled the streets as the civilians begged to be spared. The few guards of the city have lost all will and were ready to surrender. Yet, one insane person was enough to make this whole situation turn for the worst. With the pressure and stress piling up a young soldier''s hand slipped as he let go of the bowstrings accidentally releasing an arrow. Which swiftly flew out and hit the massager in the arm. Blood gushed out of the wound with a differing cry of pain. The messenger''s eyes were blood red and filled with pain as he gave an anger-filled look to the city and rapidly galloped back to the camp.


    The arrow was fired and any chance of negotiation vanished. The depressed and desperate people had no other choice but to fight, but even with all the men, women, and children taking up arms it will be impossible to defend the city. Will a defense made up of hastily arranged thousand civilians desperately fighting to save their lives and their homes be able to hold out in front of the massive army of 8000 well-trained soldiers attacking simultaneously!

 Captains Hope

    The city was in an uproar. No one knew what to do at this moment. The guards looked at their captain with hope in their eyes. But the experienced and known to be cool-headed captain Devi has lost his calmness and was venting out his frustration on the young man who fired the shot. Continuously kicking and screaming at him for his stupidity and the disaster he has caused. Crushing him to rot in hell as the one responsible for their imminent death. The young man stayed down and apologized again and again with tears running down his eyes. The guards rushed and tried to calm down the captain.


    The demand of the situation was such that he had to control his emotions somehow. Now that the situation has turned for the worst he had to do something and fast. Otherwise, even before the enemy attacks the civilians in the city will kill them all. He took a deep breath and thought for a while about all the possible actions he can take and there was only one way left for him to survive. He stood up, looked at his comrades, gave swift orders to organize and control the situation, and hurriedly send 2 of his guards down the wall.


    After a while of rigorous struggle and restless efforts, Devi managed to calm down the crowd. Yet, his face was lifeless. He gave out orders to arm and organize the civilians. He told a few words to motivate the crowd but he was feeling down inside. He looked outside the city and saw the army forming, well-trained, well-equipped, high in morale, and full of energy. He looked at the empty stairs leading down the wall. He looked inside and saw disorganized and ill-equipped civilians slowly forming up, devoid of all energy. He again looked at the stairs and sighed. He looked at the empty walls protected by only a handful of soldiers and again looked back at the stairs only to see his guards coming back with a middle-aged crippled man.


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    Devi looked at the middle-aged man who had lost his right arm. His eyes glowed as lights returned to them.  He turned around, placed his right arm over his left chest, and saluted, "Sir, I am guard captain Devi Balanon sir. It''s an honor making your acquaintance ser Dickon."


    "Thank you for answering my selfish request," he said with a slight bow.


    Dickon was a former member of the royal guard and a great swordsman who was unmatched by anyone in the kingdom. His skills in both swordplay and strategy were unparalleled gaining him the favor of the king. Some even say the king wanted to promote him to the status of noble but was strongly opposed by the noble faction. Soon after Dickon was sent to an impossible battlefield by his superiors to stop an army of thousands with a few hundred soldiers. With all odds stacked against him, everyone expected him to die and parish on that battlefield. Yet beating all odds he survived and also managed to successfully repel the attack. But the price he paid was not small, most of his close comrades died in that battle with him losing one arm. He became a hero and an inspiration for all young and aspiring soldiers a symbol of strength, glory, and honor. Yet, he and his surviving comrades all retired just after that battle and moved to a desolate place away from the power struggle and politics of the royal court never to be seen again. But here he is again dragged to the battlefield he has given up on.


    Only a few people knew that he was in this border city, which included Devi the commanding officer of this city. As a man who has worked under him, Devi knew Dickon''s personality very well. Although the chances of him helping was very slim Devi chose to bet on the possibility of what if and luckily it has paid off. Dickon has arrived. With him showing up Devi finally relaxed and saw some hope of survival, hope that this man can create a miracle and somehow save them. He expressed his gratitude while simultaneously explaining the situation of the impending battle and asking for his guidance in this difficult time.

 Dickon

    It has been 3 years since Dickon retired. He thought it had been long enough for him to grow out of his past. He thought he had moved away from the battlefield once and for all. But here he is standing in the middle of a battlefield. To avoid getting dragged into a battle again, he moved away from the royal palace and decided to settle on the peaceful eastern border over his hometown in the west which is having continuous conflicts with the savages. Dickon looked outside the wall, only 400 meters away from the wall thousands of enemy soldiers were moving into formation. He looked inside the city, close to 1000 civilians were formed into small groups of 50 membered units. Their body shook and trembled as they stood still having difficulties holding their spears straight. He sighed as he analyzed the situation, "The God of war seems to love me way too much." The battlefield he was running away from all these years has come to his door as if searching for him.


    He stood still as his eyes moved through the citizens assembled below the wall. With every passing moment, his heartbeat started to increase. The more he observed the faster it became. His heart was beating fast not because of fear nor was it despair. As the battle drew near the tension and vigilance of the crowd created the atmosphere of the battlefield. The battlefield he wanted to escape was here yet he somehow felt relieved and excited. Maybe this intense environment was what he missed the most.


    "You have done a good job," Dickon genuinely praised Devi for he had taken good control of the situation, not only he had calmed the citizens he had also arranged them into groups making it easier to command.


    "I have only done my duty, sir," Devi said proudly.


    "Hmm..." Dickon drew the sword from Devi''s scabbard and slashed a cross in the kingdom''s flag and ordered, "Beat the bells 3-1-2."


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    Devi has heard and seen him in action enough times to the point of having blind faith in him. So he didn''t hesitate even for a moment after hearing such a peculiar order and relayed the orders forward. The warning bells rang throughout the city in a peculiar rhythm. Most of the people were confused at the sudden sound and looked at the wall near the bell with curiosity. The crowded atmosphere came to a momentary trans as everyone''s eyes landed on the destroyed flag of the kingdom and a person standing next to it.


    A middle-aged man with long black hair and a few white hairs in between was standing tall beside a half-damaged flag with a cut in the middle. Everyone was in a state of confusion seeing a crippled man without his right hand and a sword in his left arm standing in the middle of the wall staring down at them. The crowd became rowdy again discussing the identity of the man. Everyone was shocked and confused at the things happening in such a crucial situation, some even crushed the old man due to frustration. In the middle of this chaotic situation, some individuals were overjoyed. Faced with this weirdly ringing bell and the half-destroyed flag their eyes brightened, their dull body became energized and a smile appeared on their face. They started to move from their spots to the front of the gathering smoothly passing through the crowd not hindered by the random movement and chaotic atmosphere.


    Soon a group of 44 individuals gathered in front of the civilians and into a new regiment altogether. Each of them draw out a red ribbon from their pocket and tied it around their left arm simultaneously. They all kneeled at the same time, putting one arm over their chest, and shouted in unison, "Sir, the heavenly squad is reporting for duty, sir."


    [Silence]


    The crowd that was is an uproar stopped still from the sudden event. Their eyes followed to the front of the crowd where the heavenly squad has assembled and went up the wall to look at Dickon. After a momentary silence along with a bit of observation everyone started discussing the same thing.


    "The Heavenly Squad."


    "That mysterious heavenly squad is here?"


    "Then"


    "Then the man up there?"


    "That man is"


    "is"


    "Is the Sword Saint Dickon."

 The Sword Saint

    "The Sword Saint Dickon," with someone exclaiming these words the crowd broke into an uproar, and shouts of cheer filled the city. The loud and excited voices of the people combined and created a huge noise as they roared together the name of the sword saint. Their voices merged together and traveled far and wide, reaching the enemy tents outside the city. The army that was about to launch its attack on the city came to an immediate standstill. The name they hear was something worrying and was not included in their battle plans. Dickon was even more well-known and feared outside the kingdom of Roge. The enemy of the kingdom who have fought against him knew very well the kind of monster, he is on the battlefield. If the sword saint is really here then the city can not be ill-equipped. This flaw in the intelligence report can be fatal and thus the marching was stopped immediately and all the generals gathered to have an emergency meeting. This in turn gave Dickon the much-needed time to prepare.


    A soldier came running and reported, "the enemy has stopped."


