The Stella Empire is a huge empire reaching from the Blank Alps to the Eastern Still Sea.

Located on the Grandis Continent, the biggest of the 3 continents, it's only neighbored by one other empire.

Many people, whether they be refugees or people just looking for a clean life, come to the Stella Empire with some coins and one wish - prosperity and peace.

***

The Knights of the Stella Empire are perhaps the strongest across all of the lands. At least that's what we believe. I never wanted to become a knight. But I wasn't exactly against it, so I don't have the right to complain.

There are three ranks when we talk about knights- The High Knights, the White Knights, and the Back Knights. The High and Back Knights are controlled by the King, while the White Knights are controlled by the Religious Faction. I myself am a Back Knight, the lowest of the bunch, the pawns on the board.

The Stella Empire is only near one other empire, the Tenebris Empire. Our ties with them was never the strongest, but because of an assassination of a duke in our Empire, we have to go to war with the Tenebris Empire. I'm already on the frontlines, fighting for my life, only used to weaken their pawns. Prosperity and peace my ass. 

***

"Wake up, Benim. Benim, wake up!"

I wake up to a sting on my face and an ache on my sides. I sit up and stare directly at the face of the woman who hit me. Her name is Amare, a High Knight ordered to watch over my group. 

"You already know your group is useless, so if you get stabbed next time why don't you just die?"

"I'm sorry for worrying you Ma'am, but no one ever even saw the enemy, I'm not sure what I was supposed to do."

I wish she didn't have to scold me right after I got up from my sides being stabbed.

"Don't show me that attitude, and of course you couldn't see the enemy. They used a titled weapon."

A titled weapon? That's kind of serious. These weapons had names given to them from the goddesses of above, and they had devastating powers that came with them. Amare also had a titled weapon, though she never told us the name or the power that comes with it.

"Oh look whos up! You've been out for a while, we almost thought you died from that cut."

"Joseph, you didn't get hurt?"

That's one of my comrades, Joseph. He is a handsome fellow, and had many ladies on him back in the kingdom's walls. But he still probably wasn't good enough for Amare. He's also one of my only friends.

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"Of course I didn't get hurt, you're the one who got the blunt of it. It's kind of your fault for spacing off."

I smile weakly at him. It's not like I wasn't spacing off.

"Once you get out of those bandages, meet us at the plains, ok? We don't want to get ambushed while in here.", said Amare. I guess she's not mad enough to show it anymore.

"Hahaha, even if we get ambushed, we still have a titled weapon with us! It's not like we'd lose!.", Joseph responded while they were walking out of the tent.

***

The plains is where most of the battle will take place, at least in terms of all of the physical fighting. However, when we aren't fighting, it really is a beautiful place. The warm sun bouncing off of the lush grass. It really is beautiful.

"It took you long enough to get ready. Misplace your sword or something?"

"I'm just not feeling it right now."

Joseph slaps me on the back with a big smile on his face. "C'mon, what's there not to be happy about? We aren't fighting anyone right now, and we get to spend our time with Amare! Not only is she a High Knight, but also, she's Amare!"

I can't really disagree with him. Amare is definitely very beautiful. She looks so graceful, even when fighting. It's like she was raised as a princess instead of a knight.

"Benim, Joseph, I don't know what you guys are talking about, but can you guys bring in the supplies from the horses, instead of just slacking off? We just got a new cart from the headquarter in the kingdom."

"Of course, Amare, anything for you!.", Joseph remarks with a smile on his face.

"Of course, Amare, anything for you!", I say, trying to mimic Joseph's enthusiasm. 

"....put your bored face back on, Benim.", said Amare, looking at me with disappointment.

***

"Ahhhh this shit is so booooring.", says Joseph, taking seat on the grass.

"Yeah but the faster we get it done, the more we can slack off"

"I can count on you then right? You got my back with this?"

I smile.

"Only if you got mine too."

Just then, we start to feel the ground tremble. We start to hear the earth shake. We rush back to Amare, hoping she knows what's going one. 

"What's happening Amare? Is it an ambush? How many people?", I hear one of the Back Knights ask.

"It's not an ambush, it's the whole army! Grab your swords, we don't have time prepare, we need to fight right now!."

"But most of our troops are injured!", Joseph says with a slight hint of fear in his voice.

"We fight or we die Joseph, it's not like we can lose with Amare's titled weapon.", I responded. Although I'm saying this, I am still scared. If it's the whole army, I don't even know if Amare's titled weapon could do anything.

***

I hear the crashing of swords all around me. I'm lying against a rock, bleeding out, with a sword inside of my stomach. I didn't even see my attacker, I don't know if he was on a horse or anything, but the sword is pulsing inside me, and I know I shouldn't touch it.

Where's Joseph?, I wonder. Where's Amare? Maybe she got taken out right away.

Just then I see an explosion in the distance. Many knights from both sides go flying, their limbs detaching from the explosion. Just then I hear a thud right next to me. It was a head. I can't even make it out anymore. I don't even want to see it. But I know who it is. His facial features are still good-looking, even after an explosion . My eyes go blurry, all while I'm wondering. Where was Amare?

Ah. I forgot. The enemies also had a titled weapon. And we were pawns, whose lives weren't even worth saving.

Just like that, my vision became black.

***

I hear a voice. I still can't see anything. I should be dead.

"You can't see me yet, but next time you will."

The voice was soft, but stern. It sounded like a boys voice.

"You're fate hasn't yet been fulfilled. Wake up. Protect others. Protect them, even if it takes all the power you have. You will find a way to save everyone. Wake up, Benim...."

[Titled Skill Use Detected; Regression Count- 1]