1st Day, fifth Month, 44th Year, Age of the 23rd Calamity

Loud footsteps echoed through a hall in the castle of the elainen capitol Erial. Proud and well-paced steps which weren’t in a hurry nor to slow carried a man clad in fine garments past paintings of landscapes and royalty. A red cape flattered elegant behind his straight back as he hummed a small melody. His green eyes radiated confidence and the edges of his thin lips were curled upwards. The last few weeks were a blessing for him and he let it show that he was in a good mood.

That man was the marshal of this kingdom Ereild Hess.

He was born to a high standing noble family as the first son and as such received all the necessary teachers and materials to succeed as the new family head one day. But he did not like that. For him, the big mansion he loved in back as a child was a prison and his servants the wardens. His only light in the dark were the stories of the hero and his companions. He admired them more than the gods and wished every day that the hero would come to his house and take him with him. The most powerful human, a noble under nobles. But according to his hated parents, the hero was not a noble. He was merely a commoner with slightly greater power. But this was confusing for him. Since he learned that only nobles could protect the lands. High standing nobles would become knights and lower standing nobles would become sentries. If the sentries could show great achievements they had the chance to increase their rank to higher nobles and become knights.

It was even more confusing after he learned about the hunters. Of course, because the hero joined them otherwise he would never have cared. Those were exclusively made from commoners. But they were in no way inferior to the knights. In fact, there were individuals who were even stronger than the default knight. And those who were acquainted with magic showed great skills rivaling that of the magicians in the royal court. It was a mystery how commoners could be that great if they had no noble blood in them. So as soon as he reached adulthood he fled and joined a hunters-division. Of course, he hid his true origin. What he saw there changed his world. Commoners had talents too. Commoners were able to acquire strength. Commoners were able to fight strong enemies and protect this county from them. And he started not only to hate his parents that represented the nobility but also question the morality of what he was taught. That only the nobility could protect this country and therefore able to become knights. He who only had the dream to follow the steps of the hero managed to see a dream greater than anything. A dream as old as Elaina herself. And he could make this dream reality.

But he could not realize it as a mere hunter. He returned to the prison of his parents and started to work and learn in earnest. He used every chance he got every trick he could think of and didn’t even stopped in front of the law. He backstabbed, bribed, and ordered assassins, nothing was too dirty for his dream.

And finally, after more than thirty years, he reached a position that allowed him to put his dream into reality. He finally became the marshal, the commander of all land forces, knights and sentries. But still, he couldn’t just do as he pleased. The supreme commander of the army was the King. His words were the law. But the king was not the most intelligent and fell quick for his words. A few compliments here, a few made up threads from the outside there and the king followed his advice more than any other of his real advisers.

And then a rather fortunate incident happened. The declaration of war from the Kastal Kingdom.

The south-west border was rather sporadic protected. The bulk of the army was in the east patrolling the borders of Araleia and Emmiria since they were similar in power to Elaina. But the lack of troops in the south-west was also a great blessing for Ereild. Also that the kastalish men used a new kind of weapon. It brought the Kingdom into a state of shock and fear.

But he knew better. The fast advances they made were possible because all the most powerful knights were in the east and a handful of knights were in the west in the first place. The new weapons they were using that brought fear and awe to the undereducated was not a match for real knights. Simple tactics were enough to render those entirely useless.

So it was no secret who would win this war. All he had to do was to reorganize his troops a little bit and get some knights from the east to the west.

But here is where his great dream could come true.

Through the lack of knights, a hole that needed to be filled emerged. And the best would be to use what is available.

Hunters.