    Hearing the report a small glint appeared on Dickon''s face. He signaled to ring the bell again, disrupting the crowd and immediately stopping the cheering. All the citizens and soldiers in the city stopped what they were doing and focused on the one man standing silently on the wall.


    With a deep breath, Dickon finally opened his mouth, "My fellow brothers and sisters of Bali, It seems years of peace have weakened your memory."


    He paused for a second and continued, "You have forgotten the atrocity performed by the Albanians in the villages of Peru and Poli."


    He gave some time for everyone to remember the tragic massacre in the two villages 10 years ago, "The men were tortured to death, women were raped to death, and even the children were played with and sold to who knows where."


    "Do you think just because we were at peace for a decade these savages have changed? Do you truly believe those who have broken the treaty before god will honor their promise with us mere commoners?"


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    "I don''t," someone shouted from the crowd.


    "Even I do not believe these savages. If they managed to breach the city gates and enter inside, I fear the tragedy of Peru will repeat itself. The men will be killed, the women will be raped and the children will be slaved."


    "Are you ready to accept such fate? I am not. So I will not fall for their tricks. I will not surrender. I will fight, even if my legs are cut I will fight, even if my arm is cut I will still fight, I will fight till a drop of blood is still in my body, I will fight."


    He looked the people in the eyes, eyes filled with rage and remorse, and said,  "For the people who are precious to me even if I die, I won''t let a single savage enter this city and play with the lives of my beloved wife and children."


    "If I am to die I will die fighting to protect my loved ones rather than letting these savages humiliate and torture me to death."


    "So I Dickon Armstrong, whom you call the sword saint will stand here and fight till I draw my last breath so my beloved daughter doesn''t have to go through the horrors of Poli."


    He stopped there and the whole city fell into silence. He tilted his head down a bit and looked straight at the crowd as a drop of tear fell down. His silent stare and unmoving eyes felt like he is seeing through one''s soul. Everyone who looked him in eyes was lost for words. After the Intense speech and a moment of silence, that moment breaking the stillness the members of the heavenly squad simultaneously roared, "We the heavenly squad will sand and fight to the death."


    This started a chain reaction throughout the city as every citizen roared with all their might.


    "I Bilo the son of Bera will stand and fight."


    "I Astro will stand and fight."


    "I Rebeka the daughter of Thion will also fight."


    "I will fight."


    "I will fight till my last breath."


    "We will fight."


    "FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT."


    Everyone voiced their thoughts out loud, with their emotions flowing out like a flood. The previously lifeless and disheartened people were now filled with vigor and high in morale. The soulless and unwilling civilians as well as the guards of the city are now willing to die fighting. They are willing to fight to their death to protect their loved ones and stop the savages from entering into the city. While the energy inside the wall was rising with it came increasingly loud roars that made the previously energetic and high-spirited Albanians outside the walls tremble and hesitant even more.

 The Battle Begins

    "It seems they are motivated," Devi voiced his thoughts looking at the energized crowd.


    "Hope it lasts," Dickon voiced his worries and ordered, "Separate them into two groups, ones who are fit and can be used as an asset and the others who were incapable or can become a liability on the battlefield."


    "Already done that sir."


    "Any estimated numbers?"


    "458 in fighting condition and 615 non-combatants sir," Devi responded immediately.


    Dickon''s eyebrows twitched as he was genuinely surprised by the thorough arrangements by Devi. No doubt he became the captain at such a young age. Not lingering on his thoughts for long he ordered to arrange the army in a way that they are used to the best of their ability.


    The 600+ non-combatants were broken into 3 squads responsible for logistics like supplies, weapons, and medical respectively under the leaderships of Bira, Kasi, and Suri three exceptional members of the heavenly squad. The nearly hundred original guards of the city were placed under Devi. 58 from the fighting group were formed into a backup group under the direct command of the sword saint. The rest of them were made into 10-member squads and placed under one member of the heavenly squad. Every squad leader took up their positions on the wall along with their assigned squad. All the civilians were armed with simple weapons they were capable of using and taught the 2 basic commands of attack and retreat by their squad leaders. While the city of Bali was getting prepared quickly trying to organize everything in the limited time the Albanian army camp was also making some quick adjustments to their plans.


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    Outside the city a man was kneeling in the middle of a large tent, surrounded by a group of men, well-dressed in fine and dazzling armor sitting around him. The man swore to god that his intelligence was correct. The city has less than 100 soldiers guarding it. And in his defense, he said that the whereabouts of the sword saint was unknown even to the nobles. Everyone was contemplating the situation and debated what to do about the sudden appearance of the sword saint. Should they continue with the attack or retreat? At that moment the man sitting in the middle of the room stood up and asked, "The city still has only about 1000 personnel, men, women, and children included right?"


    "Ye.. yes... Yes, my lord," replied the kneeling man.


    He looked at a skinny old man sitting to his right and asked politely, "What do you suggest lord Ma?"


    The old man rubbed his hands under his chin, "As far as I know the sword saint of Roge was in hiding and should not have that many subordinates with him."


    "So lord Basik I suggest we should attack immediately and not give him more time to prepare."


    Basik the supreme commander of the army looked at the other generals, "Any objection?"


    No one voiced a single word, trusting the judgment of strategist Ma they all gave their silent agreement to the matter. The military positions were arranged a bit with the veterans who initially were going to be the advance force and help capture the city quickly, but were now pushed to the middle and formed the core of the attack force. The new soldiers were put at the forefront as the advanced unit that will act as a shock force. The one-sided attack situation has changed into a proper battle with the appearance of one unexpected variable forcing the Albanian army to adjust their battle plans.


    Soon the formations were adjusted and the soldiers were ready for the impending battle. With the sun reaching over the head the battle finally began as the supreme commander of Albania signaled to launch the attack.


    The loud war horns rang throughout the battlefield marking the start of the battle as all the commanders simultaneously roared,


    "ATTACK"

 Bloodshed

    With the sound of the war horn, thousands of Albanian soldiers rushed toward the wall. The gap between the enemy and the city wall was quickly getting filled as soldiers marched towards it. The defenders of Bali, who were not used to war trembled at the sight of imminent danger. Their high morale was starting to get affected when an order came from their squad leaders, "Draw the bow."


    The sudden orders broke the trans as everyone on the walls of Bali draw their bow and soon after another order followed, "Hold."


    "Hold."


    The enemy was getting closer and closer to the city yet the orders still remained the same.


    "Hold"


    The Albanian army was getting closer and closer, 400 meters, 300 meters, 200 meters, 100 meters, "Fire." Only when the enemy reached the 100 meters mark the order to fire was given. Hundreds of arrows flew simultaneously from the city and fell on the attackers. Cries of pain filled the vicinity as hundreds and hundreds of arrows penetrated the enemy.


    "Draw," not waiting for the enemy to stabilize the second round of arrows was drawn and, "fire"


    Another volley of arrows flew out causing massive casualties to the attackers. Yet, ignoring the injuries and deaths of their comrades the soldiers of Albanian still rushed towards the wall, soon reaching 50 meters away from wall. The insane and mindless running came to a sudden stop. All the Albanians who have reached the range drew out their bows and started firing at the wall. They were unable to aim in the mids of heavy firing from the enemy atop the wall, yet their arrows reached the top of the walls scaring the civilian militia and succeeded in momentarily stopping the heavy firing. The heavy infantry took advantage of this gap and reached near their archers. They placed their big wooden shields down and formed a shield wall, protecting their archers. Which gave them space to breathe and accurately fire back at the enemy over the walls.


    The difference between the soldiers of the two sides soon became visible, as the untrained civilian militia failed to penetrate the shield wall and had to stop their attacks and hide from the accurate firing from the enemy. As the arrows fired by the defenders decreased in number, the number of enemy gathering near the shield wall started to increase. "Sir, at this rate they will soon reach the walls, allow us to join the defense," Devi asked. He and the 100 original guards of the city were standing at the southern walls with Dickon as backups and did not join the initial confrontation, as the eastern walls of Bali can hold only so many people. Being a fortress city in the mountains it has thicker and wider walls than normal cities, yet its smaller size limits it to put a large number of soldiers. Its terrain also makes it difficult for the enemies to surround it and allows attack from one side only. This makes it so that a few hundred people can stop and defend Bali against many enemies.


