Ancient Imperial Calendar Year 1814
The clash of Orsman and Kibele's swords had caused a tremendous energy explosion.
All the people and corpses around them had been thrown kilometers away.
The battlefield now belonged only to Orsman and Kibele.
Each time the massive swords touched, energy explosions occurred, each stronger than the last.
"RUN AWAY, OR WE WILL ALL DIE!"
The Kislavein and the few remaining Ashbrum soldiers began running with all their might to avoid being crushed under these two colossal powers.
Orsman swung his massive sword as fast and agilely as if wielding a knife.
Kibele parried every attack from Orsman but couldn't launch a counterattack. Orsman also attacked relentlessly but couldn't land a hit on Kibele.
"It's clear we can't gain the upper hand with swords. Then we'll settle it with magic," thought Kibele.
In the middle of the duel, Kibele took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and spewed a dark flame.
Orsman channeled his mana to his feet, increased his speed, and retreated at a speed invisible to the naked eye.
Orsman used earth magic to raise a stone and earthen wall large and wide enough to block Kibele's Dark Flames.
He placed his hand on the wall and uttered some words.
The stone and earthen wall was strengthened with Kislavein's Dark Magic.
When Kibele's dark flame hit the wall reinforced by Orsman's Dark Magic, it vanished, but the wall couldn't withstand it for long and collapsed.
Kibele thought he had found an opportunity and lunged forward swiftly.
He tried to thrust his sword aiming for Orsman's heart.
Orsman used a wind spell to blast Kibele into the air, created a massive fireball in his palm, and hurled it at Kibele.
Kibele created a water shield around himself.
When the fireball hit Kibele's water shield with all its might, the surroundings became invisible from the smoke.
Kibele thought an attack was coming from Orsman and shaped his aura to create a shield.
Orsman attacked at that very moment. With his sword coated in Dark Magic, he shattered Kibele's shield to pieces.
Kibele crashed to the ground. Right in front of him, Orsman, standing in the sky using wind magic, swiftly advanced towards Kibele.
He pointed his sword straight at Kibele.
"Damn it,he's coming... Ahh, I can't get up... Did he break my bones?"
Kibele couldn't get up from where he was.
He didn't possess healing power like the Kislavein and Ashbrum soldiers.
"Damn it!"
Kibele spewed all the mana he possessed towards Orsman, merely shaping it without converting it into a spell.
Orsman prepared to face the attack with astonished eyes.
He used his sword as a shield, wrapped his body in his aura, and strengthened himself with his mana.
Kibele's pure mana struck Orsman.
"Ahhh...The madman... His desire to kill me this much is commendable."
If a human expels pure mana from their body without converting it into a spell, they suffer pain worse than anything they've experienced in their entire life.
They receive severe wounds internally and externally, and the result ends with a fate worse than death.
Orsman was suspended in the sky; he could neither go forward nor backward. He had focused all his power on defense until Kibele's mana ran out.
Kibele was receiving mortal wounds inside and outside his body due to the uncontrolled release of his mana, but he wasn't dying.
"It hurts...It hurts so much... I want to die, but I don't... Damn it... Die already, grandson of Harloumen! Die! You damned people! We prepared for vengeance for over a thousand years, but this was the result. Once again, we were slaughtered by you. At least we took as many lives from you as you took from us. That counts as revenge."
Kibele's mana, pouring out of his body like water from a glass, had finally run out.
Orsman's aura and mana were depleted for the first time in many years.
"It's been years since I felt this tired."
Orsman fell rapidly from the sky onto Kibele and plunged his sword into his heart.
"It was a good fight,Sapharos King VII Kibele."
Kibele decided to accept his slowly approaching death with fear.
"It was a good fight,grandson of Harloumen."
The 108th King of the Sapharos Kingdom, VII Kibele, died in the seventh year of his reign as a result of his duel with the 65th Lord of the Kislavein Dynasty, IV Orsman.
Orsman raised his sword with difficulty and declared his victory.
"THE DYNASTY LORD HAS WON!THE DYNASTY LORD HAS WON!"
The soldiers shouted victory cries. Just then, Orsman collapsed next to Kibele's lifeless body from exhaustion.
"THE DYNASTY LORD!"
The soldiers ran to Orsman's side in fear and panic.
"DYNASTY LORD,ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!"
The soldiers relaxed when they noticed the rising and falling movement of Orsman's chest as he breathed.
"It's over...Finally, this war is over."
The Sapharos Invasions ended with the victory of the Kislavein and Ashbrum Alliance.
One Month Later
"Ahhh..."
