CHAP.0-4:The last days of the DarknessDay (4)

The sun was rising on the continent of Wisenberg.

Raiden, standing alone in front of the shore, watched the star appear on the horizon, his black coat floating in the morning wind. His gaze swept the sky, where the orange light mixed with the red and purple clouds, being just above the Forest of the Thousand Wonders.

While observing the forest, he saw shadows moving. Each tree in the forest seemed to breathe, moan, cry. Illusions, whispers, mysterious creatures prowled and sneaked between the trunks. Nameless creatures watched them, carpeted in the mist of the forest.

The songs and laughter of the previous day were just memories. There were only quick steps left, armor that we tied, blades that we sharpened, whispers, prayers or memories of the previous day.

The smell of metal, and still warm fire, hovered in the air.

Raiden, his eyes riveted to the forest, instinctively felt that the battle of the day would be tough. Maybe no one would escape alive.

He knew that the fallen god Yshvar was there, somewhere, carpet in the forest... and that he was watching them patiently.

Thousands of men and women had stood up before dawn preparing for the battle. Ingrissia's banners flapped weakly in the wind. The soldiers and knights stood in a row, column after column, each guided by Aryna and commanders.

Sylpha adjusted her black outfit, leaving her belly uncovered, making her tattoo-shaped stigma visible, which started from her left side to her left elbow.

She wore a black hood covering almost entirely her face, leaving only a few strands protruding. The reflections of the sun sliding on her black hair.

While she was checking the condition of her swords, she heard steps approaching her.

She turned her head and saw a young knight with black hair and black eyes, approaching her.

The young knight knelt down and said in a calm and respectful voice:

"Mrs. Sylpha, I don't know if I can afford to give it to you... but here's a little gift from me. "

He handed him a paper, carefully folded. Sylpha stared at him for a moment, then finally took him.

She unfolded it and looking at it, she discovered an almost perfect sketch of her dance from the day before with Raiden around the fire, stars spinning around them.

"Were you the one who drew this?" She asked calmly.

"Exact. I observed your dance with His Majesty Raiden by chance... and I couldn't look away. I was like enchanted by your dance. So, I wanted to engrave this image, hoping that it would last through time," the knight calmly replied with a respectful tone.

Contemplating the drawing again, Sylpha sketched a subtle smile.

"How is your name, young knight? She asked calmly.

"My name is Roy Tsamal," he replied with respect.

"Thank you, Knight Roy, for this gift," said Sylpha in a soft voice.

Then she turned away, walking away with slow steps. With a gesture of her hand, she threw over her shoulder:

"I hope you survive this battle, Knight Roy," she said calmly.

As she moved away, the young man watched her walk away, his eyes filled with admiration.

Raiden, his eyes still turned to the forest, felt his daughter Aryna slowly approaching. She held her helmet under her arm. His eyes, although surrounded, shone with resolution.

"The field is ready, general. Our troops are in position. Our scouts have reported a high concentration of monsters at the entrance of the forest. As if they were waiting for the moment of our attack to inflict massive losses on us," she said calmly.

Raiden nodded, without a word, his hands crossed behind his back, his gaze still fixed on the forest.

A slight moment of silence settled...

"Are you afraid of death, Aryna? He suddenly asked in a calm tone.

Aryna jumped slightly after this question. She hesitated to answer. Deep down, she knew intensely that the fear of death was there. But she also knew that she should not show it.

She inhaled slightly, remaining straight in the icy wind.

"I'm not afraid of death," she said calmly.

"If I had been afraid of something so natural, I would never have wielded a sword, and I would never have set foot on a battlefield. If I were to die today, then it means that I didn't deserve to be here... or to be by your side, father," she added in a calm and sweet voice.

She paused, lowering her head, slightly biting her lips. The fear, she felt it, but she refused to admit it.

Then, pulling herself up, she raised her head.

And with an impassive and unshakable air, she added:

"My biggest fear right now... is to die without having accomplished anything by your side. Without having been useful to you in this battle. But that's not a priority for me. I am responsible for more than a thousand lives that trust me completely. I fear much more to lead them to death by hasty or irrational decisions... this is a greater fear than death itself. "

Raiden closed his eyes, proud of his daughter's words. He turned to her and gently put his hand on her head.

"You have an admirable determination, and I'm proud of you, my daughter. But you know... the fear of death is natural. It proves that the flame in your heart is still alive, and that you still feel an ounce of humanity," he said calmly.

He opened his eyes, looking at her tenderly.

"Thanks to this fear, you will understand the value of life. And you will do everything to protect the flame that shines in you.

And seeing how much you take care of those under your command, proves how much you cherish these lives and that you want to protect the flames around you. "

He smiles softly.