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    Dickon looked at the battle situation and ordered, "Bring them out."


    The horns were blown to give the signal. All the squad leaders smoothly coordinated the message to their squad. The already passive defenders put their bows down and moved to flip a thin sheet bound to the walls. The long thin sheet flipped to the front of the wall hanging with the support of previously tied ropes. This abrupt action shocked the enemy but their real shock has yet to come. The sheets soon revealed themselves as the bright sunlight got reflected on its smooth mirror-like surface and fall on the enemies. The sudden bright light made them unable to see anything. The Albanians instinctively covered their eyes to protect them from the bright blinding rays. But a massive barrage of arrows followed after and fell on the unprepared soldiers. A large number of Albanians were gathered near the shield wall under the protection of their archers resulting in all the randomly fired arrows hitting someone in the crowd. Thus resulting in hundreds and hundreds of causality.


    With their eyes closed the soldiers tried to somehow avoid the barrage of arrows resulting in more and more chaos and confusion. Some frustrated soldiers tried swinging their swords in panic adding even more chaos among the ranks. The soldiers who were far from the walls recovered some of their sights. But what greeted them was a scene of horror, their brothers who were running just a few meters ahead have gone mad and were swinging at each other. Hundreds of arrows falling from the sky followed by countless random sword slashes created a horrific bloodbath. Their legs stopped moving as they witnessed the madness in front. They trembled with fear as one name echoed in their mind.


    The Albanian generals looked at the horrifying sight and immediately shouted,


    "RETREAT"

 Aftermath

    The bright lights reflecting from the mirrors made it impossible for the Albanian soldiers to see the movements of the enemy over the walls resulting in huge numbers of casualties in their ranks. Which forced them to retreat, leaving behind a sea of blood and the scattered dead bodies of their comrades. Thus bringing the short but bloody initial confrontation to an end.


    The initial clash of less than 1 hour has come to an abrupt end causing significant bloodshed in the process. Although victorious the defenders of Bali have suffered 21 causalities, 7 death, and 6 seriously injured and the rest with mild injuries. The Albanian army, on the other hand, suffered serious damage as hundreds lay dead on the battlefield and a lot more injured making their total casualty close to 500. The injured were carried to the infirmary at the back and were given immediate fast aid. The rest of the army was ordered to disarm and rest.


    All the Albanian generals gathered at the central camp and heard the battle report. Their face paled at the disastrous losses they have suffered. They argued among themselves for the next battle plan. No one was able to come up with a solution to counter the current predicament thus increasing the anxiety and tension. With frustration, they kept on crushing that devilish Dickon from time to time. The discussion and arguments continued as everyone in the tent tried to come up with a solution while the supreme commander remained silently sited. His elbow was placed on the armrest and his palm acted as the support for his head. Calm and peacefully resting as he observed the heated debate between his generals. Sertar a young noble noticed this weird behavior of Basik and reflexively asked, "How can you be so relaxed, are you not concerned about how many brothers we have to sacrifice?"


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    "Sertar watch your wards!" another general  protested, "You are speaking to the lord commander." Sertar being the heir to the dutchy of Clemon had a much higher rank of nobility among everyone present here. Thus allowing him to not mind etiquette in front of Basik who is just a count. But according to Albanian laws, during a military campaign, the supreme commander''s rank is only below the king irrespective of the noble title they bear. And any disrespect and disobedience shown to him are heavily punishable.


    "It''s fine," Basik interrupted, "So what you want to say, young man?"


    Sertar was startled, in the heat of the moment he has neglected the military rules and overstepped his bonds so he immediately apologized, "Sorry sir, I am just worried about how to battle in that blinding light, sir."


    "And why do we need to," responded Basik.


    His response startled everyone present in the room. The young and the old generals all looked at him with confusion and questioning gaze.


    "There is no need to continue the fight right now," Basik looked at his generals and said, "Not all fights need to be fought."


    "That light will go out automatically when the sun goes down," he explained.


    "Ah" a sigh of relief came out of their mouth. After witnessing an unexpected move and suffering a heavy loss their minds have become clouded. The mountain of stress blocking their vision cleared with a simple solution. "Order the men to sleep now, we will launch a night raid," someone said but was instantly interrupted by Basik, "Surprise attack won''t work against him."


    "Then what should we do, sir?" Sertar asked this time representing everyone''s question. Basik''s lips curled up into a smile. He bend his body forward and signaled lord Ma to start. The old strategist slowly started explaining the plans he had proposed to Basik, with the other generals. He started explaining word by word the actions they will be taking. With every word he spoke, everyone''s expression slowly started to change.

 Long Night

    "Everyone rest up," orders echoed throughout the walls. The initial clash ended in a massive victory giving more confidence and belief to the defenders. Their initial nervousness settled and the citizens of Bali were filled with energy. The day is at its peak, yet, the squad leaders all order them to rest, and sleep if they can. The civilians had their doubts, but they still followed the orders and lay down on the wall. They have already witnessed a miracle happen, so the few doubts they had about the sword saint and the heavenly squad have vanished and were replaced with faith and reverence. With the civilians resting the captains and the commander gathered and discussed the countermeasures for the next attack from the enemy.


    "Ding, ding, ding..." with the sound of the bell the resting soldiers became alert. They quickly picked their bow and assembled to their positions. The sun has started to set, decreasing its intensity of light and thus nullifying the effect of the mirror. This in turn gave the perfect chance to attack. Yet, there was no movement in the Albanian camp. Soon, the darkness of the night engulfed the mountains. Some torches were lit on the walls of Bali and in the camps of Albania giving some light and a minor vision of the surrounding. But the Albanian camp and the city walls were separated by 400 meters of empty plains covered in darkness.


    The Albanian army moved under the cover of the night silently, got close to the city, and launched a surprise attack. The soldiers on the walls were prepared for it and retaliated strongly. Both sides fought bravely with the sound of swiftly flying arrows and the scream of pain-stricken soldiers filling the air. The battle continued on and soon the Albanian soldiers reached the walls of Bali. They put ladder after ladder and climbed atop the wall forcing the defenders into a close-range confrontation. The long-range archery battle soon turned into a meal battle over the wall. The height advantage and superior positioning, that somehow equalized the playing field for the untrained civilians against an army of well-trained soldiers were gone. Thus the Albanians soon managed to establish a foothold over the walls allowing more and more of their comrades to climb the wall.


    The defenders of Bali were pushed to their limit yet they still tried their best to hold out no matter what. They tenaciously fought, sacrificing their blood, sacrificing their limbs, and also sacrificing their lives, and managed to keep the enemies at bay. Dickon provided timely reinforcements to each area and maintained a stalemate. Soon, Devi with the reserved soldiers under him also joined the battle and somehow managed to regain their control over the wall. The wall was secured again but the battle was far from over. The long night continued and so did the struggle. The battle continued throughout the night claiming hundreds and hundreds of lives in the process. Commander Dickon has to personally pick up the sword and join the frontline. The citizens desperately fought alongside him. Some dying citizens even jumped off the walls with the enemy, dragging them to their death. Their desperate resistance paid off as the Albanians retreated, leaving behind a mountain of corpses.


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    But the losses suffered by both sides were quite different than last time, The retreating Albanian army suffered more than 300 deaths and nearly 400 injured, a total of 700 to 800 casualties. The loss of Bali was astonishing this time, with more than 200 death and only 40 injured soldiers. This is because most of the injured chose to drag one more enemy to his death than preserve their own life. This horrified the Albanian soldiers and forced them to retreat. Their heroics saved the city and bought some valuable time but also left a big hole in its defense. The 440-strong defenders were now left with only 200 survivors. Adding the reserve and the backup squads together only numbered about 358 soldiers who were barely enough to man the city wall.


