"What did you say? Myro's going to war against Nirvania? Why the sudden change in stance?" the aged Count Vichear exclaimed in response to the message brought by the Army captain before him.
The captain replied calmly, "You heard me correctly, sir. The King has seen a perfect opportunity to strike Nirvania and reclaim our territories from those traitors. As such, I'm merely here to relay the message from the Capital, as well as the following request from the Royal decree."
A 31-year old Sylvester, who served as Count Vichear's right hand man at this point of time, received the rolled up parchment from the captain before handing it over to the Count, who swiftly unfurled it as both of them scanned through its contents.
The Count's face turned red with anger as he spat without hesitation, "T-This...you expect us to offer our men as foot soldiers in the upcoming military campaign? We're an agricultural community, for Heaven's sake! We barely have enough trained guards to maintain the security of this county, not to mention send to a god damn war!
It's terrible enough that the Capital has been increasing its demands for grain from Calderon over the past few years, but this is the last straw! How do you expect us to conjure up such a ridiculous number of soldiers when I barely have 200 trained personnel as guards?"
The captain replied coldly, "Well, considering the population of Calderon, 1000 soldiers is not an unreasonable number. Even if you can only spare 100 of your guards, you can always make up the number with those idle peasants in your county. If I'm not mistaken, the harvest season was just concluded recently, so there's probably little work for them to do.
The reason they sent me here as a messenger is so that I can be the first to take a look at the new recruits, as I would be the one overseeing their training. Moreover, if you refuse this call to arms, I can't guarantee the safety of your position at the end of the war when we return victorious.
After all, cowards who refuse to fight and die for their country are not well accepted here in Miran, and there are many other capable and loyal individuals willing to take your position, Count Vichear. I beseech you to think twice before making your final decision, sir."
Before the Count could reply in a spur of anger, Sylvester answered on his behalf, "Good captain, we'll get back to you by tomorrow morning, as my Lord and I have much to discuss over our course of action. I believe you'll be willing to accommodate our demand, seeing that 1000 soldiers is still no easy feat for a small rural community like us, yes?"
The captain scoffed rudely, "Very well, I expect a satisfactory answer by tomorrow morning then." before he turned and left in a hurry. After the captain had left, Count Vichear cursed, "Darn, how dare Myro threaten my position? My forefathers were important servants to the Ancient Human Kingdom, and my family has always been loyal and faithful to the monarchy, yet this is how they repay our devotion?"
Sylvester attempted to pacify his superior as he advised, "Yes, the demands that Myro placed on us is unbearable and unjust. However, Myro is still the capital of Miran and it'll be unwise to provoke Myro now, with several elite soldiers under its control which could cause widespread destruction should they attempt to forcefully subjugate Calderon.
Both the people of Calderon and I recognise that at the bottom of the day, we're Miranians and we'll do anything to protect our homes. Hence, my Lord, I beseech that you abide by the decree, sending about half of the guards and 900 able-bodied men from the various villages.
I'll convince the common folk to join our cause, so perhaps you can select the 100 guards that you wish to participate in the upcoming war? Having the guards in our contingent would ensure that we would have leaders on the ground to look after the welfare of our men. To be safe, I'll nominate myself to join the contingent as well, to serve as an adviser probably."
A voice interjected, "Father, Sylvester's right. This is a war we cannot run away from, and our guards are needed to train and lead our people. I'll personally lead our men in the name of Vichear to protect our homeland, so Sylvester, you stay here and help Father manage the internal affairs of Calderon. There's no need for you to risk your life on the frontline, leave that to my Knights and me."
It was Verrick, who was dressed in a shiny red armour that further accentuated the colour of his hair. Accompanying him were a handful of equally well-armoured Knights, all of whom were familiar to Sylvester. After all, these Knights were Sylvester's childhood friends, and it would appear that they have finally returned from their Knight qualification course in the capital.
Count Vichear stammered, "V-Verrick? Is that you? You've finally returned from Myro, so how did the examination go?" Verrick proudly declared, "Due to my outstanding performance in the course, I was promoted directly to Captain upon graduation.