He had made all sorts of plans how he could bring the king to let them fight but all his planning was for nothing. On one day where Hess, the king, and his advisers were discussing the war, a messenger from the knights' hall came in a hurry and noticed them that huge junks of the hunters were storming the hall to voluntarily enlist themselves. And even better, the common folk too. The untapped potential of this country. With a few well-placed words he got what he desired. The Hunters were completely integrated into the army and the commoners were allowed to serve as well. Because the enemies they would face were on the same level or even weaker than monsters they would be able to sweep them. The hunters would archive huge victories and the accompanying commoners would get honor and glory by tagging along. The young hunters would learn how glorious a fight between swords is, way more than against monsters. After the war would be won they would all be flooded with honors and riches. The other commoners would see this and they would want a piece of it too. Through the great display of commoners in battle, he could push for a new doctrine were commoners had to serve as knights as soon as they become adults. Even if only the hunters were able to confront the enemy, he had found that the newspaper, that the hero introduced, was a good place to create facts. Those facts hadn’t to be true. They only needed to be written and that made them true.

And after a few years, the commoners would have been molded into true warriors. Eleina would become a kingdom of knights. A kingdom unmatched in quality and quantity. And then, then he could finally start the last step of his dream.

The unification of mankind under the Elainen flag.

As he walked through the lengthy well-decorated hall of the castle the marshal hummed a happy tune, smiling nonchalantly while dreaming of the future.

3rd Day, fifth Month, 44th Year, Age of the 23rd Calamity

Gasping for air, bleeding and limping a part of a small kastal army carried itself out of an elainen city.

According to the scouts, the city was empty. Left behind by the citizens who had fled before the marching kastalish troops. As soon as the city came into view the commander ordered a detachment to search and acquirer proviant as well as to check if the city was really abandoned.

The detachment consisted of a small amount of knights, a few magicians and the rest were gunmen.

They entered the city carefully and searched each house they encountered in a quick but thorough fashion. The city had to be quite crowded in the past since the buildings stood wall to wall with small to no alleys between them. The second floor on most buildings over grew to the narrow streets. The men stood shoulder to shoulder but left good two to three steps space between the person before them. When a knight or gunmen needed to move fast to enter a building they would more often than not stand in their own way and hinder the search. After a while, the captain of the detachment ordered the men to split and search the streets in smaller groups since the city was quite big and they had limited time. Also, he feared what would happen when they would get attacked in this state.

At the moment the kastalish troops tried to reorganize themselves, loud screams of pain and agony arose under them mixed with curses aimed at them. Some were showered with boiling water or oil, others got hit with kitchen knives or heavy pots or pans. There were also some unfortunate who received a rain of shards of broken glass, rusty nails, and sharp scrap metals. The damage from those was not only from the gravitational pull bot those that laid on the ground pierced with ease through the thin leather soles. Here and there were some arrows mixed in.

“At the windows!”, shouted a gunman and ignited the case in his gun while pointing it to the rectangular hole that was moments before closed by glass.

But while the men were all looking up or trying to enter the buildings they had just searched moments ago, palisade walls were erected at a fast pace in front and behind them. The palisades were made out of broken furniture and sharp spikes out of wood grew out of it.

“Die you fucking monsters!”, screamed an old man behind the palisade and released the string of his poorly made bow. At his shout, the rest of the people behind the palisade, men, women, children and elderly, released their arrows too.

“You won’t eat our children today!”

“I rather die than become your slave!”

“Better dead than birthing your bastards!”

The shouts those people threw against the detachment were like that.

The Knights and gunmen tried to reposition themselves but in their panic and confusion they rammed into each other in the narrow street, fell over their own dead or pots and stepped into rusty nails or similar.

“Calm down! Knights to the front! Defense magicians, block everything from above! Attack magicians and gunmen concentrate on the barricade!”, ordered the captain in a voice that went even over the screams of agony.

But he hadn’t seen the barricade behind them. Even though the knights could have used their shields to block the arrows from the front and the magicians stopped everything that came from above their back was still wide open with an angry storm of arrows that wouldn’t stop.

“Retreat!”

“Oh gods save me!”

“Let me out of here!”