    Dickon looked at the battlefield, the dead bodies of the citizens and some of his old comrades lay motionless on the wall. Blood gushed out of the body stabbed with swords and spears while the organs spilled out of the wound. The medical team under the guidance of Suri searched for survivors and was transporting them to the medical camp. Stretchers carrying the wounded passed by him and hastily moved down the wall. In the midst of this, a hand suddenly grabbed his leg. Dickon stopped and looked down, Hileos a very talented and skilled archer who has fought with him in many battles and carried out 100s of successful ambushes was laying down struggling to speak something. Deckon bent his legs and kneeled near him, bringing his ears close to Hileos. "It huu..r...rts, sir, it hurts," he said in a trembling voice while holding his chest tightly, "I,.. I will not survive, en...d end my life."


    Dickon looked at the wound on Hileos''s chest, his heart was pierced and black blood flowed out of it. Dickon pressed the wound tightly with his trembling hand to stop the bleeding. But blood kept on flowing and the color of Hileos''s face was fading. He groaned again, "Please."


    Dickon''s eyes teared up as he placed a sharp knife on Hileos''s neck, "Forgive me, my friend," his voice trembled but his hands remained firm, and pushed the knife into his neck ending his life in a split second. He put the knife back and moved his hands to close the eyes of his old comrade. He took a deep breath, stood up, and firmly gave his orders,


    "Clear up the walls, push the dead down the wall."

 Retribution

    One after another dead bodies fell down the wall, bodies of friends as well as enemies piled up in front of the wall, slowly forming a mountain of corpses outside the city. The city was filled with cries of grief and roars of anger. The women and children who lost their loved ones in this battle picked up arms determined to avenge their deaths. Their pained voices echoed through the city. Dickon underestimated the enemy and never anticipated that despite heavy losses the enemy will keep attacking throughout the night causing him huge losses. He was lost in thought and contemplating how to handle the battle tonight, a lone soldier ran through the chaotic city and reported something to him. He immediately called some of his followers and climbed on a platform.


    "Stop your whining," He shouted, and 10 of his followers repeated the same after him, grabbing everyone''s attention to hear his words.


    "The ones who have died are brave warriors, do not tarnish their sacrifice by moaning. The war is far from over, and the ones responsible for their death are still out there, celebrating and cheering."


    "So steal your hearts and fight, show your resolve to the deceased, and burn the enemy with your wrath." "You are the brave ..............."


    Dickon continued rallying the masses and igniting the flames within them. The city of Bali united against a common enemy and moved like a single body. Every citizen irrespective of their age moved and contributed to the cause. Under the cover of the bright reflective light the city gates opened and 100s of people silently moved out of the city, risking their own lives and making preparation. Preparation to give a grand welcome to the enemy.


    While the city was on the move, the army of Albania was making its preparations to conquer the city of Bali tonight and end the war. The day passed quickly with both sides making preparation for a one-final clash.


    As soon as the sun went down the battle horns were blown, and the Albanian army simultaneously launched a fierce attack. The defenders of Bali showered hundreds of arrows slowing down the momentum of the enemy. The twilight sun basked the sky with its golden hue, and also the ground. The Albanian soldiers hesitated for a moment looking at the pile of hundreds of bloody dead bodies and their pool of blood that dyed the ground golden red, reflecting the golden lights of the sun. To suppress their hesitation everyone looked up at the walls and concentrate on the enemy and decided to ignore the dead on the ground. This in turn resulted in them missing the strange golden dust covering the dead bodies.


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    The Albanians soon reached the walls and started climbing. Although the defense was somewhat lacking, the attack of the Albanian army was too fierce tonight. Resulting in more and more soldiers gathering near the walls and some even managing to reach the top after just half an hour from the start of the war. The commander of the city Dickon soon joined the battlefield and fought bravely with just his left arm. Every swing of his sword claimed one life of the enemy. The previously scattered heavenly squad was also now assembled into a single unit and dominated the battlefield. This created a stalemate for half an hour more, but that was the limit. As more and more enemies flood onto the wall the civilian militias were unable to hold out and the battle line was pushed back more and more.


    1000s of enemies have gathered below the wall and hundreds were already on top of it. Baring some places where the heavenly squad and the sword saint were fighting, holes started to form all across the defensive line. Dickon looked at the situation and gave the signal. "Poonn," a sharp horn blew on the wall alerting the defenders as well as the enemies. 100s of flaming arrows were shot from the bottom of the wall inside the city, flew over the wall, and fell on the attackers. The Albanian army easily avoided the bright arrows of light in the crisp darkness of night suffering close to no damage. The arrows all fell to the ground on the dead bodies, on the pull of blood and some on the golden powder scattered over it.


    "Boom"


    "Boom"


    Explosions took place simultaneously in multiple locations under the wall and instantly blue flames spread everywhere. Engulfing the Albanian army under its burning blaze. "Argh..." Screams filled the battlefield as the soldiers tried to run away from the horrible flames, the soldiers under the wall and the ones still climbing the wall were burned on the spot. The few Albanians over the walls were shocked at the situation and were pushed down into the flames by the collective efforts of the defenders. The flames grew bigger and bigger soon engulfing the battlefield. Bright Blue flames spread all over, burning everything in its path to ashes. The initial blue color was soon replaced with the red color of blood. Both groups of people looked at the huge flames with amazement. While the citizens of Bali(Roge) looked at the flames as their eyes teared up with emotions, the people of Albania looked at the same flame as a sense of terror settled in their hearts. The bright red flames flicked and swing in front of the walls of Bali throughout the night as if the god of fire was doing a dance of death, bringing retribution to the invaders.

 The Last Stand`

    The fire dance of death continued throughout the night, burning thousands of dead bodies and thousands of living breathing Albanian soldiers. With the fire burning their skin and bones, the soldiers desperately cried for help. Screams of pain pierced the ears of the survivors. It sounded like a soothing melody to the people of Bali calming their vengeance-full hearts. To the ears of the Albanians, it pierced like a dagger scaring their hearts again and again. Some young Albanian soldiers rushed out to save their comrades from the flames in turn received some burns. The few soldiers who were close to the flames yet still managed to survive had half of their bodies completely burned. Their painful cries echoed in the camp.


    Sertar a young noble who came to the battlefield for the first time could not believe his eyes. His father the duke of Clemon, told him it will be an easy win so he came to garner some merits for the duchy. But he had to struggle beyond his limits just to stay alive on this horrible battlefield. The young aristocrat who looked down on commoners, and rarely mingled with them had formed a bond of comradery with many, during this tough time. Through fighting desperately to stay alive and guard each other''s back against the enemy attack, they have formed a deep relationship of trust and mutual respect. The friends, he just found for the first time, burned alive in front of him. He tried his best to go in and bring them out but, was stopped by his personal guards. His eyes teared up looking at his burning comrades. The red flames intensely burned in his eyes, and so did a small but fierce flame of vengeance that got ignited in his heart.


    The light of the fire started to diminish, smokes of the dying flames formed huge dark clouds and covered the sky over the city, blocking the light of the sun. The stone wall of the city was still glowing red from the heat, making it impossible to go near it. The wooden city gate was burned to ashes leaving behind an open path. The flames in front of the gate slowly extinguished, reviling the remaining Albanian army of 5000-strong standing outside the city, ready to rush in and exact vengeance on the enemy and wash away their humiliation of last night. While inside the city stood the sword saint, bravely facing the enemy with a single sword in his hand and the rest of the defenders behind him. Each of them held a simple weapon with no protective armor and stood strong, ready to face the enemy. With the sound of the horn, both sides rushed to meet each other in the middle of the gate marking the start of the battle.


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    Swords and spears clashed in the narrow space. The small opening where the gate previously stood allowed a confrontation between 30 men side by side, the rest of the people acted as support. While the attacker tried to push inside, the defenders tried to keep the enemy out. The heavenly squad showcased its bravery as they fought alongside Dickon stopping the flow of the enemy. Their swords moved as one, killing hundreds of enemies in the process. Basik had to intervene and send his elite soldiers to meet them and draw a stalemate. The fight continued on and on with each passing second becoming more and more intense and bloody. The insanity grew and with every passing moment, the Albanians slowly started pushing the frontline forward. The defenders soon started feeling the pressure, memories of their struggle for the past few days flashed in front of their eyes. Yet, the hope of victory and creating a place in history kept their heartbeats going. Every citizen of Bali fought bravely not fearing their own death. Disregarding their condition they fought as the last words of the sword saint echoed in their minds. With all their might they stood their ground not allowing the enemy one more step forward, their hearts combined, their spirits united as they made their last stand, and collectively roared,


    "Remember the name."

