Chapter 2 – The Fall of the Commonwealth

In the great kingdom of the Mazovia-Zarokyia Commonwealth, a merciless war was being waged against the superior races. Although the powerful nation, spanning 3 million square kilometers and home to 500 million members of mortal clans, was doing everything it could to fight, it was losing and in a very dire situation.

In a room illuminated by lamps composed of light stones, a commanding man of 2 meters in height sat at the center of a large table with an illusory map. He was elegantly dressed in beautiful armor adorned with all kinds of softly glowing inscriptions and wore a crown bearing the symbol of an eagle and a knight. Around him were gathered all kinds of people, waiting for someone to speak.

Soon, one of these individuals, a knight in heavy armor, moved one of his arms as he pointed to several locations on the map and began to speak: "My king, at these 5 points, our men are fighting and are currently winning. They are respectively the fortresses of Smolensk, Vilna, Khotyn, Lwow, and Kamianets-Podilskyi. All have performed incredibly well, but only Smolensk and Vilna remain unscathed, as the number of enemies is small because the fortresses behind them have delayed the Cold Steel Legion of the undead. As for the other 3, Lwow is still holding up well, but the pressure is immense, as the demonic legion is breaking through there."

At one point, the man paused briefly before continuing: "Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the other fronts, especially in these 3 regions to the west of Lwow: Podkarpackie, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Ternopil. Our troops have been exterminated by an unknown elite force of the demonic legion, and they are advancing rapidly. They are expected to reach the Carpathians within 5 to 7 months if the fortresses delay their march. Most of the regions in combat are at a disadvantage, with a few in the extreme state of these 3, other important parts in a middle ground, and very few in good condition, like the 5 mentioned earlier."

The king let out a sigh of resignation and said, "Very well, have the troops of the Grand Duchy of Zarokyia evacuate all civilians and retreat with them to Vilna and its surroundings, and establish a defensive zone with preparations for the emergency plan. As for the east, have them evacuate civilians and retreat behind the Carpathians. Also, begin the same preparations for the emergency plan…"

A large, bearded man, surprised and agitated, shouted while stroking his beard, "But Your Majesty, if we do that, we would be surrendering half of our territory! How would we feed so many refugees?"

Another man in armor, with scars on his face, spoke next: "Yes, my lord, our troops are more than capable of holding the enemy at bay. We must not give up so quickly. It has only been 5 months since the war began; it is too soon to abandon those regions."

The king stood up, slamming the table, and raised his voice, saying, "Are you telling me I should abandon my people to death?! I don't care if we don't have enough food. Maybe some will die of hunger, but leaving my people there is a guarantee of extermination, and you know that well!"

The king, angry and clenching his teeth, continued, "I know very well what my troops are capable of, generals, but we are no match for the enemy! We have 10 million of our own troops and 5 million extra, thanks to the help of the Union of Mortal Clans, mercenaries, adventurers, hunters, and neighboring nations. But the enemy is invading us with numbers of 45 million across 3 different fronts, and they surpass us in quality. They have an army the size of a small country!"

After saying this, the king took a deep breath to calm himself and continued, "I am not doing this because I want to, but because I have no other choice. Our intelligence has already discovered who the enemy is, and I know we have no way to confront them with our current power. Before this meeting began, I had already decided on this course of action, but I held onto some foolish hopes…"

...

Meanwhile, in another part of the great kingdom of the Mazovia-Zarokvia Commonwealth, an army of 40 thousand people from all 14 mortal races had gathered. The general of the army, who stood at the front, looked at a messenger from the demon clan with a clear expression of coldness and seriousness, while the lesser demon observed him with a disdainful smile.

"Oh, so General Lukasz Dabrowski is telling me that he does not fear death and doesn't mind taking his 40 thousand men with him? —said the lesser demon, holding back laughter."

General Lukasz, guardian of the great kingdom of Mazovia-Zarokvia, responded with an even more sarcastic smirk and shouted:

"Did you hear that, my brothers?! These demons think that we, the Celestial Winged Hussars, fear death!"

The army behind him responded with chilling laughter, so loud that the demon, who had been wearing a disdainful smile, became annoyed and said:

"I don't think you're unaware of the consequences of rejecting my lord's offer. Under my lord's protection, the mortal clans of this miserable kingdom will be guaranteed survival, and you will even be able to keep your army and title."

The general responded again, but this time seriously, with a solemn and loud voice, putting energy into his words:

"We, the Celestial Winged Hussars, are the guardians of great Mazovia! We fight in the light and die in the darkness! We fight in the night and die in the light! We serve throughout our lives, and even if our fate dictates that we meet the most horrible deaths, we will continue to serve even in death!"