I received many offers from the nobles in Myro to lead their armies in the upcoming war against Nirvania, but when I heard that every County was to send a contingent, I knew that I had to return to lead the forces of Calderon.
Father, please honour my request and allow me to lead our forces, for I believe that this would be best for both our people and you, Father. This is my destiny as a Knight; to fight and die for my country."
After completing his statement, Verrick drew his sword from its scabbard, holding its blade before his face as he performed a salute with his sword, coating it with black mana armament for dramatic effect. The other knights swiftly followed suit, declaring their willingness to lay down their lives for their home.
Count Vichear remained speechless for a moment before tears started to well up in his eyes as he stood up from his seat and walked slowly towards his son. Like any concerned father, Count Vichear placed his hands on his son's shoulders as he struggled to compose himself, "I knew that you always aspired to be a Knight since young, and I perceived myself a supportive father who encouraged you to chase your dreams.
However, I feel like a hypocrite now, when we're on the brink of a war which scale would probably parallel that of the Holy Wars. I know I should be there for you, but at the same time, I can't bear to possibly send you to the maw of Hell. What do you think, Sylvester?"
Sylvester contemplated for a moment before he replied slowly, "If we simply consider hard facts, having an Army captain of our own lead our forces would definitely be a sensible decision to boost the morale of our forces. However, there's one thing that troubles me. Why won't you allow me to accompany you, Verrick? I may be no fighter, but I can certainly help in terms of tactics and logistics."
Verrick sighed, "You just answered your own question, old friend. You're no soldier, and a man of your talent is wasted on the battlefield. All you have to do is trust in my capability to lead our forces back home safely after the war, okay?
I don't want a precious friend of mine risking his life for such a poor reason when there are far greater things that he can accomplish. Furthermore, in such tumultuous times, Father would need all the help he can get in managing Calderon, and there's no one more suitable in assisting him other than you. Enough said, I hope you respect my wishes and make my word final, Sylvester."
Recognising Verrick's stubbornness, Sylvester shrugged his shoulders as he nodded reluctantly, before Count Vichear added, "Very well, Verrick. I hereby nominate you as the Commander of Calderon Contingent as Count of Calderon. Just promise me that you won't be rash and you'll be back home safely when this war is over."
Verrick thumped his left chest with his right fist in response, before bowing in respect as he swiftly turned around to leave, his knights following closely behind him. Sylvester tried to allay his fears that Verrick would come to harm if he was to participate in the upcoming war by smiling brightly, but as Verrick gradually disappeared out of sight, Sylvester knew deep down that this could possibly be the last time he saw his greatest friend…
With the immense power held by both sides as exemplified by the 10 Saints and the 5 Pillars, the moment the balance between the 2 groups were broken, the tides were swiftly turned to favour Nirvania , who had successfully defeated 3 of the 5 Pillars.
Or so it would seem, before Myro unleashed their hidden trump card onto the capital of Nirvania; their squadron of airships carrying the remaining 2 Pillars of Miran. However, in a twist of fate, Nirvania achieved victory on the brink of extinction with the help of its citizens and the top 2 ranked Saints, one of whom singlehandedly crushed the supposedly impregnable defence of Myro.
The fall of Myro spelled the end of the 3rd Holy War, much to the relief of citizens on both sides, with Miranians growing increasingly displeased with their current monarchy as evident in their support for the Revolutionary Army prior to the start of the 3rd Holy War.
In Calderon, news of the fall of Myro spread like wildfire, with many citizens of Calderon celebrating the end of the war and the return of their loved ones from the frontlines, even if it meant they were to be subjugated under Nirvanian rule.
Sylvester too, was excited by the news, as he believed that Nirvanian rule would be much better for his fellow citizens as compared to the dark times they had suffered under the rule of his biological father, who became even more of a despot after their encounter in Karthik Village. However, nothing mattered more than the return of Verrick, where together, they can finally fulfil their vision of building a more liveable Calderon for all her people, regardless of class.
