I remember sitting in a tavern in Truskin months after the fight on the top of Sha’aire. For those less informed, the Mountain of Sha’aire was the stage set by the gods for the most legendary battle in the history of Fenrir. Lord Kazai versus King Ingvar. As I sat in this tavern and enjoyed my drink, I noticed on this particular night that this establishment was lacking in patrons. There was only one table occupied besides the one I was sitting at and it was full of Obsidian Knights… King Ingvar’s men.

I quietly listened to their conversations and was not surprised at all that the topic of conversation was their King. You would assume people in the West would have grown to hate Ingvar by now. He was a violent tyrant hellbent on achieving his goals by any means necessary and his main goal was defeating Lord Kazai once and for all. While Lord Kazai would inspire his men, make sure they were well taken care of and his land was prosperous, King Ingvar would just as easily sacrifice one of his men or an entire village if it meant gaining the upper hand on Lord Kazai.

These men, these Obsidian Knights, were no exception. If anything, he was the most ruthless towards them because his expectations of his own army were high. Yet they sat there and bragged and boasted about their fearless leader. Despite his aggression, it was hard to deny the legend. He had many flaws, but the people of the West rallied behind their new leader. King Wellick, who ruled before Ingvar, was a man of politics. While he feuded with Lord Unden in a similar fashion, the two had never fought in one on one combat… The premise for which Kazai and Ingvar’s rivalry was born.

Many people have their own tales about the battle. The truth being that only Ingvar or Kazai could really know how everything went down, but the stories about the world changing are indeed accurate. Even if the physical changes to Fenrir were coincidence, there was a change in the atmosphere as well. You could tell that when those two men returned, this world we knew would never be the same.

“Their weapons tore the sky apart and the heavens bled,” said one scribe… a bit dramatic if you ask me, but there was a bizarre blood rain in some parts of Fenrir during the battle. “The fire in Lord Kazai and the rage in King Ingvar rivaled that of the great volcano in Amire, so much so that the volcano erupted in fear,” wrote another and it’s hard to argue with the facts. The volcano in Amire erupted during the battle. It makes you wonder what was so special about this showdown that the world itself watched and reacted the way that it did.

Tired of King Ingvar’s endless praise from these knights, I tried to ignore them, but as the only table with guests in the whole tavern it was hard to ignore their gloating. Luckily, they switched to a topic I rather do enjoy when discussing this rivalry. The weapons themselves. Lord Kazai wielded Rednefed, a katana given to him by Lord Unden that is said to be able to block any attack. King Wellick gave a similar katana to King Ingvar before the battle. “Coldnight” - The weapon’s name itself has its own stories, but Coldnight was Rednefed’s opposite. A blade said to cut through anything.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Anything but Kazai’s blade, apparently, and thus the stalemate. A sword that can cut anything against a blade that can block any attack. I do wish I was up there to see how the battle ended. Did both men become tired and pass out? Did they agree to try another day? Knowing both of their personalities, it’s hard to see either one just quitting or them both agreeing to quit. I’m shocked they're not both still up there fighting until they both die of old age… Judging by how they changed the world, I’m not sure Fenrir would have survived that.

Then the knights touched on a story I’ve heard almost as much as stories about the battle itself. The day that Ingvar denounced Enror(in-ror), the wolf god of war and battle. Some of what they talked about was shockingly accurate, but some was a bit off. This is a topic that I could speak upon in great detail. Mere weeks after their battle, Ingvar found himself in the town of Genin. A town known to be protected by Enror and where the wolf god’s most devout followers called home.

I remember it very clearly. I was there. I was one of them.

Ingvar entered Genin with his knights. The newly declared King of the West. Ingvar was the largest man I had ever seen with muscles in places I didn’t know could have muscles. He looked more like a viking than a samurai, but if you didn’t know the man you would think he was one of Lord Kazai’s soldiers. Coldnight was a perfect katana with a black hilt and a dark blue blade. Ingvar wore fur on his upper body that barely covered his skin and despite how cold it was that day in Genin, you would think it was a midsummer day looking at him.

I sat in front of a statue meant to honor Enror. Praying with my brethren. We spent almost every day kneeling down in front of this statue. I will never forget the sound it made when one of Ingvar’s knights kicked it over and it shattered on the ground before me. I went to grab the pieces, but my friend next to me grabbed my wrist to stop me. I looked up at the knight who did it and could tell he was laughing under his helmet. What happened next I remember very vividly. Ingvar walked to the front of our group and looked around. He could have slaughtered us with ease. Instead, he spoke.

“Here - I have lived on Fenrir for many years. Here - I have heard the tales of gods and goddesses. Mermaids and Witches… Elves and wolves. Where are they now? This one, this… Wolf... claims to be the god of war and battle. You worship him. Yet how many wars and battles have you seen him fight? Have you ever seen him at all? Look upon me with your own eyes. Here I stand before you, made flesh and blood… He who changed the world.

Not just your landscapes or your towns, not the social structure or your means in which to make a living. But also your minds, the way you think, the very way you view this world. I will stop at nothing to kill my enemies… Your enemies. And I will gladly do it with my own hands. Praise this wolf no longer… For I am your god now.”