The Legend of the Twelfth

i: Legends

They were heroes. All twelve of them.

They have conquered kingdoms, defeated massive armies and hordes of savage beasts, and reclaimed territories which were once the price to pay for defeat. They elevated the status of their homeland, becoming legends in the continent for feats which would have been deemed impossible had they not demonstrated strength one has not seen wield for a very long time.

They are the Order of the Emblem.

Twelve different persons, escalated from being extraordinary citizens within the border to the Queen's personal knights, they had set the new standard for heroic deeds and valor, each of the twelve acquiring a status which would equal what the gods and goddesses had when the land was young. And yet, they were human; clumsy, limited, and vulnerable.

And everyone was reminded of this at the expense of death.

When one of the twelve Emblems died, everone started seeing them as more human than they had imagined. They were human. They could be deceived, challenged, betrayed, and defeated. They could die.

However, given these realizations, still, one would not contest the enormous power the Emblems can summon as a group or as individuals. It would be a grave mistake to duel with an Emblem without preparations and sufficient power to take on a Palladium, the highest in the ranking of Knights, as it would only result to the loss of one's life, or, perhaps, mercy... this only the weak can enjoy and would serve as an insult to a proud warrior.

Placed under direct command from the Queen of Einthall, the Emblems were a special order, a band of strong warriors and mages who, in time, came to be both feared and revered by the people. The scholars would all agree that the Emblems are the strongests of the era, at least in the kingdom of Einthall, as the conclusion is reinforced strongly by the fall of two neighboring kingdoms which both declared war on the land.

In their last campaign, the Emblems lost the captain, but brought home the head of the king of the enemy territory, land twice larger than their own kingdom. The battle lasted only for two days, when the Emblems were sent to Grimmi, their army of only 20,000 pitted against 100,000. It was a losing battle in foresight, but it was where the legends were born. All must bear in mind the countless battles they have come home from. They have earned the status of Legends, placing their crests in high regard along the infamous bands of warriors such as The Towers, Vulturrs, The Wyvern Family, and the Knights of The Moondrop.

The fame and recognition spread in the whole continent. Suddenly, Einthall became a force to reckon with, acquiring a major power in the continental affairs that had the other major powers scrambling to keep up.

The Order has been the key player of the paradigm shift, and everyone had to know more about them, or simply end them. As such, they were subjects for studies, bribes, and assasinations.

The Emblems have become well-known throughout the land. Soon, information about them started spreading, and so did stories of their greatness. Eventually, every member of the Order earned their own titles as well, as befitting a legendary stature. They were known as:

The Justice;

The Snowflake;

The Earthshaker;

The Prime Huntress;

The Winged Sorceress;

The Beastmaster;

The Persona;

The Blood Hunter;

The Justice;

The Steel Hero;