Weeks flew past before any signs of the Calderon Contingent returning emerged, and when they did, the people of Calderon initially greeted them jubilantly at the entrance of the county, but the festivities ended abruptly much to Sylvester's confusion. That was, until his eyes laid on the front of the contingent, before tears began to well up within them as Sylvester choked in disbelief.
Leading the contingent was a coffin draped with the flag of Calderon, the highest honour bestowed only to the nobility of Calderon or those of equivalent military rank. Seeing that the coffin bearers were Verrick's subordinate knights and childhood friends of both Verrick and Sylvester, the identity of the corpse carried within the coffin was crystal clear.
As the contingent made their way through the city without fanfare as the townspeople respected the solemnity of the situation, it wasn't long before it arrived at the doorstep of the Vichear residence. There, the aged Count Vichear had already lost any semblance of decorum, the poor old man already on his knees in wide shock while his wife was bawling away without consideration for her surroundings.
An unbearable silence permeated through the air momentarily after the coffin was laid before Count Vichear before the leading knight explained softly, "I'm sorry, Count Vichear, Countess and Sylvester. We were posted to the Eastern border where we were supposed to reinforce the forces led by Neptune of the East.
However, when we arrived, we already discovered that the foothold captured by Lord Neptune's forces was already recaptured by the Nirvanians, and worst of all, Lord Neptune was dead and his forces rendered obsolete. While we were on the offensive from the start of the war, now, we were now forced to retreat systematically and hold off the advancing Nirvanians on the orders of Myro, which spared no reinforcements.
It was only a matter of time that our Contingent would clash with the Nirvanians, the Nirvanians fighting with greater fervour in a bid to end the war as quickly as possible with the defeat of the Pillar safeguarding the Eastern front. As we were the last Contingent to arrive at the Eastern Front, witnessing how our comrades were decimated slowly but surely by the vampiric monsters released by Nirvania triggered a realisation within our leader Verrick.
Verrick realised that it was hopeless to engage the Nirvanians in combat, and thus attempted to rally our forces in retreat amidst the chaos, so that no one would realise that we were disobeying orders from Myro. However, despite our success in escaping from the battlefield, it wasn't long before the vampires of Nirvania caught up to us, frenzy with bloodlust from consecutive days of fighting.
Stolen story; please report.
Recognising that those monsters were beyond reason, Verrick led a few of our knights in a bid to buy us time to retreat, much to our disapproval as we had the numerical advantage over those creatures, which only numbered in the tens. However, Verrick rationalised that if we were to be caught fighting with the vampires by the main Nirvanian contingent, any chance of a peaceful surrender would be lost.
On Verrick's insistence, I led our remaining forces in full retreat while Verrick and the other knights stood their ground to cover our escape. It was an unbearable sight to watch, seeing my fellow knights being torn to shreds by those imbeciles, though they were successful in killing a handful of them in return.
Verrick was the most impressive of all, from a distance, I could see him cutting through several vampires with his twin swords, refusing to back down even after receiving wound after wound from the claws and fangs of those beasts. Unfortunately, even a man of Verrick's calibre was not invincible, as he eventually succumbed to his injuries after killing the last of our vampire pursuers.
It was at this point of time when the main Nirvanian contingent finally caught up, their commander shocked to see so many vampires killed by a measly force of a dozen knights. We were prepared to fight them to the bone to recover the body of our fallen leader, but the Nirvanian commander ordered his men to lower their arms, declaring that the war between Miran and Nirvania was already over, much to our surprise.
The commander then expressed his regret, apologising that they didn't arrive earlier to stop their comrades, who had taken off in pursuit despite his orders not to. Seeing how events had unfolded, the commander proposed a ceasefire, where both sides would be allowed to recover the remains of their respective comrades, before returning back home.
When we stepped forward to recover Verrick's body, we were surprised to see that he was still alive, though his life was hanging by a thread. I wanted to give him immediate medical treatment, but he stopped me, staring at me with the same resolve-filled eyes which was what galvanised us to his cause in the first place.