The army behind him repeated the same phrase, one by one:

"WE, THE CELESTIAL WINGED HUSSARS, ARE THE GUARDIANS OF GREAT MAZOVIA! WE FIGHT IN THE LIGHT AND DIE IN THE DARKNESS! WE FIGHT IN THE DARKNESS AND DIE IN THE LIGHT! WE SERVE THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES, AND EVEN IF OUR FATE DICTATES THAT WE MEET THE MOST HORRIBLE DEATHS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE EVEN IN DEATH!"

"So die simply, wretched demon," pronounced the general in an extremely cold voice before piercing the lesser demon as if he were a sheet of paper. After this, he turned around and looked at his brothers, the most loyal and faithful to the great kingdom of Mazovia-Zarokvia, and said to them:

"My brothers, let us continue marching. Our destiny awaits us beyond the Carpathians."

After this, the general and his men continued marching toward their final destination...

At the same time, either unaware or deliberately ignoring it, a figure on a glowing bird flashed like a streak in the sky as it followed them closely. The figure had a strange device by its side.

Soon, the army of 40 thousand men crossed the Carpathians mounted on their loyal pegasi. It was a beautiful, incredible, and at the same time, chilling sight to see a cavalry of 40 thousand troops crossing the great mountain range. Wherever they passed, villagers stood to watch them, and wherever their enemies saw them, their faces darkened. The terror of Mazovia's enemies was on its way to their next battlefield.

When the army stopped, they were face-to-face with the enemy army. This time, there was no time for assault tactics or encircling the enemy, as they had done with the army of Sultan Ahmet the Mad, who had besieged the fortress city of Vienna of the Von Habsburg Empire before it became a fortress city.

This time, before them, they could see an endless army of 4 million, composed mostly of members of the demonic clan but supported by members of the monster clan, the beast clan, and the undead clan. Even so, General Lukasz and his army did not change their expressions or show fear. On the contrary, as soon as their pegasi had rested on the ground long enough, he said the following:

"My brothers, the time has come! Even if they outnumber us 100 to 1, it is time for the charge. Let us show these wretched demons why great Mazovia cannot be stopped and why the mortal clan will never surrender to the oppression of the superior races! We will show them why they call us the angels of death, with glory and honor!"

The cavalry soon began the charge—a devastating charge. Their bright and imposing armor and powerful weapons, filled with inscriptions and overwhelming power, soon began to gather a tremendous amount of energy, enough to alter a very wide area. Wherever the cavalry passed, there were dead—hundreds of dead from the demonic races. No matter what enemy stood in their way, they were destroyed, pierced by them, or trampled to a horrible death.

...

The figure that had been following them began to speak in front of the device:

*"This is the Union News Agency. We are currently witnessing the battlefield of the Commonwealth. The enemies are countless, and the situation is extremely dire. Unfortunately, the Union's troops are currently fighting in three locations at the same time: the Valley of Death in Dojra, the Abyss of the Black Jungle in Heseinbach, and the Hills of Drunnar. The few elite troops remaining will take a few months to arrive from the southern region of the continent.

Therefore, we want to remind all residents: evacuate immediately. A Black Evacuation Alert has been issued. If you are hearing this, you must leave now, as you are at risk of dying. Remember, the enemies of mortal races do not want citizens, nor servants, nor even slaves. They want to exterminate us."*

…

The enemy army, however, was not going to stay idle. As soon as the charge began, the enemy forces mobilized, with the demons chanting a great war cry:

"DEATH, WAR, BLOOD, AND IRON!"

"ALL ENEMIES WILL BE CRUSHED AND DESTROYED!"

"DEATH, WAR, BLOOD, AND IRON!"

"THE PALACE OF IRON THORNS AND BLOOD WILL BRING DEVASTATION TO THE FOOLS!"

Legion after legion of demons marched, making the ground tremble. Powerful waves of energy emanated as massive demons armed with spears, tridents, and halberds prepared to disrupt the enemy charge. But the Celestial Winged Hussars already knew how to counteract the greatest weakness of cavalry. They halted their charge and took to the skies.

The demons, expecting this, launched hundreds of projectiles, believing with joy that they had outsmarted them.

Then, a chilling and penetrating voice emerged from behind the demons, sending shivers through all who heard it:

"So this is all that the famous Celestial Winged Hussars can do? I thought they were more impressive to be called the Angels of Death of Mazovia. Though I must admit, their performance was astounding for mere mortals. A pity that mortals are trash, and trash will always be trash, no matter what you do to change it."

A being was revealed, seated on a massive throne of iron, surrounded by thorns and blood.

