The Səçane

The Azure Knightess and the Druid Boy

Source: A Collection of Folktales from Folun & the Isles
A Folktale from the Kingdom of Folun & Kelewek.
Translated from Gavolundax to English by Iridescent Phoenix.

Long ago, a great war erupted between the Kingdom of Folun and the Unified Clans of Kelewek. A bloody war, this was, seemingly endless. It was started by an attack by Folun against Kelewek, in an attempt to start an island colony on the shores of the island by force.

The most legendary warrior of the Gavolun* army was a youth named Sevulañe. She was a brave and valiant orphan girl, 17 years of age, raised in the capital city of Folunahan, and a master of the longsword. She grew up training in the art of battle, and by the age of 15 had become unmatched in all of the kingdom, the champion of the nation. She became known as the Azure Knightess, from her distinctive azure cloak that struck fear into the hearts of her enemies.

~~~~o0o~~~~

On a foggy morning in the month of Vesxa, the Azure Knightess led an army to the shores of Kelewek. They had, in the previous year, carved out a path leading straight to the Keleweket** capital of Sunuhun. They advanced through the western plains through the day, destroying every small militia remaining that tried to stand in their way. Finally, they set up camp for the night in a small area between 2 hills, and planned their attack for early the next morning.

As she patrolled the campground one last time before settling in to sleep, the Azure Knightess saw a flash of light in the distance. She looked up.

A fireball was hurtling through the air, right toward the Gavolun camp.

The Azure Knightess froze in shock for a moment, but then sounded her horn. Sleepy Gavolun soldiers slowly emerged from their tents, becoming alert upon seeing the fireball in the sky. With a massive crash, the fireball fell on top of a tent, killing all the soldiers inside, and spreading fire to a neighboring tent. And all at once, Keleweket soldiers started pouring over the hilltop, charging toward the campground. Without missing a beat, the Azure Knightess sounded her horn again, and belted the Gavolun War Cry. The few Gavolun soldiers who were alert at this time immediately rushed to meet the advancing Keleweket Army. As time passed, more Gavolun soldiers joined the battle, but it seemed as though the entire military might of Kelewek was present at the hill, and thus, the Gavoluns were outnumbered. Despite this, the Azure Knightess pushed forward, followed by her loyal soldiers.

However, in the midst of the battle, a horn was blown from the camp, and a voice cried out in Gavolundax***, "Fall back! Retreat!" The Azure Knightess recognized the voice as that of Kestoryt, a highly skilled warrior, yet very much a coward, and one of her most rebellious soldiers. She reached for her horn, but found it missing from her side, from where it usually hung. She felt a tang of hopelessness, a feeling very foreign to her, as she saw all but a few of her soldiers flee the battlefield. A small few stayed by her side, and continued fighting the Keleweket army. Suddenly, another fireball tore through the sky. In desperation, the Azure Knightess used the Earth Tool to create a shield to protect her soldiers, but the fireball tore through it. A burning fragment of rock struck her in the side, and a searing pain ripped through her. In her last seconds of consciousness, she saw her soldiers slain by the Kelewek army. Then, her world went black.

~~~~o0o~~~~

The following evening, a young druid by the name of Semelet who had set out on a long journey from his village on the northeastern corner of Kelewek to the capital city to find a rare herb, happened upon the battlefield on his return journey. By this time, the Keleweket army had returned to the capital to prepare for anticipated attacks. He was shocked to see the hillside that he had walked over just a week before, now covered in dead bodies. Being a skilled Toolcaster, he used Passive Fire Tool to search for survivers. To his dismay, the whole cliff was cold and lifeless. Except one tiny spot. Some distance away, one soul still clung onto life.