Orsman sat up in his bed.
"Dynasty Lord,you're finally awake!"
A servant panicked, ran out of the tent, and delivered the good news to the entire army.
"THE DYNASTY LORD IS AWAKE!"
A festive atmosphere arose in the headquarters; everyone was dancing with fervor and cheering for Orsman.
Orsman was struggling to stand. Just then, the commanders entered the room with smiling faces.
"You're finally awake,Dynasty Lord."
It was Dornas. He was very excited and cheerful.
"You can celebrate later.How long have I been unconscious?"
Dornas and the other commanders with him immediately put on serious expressions.
"You've been unconscious for about a month,Dynasty Lord."
Orsman was shocked to hear the duration.
"Did you say amonth?" he said in an astonished voice.
"Yes,sir," said Tyrel.
Orsman was silent for a while.
"Explain what happened while I was unconscious."
"I'll explain immediately,sir," said Dornas.
Dornas briefly summarized the events of the past month.
When Orsman fainted from exhaustion, a tent was immediately set up, and the best doctors, ignoring other wounded, focused entirely on Orsman.
They had tried to bury the corpses for weeks; the devils' corpses were burned.
The few thousand surviving devils were put in heavy chains and sent to Ashterah under the guard of twenty thousand Ashbrum and Kislavein soldiers.
The wounded soldiers were healed, and the fastest soldier in the army was prepared to go to Kislathor to inform Ricardo in case of Orsman's possible death.
Armies were prepared for the campaign into the regions still under Sapharos occupation. Everyone was now waiting for good or bad news from Orsman's tent.
"These are the events that occurred while you were unconscious,Dynasty Lord."
After Dornas's explanations, Orsman thought for a brief moment and gave an order.
"Go and liberate all occupied regions.Kill all Sapharos, but capture some for experiments."
The commanders bowed their heads.
"As you command,Dynasty Lord."
From that day on, the Kislavein Soldiers attacked the regions under Sapharos occupation relentlessly, killing every Sapharos they encountered and capturing some on the orders of the Dynasty Lords.
After months of war, the Eastern Territories were liberated from the Sapharos occupation.
Ashbrum Capital, Ashterah
"Since IX Junric died without an heir,the 1800-year-old Ashbrum Dynasty has dissolved itself in accordance with Ancient traditions," said Marco in a sad voice.
After a heart-wrenching speech from the council podium, Marco yielded the floor to Orsman.
"The Ashbrum Dynasty,which has stood since the earliest days of the Ancient Empire, began with I Carl, the half-brother (on his mother's side) of the First Ancient Emperor I Harloumen, and ended with IX Junric. I know you are heartbroken as the last witnesses of an epic that lasted 122 generations, but life goes on. Now, we will crown the new Dynasty's First Lord, chosen by you."
The hall emptied, and everyone crowded into the throne room.
Marco Ashbrum sat on the throne. Orsman held in his hands the crown of the Ashbrum Dynasty Lords, a historical artifact 1800 years old.
"MARCO ASHBRUM,I PROCLAIM YOU THE FIRST LORD OF THE NEW ASHTERAH DYNASTY! LONG LIVE MARCO ASHTERAH, THE FIRST LORD OF THE ASHTERAH DYNASTY!"
From the ashes of the Ashbrum Dynasty, the Ashterah Dynasty was born, taking its name from their capital city, Ashterah.
Marco Ashterah and the council members appeared before the people. The people greeted them with fervor.
"LONG LIVE THE NEW DYNASTY LEADER!"
The cheers were incessant; the people celebrated Marco's ascension to the throne, whom they saw as a hero and loved dearly.
Marco raised his hand. The crowd fell silent.
Marco spoke in a booming voice that everyone could hear.
"Due to the Second Great Kislavein-Ashbrum War and the Sapharos Invasions,the Eastern Territories suffered greatly, were destroyed, and turned into ruins. But this period is over. We will work hand in hand to restore the Eastern Territories to their former glory."
The people began cheering with fervor once again.
"LONG LIVE MARCO!"
Marco raised his hand once more and continued his speech.
"I am grateful for your enthusiasm,but do not forget that we have neither soldiers left nor a proper economy. Therefore, although they have been sometimes our friend and sometimes our enemy, we will enter under the protection of the Kislavein Dynasty, who saved us from the invasions, and continue our existence as a Dynasty under their rule. The Western and Eastern Territories will unite under a single Dynasty."
The people were surprised. Some welcomed this decision with satisfaction, while others were reluctant and hesitant.
As Marco stepped back, Orsman came forward.
