A Court of Three Stars

1: The Battle of Ashes

In it's long, sordid history, Solarea and the Ciatnen Empire fought many wars against one another. Battles of blood and betrayal, brother turning on brother for millennia. Many believed that it was a miracle they did not drive one another to extinction during their 20,000 years at war.

There are many notable moments throughout the entire history of the Eclipsian Wars, the tragic destruction to Aisdalle, the bloodbaths in The Red Valley, Triaria's succession from the Empire, the defense of the Amethyst Bay, and The False Battle of Khione. And yet, the greatest loss of life in a single day occurred in the Battle of Ashes in 15,454 A.D.

The Eighth Resurgence was completely underway, with all three Solarean Territories facing their own rebel hosts. Battles raged from the Amarian Mountains to the Great Seas of the West, as far south as Naath and as far north as the borders of Triaria. All three Generals were battle hardened and experienced, all three as deadly as the rebel commanders that they faced. King Cylos had led the Solareans through war thrice before, and was prepared to do it again.

But what he worried for the most was the peninsula in southern Astra, marked with the great city of Ulsa on the coast of the Malraine Gulf. Spies reported that the long dormant Black Islands sought to join the fight, standing with an army over one million strong, known for the elemental fire magic common among their people.

For the legends and whispers claimed that when the fire came for the Others, only ash and smoke would remain.

The Black Islands army was led by rebel commander Sulien, a male with a temper that matched his flaming magic. All three Solarean Generals, Xian of Anil, Leuruna of Adhira, and Acantha of Astra, were given orders by their King to protect the city of Ulsa, a major center for trade from the South and the rumored hiding place of the sacred Apenati.

Three days before the battle, the Adhiran army arrived with over two million infantry, all of which stood guard outside the walls of Ulsa. Two days before the battle, the Solarean fleet arrived in the ports of Ulsa, a line of golden ships as far as the eyes could see. One day before the battle, the pegasi of Astra began circling the skies, watching as the enemy approached from their short crossing onto the peninsula.

For the fire had finally come for them, and the battle was inevitable.

In the early mists of dawn, the Astran's began to blow their battle horns. The sound was so loud with such a large host that legend claimed the echoes of those battle cries were heard the entire way across the continent on the summit of Khione.

There was no posturing, no attempt to hold a shield, the General Leuruna led her infantry straight into battle against the Ciatnen host. The technique managed to catch them off guard, enough that her soldiers made a sizable dent in their host and locked them in a standstill battle that lasted for days.

Two days later, the Black Island's battleships arrived in the Malraine gulf in an attempt to surround the costal city. And where the Black Island ships expected to find a city that had already been sacked, they found that the walls had yet to even be breeched by Sulien and his men and a massive Anilian fleet waiting for them.

History would claim that this move was a masterful stroke by an esteemed General, the future Queen of the territory. However, at the time of this black day, this move was what one of the factors that earned Leuruna the backlash and the blame of the horrific events that followed. Many claimed to have seen her battling against Sulien herself, goading him and distracting his forces away from the city walls.

During this same time, half of the Astran host led by Acantha flew south to the Black Islands themselves and laid siege to those that remained behind when they were at their weakest. This move had not been authorized by the King, nor had Leuruna or Xian been informed of her plans. Many witnesses reported that the meager armies left behind on the Black Islands waved banners of surrender within moments of Acantha's arrival. She led her host to attack anyways, resulting in the deaths of over 800,000 innocent lives and the complete collapse of the Black Island's themselves.