The detachment lost all of its moral and was in such a disarray that not even the captain could put them back to order. Most of the men who could still move attacked the palisade wall in the back in desperation. Those nearest to it were pushed into the spikes from their own brother in arms. The citizens of this town showed no mercy. Those kastalish men that attempted to climb the barricade were hit with heavy rocks, self-made wooden spears, hammers, and even molten metal.

“Just throw a fucking fireball at it!”, yelled the captain who got hit by an arrow. He grunted as he heard someone saying: ”Ah” and fell limb to the ground. Seconds later a few small fireballs reached the barricade. As soon as it started to burn the townsfolk abandoned their stronghold and the kastalish men threw themselves into the flames, just to get out of that death zone. But even after they had managed to climb or tore through the flames they were far from safety. Behind the barricade waited the citizens already and assaulted them as soon as they were in sight. Those who managed to break through this hell and ran through the street were hit from the windows were still more people of the city were hiding.

Less than fifteen people managed to make it out and reach the main army.

“So the elainen army hides in the cities now. I heard that they kill any prisoners of war but I thought that were just rumors. But I can believe it now after such a shameful display of an army.”, spoke the commander of this army Theodore Gratel.

“That weren’t Knights, sir”, said a survivor who reported to him. “That were citizens. They wore ordinary clothing and there were women and children.”

“The rumors also say that they send exactly those on the battlefield. That is a city filled with detestable enemies.” Theodore waved a messenger to him. “Report to high command: Eleinan forces tarn as citizens. They ambuscade in cities. Proposal to attack every city in sight before entering.”

The messenger gasped and stared at his commander with wide eyes, but he noted everything down and ran to his dodo.

“Captain Meriat! Get me an aim for that city”, he called to his captain of the best artillery unit in his army.

“Y, Yes sir!” The captain ordered his men and after a few minutes, the thunder of his artillery roared. The shell landed short and too far to the left. The captain barked new orders and the mighty barrel shouted angrily for a second time. This time the shell reached farther but still to short. But a fireball filled with smoke in the city showed that the third try was a hit.

Other messengers ran as soon as the hit was confirmed from Meriats battery to the twelve other artillery's each with a notice of the coordinates he used. A few moments later all twelve spit angry flames and threw their deadly load into the city. Huge explosions ripped houses and streets apart. Buildings collapsed and small fires started to sprout.

The bombardment lasted for more than five hours. The small fires that would have been extinguished by the citizens had spread around the whole city.

After a day the city was nothing more than a field of ruins.

4th Day, fifth Month, 44th Year, Age of the 23rd Calamity

In the darkness of the night, some shadows quickly rushed through the outer court of the elainen castle towards a few carriages. Those carriages were surrounded by thick silhouettes where on some parts the moonlight got reflected. Silent whispers urged the shadows to move faster. These shadows were the king's adviser Soni Seches and the royal family. This afternoon the Kingdom of Pilatio declared war on Elaina and their troops marched around the great forest without any possibility to stop them. The King declared that he would stay in the capital and demanded the same from every citizen. They should stand against the enemy and protect the capital until the last man.

But Soni feared that the doom of this city was unavoidable. And when this city would fall so would the king together with his heir. That he could not allow. He argued with the king for a long time to convince him to flee but he would not hear any of that. With this, Soni took it on himself to get at least the royal family out of harm's way. He contacted trustworthy knights to protect the royal caravan and executed his plan in secret.

To his terror the marshal, Ereild Hess got wind of this but to his big surprise, he didn’t stop him. On the contrary, he even ordered some of his personal knights to help him. Soni didn’t know what to make out of that but he had no time to worry about that. The army of Pilatio was mere days away. But now, a few steps away from the carriage he found out.

“Seches there you are. You took your goddamn time.”, whispered a man clad in armor. “Milady, prince Asswilt, princess Elaina it's an honor to meet you”, said that man while kneeling.