However, much to the demons' misfortune, they greatly underestimated the intelligence of the mortal races. Soon, from several paths leading down from the mountains, hundreds of thousands of mortal soldiers emerged. But it was not only common mortals who had arrived to assist. The troops unleashed spells, skills, and all kinds of techniques to protect the hussars in the sky. Moreover, several soldiers took positions with energy rifles and energy cannons. Infusing their weapons with their own energy and loading energy stones into the cannons, they began firing relentlessly, slaughtering numerous demons in a single barrage. As a result, all enemy projectiles plummeted without hitting their intended targets, instead killing their own troops.

The Winged Hussars took advantage of the chaos to cut down numerous airborne demon troops. When a colossal demon attempted to attack the hussars mid-flight, a piercing light struck through the demon as if it were nothing.

A man, mounted on a giant eagle and clad in a majestic suit of armor, wielding a weapon with an awe-inspiring spirit, emerged and declared:

"I was wondering what kind of idiot would dare invade my great kingdom, but it turns out to be the ruling devil of the Palace of Iron Thorns and Blood. But it doesn't matter—no one will conquer Mazovia while I am here."

At that moment, both the Winged Hussars and the soldiers and mortals of Mazovia looked to the sky in astonishment, especially General Lukaz, who couldn't help but shout:

"MY LORD PIOTR! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

It was none other than the great King of Mazovia and Grand Duke of Zarokya, Piotr Lubienski—the White Eagle, radiating and emanating overwhelming power. He had been the one to crush the armies of Ahmet the Mad, ruler of the Empire of the Three Moons. He was the protector and guardian of Mazovia, the one who had defended it all these years.

Then, the ruler of the Palace of Iron Thorns and Blood spoke again, his mocking voice carrying across the battlefield for all to hear:

"Pfff, so the great King of Mazovia is here and has brought his army with him? It changes nothing. Trash will always be trash, no matter how much trash you gather together."

Then, he continued:

"Give the order. Let the Bloodstained Iron Thorn Riders show these mortals what real cavalry is."

...

Soon, around 10,000 demonic riders mounted on creatures belonging to the demon clan emerged. The riders, all clad in black and red armor covered in thorns, with blood-colored glowing eyes, wielded terrifying weapons. Their entire equipment shone with blood-red inscriptions, unleashing a power that easily matched that of the hussars. Their mounts were blood and iron thorn demon beasts, the most revered mounts of the palace, possessing thick natural armor that even the most powerful cultivators would find difficult to penetrate. Additionally, they had protruding thorns that oozed the blood of their previous prey—blood that had now become corrosive and poisonous. They did not pale in comparison to the powerful bloodline of the Pegasus.

With their arrival, a fierce battle erupted. Casualties numbered in the hundreds at every moment; the hussars tore through their enemies, and their enemies inflicted losses upon the hussars, whose numbers dwindled from 40,000 to 30,000. The king had not remained idle and directly engaged the cavalry general, who, overconfident in his own strength, did not give his all in the clash—and paid an unbearably high price: his own life. King Piotr pierced him from side to side, and not even his massive body could withstand such overwhelming power.

With that, the king, having fought through several rounds and finally slain a powerful enemy, was able to take a breath. Then he laughed:

"Hahahahahahahaha!"

And then, with a serious face, he said:

"Alright, alright, ruler of the Palace of Iron Thorns and Blood, you are right, neither my Mazovia nor I are a match for your palace. But even so, I will make sure to show you that a mere mortal like me can wound you and make you bleed."

"MY CELESTIAL WINGED HUSSARS, I, YOUR KING, THE DESCENDANT OF THE BENEVOLENT GOD OF LIGHT AND HIS GREATEST BELIEVER, ORDER YOU TO JOIN ME IN THE FINAL CHARGE AS THE GUARDIAN OF MAZOVIA, AND LET US SHOW THIS DEVIL WHY MAZOVIA WILL NEVER YIELD TO THE PRESSURE OF THE SUPERIOR RACES! WE WILL STOP THEM HERE AND NOW!" King Piotr declared in an overwhelming voice as he unleashed all his power, his radiance increasing exponentially.

The winged hussars responded to their king's cry with a single phrase:

"FOR KING PIOTR, GREAT MAZOVIA, AND THE BENEVOLENT GOD OF LIGHT!"

They began charging in a wedge formation alongside their king. This would be the final charge of Mazovia's Angels of Death; they knew it, yet they felt no fear—only tranquility and calm in their last moments.

