When word spread that the Solaris Empire planned to invade Aurelia, war preparations began at once. Time was scarce—but Aurelia was no ordinary kingdom. Its Holy Knights, mages, and swordmasters were a force that even the proud Solaris Empire should have feared. Yet Solaris underestimated them.
General Varian rallied his army. As the final preparations were made, a single fear gnawed at his heart: the Solaris Ten—the empire's most elite warriors. These ten were legends, unmatched across the known lands. Yet Varian trusted his men. Aurelia had its Holy Knights, its sacred defenders. And Varian had faith.
He stood before his assembled soldiers and raised his voice:
> "Warriors of Aurelia! A great battle awaits us. The enemy is strong—perhaps stronger than we are. But these are our lands! We will defend this blessed soil with our lives if we must. Tell me—are you ready to die for your empire?"
The army roared in unison:
> "We are ready, General!"
Among the troops, Elias and his friends continued their preparations. It would be their first war. Fear and excitement flickered in their eyes like twin flames.
Elias turned to Hanami.
"Hanami… this might be the last time we see each other. I'll protect you with my life. I love you."
Tears glimmered in Hanami's eyes.
"I love you too, Elias. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. Promise me… we'll survive this war—and when we're grown, we'll marry."
Elias smiled faintly.
"I promise, Hanami. I swear it."
Blushing furiously, Hanami kissed him. Elias froze, face turning crimson.
At that moment, Riven's voice cut through the camp.
> "Hey, you two! The war's at our doorstep and you're flirting? Get ready, now!"
Elias and Hanami exchanged a shy smile and hurried to finish their preparations.
The frontlines were drawn. Massive humanoid war machines rolled into position. Everything was ready—only the plan remained.
General Varian's formation was simple yet solid:
Tanks, Holy Knights, and guardians would hold the front line.
In the middle rank, mages, academy students, and archers would provide ranged support.
At the rear, healers, assassins, and support units would hold position.
The academy students were kept mid-rank—they lacked experience, but their potential could tip the scales.
The war was at the gates.
Solaris had begun its march toward Aurelia's borders.
---
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Morneth…
Plans were forming in secret. Once Solaris and Aurelia clashed, Morneth intended to strike from the shadows. Their army was smaller, but their soldiers were expertly trained.
And Morneth possessed a hidden weapon: forbidden sorcery.
Two mages lived beneath the kingdom's surface—Nerona and Katen.
Nerona wielded a legendary form of magic—powerful enough to summon forbidden creatures or even seal a soul to her will. But the cost was terrible. Each casting left her body paralyzed and her mind fractured.
Katen, by contrast, was a master—on the verge of ascending to Archon level, a realm of universal magic power. To reach it, he needed souls… and the price was his own life.
These two were Morneth's greatest trump cards.
---
Darius and his comrades were restless but fearless.
"Listen up!" Darius called out. "None of you are dying on my watch. You're my family now, and I'll be yours. When this war's over, we'll head to the capital and feast like kings!"
Lyven grinned.
"Count me in, Darius! No one here is dying. We've got each other's backs—till the end."
Ralen chimed in, laughing:
"If any of you so much as think about dying, I'll drag you back myself! Even if you lose an arm or a leg—keep fighting!"
Laughter rippled through the group. When the sun rose, under Captain Alrik's command, they marched toward the front.
---
Garen, Morneth's strategist, had crafted his plan carefully.
Mages would shatter Solaris's rear walls with destructive magic, then the army would attack from three sides.
Darius's squad would flank left, the guards and swordmasters would strike from the center, and assassins would creep along the right, unseen.
Once the walls fell, mages and healers would split to support each flank.
Garen raised his voice:
> "Soldiers of Morneth! This is our moment! We can expand our kingdom—wipe Solaris from the map! Say your farewells, for this is a battle of life and death. Now—let us erase Solaris from existence!"
The army roared:
> "Yes, Commander!"
And so, Morneth waited in silence, poised like a viper, for the first spark of war.
---
Midnight.
Under a field of stars, Darius clenched his fist and whispered:
> "I'll do anything to keep my friends alive. I'm not losing my family again…"
The night was eerily still.
Every man and woman awaited dawn—the moment that would decide their fate.
When the first light of morning crept over the horizon, the air itself seemed to tremble.