In his dying breath, Verrick uttered the following words inaudibly, "Tell my parents…I'm sorry…and tell Sylvester…he was the best friend I've ever had…and the best leader that this country deserves."
After completing his sentence, Verrick's body relaxed as he breathed his last, closing his eyes gently while smiling with satisfaction. These were the circumstances leading to the death of our noblest leader and greatest friend, Captain Verrick.
I'm so sorry once again, Count Vichear. Captain Verrick gave up his life so that we all can return home safely to our families, sacrificing his own happiness and future in the process. The best we could do to honour him was to return him home to Calderon, so that he can be buried deep within the soil of his beloved home."
After hearing the knight's recount of the events which had transpired, Count Vichear was the first to recover, composing himself slowly as he got back up onto his feet shakily. Having accepted the fact that his only child was gone, Count Vichear trudged towards his wife and put his hands on her shoulders, consoling, "Our boy may be gone, but at least his will lives on among the men whose lives he helped protect.
The 3rd Holy War is over… and with it, the reign of the detestable monarchy. Now, Miran steps into a new chapter of its history, and it's the duty of us who still live to see this day to shape the future wished by those who valiantly gave up their lives, like my boy Verrick. I beseech everyone in Calderon to continue giving me and Sylvester your support, so that we might lead Calderon into the bright future it deserves."
Upon the end of the Count's heartfelt speech, the soldiers of Calderon all drew their swords and performed a military salute following the lead of the knights before them, while the townspeople placed their right fists atop their left chests before bowing, reaffirming their loyalty to the Count. Sylvester joined the townspeople in their salute, but the tears couldn't stop trickling down his cheeks.
The war may be over, and the monarchy toppled, but who's to ensure that Miran would never walk down such a destructive path again? Who's to ensure that Verrick and the other soldiers who lost their lives in this pointless war were the last to suffer from such a fate? These were the thoughts that ran furiously through Sylvester's head as he clenched his fists in sorrow. If only he could extend his reach beyond Calderon…
<1 week later, Calderon, Year 2002>
A carriage was brought to a stop before the residence of Count Vichear, and out stepped 2 men, one whom was a familiar sight to all the townspeople of Calderon and the other whose appearance was concealed by his hood. Accompanying them were 2 lightly armoured men on horseback, who swiftly descended from their horses.
The townspeople stared at the armoured men as they murmured excitedly, since their attire was very different from that of Miranian knights, increasing the likelihood that they were from abroad, most possibly Nirvania.
Meanwhile, the man recognised by everyone, who was none other than Lord Henry, Court Adviser to Myro, politely invited the cloaked man to enter the Vichear Residence through its open doors, as though Count Vichear was already awaiting their arrival. Even a fool would understand that the cloaked individual was probably someone of great importance, given that Lord Henry was exhibiting such reverence and humility.
When the 4 men had finally arrived at the main hall where Count Vichear was waiting together with his wife and adviser, Sylvester, Lord Henry got the ball rolling as he shook the Count's hand, "Viktor, it's been a long time. Thank you for having us here today, even though it's only been a short while since news of your son's passing reached your household. Please accept my condolences."
Count Vichear shook his head as he replied solemnly, "It's fine, I've to remain strong for my son's sake. Knowing Verrick, he wouldn't want us to take his passing so heavily. Besides, his will lives on in the people of Calderon, and I don't intend to disappoint him, wherever he may be. Anyway, you said you had an important matter to discuss with me and Sylvester?"
Lord Henry chuckled as he remarked, "Cutting straight to the chase, aren't we? Very well then, first of all, before we begin our discussion, I would like to introduce my esteemed guest to you all, he would play an important part in this discussion."
The hooded man removed his cloak, revealing a head of green hair that stunned everyone present. Sylvester stammered, "Y-You are…King Alan Stormfury of Nirvania! What is your Highness doing here of all places?" King Stormfury replied jovially, "Be at ease, and drop the formalities. After all, you don't address someone of equal status as 'Your Highness', do you? Of course, the rest of you can relax too, I'm here for just a casual conversation, really."
