How many countries have staked their rise and fall on the pursuit of initial creation? And among them, how many still hold onto the slightest hope under the enemy's blade, a hope that never come? No one expected that the first success would be the rural village of Etna in the hills of Cavaus (which means "bald"). According to its legendary records, the people of Etna were not native to Cavaus. Their ancestor, "Avus", fought as an infantryman in a distant eastern war and fled after the defeat, bringing his family and followers across the sea to settle here. Despite their humble origins, the Etna people displayed remarkable perseverance, forging friendships with neighboring tribes, but launching attacks when signs of hostility emerged, and winning by a narrow margin. Once victorious, they would kidnap the enemy's women and kill all males over the age of walking, earning the infamous title of "Lion of Men." Gradually, Etna grew from a village into a group of races, and then into a nation. They seized ports in land battles and took over land in sea battles, transforming Etna from a village of bricks into a city of marble, where the people's clothing changed from tunics woven from linen to silk togas of snow-white. Etna grew more confident, and every noble, citizen, and even slave gradually realized that they were in an extraordinary destiny.
People often say that Etna's silver age began in the hills of Cavaus, and the golden age began in the Flamma Desert south of the Serenus Sea. When Etna's "Imperator" set foot on the vast desert, he initially only intended to bring back abundant coastal fish and juicy oil palm fruits. If he could fill a few ships with gold, he would return to the court without regret. However, history clearly left a much grander plan for the people of Etna.
The Flamma Kingdom was already in a state of decay, and the rise of its young neighbors only added to the chaos and unrest. After being conquered several times, those who coveted the throne realized that the king was no longer a divine incarnation on high. When the Etna people landed, they witnessed a rare internal conflict in the kingdom's long history. The exiled queen, naked and waiting at the landing site of the Etna army, attempted to win over Imperator to drive out her sibling and husband, who was also the king. Despite her stunning beauty and exceptional intelligence, it was only when she and the Etna army were in a bitter struggle that she played her most valuable card.
In Flamma, the queen's other identity was that of the high priestess, who oversaw a never-before-seen divine flame in the depths of the temple, and it was said that she could converse with it. Only pure-blooded virgins could hold this position, so even though the queen's title was taken, she still had the right to enter and exit the temple. When the kingdom's soldiers surrounded the Etna army, the area around the temple should have been the burial ground of the coalition forces. However, legend has it that the queen, who recognized the situation in the fierce battle, had someone bathe her in honey and put on the most formal sacrificial robes before entering the depths of the temple alone. Soon after, the entire temple was lit up like a giant torch, and the Etna army stationed nearby had no choice but to break out under the threat of the flames, and their swift and fierce charge shocked the complacent royal guard, causing them to flee in panic. Imperator saw an opportunity and turned his horse's head towards the palace, capturing and killing the king who had not yet returned to the temple. The history of Flamma as an independent country came to an end, and this day was also seen as the birth of the human empire of "Etna-Flamma."
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Afterwards, people searched the ruins of the temple but could not find the queen's remains, yet the perpetual flame still burned high on the altar in the depths of the temple.
When the strict Etna people were sorting out the details of the war, they could not ignore the common reports of many soldiers: during the fierce battle, the intense fire consumed both armies, but only the enemy suffered burns. The miraculous victory and the rare achievement of the queen made the Etna people realize that the Flame of Flamma had its own sacred or special origin. In the triumphant parade returning to the capital, the most eye-catching thing was not the golden crown and trimmed toga of Imperator, nor the exotic desert beasts or dark-skinned slaves, but the new deity guarded heavily by the imperial guards and placed in a pure gold casket. A Flamma-style temple was built in the eternal capital of Etna, and the red lion flag's mane was replaced by flames.
Etna scholars went through countless historical records but were unable to understand the true nature of the divine flame. The empire, which had developed through proper utilization of all resources, found a way to make the divine flame serve its interests. They learned from the Flamma people how to rear virgin girls to care for the divine flame. When the border was disturbed, they commanded the virgin girls to sacrifice themselves to protect the distant legions. Thanks to the ancient tradition of "divinity refine" among the nobility for purifying bloodlines, for the next five hundred years, each legion was protected by virgin girls, and the power of Etna-Flamma reached its peak.
Due to the sacrifice of countless virgin girls, the life of the empire was prolonged, and its power was ensured. However, every sacrifice had its cost: the empire's strength was evident, and people had given up the ancient ideal of becoming gods themselves, as well as comparing themselves with Angelus and the "Father of Creation". Now, they ensured the purity of their bloodline only to let virgin girls enter the divine flame - an obscure pagan god of unknown origin. People were no longer the seed of gods but the seed of fire. It was not the water of life that made them thrive, but the fire of death.
All great things have an end, even if they are called eternal. Empires cannot escape karma.
Five hundred years later, the speed of the border burning caught up with the speed of the virgin burning. The barbarians invaded one after another, coveting the wealthy life of the empire. On the other hand, only virgins of pure bloodline have the qualification to become the kindling. Therefore, the children of the nobles bear two important responsibilities of "offering themselves to the divine fire" and "giving birth to offspring", both of which are crucial to the survival of the empire, but cannot be both fulfilled. This is destined to result in a significant reduction in the number of virgins, even though there is a widespread tradition of divinity refine among the nobles.
And when the internal and external crises become unbearable, the human nature displayed in the face of survival is not simply good or evil. The usurpers of the throne, although ambitious, are still patriots, and the citizens who usually have different opinions stop fighting and help each other. However, in the eyes of the barbarians outside the city walls, the war leader (Dux-bellorum) who is eager to win over the citizens of Etna, frequently plundering livestock and crops, even abducting young children, trying to train their girls as virgins and throwing them into the fire in groups; they also train the boys as slave soldiers, continuing this bloody cycle...
Excerpt from "A Brief History of Maledictus