 Reinforcement

    The news of Albania''s betrayal reached the capital by evening. The court of Roge was shocked by the sudden attack on Bali and reported the issue to the king.  After hearing about the betrayal Vladimir the king of Roge immediately gave the mobilization order to the army. Everyone knew the strategic importance of Bali therefore they prepared a large army consisting of 10 thousand strong men to claim it back. The soldiers were immediately gathered and moved out to intercept the enemy as soon as possible and minimize the damage on the eastern borders. Thus the army quickly marched to reach the vicinity of the mountain range by the evening of the next day. The well-experienced and old Benedikt, being the supreme commander chose the safety of his soldiers over traveling a rough terrain at night, with a high possibility of the enemy lying in ambush. The army built a camp and rested outside the mountain pass leading to Bali.


    The patrols on the lookout observed weird phenomena and immediately reported them to Benedikt. He came out of his tent and noticed the chaotic movement of the animals, who should be sleeping were running out of the forest in the middle of the night. He was startled and looked for the cause only to notice a bright light coming in the direction of Bali. Hundreds of possibilities filled his mind, he processed the situation for a while and called for an emergency meeting. The generals quickly gathered and collectively came to the same decision, that is to march. The soldiers took a short rest of an hour and started marching again.


    For a large army to travel through the mountains in the darkness of night was always going to be difficult. The wild movement of the animals also interfered with the march and slowed down their pace. The exhausted soldiers of Roge still kept on walking through the mountain pass reaching the vicinity of Bali by early morning. Soon the city came into their vision, its gate still flying the flag of Roge.


    "Bali is still standing," a soldier voiced his doubts. Starting a chain reaction within the ranks, discussing whether their eyes are playing tricks on them. Meanwhile, the scout sent by Benedikt came rushing, "They are fighting, they are fighting," he shouted with a trembling voice, "The sword saint is holding out the enemy at the gates."


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    "The enemy has already broken into the city, we must hurry," the scout reported the situation in a single breath.


    Benedikt''s eyes lit up, ''Dickon you were here, that explains everything,'' he immediately gave the order, "What are you waiting for, attack, we must not waste the efforts of our brave heroes."


    Albanian army has finally pushed through the gates turning the battle into an all-out brawl. On the streets of Bali, every citizen regardless of gender or age was desperately struggling and fighting against the enemy. The civilians were one-sidedly getting killed, yet they didn''t run away but ran toward the enemy. Throwing their body on the line of the enemy''s sword and striking back with everything they got, trading their life for another. The number of defenders was rapidly decreasing as the bloody battle continued. Before the Albanian army could completely eradicate the enemy defenders and celebrate, another sharp horn was sounded behind the enemy lines. The reinforcements from Roge were here, who swiftly attacked the Albanians, forcing them to abode their mission and do a complete retreat. The already exhausted soldiers of Roge couldn''t pursue the retreating enemy for long and had to return back to the city. The horrendous battle left behind a dreadful battlefield, that sends servers down to the bones of the viewer. The pursuing army that returned, saw a sea of blood, fire, and swords covering the city of Bali and its surroundings, and a handful of survivors inside the city, remain standing, motionless, tightly holding their swords as blood kept on dropping.


    In this way, the war that was supposed to end in a single afternoon lasted for 3 days with a result that no one expected. The mighty Albanian army was stopped and defeated by a handful of civilians. The sword saint has created another miracle, one that can not be forgotten. Along with him the citizens and the city of Bali that went through this ordeal and survived to tell the tales became a thing of legend. Forever immortal in the pages of history.

 Vladimir

    The whole kingdom was touched by the heroics of the people of Bali. The story spread like wildfire throughout Roge. How the brave soul of a few people of Bali has fought against the 8000s of Albania soldiers. It''s a sign of strong courage!! King Vladimir was highly impressed and announced a public ceremony to celebrate the victory. People from all over the kingdom came to the capital city to celebrate their heroes. The celebration was in full swing, everyone was dancing and cheering on the streets. Astonishingly, the king also joined this special celebration to welcome the 54 survivors of Bali. He congratulated them personally and flourish the moment with his splendid words,


    "The citizens of Bali, you have fought hard. Despite the clear disadvantage you have fought against the Albanians and saved the kingdom. You are the true heroes of this kingdom. Your selfless actions are the noblest thing I have seen in all my life, thus I feel there is no one more deserving of the title of Noble,"


    "I Vladimir K. Roge son of Yaropolk K. Roge, the protector, and king of Roge hereby promote all the citizens of Bali to the status of nobles and honor their bravery with a knighthood, irrespective of their gender or age."


    The crowd burst into cheers. King has shown his sincere gratitude towards his subject, honoring their bravery and sacrifice. All the people present witnessed the benevolence of the king with their own eyes. No one knows who started it but a sudden chant spread through the crowd, everyone''s voice merged collectively chanting the same thing,


    "Vladimir the Benevolent"


    After a few minutes of this chanting, the crowd calm down a bit and the King continued,


    "Bali, the city that birthed and witnessed their heroics, where the souls and swords of such brave warriors rest for eternity, from this day on, shall be known as,"


    "THE CITY OF SWORDS."


    The celebration continues with the same glimpse of happiness. Altogether, the heroes of Bali,  now the city of swords, kneel down on the red carpet as a show of respect. The king stepped down from the podium and walked towards them. A servant bought a gold plate holding the royal sword. The hilt of the sword consists of silver lotus-shaped flowers with broad, flat sides; a grip wrapped in a gold wire; a silver collar at the base of the grip; a copper guard with rounded ends, and a hollow interior. A thin line with short repeating diagonal bands containing a wolf pattern ran through the scabbard made up of copper-gold studded with sapphire diamonds and precious gems. King Vladimir picked up the royal sword and unsheathed its shining blade. He touched down the sword over the shoulders of these heroes, knighting them personally.


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    This marked the beginning of a new era for the kingdom of Roge.


    On this day the king didn''t just rose the commoners to knighthood but also promoted Dickon to the rank of Baron. Unlike a knight, Baron is a real noble, who can hold territory and subsequent authority over it. This gave the people a belief that the king is not doing it as a show but is actually serious. Solidifying people''s trust in the benevolent king, giving them hope, that if they earn enough merits they can also become noble, regardless of their origin. This started a military culture in the kingdom of Roge motivating people to actively participate in military activity. Not only people from humble backgrounds, but the current nobles also actively contributed, thus gaining an even higher standing.


    After the major defeat of Albania, Roge launched an offensive on Albania claiming most of its western territories. They captured all the minor territories near Bali and kept marching on. The army finally faced severe resistance at Belladom and was finally stopped at the river of Bella. After the battle turned to a standstill, the two kingdoms finally sat down for negotiation.


    After a long negotiation, a treaty was finally signed between Albania and Roge. Roge returned most of its captured territory and only reclaimed its original village of Peru and Poli, situated at the entrance of the mountain pass. This gave complete control of the mountain range to Roge. The vast area from the city of Bali to the river Bella was returned to Albania, in exchange it had to pay large amounts of war penalties and hand over its northwestern port to Roge. Which gave Roge, direct access to the Golden Sea and to the Eastern continent. The harsh penalties and the loss of a port city were major economic setbacks for Albania. This led to increasing dissatisfaction among the masses on the Albanian side of the border. The two nations signed an armrest for 2 years.


    Meanwhile, Roge concentrated its military on its western border which has been constantly at war with the barbarians of Kari. With the full support of its people and multiple rigorous battles, the kingdom of Roge managed to push the barbarians out of its western borders, reclaiming its coastline. The barbarians of Kari suffered heavy losses and retreated back into the forest down south. The southern forests are the forbidden line separating Kari and Roge. Even after a great victory, kingdom still didn''t dare attack the home turf of Kari and left it alone. Roge has taken back its western cost again enabling its maritime trade. After winning two major wars one after another the kingdom of Roge enjoyed peace for the next 2 years. While the forces of Kari lay dormant in the south, the Albanians were busy recovering from their losses. Meanwhile, Roge flourished with massive agricultural harvests and prosperous sea trades with the eastern continent. Transforming from a small kingdom in the countryside to a territorial powerhouse.