"Some of you are hesitant and reluctant.I understand you. We have caused you much pain. But do not forget that we did not abandon you in your most difficult times. We did not start the war. Isn't it time to forget the past? Can't two peoples, two dynasties, become one once again?"
Orsman had won the people's support. The crowd cheered with fervor once more.
"LONG LIVE KISLAVEIN!LONG LIVE ASHTERAH! LONG LIVE ORSMAN! LONG LIVE MARCO!"
The city of Ashterah began a celebration that would last three days and three nights.
Orsman and Marco were chatting alone on the first night of the celebration.
Marco, drunk from the festivities, watched the city of Ashterah and smiled sincerely.
"I never thought I would ascend the throne one day."
"You're right,you couldn't have. Ancient traditions wouldn't allow it."
Marco curiously asked a question that was on his mind.
"Why did you choose me?You could have chosen one of Junric's close relatives instead of me."
"First of all,Marco, you are technically a very distant relative of Junric. But most importantly, you won many victories against the Kislavein Armies. You earned our respect. Isn't that enough?"
Marco felt proud to learn that the Lord of the Kislavein Dynasty, whom he once saw as an enemy and now saw as the savior of his country, respected him.
"I am grateful for your compliment,Lord of the Kislavein Dynasty."
Orsman turned and started to leave.
"If there are no other questions,I am leaving."
Marco suddenly turned around.
"Wait!I have a proposal."
Orsman turned around curiously.
"What proposal?"
"A marriage."
Orsman was surprised.
"What?"
Marco coughed and tried to gather his words.
"What I mean is this,Dynasty Lord: I have a son named Ademar, and my wife is pregnant. If she gives birth to a girl—"
"Get to the point,Lord of Ashterah."
"You're right.Your son, Dynasty Heir Ricardo Kislavein, is still unmarried, but I assume you will marry him off soon. I wish to marry Ricardo's future firstborn daughter to my son, Ademar."
Orsman was pleased with this proposal.
"I gladly accept this proposal.However, Marco, if you have a daughter and that daughter marries Ricardo's son in the future, there is no guarantee that your grandchild will one day ascend the Kislavein throne. You know this."
"I know.Your bloody throne wars... But in the past, you had a Dynasty Lord who carried Ashbrum blood, and you are descended from him."
"You're talking about the 45th Dynasty Lord,III Arlous. Yes, you're right. They say history is but repetition. Perhaps one day your grandchild will become the 68th Lord of the Kislavein Dynasty."
Marco smiled.
"That is my hope.But unlike mine, if Ricardo's daughter marries my son and bears his firstborn son, it's guaranteed that Ricardo's grandchildren—and also your grandchildren—will be the Lords of Ashterah."
"You're right.Unlike our succession wars, your firstborn inherits the throne."
Three Days Later
The celebration was over. The Kislavein Soldiers had left the city amid the enthusiastic farewells of the people.
A Few Months Later
Orsman and his last surviving 300,000 soldiers had reached the sea west of the Eastern Territories and were boarding ships.
"Finally,we're going home," said Kisrael.
Many agreed with Kisrael; everyone was happy to return home after a long and exhausting campaign.
After a long sea journey, the ships reached the ports on the west of the Western Territories.
"Huh."
Orsman, with his mana-enhanced superior senses, had felt something.
"What is this?"
Orsman channeled his mana to his eyes and couldn't believe what he saw.
His son, Ricardo, was fighting against the Arfas Dynasty Lord.
Orsman spent all his mana, using a tremendous speed spell, and ran at the speed of light towards the southern region of the Western Territories.
When he reached the battlefield, VI Hasan Arfas was preparing to deliver the final blow to Ricardo.
"When I conquer the West,your Dark Magic will be mine!" said Hasan.
Orsman spoke in a cold voice.
"You will have nothing."
"You—!"
Orsman used all his power to tear Hasan's body into tiny pieces in the blink of an eye.
Orsman looked down at his son on the ground with proud eyes.
"I am truly impressed,Ricardo. Your achievements have genuinely impressed me. Both as a Dynasty Lord and as a father, I am truly impressed."
Ricardo smiled, bowed his head, and showed his respect.
"I offer my respects to the Dynasty Lord.I am grateful to you for saving my life."
Orsman approached, laughing, and healed everyone's wounds with a healing spell within seconds.
"Raise your head,my son."
When Ricardo raised his head, he saw his father, larger than even a bear.
Orsman spoke with his most sincere emotions.
"I am proud of you,Ricardo."
Ricardo's emotions overflowed inside him.
"It's been a long time,Father. Welcome."