“Marshal Hess, so you aid us in this time of need too. This is really reassuring”, spoke the queen and her constrained face relaxed a little bit. But at the same time Sonis face formed into a grimace. The marshal wore the armor of a knight and there was only one reason he would do that.

“I take it that you will personally secure the escape of the royal family?”, he said towards Hess.

“Of course, if this city will really fall we need to protect the king”, he whispered proudly and winked toward prince Asswilt.

Soni could only think of what a coward that person was. He forced children to a battlefield with a smile, ordered the death of thousands of citizens but as soon as his own life was in danger he fled. And while doing it he also pretended to be a hero. And the worst part was that Soni couldn’t even say anything against him. Any move from his side now would only slow them down and in the worst case they would be detected by the troops of the king and everything would fall apart.

“Let us not stay here, please milady, prince, princess get into the carriage with great haste.”, urged Hess now. While the three royals entered the carriage with help from some knights Hess turned to Soni.

“You did a great deed for the country today. I did not take you as someone who could actually put his words into action. I will pray for your soul and hope you will survive this ordeal.” His voice was sincere but Soni couldn’t care for it. He had never planned to flee the city himself. It wasn’t even a question whether he would stay with his king or not. Even if the gods themselves marched against the city walls he would stay right next to his king. If he could he would tell one of his men to assassinate Hess on the way but this could lead into a struggle between his men and Hess’s. Also, they were all ether by the carriage or on their dodos a little further ahead. The only thing he could manage was to make his voice angry.

“And I hope you do your duty in the name of the king.”

“Of course. Good luck.” And with these words Hess turned around, climbed his dodo and the royal caravan started to move.

Soni’s only hope was that they would win the coming siege and that Hess would be charged with treason.

I was in a small cabinet hidden behind a closet. Screams of my mother and my father penetrated my ears while the laughter of men ridiculed them down on the first floor. I didn’t move. I didn’t breath. Their screams changed into a weeping. The laughter got louder. I heard my father pleading, begging that they should release my mother. That he was enough. But that only increased the ridiculing of the men. After a while, I couldn’t hear my parents anymore. The laughter of the men became quieter and quieter as numerous footsteps left the house. I still didn’t move. I caught a tear that was falling in fear they could hear it. The sound of glass breaking reached me. After a short moment crackle sounds emerged. It got warm. It became hard to breath. I pushed my hand over my mouth because I felt that I was about to cough. It got hotter. Loud bangs erupted like a lot of stuff fell from very high. And then the ground, the cabinet and everything around me fell with me in the middle. Everything hurt. I couldn’t move. Lots and lots of stuff laid on me. But I didn’t scream. I was scared that those men would hear me. But then I heard steps. But suddenly I wasn’t scared anymore. I knew who would emerge in a few seconds in my sight. A face emerged.

“Why did you kill me?”

“W, What?” I became terrified. This isn’t how it was supposed to go. Another face emerged his head missing a part.

“You murdered me!”

“What? No, I did nothing!” And another face emerged, black like coal and smoke rising from it.

“You are a monster!”

More and more heads popped into my sight all saying terrible things to me.

“No, I did nothing of that sort. Berret, Berret help me! Berret.”, I screamed in terror and could only shout for my most trusted person. Hands shoot through the rubble and grabbed me. Some hands were missing fingers, some were broken, some were burnt. They pulled me out and they held me in front of them. I couldn’t do anything. They were as big as mountains and still growing. And constantly they chanted:

”You killed me!”

“Monster!”

“Murderer”

“Nonononononono! Let me alone. Let me alone. Berret. Berret. Help me!”

“You want help?” A voice echoed. I remembered that voice. From behind the giants grew a new person out of the ground. He wore a red hunter outfit. His grey beard was unmistakable.

“Berret, help me. Please help me.”, I shouted at my master. But his face formed a grimace.

“Why should I help you? You let me die. You killed me!” A shock ran through my whole body. Why would he say something like that? Why would he abandon me?