The combined force of troops and lord finally broke through the enemy elite cavalry and continued tearing through enemy ranks, drawing ever closer to the core. With mounting casualties among the cavalry, the 30,000 remaining at the start of the violent charge quickly fell to 20,000. Soon, as they neared the throne, their numbers dropped to 10,000. Just before entering the final stretch, the king sent a soul message to all the other troops outside and said:

"My honorable citizens and my glorious army, retreat and activate the emergency plan. Activate the great barrier of Mazovia left by my ancestors. This is your king's final order."

The soldiers, who had already grasped what would happen when their king appeared, endured the sorrow in their hearts, began retreating, and took with them the mortal citizens who had come to help. Unable to bear the grief in their hearts, these citizens started shedding tears as they withdrew. Only one person refused to leave: a beautiful woman with golden blonde hair, mounted on a glorious eagle and protected by several knights on Pegasus, refused to go, saying:

"But my father, he is going to die. I cannot leave; I must witness my father's final feat..."

The leader of the knights said:

"My princess, we must leave. It is your father's order, and although I grieve for the lord, great Mazovia needs you to restore it after your father's fall."

The beautiful young woman with golden blonde hair, though she wanted to stay and remain stubborn, knew she was King Piotr's last heir. She could not stay; without her, the kingdom would collapse entirely. So, reluctantly, she turned her back and departed with the troops.

The demons, seeing this, took the opportunity to inflict casualties, but they failed to realize that when the troops had arrived, they had been setting up a grand formation, partially pre-prepared with high-level artifacts. By the time the king gave the order to retreat, the formation was nearly complete, ensuring the withdrawing troops' safety. This went almost entirely unnoticed by the demons' side. Only the devil who ruled the Palace of Thorns and Blood noticed it, but just as he was about to give the order to prevent the formation's completion, something astonishing happened.

The winged hussars had cleared the entire path for their lord, and King Piotr had not only reached the front of the throne, but he had also launched the most powerful charge of his entire life. His spear, overloaded and on the verge of exploding in his hand, unleashed a terrifying power, and he threw himself into a suicidal attack. By the time the devil tried to react, it was already too late. That mere second of distraction resulted in him being struck, but while the devil thought the impact would only leave a superficial wound, the reality was entirely different. The spear pierced his chest and heart from side to side, unleashing a dreadful energy within.

Even so, the devil was a true immortal, whereas King Piotr was merely a terrenal immortal.

This was so shocking that even the demons themselves stopped chasing the fleeing forces, allowing them to escape with almost no casualties, as they turned to witness how their lord had been wounded.

The devil, enraged and in pain, soon pierced King Piotr's chest. Agonizing, the king drew close to the devil's ear, putting his last remaining energy into his voice, and said:

"Did I not tell you? That this mortal would make you bleed, cough—hahaha!"

The devil, already humiliated enough, unleashed his full power, completely shattering King Piotr's body.

By the time all of this had transpired, everyone from the Commonwealth of Mazovia-Zarokya had finally seen and heard everything. With a mixture of sadness and pride, they simply smiled with tears in their eyes. With that, the great protective barrier of the Benevolent God of Light was activated: a vast, radiant white barrier reached the sky and sealed the entrance to the Commonwealth of Mazovia-Zarokya, shielding it from the demonic legions that sought to lay it to waste.

But with that, a great piece of news was announced to the world: the mighty kingdom of Mazovia-Zarokya had collapsed in the great war against the Palace of Iron Thorns and Blood. Once again, the mortal clans had suffered a defeat, and the kingdom that had finally managed to contain the demons had lost more than half of its territory. The union of the mortal clans sent a message of support and workers to help restore the remaining land so that this nation, which had defended itself with great difficulty, could recover. However, unease lingered across the continent of the Myriad Colors' Heart.

…

During the retreat, a correspondent from the Union's news agency followed the troops while reporting the latest developments:

"First, the fall of the southern flank of the Habsburg Empire due to the invasion of the Thousand Poisons Sect from the alliance of the Nagas and Lahmias of the Monster Clan. Second, the destruction of the League of Champions in the war against the Beast Emperor of the Shadowy Jungles. And now, the defeat of the great kingdom of Mazovia-Zarokya at the hands of the Palace of Iron Thorns and Blood. This serves as a reminder to all of us—people of the mortal clan will never know peace, and the existence of the Union is now more necessary than ever to prevent the complete destruction of mortal races..."

…

Meanwhile, in a bar, a young man was drinking and eating, growing intoxicated as he watched the bar's image projector. At one moment, he muttered to himself in a low voice:

"Another one… What a cursed fate the mortal races have. What are the gods doing, neglecting their duties? Does no one care about the balance of this universe anymore? Perhaps… I was too kind to them..."