Seeing Sylvester's confused expression, Lord Henry explained, "I can't believe you let the cat out of the bag so quickly, King Stormfury. You are indeed as direct as they say. In any case, the purpose of today's discussion is to convince you, Sylvester, to inherit the throne as the next King of Miran."
An awkward silence permeated through the room for about half a minute before Sylvester broke the silence, "You want me to be King? Uncle…no, Lord Henry, please answer both of my questions to the best of your ability. Firstly, why did this request emerge out of the blue? Next, why me of all possible candidates you could have chosen?"
Lord Henry replied slowly, "I believe you all know that the previous Miran monarchy has already been toppled and imprisoned for life together with all other war criminals who supported the monarchy in triggering the 3rd Holy War. As such, technically, rule of Miran should lie in the hands of Nirvania, our conquerors.
However, King Stormfury here has no intention of presiding over Miran. Instead, he proposed that we select a new King for his endorsement, to ensure that peace can finally be ushered between our warring kingdoms while retaining a strong and independent Miran.
That brings us to the question of who should be the new successor of the throne. You know, there are still several traditionalists amidst the court in Myro who insist that the new King must be related in some way to the previous ruling family. Were it not for the power they hold, the reinstating of the new King of Miran would not be such a tricky affair.
Among all the remaining relatives of the previous King, many are either killed in battle during the war or lack the credentials in both the eyes of King Stormfury and myself. That's when I thought about you, Sylvester.
Even though you were born out of wedlock, you are still the biological son of the previous King, giving you the birthright to succeed the throne. As for whether you possess the ability to guide Miran in the right direction, I would leave that to King Stormfury's discretion."
As Lord Henry stepped back to allow King Stormfury to approach Sylvester, he scanned the King of Nirvania carefully as he thought, "They say that King Alan Stormfury of Nirvania is incisive with his words, and coupled with those eyes of his, it's said that he can easily see through the true nature of any individual. Given how fast he was at rejecting the previous candidates just after a brief conversation, I wonder how Sylvester would fare…"
Sylvester felt a tad uncomfortable as King Stormfury took his time to observe his physique before King Stormfury finally spoke, "Your eyes appear a little puffy and your body slightly malnourished…did you perhaps lose a loved one in the war that just passed? I too lost a few close friends and associates, but more importantly, the lives of several Nirvanian soldiers and citizens that were taken lie heavily on my shoulders, as King of Nirvania.
Was it wrong of me to engage in war against Miran when it invaded Nirvania? Looking back, if I had surrendered peacefully to Miran, those lives may not have been lost, but we would have lost our freedom and our happiness. This, my boy, is the burden of the throne that lies before you. Remember, the country and its identity takes precedence over all other matters, even the lives of those whom you hold dear to your heart.
My question is, do you have the moral strength to sacrifice all which you love, for the sake of preserving the values and identity of your kingdom? Think carefully before you give me your answer, for your answer would influence my decision on whether I support you as the next King or not."
Sylvester remained silent momentarily before tears flowed down his cheeks. He answered solemnly, "You are only partially correct when you mentioned that I was grieving over the passing of a loved one, your Highness. Yes, I was mourning the death of my closest friend, Captain Verrick Vichear, who was also the son of Count Vichear here.
However, more importantly, the reason why I'm feeling so much anguish is not the mere fact that my best friend is dead and I'll never get to see him again. In war, deaths are inevitable, and I should be mentally prepared for such situations. Rather, it was the fact that Verrick gave up his life for a Kingdom which didn't treasure him as a valuable citizen.
The previous monarchy perceived its citizens as tools, dispensable tools that only serve to further the ambitions of the ruling family. I'm grieving because throughout the war, the rulers of my Kingdom failed to reciprocate the love its people had for their country, their home.
