The orchestra that was war roared as stone turned walls to dust. Steel struck steel and occasionally flesh and bone, battle cries clashed with howls as men died, and fresh blood tainted the air along with the stinging smell of burned flesh. Crows circled high in the air anticipating the feast that would come. And it was sooner than later.

The defending army was crushed, but they had put up a vicious fight with no care for their own safety. The fortress that had once stood tall was now in ruin after weeks of sieging. The fact that the soldiers never surrendered is a testament to their will. However, willpower can only do so much. It didn't stop a blade from sinking into one letting blood flow free.

The last of the poor soldiers whose loyalty was commendable continued to struggle. They would struggle in vain as three people easily ended them. What the soldiers were protecting was a giant set of doors. The doors had the appearance of the symbol that would soon be history. The Hero and his two allies went through the door to the throne room.

The hero looked to his companions who defected from the dark and after getting their signal of readiness he kicked the door open. "It's the end of your tyrannical rule! No amount of begging will give you an ounce of pity as we parade your half-dead corpse-"

"And you'll never let me die until I've felt just an ounce of the pain I've caused."

The tone which overflowed with mockery, somehow, someway, instilled a sense of authority.

"Then tell me what horror I've caused?" The warrior king asked.

The king in question stood from his mighty throne as an extravagant rope slid off. Revealing a cared, but heavily used armor. The air around him was so heavy it complicated their breathing. His pressure far outclassed anything the hero had ever been subjugated under. The former right hand of the warrior king had a deep feeling of guilt, she lamented the circumstances where all neighboring kingdoms turned hostile to her former king. 'This is all for the good of our kingdom' she thought. Lastly, the one on the left side of the hero felt nothing but fear which is why he handled a bow despite being proficient in the arts of small weaponry, he hated to be afraid, to be on his knees at the king's every whim, but even his former king wouldn't be able to stand against the hero with their support.

"The hero and his rats..." The venom in his words was only directed at the traitors. "What are you all being stagnant for?"

The hero is slick with sweat as he stands with his sword poised to retaliate against an attack from this kingdom's tyrannical ruler. To his right and left were his former enemies but through multiple clashes and multiple kingdoms' spymasters' efforts, they became invaluable allies to take down their own warrior king. They were useful for the vast amount of knowledge they had on the inner workings of the kingdom.

"If you won't answer then so be it."

The mighty ruler's gaze bore down on the three of them and finally for what seemed like an eternity, the standoff ended as the king in an instant closed the distance with masterful footwork and in a fluid motion swung his longsword.

The hero intercepted the deadly sword with instinct rather than intent. The force locking his legs in place made it impossible for him to dodge a kick that sent him a few meters away but never lost his posture as he slid along the ground.

The former right hand of the king sprung into action raising her sword and attacking with swift combos as each sword in her hands was moving with the intent to end things quickly.

The king evaded and blocked with minimal movements as he kept an eye on the fearful sword of the treacherous ministers. However, a quick and unexpected strike caught his attention, and at that moment did he lose sight of the fearful rat.

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Hearing a swift sound of wind he explodes in a big spin letting his armored shoulder and arm take the force of his dual-wielding rat's weapons as he swings his great sword on the flat side creating an offensive current of air knocking the poisoned arrow of course and finally clashing with the swordswoman.

The small breathing room ended as the hero charged and to the annoyance of the king he needed to keep all of his attention on him. The few moments in their clashes where he could take his eyes off for just a micro-second and could keep taps on the two rats, but like before the cowardly rat was lost.

The former right hand recovered from being slammed against a wall and took a moment to analyze the situation. Seeing her only king extort even more energy to break the hero's formidable guard, however, something is wrong. 'He's not fighting to win, but to buy time.' She couldn't for the life of her figure out why, but then again she has only ever excelled at martial prowess.

"Hero he's buying time for something!"

The king snapped his head toward the woman, his gaze piercing. With his attention gone allowed strike from the hero to slip past his guard, but even so, the most devastating strike was blocked guided by the king's hearing alone.

The king's armor was sturdy to an absurd level that the attacks that went through only made scratches and possible small dents.

"Damn you! What are you plotting!"

Not caring to stop swinging as he shouts. Every scheme of this sly king always took something from him. First his family, then his companions and he'll be damned if he allowed one last ploy to play out.

With renewed strength, he swung even faster and more fiercely. The king was forced to return his attention as now new arrows shot true. Out of the 12 flying arrows only one managed to pierce at the thin point of the king's armor.

An arrow that had pierced oddly at the inner thigh of the king. He broke the arrow as he switch leg stances. The before dazed swordswomen joined the assault.

Despite his injured leg the footwork didn't slow as he now defended the onslaught from two formidable swordsmen. Eventually, he found himself with his back against a wall. The end was near and the woman was just a bit too eager as she overextended and lost her left arm as the king pulled his sword down after an overhead parry. As expected from a former general of his kingdom. She showed no hesitation and with a mighty strike to his crown-infused helmet was the face of the tyrannical king shown.

What showed was an old man past his prime. His short hair that fitted a warrior rather than a king was freed from its confinement. His eyes showed no remorse or anything which could betray the image of this tyrannical king. Even at the end of his rule was the nagging feeling that this person was above them, his powerful aura only enhanced as a fearless smile formed on his lips. As the woman pierce his stomach and blood dripped from his smiling lips.

"What are you smiling for?!" The hero shouted as he followed suit to the woman.

With two swords in his torso, he grabs their sword by the handle locking their arms. The next moment a third weapon was stabbed into the king.

"Just die you monster!"

"Heh, only now you have the courage to be before me?" His mocking question echoed in the room.

The king flexed his arms and trapped all three.

"My death today will be the birth of the future kingdom of kingdoms."

"What-"

A quick death was too merciful if the king had a say, but the chain reaction of explosives cared not. Many explosives in massive amounts exploded in the falling kingdom as the occupying army died while celebrating their thought to be an inevitable victory.

"My late king I'll take the torch and make you proud."

In the distance where the smoking kingdom seemed so small, was a new king born. He turned his head toward the weakly defended alliance with his decently sized army of elites followed by his now own citizen.

A blizzard was currently raging as a farmer's house was pushed to its limit. The family living in the swaying house didn't care one bit as their first baby boy was born. The delivery was a messy one even by their standard.

"Igor look! Our very own boy." The tired woman smiled as she held an infant in her arms.

Igor was looking at the boy with his blue eyes and blond mane. He wasn't a giant of a man, but he didn't lack in muscle to be one. He looked at the fragile little thing and slowly reached. He felt a new sense of softness both physically and mentally.

"Do you want to hold him?"

The boy's mother lifted him carefully up. Igor securely held the boy.

"Bodil save your strength. You've lost a lot of blood."

"I won't die. Not until..." She locked eyes with Igor, "what's our boy's name?"

"Harald... his name is Harald."

Bodil smiled in satisfaction, "I will see Haralds coming of age, not even the gods can deny me that and that's a mother's promise."