    <hr><hr>


    Here we are back to the present in the City of Swords training hall sweating away for the dreams of a new and brighter future.

 Changed World Order

    The celebrations still continued. On this day, the king didn''t just raise the commoners to knighthood but also promoted Dickon to the rank of Baron. Unlike a knight, a Baron is a real noble who can hold territory and subsequent authority over it. This gave the people the belief that the king was not doing it as a show but was actually serious. Solidifying people''s trust in the benevolent king gave them hope that if they were good enough and earned enough merits, they could also become noble, regardless of their origin. This started a military culture in the kingdom of Roge, motivating people to participate actively in military activity. Not only people from humble backgrounds but also the current nobles actively contributed, thus gaining an even higher standing.


    In just 2 years, the small kingdom has grown significantly. After the major defeat of Albania, Roge launched an offensive on Albania, claiming most of its western territories. They captured all the minor territories near Bali and kept marching on. The army finally faced severe resistance at Belladom and was finally stopped at the river of Bella. After the battle turned to a standstill, the two kingdoms finally sat down for negotiation.


    After a long negotiation, a treaty was finally signed between Albania and Roge. Roge returned most of its captured territory and only reclaimed its original village of Peru and Poli, situated at the entrance of the mountain pass. This gave complete control of the mountain range to Roge. The vast area from the city of Bali to the river Bella was returned to Albania, in exchange it had to pay large amounts of war penalties and hand over its northwestern port to Roge. Which gave Roge direct access to the Golden Sea and to the Eastern continent. The harsh penalties and the loss of a port city were major economic setbacks for Albania. This led to increasing dissatisfaction among the masses on the Albanian side of the border. The two nations signed an armrest for 2 years. Albania started rebuilding its western borders during this time with a false sense of peace.


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    Meanwhile, the kingdom of Roge concentrated its military on its western border, which has been constantly at war with the barbarians of Kari. With the full support of its people and multiple rigorous battles, the kingdom of Roge managed to push the barbarians out of its western borders, reclaiming its coastline. The barbarians of Kari suffered heavy losses and retreated back into the forest down south. The southern forests are the forbidden line separating Kari and Roge. Even after a great victory, Roge still didn''t dare attack the home turf of Kari and left it alone. Roge has taken back its western coast again, enabling its maritime trade. After winning two major wars one after another, the kingdom of Roge enjoyed peace for the next 2 years. While the forces of Kari lay dormant in the south, the Albanians were busy recovering from their losses. Meanwhile, Roge flourished with massive agricultural harvests and prosperous sea trades with the eastern continent. Transforming from a small kingdom in the countryside to a territorial superpower.

 Moldovia

    While the kingdom of Roge was going through turmoil, fighting battle after battle with Kari, Moldovia, the most powerful kingdom on the continent that occupied the area north of Roge, was going through its own turmoil. After the sudden death of its king, there was a succession crisis in Moldovia, leading to an internal conflict. Minister Su, the younger brother of the king, accused the first prince, Aartamara, of the murder of the king. Prince Aartamara, who is the rightful heir to the throne, was accused of being a kingslayer. He responded with an allegation of his own, "Minister Su is coveting the throne and thus is trying to frame him." This message was circulated throughout the kingdom, rapidly changing public opinion. This started a civil war within the kingdom.


    The different noble factions within Moldovia chose the side they supported. This further intensified the conflict. Both prince Aartamara and Minister Su denied the accusation and chose to retaliate using force. The civil war lasted for 3 months, causing massive casualties. After a long conflict, the young prince managed to subdue his uncle and ascend to power. After becoming king of Moldovia, the first news Aartamara received was the massive victory of Roge. The small kingdom not only managed to sign an advantageous treaty with Albania but also managed to push back the fierce Kari. He felt regret for missing this opportunity. If not for his stupid uncle''s rebellion, Moldovia would neither be caught in an internal conflict nor be empty-handed after such massive chaos. Now that things have happened, he won''t be stupid enough to dwell on the past. He immediately sent an envoy to Roge to befriend the new rising power of the continent.


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    Before the envoy could leave Moldovia, a messenger of Roge reached Viamo, the capital of Moldovia, with a letter from Vladimir. The messenger was soon escorted to the royal palace, where he presented the message of goodwill before the king. With both kingdoms wanting to form friendly ties with each other, an alliance was soon established. Enabling trade and cultural exchange between both parties.


    2 years have passed after the war in Bali. The armrest that was signed after the war was coming to an end, and a renegotiation was scheduled to take place next month. This will decide whether the treaty will get renewed as it is or if there will be any changes. No one knows what will happen once the peace treaty expires. Both sides are on high alert. Military movement on Albanian borders has increased significantly in the last few months. Roge has also recruited and sent troops to its eastern border in preparation for any unforeseen situation. Is a new storm brewing in the shadows? Or will the peace still continue, only time will tell!!

 Transformation

    ...


    "Sir, send me out on a mission. I can''t take it anymore," Bira complained. He was one of the survivors of the Bali war who was in charge of the supply unit back then. His mushy appearance from before was now replaced with a refined look. With neat and clean garments and a clean-shaved face, he looked like a young noble boy in his teens pleading, "Let me go away from her, she is too much."


    "Told you not to get married. you look like a kid," Kasi, then the weapon department head and the current chief blacksmith of the city, exclaimed.


    "Easy for you to say, old man; think about the kid who hasn''t tasted the forbidden fruit," Suri, the medical team commander, said a few words in Bira''s defense. To which Bira continuously nodded in agreement.


    "Well, now he has tasted it, so how was it? Want some more?" Kasi sarcastically said, "Young people these days don''t take the advice of old men seriously."


    "Yeah, 36-year young man," said Kasi and laughed at Bira''s situation. His long beard was all saved off, and with his feminine face, without a single facial hair, Bira looked like a 16-year-old teen despite being in his late 30s. Starting from his dressing now to his beloved long hair and beard are all changed one after the other. His rowdy appearance was now replaced with a cute, gentle look. Only after 1 year of getting married, the old wild boar has become a tamed little puppy. His drastic transformation was a topic that his old comrades used to mock him about from time to time.


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    Bira ignored the mocking of his comrades and again appealed to Dickon, "Sir, just send me out of the city for a few days."


    "Ha ha ha," Dickon laughed.


    "Don''t laugh, sir; she is a devil. The enemies on the field are much cuter than her," he complained. "Please give me a mission outside the city."


    "Ha ha, don''t worry, I have just the right job for you," Dickon handed out a scroll, "lead your men and arrange the security for the delegation to Poli."


    "Yes, sir." Bira placed his fist on his chest and saluted. His lips curled up into a big smile, expressing his joy at getting out of the city.


    "Be careful and alert Devi to increase the surveillance. I have a bad feeling about this," Dickon said.


    The movements at the border have been strange for the last few weeks. Showing strength with military exercises at the border is an old tactic to gain more bargaining power in the negotiation. But his guts are telling him something is wrong. He looked at him with a serious expression and said, "Something is about to happen. make sure all the envoys are safe."


    Bira''s excited expression calmed down as he nodded, "Rest assured, sir."


    He gave a slight bow and left the lord''s chamber to make preparations. Kasi and Suri remained sitting in the chamber as they still had more issues to discuss. Bira walked through a clean and nicely decorated corridor, passing by pairs of soldiers standing guard at regular intervals. The soldiers gave a slight nod to show their respect, to which he responded with a nod of his own. This continued as he walked past several pairs of guards and reached the palace gate.


    The gates of the lord''s palace opened wide, revealing a beautiful and prosperous CITY.

 Bali The City of Swords

    ''After the war, the city of Bali was devastated, with only a few survivors. Although the city somehow managed to survive the war, that ultimately led to its destruction. Despite its defenses, the city was sacked and burned to the ground in the process of defending itself. The once-proud "City of Bali" lay in ruins, its buildings and streets reduced to rubble and ash. The blackened remains of swords and other weapons can still be found scattered among the ruins, giving the viewers a reminder of the city''s heroic stand against the invaders. Although victorious, the city was left with only a few survivors, which were nowhere enough to rebuild the city.


