The Forge Of Kings

Chapter 1: The King of Ciron

    
     I leaned against the rail of the White Mist and waited for the ship to sail into port, The spray of the sea, The sound of the crew. I closed my eyes trying to imagine how it would feel to step foot on solid ground once again, The White Mist had left the port of Rohahn in Ciron four months ago, I opened my eyes to see the port of Eithor on the horizon. And my fortress standing tall in the center of the valley. My last connection into the "Land of light." As the refugees referred to it. Rhova and Ciron have been two continents at war for centuries. Polar opposite opinions on religions, all the way to everyday living, literally Light and Dark.

     Rhova believed that peace and prosperity were the minimum that each person deserves, And that no corruption was the key to keeping world order. They divided into six kingdoms, they are each controlled by rulers chosen by the "Lord of Rhova" no mere mortal has seen his face. The Lord and his "Pillars of light" control 90% of the continent, and recent intel tells me that they're after Eithor next.

     The captain of the ship gathered his senses at the Helm and hollered to his crew, "DE-BOARD FOR EITHOR LIBERTY LADS!" They all muttered and saluted and headed for the dock. I adjusted my cloak and followed behind the mob of sailors, Discretion was my best friend as we deboarded. I watched as the sailors all laughed and joked while heading to the local pub. A few seemed to break away from the group and head for the Inn. I stood there, enjoying the fact I wasn't being thrown back and forth on a ship anymore, The trip was rough and dangerous, but we were able to make it here in one piece, The White Mist lives up to it's name, The legends say that it gets it's name after the fog that sits just above the sea after a major storm, They glide through the worst things imaginable and come out unscathed, Some say it's untouchable. I kept my hood up and my face low and tried to keep attention away from me. I heard Eithor was still officially under my armies control but the Pillars have been sending scouts to ensure the Eithorians swear loyalty to them before they claim the fortress.

     The front tower of my fortress stood tall, slowly growing closer the further I strayed from the docks, and the closer I got, The more stares I got, and more muttering too. I finally got to the inner wall of my fortress. I approached the gate and a guard approached. "Sir, This area is off limits." His eyes widened and he straightened his posture. "Oh my God, my apologies Sir, Please, go right in." He bowed and backed away from the gate. I proceeded to push the gate open and walk towards the castle. As I walked more guards bowed and muttered amongst themselves. "Eithor doesn't stand a chance, why would he bother coming?" Said one male guard. "Where's your sense of loyalty?? He's here because our cause is as strong as the pillars armies. We are the resistance that will pave the way to a new world order." A fellow female soldier said in response. I walked out on the upper terrace of my castle and shouted to my army. "I know you all have questions about my arrival, and that's understandable, but if you have any doubts about our cause, and I mean any at all, Please step forward now." Several men stepped out of order and glanced around at each other anxiously. "Excellent. Follow me." I coaxed. They looked at each other and and entered the keep. I led the group into the throne room and told them to line up along the wall and kneel. They did as commanded, I grabbed the first ones sword, and pointed it at his throat.

     "What's your name?" I asked in a deep tone. He gulped loudly and sat in silence for a moment and stated calmly. "Captain Renner, Sir." "Well Captain Renner, what is your concern? You have doubts in our cause?" I asked still pointing his sword to his head. "Um Sir, if I may speak freely, we're a bit outnumbered. The pillars have six reigons worth of men, we have one." He says in a low voice. I smile lightly, "I have a whole continent as well, Captain." I said with a mocking tone. He opened his mouth to speak and I swung the sword and took his head off at the base of the neck. Blood splattered across the rest of the row of soldiers. Each with a horrified look on their faces as the headless corpse fell to the floor. "Anyone else? Have a complaint? I'm more than happy to accept criticism on something else. Oh! How about my swing? To low? I think it was." I said with a contended sigh, The soldiers stayed silent but flinched at my words. The one on the end actually started crying. "My god." I sighed. "Get out. I can't look at you." They all get up to leave, "Hey, hey, hey! Take him with you." I pointed and snapped to the captains corpse on the floor. They slinked over and carried out the two pieces of the captain as ordered. I shook my head with a sigh, and headed back to the terrace and called my army to listen. "The Pillars of Light plan to set a new world order. Little do they know, This is foolish. Light and Dark have been at arm's since the beginning of time, yin and yang, good and evil, chaos and order. One cannot exist without the other, neither can be stronger than the other, but the pillars are persistent, and that's dangerous, I am here to bring the light dynasty to it's knees, and convince the Lord of Rhova that our views are logically superior.

     "Sir? I'm sorry for interrupting. But I have an urgent matter to discuss with you." Said a meek little man, "Yes?" I said. He gave me a quick shy smile, and continued "Lord Esíos has sent a whole infantry to conquer Eithor. It was supposed to happen weeks from now, but he must've gotten word of your arrival." His words shook upon delivery. I nodded. "That's unfortunate. Onto other plans, I want soldiers placed along the inner wall of the fortress, I want archers at the ready on the outer perimeter, I want clerics and any medicinal trained warriors ready to heal the wounded, I want knights and paladins at the front lines, ready to shield and keep out the enemy. The civilians in the outer district are on their own, it's unlikely that they'll be killed. I want heavy defenses here in the center." I commanded in one breath, They all nodded and proceeded to prepare for the coming attack. I watched from the balcony as my soldiers prepared and stood at the ready along the wall, I watched as group after group filled the horizon of my fortress. The armies stopped at the gate. Not a single soldier moved a muscle, no one dared break the tense silence. A man riding a beautiful black horse slowly approached the gate down the center of the groups. "VERATH!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. I could hear him at the peak of my castle. I stood there, hood still up. My dark blue cloak flowing to my ankles, the ripped bottom edges barely touching the ground. I approached the edge of the terrace and jumped. Let the fight begin.