Yes, I'm not so naïve to believe that with the end of the 3rd Holy War, there would no longer be any conflict on the Central Continent. Conflict and strife are the natural order of this world, so long as people discriminate between the in-group and the out-group, strife would always be around the corner.
I'm no Messiah, but the least I can do is to show my people that this Kingdom is grateful for their contributions, that she is committed to promoting their well-being. That way, when my people are called upon once again to sacrifice their lives, this time, they can do so with greater gusto, knowing that they are offering their lives to defend a Kingdom which loves them as much as they love it.
I promise to the best of my ability, that I would avoid putting my fellow citizens in harm's way if possible, so that none would ever share the same fate as my dearest friend Verrick, dying for no proper cause. That is my answer to your question, King Stormfury."
Lord Henry smiled brightly, satisfied with Sylvester's reply. To think that the little boy, born under such disgraceful circumstances, would grow up to become the saviour that Miran needed right now in its time of crisis. He then turned to look at King Stormfury, who appeared awestruck by the response of such a young man.
After a short delay, King Stormfury placed a gentle hand on Sylvester's shoulder as he congratulated, "Excellent answer, my bo- no, King Sylvester. I look forward to cooperating with you to usher an era of long due peace in the Central Continent."
"That's the end of my tale. Now, shall we begin the vote of confidence to determine if I'm still fit to rule Miran? The 4 Banners of Revolution are welcome to join the vote as well. Those who have any objections to my rule, please raise your hand now. If the majority wishes for me to abdicate my throne, I would gladly do so." King Sylvester announced calmly.
The room remained silent for a long while before the shuffling of feet could be heard audibly. To King Sylvester's surprise, everyone in the room, including the 4 Banners of Revolution, went down on one knee in reverence.
The leader of the supposed traditionalists, the old official who criticised King Sylvester earlier, remarked humbly, "I apologise for my rude remarks earlier, my liege. Miran is at the tip of great change now, and only a man with your vision, ideals and courage can guide us into the next era.
Henry is right, for Miran to transform for the better, we must abandon our useless traditions and embrace change. Please forgive me for my insensitive comments earlier and permit us all to render our assistance to the fullest of our ability in your zeal to reinvigorate Miran into a truly powerful yet well-loved kingdom. I beseech your Highness to grant our request."
Bartolomeus added, "Your Highness, please allow me to lead my men to cleave the darkness which is the Chaos Legion that stands between you and your wish for a peaceful Miran. From now on, the Revolution shall be known as the New Miran Vanguard, and we swear on our lives that we would spare no effort in purging those scum which threaten the peace of our homeland."
King Sylvester's vision started to water, as he quickly requested for everyone to rise. Tears were flowing down his cheeks once again, but unlike those he shed upon learning Verrick's death, these were tears of gratitude, as King Sylvester smiled the brightest he could, confident that Miran was definitely on the right path…
"General Bartolomeus! There's big news from Myro! They say that one of the commanders leading the Chaos Legion, the Chaos General of Wrath, Amon, has been permanently banished by a member of Nirvania's Rising 8, 'Lightning Edge' Kai!" a foot soldier reported excitedly.
Bartolomeus, who was resting his huge sword [Gladius] on his left shoulder while sitting on the corpse of a badly mutilated member of the Chaos Legion, remarked casually, "Is that so? To think that a kid could accomplish such a feat…not that it matters, soon, the name of Miran and the New Miran Vanguard would spread like wildfire when Miran becomes the first kingdom to rid itself off the Chaos Legion.
Fellow comrades, it's the final stretch already. Only one more enemy foothold remains and that's where I believe we can bag ourselves a Chaos General of our own. Sharpen your wits, for this is the final stand between us and victory. Who's with me?"
Amidst the smouldering ruins which was what was left of the Chaos Legion stronghold, the soldiers of the New Miran Vanguard cheered rambunctiously as Bartolomeus grinned in clear delight. Those motherfuckers from the Chaos Legion better beware, for the Barbarian has come to tear their flesh and rend their souls in the most cruel way possible.