Rain fell from the thundering sky, it was a cold morning the sun just cresting the horizon the light illuminating the battle field, armor and weapons lay battered and damaged, some still being held by the hands of the fallen. Bodies of men and women lay blooded and broken, some in full plate armor while some wore nothing more than thick leather or cloth, the amount uncountable, the price paid to protect that which they love. A small kingdom, built with love and respect for the king by their people.
It wasnt much in a world filled with magic and creature from beyond, the world was always at war, some said it was the fault of demons, some said it was the fault of all the different monsters, But what most races of intelligence agreed on was that it was the fault of man and the greed for more. The kingdom now stood dark and gloomy most had rushed out when the king stood alone to fight, taking anything they coud use as a weapon.
A lone king stood still somewhere near the center of all this death, armor gleamiing covered in blood now being washed away by the first rain of spring, a long sword held in hand, dark armor adorned their body, chips and cracks ran though it. Heavy breath battering against the inside of their helm, leaking out in large clouds of red steam. The many wounds from swords, spears, arrows and magic had taken a toll, blood filling their lungs coming out with each heavy breath.
Ahead of the king stood what was left of a vast army, an alliance of two larger kingdoms had attacked to take the vast well of magic on the land. The king planted the tip of their sword into the ground raising trembling hands up and pulling off the helm, long red hair swept free down their back. Eyes dark as the night with pupils of silver like the moon stared towards the army, her face sharp and hardened from fighting monsters and the harsh training, yet a softness from the love she had for her kingdom and its people clung to her, sharp pointed ears poking out from behind her hair.
The army moved yet again, stepping over bodies as they began their approach, weapons raised and ready to fight to the death, they had no doubt even know the king before them would not fall alone, they had seen her cleave through three fully armored knghts in one swing. She gripped her weapon and raised it, the edge glowing a soft gold from her magic, she coughed up blood yet stood ready as she step forward, even know when none still lived from her kingdom she would fight, not for glory, nor pride or the throne. She fought to show those before her that no battle is easy yet all battles must be fought, that in the end it is those that flee who have given up own oneself and ones dreams.
She swung her sword as the closed, cleaving through the soldiers, blood and guts spilling forth as their bodies fell to the earth still warm with the life they lost, a spear catching her in the gut she pushed forth taking the life of many more, screams rang out over the battlefield along with the sounds of metal meeting metal and flesh being ripped and torn. She pushed forward feet digging into the ground, body arching and crying for rest, for the end and yet her will drove her through the ocean of enemies, spears stabbing, swords cleaving and arrows piercing her flesh, she made not a sound as she continued, eyes never once lowering.
The army slowly stepped back from instinct, fear bubbling inside their chests, never once had they seen a warrior so wounded, so near death yet so alive, slowly the battle quieted, a circle forming around the king, she panted hard, hand gripping her sword tight even as her vision darkened, she could feel death beckon her from just beyond the viel of life. It happened to fast for anyone to understand, her still body burned in dark fire as she slowly turned to stone, her face raised to the sky, her voice bellowed like thunder.
"I am king Aurelia Marcella Luna, Beloved of the moon Goddess, friend to magic and guardian of an age long past. I shall not bow, break or yield, in my name I claim this land and its subjects, I fight to my dying breath and with my heart and soul vow that none shall ever claim this land or the magic that brought such joy to my people!!"
With her last breath as her body burned from within from the magic she overdrew from the land, a ripple blast out surround her kingdom, the bodies of her subjects burned to dust, the kingdom caught fire, from the dirt to stone nothing remained unburned, the wind blew through the burning kingdom carrying with it the sound of song and laughter, the sound floating on the wind over the battlefield.
None moved or spoke, breath caught in their throats as they witnessed the end of a kingdom filled with love and happyness, the body of king Aurelia Marcella Luna stood tall, sword in hand, eyes to the sky, the sun almost at its peak darkened as the moon covered it. The magic radiating off her ripped the veil as the soldier bore witness to the souls of the fallen kingdom swirling around her stone body, as the light of the eclipse fell upon her frozen form a voice soft as silk and warm as hearth whispered on the wind.
"My beloved knight, I have heard your vow and i shall ferry your subjects and kingdom to my lands where they may rest in the loving light of the moon. None shall disturb them and none shall claim them, I shall treat them as my own."
As the words of the moon Goddess filled the battlefield men and women alike dropped their weapons in reverence, they knew the gods and goddess were real, but only once was it recorded that a being of such power had spoken to the masses and that was when the first hero had been born.
This was the end of a kingdom, the end of one loved by a Goddess, the end of one who was friend to magic and the end of the first hero. A hero who lived for more than 2,000 years and had guarded the world from danger no man, beast or magic could touch. Many years later a statue of her could be seen built on the land she once ruled, none knew who built it, none that tried to destroy it lived long, it glowed like moon light and was said to heal those who lived and loved with all their heart and soul.