“You are a monster!” His hand found my throat. “You have to die!” With his other hand, he pulled at my left arm until it ripped apart. I screamed in pain. He pulled on my other arm and I could see how my skin was slowly tearing and blood shoot out of it. “Berret why? Help me! Help me!” A dark laughter arose from him as he started to pull on my legs. Disgusting noises ripped through the air as the muscles snapped and the bones broke apart.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!” I screamed, I trashed around and the horrible pain didn’t stop.

“Hold her still! Natalie, calm down! You are safe.” My arms, legs, and shoulders were grabbed and pushed to the ground. But that only increased the pain in my limbs. But with this, my voice faded and everything became white. Thick tears rolled down my cheeks.

“You are in a hospice, Natalie. Everything is ok.” A calm voice talked to me. But I couldn’t put the meaning of the words together. The pain was the only thing that was registered in my head.

“It hurts! Stop it, stop it, stop it. Berret help me! Berret, Berretberretberret.”

“Release her!”, shouted the man and the pain ebbed away a slight bit. But it still hurt worse than anything I ever felt. “Berret, it hurts! It hurts so much! Please help me, please, please.” I could feel that the back of my head was wet but again I didn’t recognize it.

My limbs hurt way to much for that. They were on fire. Thousand of rusty needles got thrust into them, each and every second.

“Natalie, calm down. You are fully healed. There is nothing that can harm you anymore.”

“FUCK YOU, it hurts! Make it stop, make it stop. Berret, help me!”

“Maybe she feels still the aftereffect of her injuries?”, said someone.

“Then this should help.” A cup or something is placed on my lips and a liquid is poured into my mouth. It’s disgusting and I cough which in turn increased the pain.

“Drink this Natalie! It eases the pain.”, said the calm voice from before.

After hearing that I swallowed the gross fluid greedily. At that time I would have done anything for the pain to vanish.

As soon as I had drunk everything of it I felt how the pain slowly subsided. It transformed into the feeling as if thousands of ants were crawling on and under my skin but it was way better than that pain.

I realized that I breathed wildly and that my teeth ground on each other. I relaxed them a bit, as much as I could. Slowly I opened my eyes but I could only see blurred images through the huge amount of water on my face. I raised my arm to remove it but as soon as I had the idea to move it the pain returned to it. I pulled sharp air into my lungs and more water filled my vision.

I decided to not move for now. And finally, someone came of the idea to wipe my face with something.

“Have you calmed down?”, asked a man clad in a white robe. He was the source of the calm voice.

“W, What happened? Why am I here?” After my brain managed to work a little rational again only confusion stroke me.

“You are in a hospice in the city of Esira. Everything is fine, you are in good hands. Do you remember anything?”

I blinked at him. What should I remember? But as if he read my mind he asked further: “The last thing you did? Anything?”

“I, I remember,”, I paused for a moment while images and thoughts rushed back into my head. “I remember that we were marching against the billys. I remember that we met them close to some fields. The ground erupted everywhere. Dirk run away to help Lutz. He, he left me. Alone.”

“Anything else?”, the man probed further.

“I, I suddenly laid on the ground and I, I, I…”, my voice trailed off. The image of the horrible torn thing that was once a human flashed in my mind. The stench of it. My eyes burned again and my vision became blurry again.

“They killed us. I couldn’t let them do that. So I killed them.” Dozens and dozens of faces flashed in my mind. All of them looked in panic, in shock, in pain and agony. All of them wore the clothes of the enemy.

I shook my head.

“I had no choice. They wanted to kill us. That was the only thing that they had earned.” The back of my head became wetter and wetter.

“Hey, it's alright. You did the right thing. Everything is alright, ok. You are fully healed and don’t suffer any memory loss. That is great you know.”

I blinked again. From what was I fully healed. Why did everything hurt in the first place? I managed to turn my head a little and caught a glimpse of my arm.

I stopped breathing in shock.