Aurelia stood ready, its defenses braced. Across the plains, the Solaris Empire advanced—led by the ruthless and cunning General Karios, the leader of the Solaris Ten.
Karios raised his scythe and shouted to his troops:
> "Soldiers! Today, we make history! Aurelia will fall, and the banner of Solaris will rise over these lands! Show no mercy—man, woman, or child! Mercy is weakness—cruelty is our greatest weapon!"
The army responded as one:
> "Yes, Commander!"
An assassin, Saber, approached.
"Karios, what's the plan? We've got the upper hand—how do we strike?"
Karios surveyed the horizon and barked orders:
> "When we reach the walls, Pandora will open the gateway with forbidden magic. Izuna will lead the first assault. Tanks and guardians will form the front. Archers and mages in the middle. Healers and supports at the rear. Saber—your assassins strike from the shadows!"
Yet in Karios's heart, unease lingered. This war would not end with Aurelia… something darker stirred in the shadows.
---
The Solaris Ten
1. Karios – The leader; wields a colossal scythe charged with aura.
2. Izuna – Dual-blade master; unmatched in speed and agility.
3. Ragnar – A titan of brute strength, bearing a massive sword.
4. Grim – A cold killer who strikes for the heart in one blow.
5. Astra – Controls the battlefield with long-range elemental arrows.
6. Ares – Spear-wielding vanguard; a breaker of lines.
7. Vortex – Expert of wind and healing magic.
8. Pandora – Mistress of forbidden sorcery, mind control, and time.
9. Jura – Shield-bearer; the wall of Solaris.
10. Saber – Silent, deadly assassin—the shadow incarnate.
---
When the Solaris army reached Aurelia's border, Pandora raised her staff high.
Energy surged around her—the sky turned crimson.
A blazing orb struck the city walls, melting stone like wax.
The war had begun.
Izuna charged forward.
> "Move! Turn this land into hell!"
The battlefield erupted—blood, screams, and bursts of magic everywhere.
Aurelia's Holy Knights pressed the front while Solaris archers rained death from the ridges.
Elias fought desperately, his light-forged blade clashing against enemy steel, always keeping Hanami within sight.
Then—soldiers before him fell, one after another.
A towering figure stepped from the shadows—Ragnar.
His body dripped with blood, his crimson eyes burning.
> Ragnar: "A child dares to stand against me? Embrace your death."
Elias: "I don't plan on dying today. I made a promise—and I intend to keep it!"
Ragnar grinned savagely and swung his colossal sword. Elias barely dodged—the ground split where he'd stood.
He noticed it—the momentary delay after Ragnar's swing. That was his opening.
Ragnar struck again—this time grazing Elias's shoulder. Pain seared through him, but he pressed on, slashing Ragnar's cheek.
Ragnar laughed.
> "Impressive, boy. You've earned my full attention."
With a roar, he brought his blade down like thunder. Elias met it head-on, their clash echoing across the field.
The sword sank into the ground—Elias seized his chance.
> "Hanami! Freeze his sword—now!"
Hanami cast her ice magic. Frost crawled over Ragnar's weapon, binding it to the earth.
Elias lifted his glowing blade, light surging through it.
He leapt. One strike—pure, divine light.
Ragnar's head flew free. His body collapsed, sword frozen upright beside him.
Elias exhaled sharply, turning to Hanami with a weary smile.
But the war was far from over.
---
Far to the west, the Morneth army had completed its preparations.
"Mages! Bring it down!" Garen commanded.
A fiery barrage lit the sky—walls shattered, flames roared.
The gates of hell had opened.
Karios received the report and roared:
> "Pandora! Grim! Saber! Take most of the army—Morneth is attacking from the rear! Go!"
Pandora bowed slightly.
> "Understood, Karios. We will fight shadow with shadow."
With a wave of her hand, she teleported the entire detachment across the battlefield.
Once there, her voice cut through the chaos:
> "Split into three groups! My unit takes the right flank, Grim covers the center, Saber holds the left. We defend at all costs!"
Pandora advanced—and came face to face with Darius and his squad.
The sky burned red as the two forces clashed.
Darius cut down six men in a blur, but above him, Pandora watched silently.
She raised her staff—and with forbidden magic, she forced Darius to relive his family's death, over and over, tens of thousands of times.
Darius fell to his knees, screaming.
And in that moment, the battle ceased to be about territory.
It became a war for the souls of men.