    To quickly stabilize and rebuild the city, King Vladimir appointed Dickon as the lord of Bali and the newly occupied surrounding villages. To encourage migration to the territory of a new lord, free accommodation and a 2-year tax exemption for the fief of Dickon were declared. With the dream of owning a house, generous tax exemption, and the heroic stories of the lord spreading throughout the kingdom, a large number of homeless peasants flowed to the east. Bali welcomed everyone with open arms, boosting its population and workforce significantly. In just a few months, the city was starting to take shape again. With the able leadership of the sword saint, overenthusiastic and excited support from the masses, and a complete monopoly over the mountain pass, Bali started to develop. After 2 years of peace and stability, Bali has grown into a large city, housing more than 15 thousand people.''


    Bira walked out of the lord''s palace and into the busy streets of Bali, reminiscing on the past. The city of Bali which has expanded exponentially in the last two years. From a small mountain fort to a large castle town towering over the mountain, the city''s growth filled him with pride. He was there when the city was burning, and he was also there when the city rose from the ashes and reached the sky. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Bali was reborn and grew into the magnificent city of swords, and so did the inhabitants of this city. Bira has poured his blood and sweat to protect this city. So the now-crowded and lively streets of Bali filled his heart with satisfaction no matter how many times he saw it. He was not alone as the city was almost burned to ashes, and the new city was built from scratch by the hands of its new inhabitants. Each stone was placed by their very own hands, creating an intimate relationship with the city and among themselves. Thus, the city of Bali became the home of these homeless citizens, making them one family. This city was what they themselves built, thus, they will do whatever was necessary for its safety and prosperity.


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    "Good afternoon, Sir."


    "Have a good day, Sir."


    "Sir, Good day."


    "Sir"


    Being an original citizen and one of the surviving heroes of the war, Bira was well-known and well respected, resulting in many people merrily greeting him from time to time. He smiled back at them in response and passed through the crowded streets of Bali, soon arriving at the barracks. The Barracks were situated near the eastern wall of the city, away from the residential area. A grand hall was built adjacent to it for training purposes. Noticing Bira''s arrival, a guard standing at the gates of the training hall came running to him and saluted. Bira nodded and ordered,


    "Call the commanders of the 5th and 7th centuria."

 Treaty Renewal

    ...


    "Reporting, all clear on this side."


    Bira listened to the scout and nodded. He was riding on a war horse alongside a luxurious wagon, surrounded by 100s of fully armed soldiers marching coherently while maintaining their formation. He coordinated and ordered the soldiers effectively as they slowly moved forward.


    "You are too vigilant today," a white-haired old man poked his head out of the wagon and asked, "Is something wrong?"


    "Not at all, Lord Benedikt," Bira politely responded. "It is just that, my lord warned me to be extra careful."


    "That brat did. Hmm... then something must be there," Benedikt said while rubbing his chin.


    2 days have passed since Bira received the mission from Dickon. He poured his all into the preparation. Soon, the envoys from the capital reached the land of Bali. After a brief greeting, both sides exchanged some sugary words. Lord Dickon hosted the emissaries and prepared a small banquet. After a good night''s rest, the group of envoys led by Sir Benedict and protected by 100 royal guards joined with the additional 200 security persons prepared by Dickon and moved out. Bira, with the help of 2 of the most advanced scouting centuria units, monitored the surroundings on their way to Poli. The group of envoys consisting of the 3 most influential nobles of Roge, lord Benedikt, lord Kolin, and lord Slavich, smoothly passed the mountain terrain and safely reached Poli, the destination of the summit.


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    Benedict walked out of the wagon and merrily called the man standing in front of him, "Sir Devi Balanon." Devi was one of the survivors of Bali who took part in the offensive military action after the Bali war. Benedict was the supreme commander at that time, and Devi provided some useful information and tactics during the campaign, creating a friendly relationship between the two.


    Devi saluted, "It is an honor to make your acquaintance, lord Benedikt." Although he was rewarded for his efforts and promoted to be a lord of Poli, his military habits still kicked in from time to time.


    "Ha ha ha... no need for such formalities." Benedikt asked, "So where are the Albanian envoys?"


    "They arrived earlier and have been waiting in the city hall for some time now," he answered.


    "So what are we waiting for? Lead the way."


    The meeting started without any complications. Both sides gave their input throughout the day and argued about the terms of the next treaty. Roge wanted the terms to remain unchanged, while Albania wanted their port back and to stop paying the war compensations. Both sides failed to reach an agreement. The heated arguments continued for 3 days, finally coming to a conclusion after a long and tedious negotiation. Both kingdoms compromised a little, and the peace treaty was finally reached without any major incidents. Albania was exempted from paying any more war penalties; in return, the western port city became a permanent part of Roge. Contrary to everyone''s expectations, the negotiation went smoothly. While the surface seemed calm, a massive storm was brewing under the shadows.

 Undercurrent

    The small village of Poli, which was devastated by war, has now transformed into a town filled with life. With the able governance of Devi, the new lord, and the good geographical location, Poli, in just 2 years, has become a prosperous town, housing many families. With easy access to the water of the Lara river, many rich resources from the mountain forest, and a vast fertile plane at its disposal, the barren land soon took shape into a farming town. With the vision of using it as an outpost and an advance base against Albania, Poli was provided with support from the center, resulting in a sturdy stone wall with a few watch towers surrounding it. As a border town with good security at the entrance of the mountain pass, many traders from both kingdoms rested in it, thus boosting its lodging industry. After the peaceful conclusion of the renegotiation, the town of Poli was lively again, celebrating another year of peace and prosperity.


    The sound of instruments mingled with the melodious songs as a lively banquet continued throughout the town. Being a border town, the residents of Poli were very sensitive even to the possibility of conflict. The town was in a state of extreme stress throughout the course of the conference. Now, with the positive outcome and peaceful reestablishment of the treaty, the people took a sigh of relief and joined the celebration. Streets were lit with lamps along with various small stores. People came out of their houses, filling the streets of Poli. This created a festive atmosphere in the city where everyone was lost in merrily singing, dancing, and enjoying themselves.


    Meanwhile, in some corner, a man covered in black rushed out of the town smoothly moving away. He hurriedly climbed on and kicked the horse again and again, rapidly pacing ahead. As he picked up speed, the horse''s powerful muscles rippled beneath him, and the sound of pounding hooves echoed through the air. He slightly leaned forward and gripped the reins firmly. A strong wind rushed past him as he galloped faster and faster. Riding along the banks of Lara, he moved deeper into the Albania territory, soon arriving at the gates of Belladom, the city of love. Leaving the horse with the stable boy, he rushed inside the tavern.


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    "Pickle and beer," he ordered.


    "Not the regular?" asked the bartender. He was a tall, dark, muscular man with a clean bald head.


    "Keep the Kheppri," he answered.


    Shocked! The bartender looked at the hooded man for a moment and tapped the table 3 times. A waiter came running to take the order. The bald bartender relayed the order, "Get this gentleman some pickle, beer, and a batch of the smoked meat."


    "Yes, master." The waiter nodded his head and moved inside. Leaving behind the lone hooded man in the middle of a crowded tavern filled with drunken, rowdy customers.


    "Why did she choose Mike?"


    "Ah, my money."


    "Lost again."


    "Stop this, lover boy."


    "You heard, war may break out."


    "Yeah war, fuck the enemy."


    "More tax?"


    "Fuck the tax."


    "Fuck you. Sen, take him away."


    A few minutes passed, the waiter returned with the order and placed it on the table, and slid a small sheet into the hands of the hooded man. After reading through the sheet, he put it in his mouth, chewed it for a while, and junked the beer down in one go. Stuffed all the meat in his mouth, picked the pickle in one hand, and stood up. While still chewing on the excessive meat in his mouth, he moved out of the tavern and vanished into the darkness of the street.

 Nehebku

    "Has he left?" asked the bartender.