"Even if you want to take care of the flames around you, never forget... also protect your own flame. It is only by doing this that you will become stronger. "

"Since your childhood, you have always carried burdens, always watched over others. "

"But yesterday, when I saw you smiling and having fun around the fire with everyone, my heart warmed up seeing you happy. So take care of yourself, please... stay up until the end, my beloved daughter." he said in a soft and warm voice.

Following her father's words, Aryna sketched a smile and nodded softly. His eyes shone slightly, and a delicate smile was born on his lips.

"Thank you for your words, Father. But... please... remove your hand from my head. The soldiers could see us... it would be embarrassing," she whispered, her face blushing despite her impassive tone.

Raiden laughed softly and withdrew his hand, a smile on his lips.

After Raiden removed his hand, Aryna bowed slightly, then returned to his troops, giving them the last necessary instructions.

Behind Raiden, Kaelis calmly tied his katanas to his waist and put on his black gloves. His black hair waved in the wind, half hiding his impassive face. He didn't remember anything about the day before... he was the one who kept the least alcohol among them.

Sylpha, for her part, readjusted her hood. Many spirits floated around her. She spoke to them softly, sharing her thoughts.

Valen, for his part, raised his hand to the sky, revealing a huge magic circle. Luminous shields formed around each soldier. It was his last gift to them, hoping to save as much as possible. Protection for the first minutes of chaos.

Garran, shirtless, was sitting, imperturbable in the middle of the chaos. Eyes closed, he meditated one last time. His spiral-shaped stigma, in the center of his chest lit up, projecting thin lines of energy up to his elbows.

Raiden watched his troops in silence.

He knew that, for the majority of them will die today. But seeing the determination in their eyes, a slight smile appeared on his lips.

Raiden took a few steps forward, his black coat slamming in the wind like an omen. He closed his eyes for a moment, then planted his incandescent gaze towards the thousands of soldiers gathered.

His voice rose, calm, deep, carried by a chilling intensity:

"Ingrissien, Ingrisienne... look around you. Look carefully... because this could be the last time you see this world. Look at these blood-tinged skies, this beaten earth, these familiar faces... Because beyond this border, where the Forest of a Thousand Wonders extends, we will walk towards hell. "

He let a heavy silence settle in. Not an armor tinted, not a breath disturbed the air. The hands were shaking. The hearts were tightening. But the eyes rose.

Then he resumed, stronger, sharper:

"I'm not going to lie to you. Many of you will die today. Maybe even... almost all. Because today, what we face is not a simple enemy. It's not an army. It's a nightmare. An entity, chaos and despair... the fallen god Yshvar. "

"For several decades, this entity has only caused the misfortune of humanity and the human species. Because of this, we were forced to live in fear and suffering"

He slowly drew his sword, his eyes became golden, a golden light sprang slightly from his stigma on his shoulder, and pointed his sword towards the forest.

"But listen to me, all of you! If we have to fall... then we will fall on our feet! We will fall like human beings refusing to bend our backs! Refusing to offer our lives to a fallen god who came to erase what we have built with our blood, our sweat, our love! "

He raised his head, his gaze piercing the red and purple clouds.

"Are you afraid? I can understand your fear. But it is precisely because this fear exists... that we must move forward. It is not the absence of fear that makes us warriors. It's our ability to challenge her. To overcome it. To trample it under our footsteps to move towards a future... that our children will be able to look at with pride. "

He wields his blade towards the sky. A bright light springs up, projecting two gigantic golden wings above him.

"Today, we are fighting for our empire! For our homes! For our dead! For our living! For those who can no longer fight! Today, WE WILL BREAK THIS DESTINY THAT CONDEMNS US! "

And finally, in a cry that made hearts shiver:

"FORWARD, INGRISSIENS! FOR THE EMPIRE... AND FOR OUR LOVED ONES! "

Immediately after his words, the buzzing engines of the two mother ships lit up.

The Solarian is a titan of black steel and gold, with sails spread like wings. Rose and his runes lit up one by one, creating magical circles that wrapped around his flanks.

The Nebulae, rose in turn. Its thrusters emitting blue lights. Purple ether bows wrapped around its shell.

As the Solarian and the Nebulae rose, piercing the clouds, the soldiers on the ground raised their fists and screamed in unison, as if this cry could protect them from fear. A tide of voices rose, wild, vibrant, irresistible.

"FOR THE EMPIRE AND FOR OUR LOVED ONES!! "

The thunder of the boots fell on the ground. The cavalry units raised their spears, the mages formed their incantatory circles in rhythm. The banners were slamming in the wind, proud and flaming.

TO FOLLOW...