    "Yes, sir," the waiter replied obediently, his eyes still fixed on his master with an unmistakable curiosity. The bald man Buggy, who not only controlled the tavern but also held a powerful position as the leader of Bella''s underworld, was visibly sweating. Known for his ability to strike fear into the hearts of even the bravest men, he was now exhibiting unusual behavior. This display of vulnerability from a man who personified terror was unprecedented, fueling the waiter''s natural sense of curiosity. However, he dared not voice his thoughts, fearing the consequences of such an action.


    Buggy took out a small piece of cloth and wiped his forehead. Sensing the constant stare of the waiter, he chuckled, "Hah, the blessing of ignorance."


    Not knowing how to respond to this situation, the waiter stayed still, his head hung low, and his hands trembled as a feeling of numbness crept over him. At that moment, he could only offer up a silent prayer to God for his safety, unsure of his future.


    Buggy stepped out from behind the counter, moved past the waiter, and slammed the desk, making a loud noise and garnering the attention of everyone present. The rowdy tavern fell into silence as the patrons, sensing that something big was about to happen, leaned in, eagerly awaiting Buggy''s next words. And when he spoke, his deep and authoritative voice filled the room with electrifying energy.


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    "I''ve got some news for you," he declared, his voice carrying over the stunned crowd. "The Nehebku has sent the message. The Beatles are out, and it''s time for the snakes to hunt."


    The patrons gasped, knowing that the Nehebku was the most powerful and feared criminal organization in the world. And when they heard the words of their boss, they knew that their time has come.


    The tension in the air was imminent as Buggy''s words hung in the air. The patrons of the tavern were frozen in anticipation, their eyes fixed on the bald man who was known to be one of the most feared leaders of the underworld.


    But Buggy wasn''t finished yet. With a swift motion, he raised his hands up high, signaling the start of the hunt, "Let the hunt begin."


    As Buggy raised his hands, his sleeves rolled up, revealing the mark of a wild cobra coiled around his wrist. The room erupted into a frenzy of cheers and applause as the patrons were emboldened by Buggy''s words and were ready to carry out the orders.


    But the scenario playing out in Belladom was not a unique one. Across the kingdom of Albania, other criminal organizations were experiencing similar events. Under the cover of darkness, a mysterious hooded messenger would arrive at their doorstep, delivering orders before disappearing into the night like a wisp of smoke.


    As the night stretched on, a sense of anticipation filled the air as people from all corners began to converge, their movements purposeful and urgent. With the arrival of a solitary message from Nehebku, a powerful beast seemed to awaken within the depths of the Albanian underworld, slowly spurring its fang.

 A New Day

    ...


    The morning sun began to cast its golden rays across the countryside. The air was crisp and filled with the fragrance of flowers, while the songs of birds filled the tranquil atmosphere. As the first light of dawn painted the sky in its hue, the villagers slowly emerged from their slumber. Smoke curled lazily from chimneys of simple wooden cottages, signifying the awakening of each humble abode.


    In the village square, a bustling hub of activity, merchants began setting up their market stalls. The aroma of freshly baked bread drifted through the air, mingling with the rich scent of nature. The villagers, dressed in their simple and humble attire, ventured out into the morning with a sense of purpose. It was the beginning of a new day, with fresh hopes and dreams.


    As the villagers went about their daily routines, a few peculiar figures appeared in the village square. Clad in a tattered cloak and wearing a wide-brimmed hat, their presence stood out amidst the simplicity of the surroundings. Before anyone''s curiosity could be answered, the mysterious group unsheathed their swords and started slicing.


    The sudden slash of their swords pierced through the once serene atmosphere, shattering the tranquility that had enveloped the village. Gasps and startled cries echoed through the square as the villagers scrambled to seek shelter or find safety. Fear and confusion gripped their hearts as they tried to comprehend the sudden onslaught. The cloaked figures swiftly moved, effortlessly cutting down anyone in their path with precise and seamless motions. Each swing of their blades sent a shower of blood into the air, intensifying the chaos. Screams of horror mixed with pleas for mercy echoed throughout the village. Yet, with cold, emotionless eyes betraying no hint of mercy, the onslaught continued. For a brief moment, the helpless cries and the loud, horrifying screams were the only things resonating in the surroundings. But what followed afterward was an unsettling and numbing silence that swallowed everything.


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    The light of dawn has yet to subside, the orange hue of the sun has yet to leave the horizon, an untimely end had already befallen the new day that had just begun. The always bustling village square was strangely quiet, its vibrant streets gripped by an eerie stillness. Motionless bodies were scattered about, casting an air of tragedy. The once enchanting aroma of freshly baked bread had vanished, replaced by a discomforting metallic scent of blood.


    The village that was yet to wake up from its last night''s slumber now lay in a deep sleep within. Its people, all taken away without knowing what they had done wrong. No one survived to cry for help or mourn the dead. The departed couldn''t express their sorrow for this unfair massacre, nor could they complain about their humiliation. There was no soul left to recount their tragic tale, no voice to plead for justice or lament the fallen. Just as they were helpless when alive, now they could only wait to be discovered.


    ...

 King Cedric

    The morning sunlight intermingled with the shadows, illuminating the dazzling corridors of the palace. In the grand halls of the royal palace in Albania, King Cedric sat upon his ornate throne, immersed in deep contemplation. The sun''s warm rays streamed through the window, casting vibrant colors upon the marble floors.


    While the king peacefully occupied his majestic seat, a messenger burst into the throne room, his breath heavy from haste. His eyes widened with urgency as he approached the king, his voice trembling with the weight of the news he bore.


    "Your Majesty," the messenger began, causing the king to open his eyes slowly. His cold emerald gaze fixated on the messenger, a middle-aged, sturdy figure with a touch of white in his hair, who knelt before the king, clad in full body plate armor. The atmosphere within the palace turned heavy with unease.


    Bowing his head, the messenger apologized, "Forgive me your Majesty, I bring grave news."


    "An uprising has erupted across the kingdom. Riots have spread like wildfire, and the civilians have taken to the streets in protest."


    King Cedric''s heart sank, a mix of shock and concern washing over his regal features. After the loss in the war two years ago, the kingdom had finally achieved peace with the kingdom of Roge and was ready to start its transition into a period of relative stability and economic recovery. In a crucial situation like this, the news of a widespread uprising struck him like a lightning bolt. Without wasting much time, the king hardened his heart, raised his hands from the armrest, and clapped twice. Two attendants immediately came running, bowed their heads as a show of respect, and stood still, waiting for the king''s order. Not making them wait long, Cedric opened his mouth, "Send a decree and call for a royal court immediately." The attendants saluted and slowly backstepped out of the grand hall, leaving behind the kneeling messenger.


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    King Cedric looked at the messenger and ordered as his eyes met the green eyes of the messenger, "Ser Conan, describe the situation."


    Ser Conan, the captain of the palace guards, a well-known knight, and the cousin of the current king. For him to personally bring in the report means something major has happened. So without wasting much time, King Cedric first decreed a royal summon before listening to the whole situation. While the nobles were called and assembled for the royal court, Cedric decided to know the core of the matter.


    By the king''s command, ser Conan started narrating the details of the report he had received. "The masses has taken to the streets voicing their anger for the high taxes and poor living conditions for the last two years. Except for the two duchies where the dukes had mobilized the military, the situation is extremely bad throughout the kingdom. Citizens have gathered together to mass protest against the nobles, while in some places, the riots have turned violent. Looting, burning and destroying the property of the nobles as well as some rich merchants. While the reports are not yet clear, a lot of accidents have also happened as the mob went violent, indiscriminately fighting and killing civilians in some places, causing a lot of deaths."


    Cedric silently listened to the report as he calmly absorbed and analyzed the information. Being the person in power for the last twenty years, he has become numb to most of the situation, yet this kind of chaos formed trembling waves in his heart. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and asked, "Any numbers?"


    Conan showed a sense of hesitation before reporting, "In thousands, your majesty, not much is known yet, but, the reports from the village of Tirana, Bera, Elba and Ponia are all same, no survivors," his voice trembled as he confirmed the fear in his heart, "Its a MASSACRE"