Ashes of Trust
Sounds of men fighting echo outside… bricks crumble as walls collapse…
Valrie jolts awake, her eyes wide as the chaos outside pulls her from sleep. She rushes to her window, only to see her guards fleeing in a panic—scattering like leaves in a storm. Her heart stops for a moment when she spots something she can’t believe:
A High Elf—attacking her own people.
Suddenly, her door bursts open.
A soldier, bloodied and out of breath, shouts, “My lady, we’re under attack!”
An arrow whistles through the air—
—and strikes him in the head.
He collapses instantly.
Valrie’s eyes blaze with fury. She grabs her staff without hesitation and casts a fireball that slams into the attacking elf’s chest, sending him flying.
She bursts from her quarters and runs toward the main courtyard, where she finds one of her generals.
“General Isaic!” she calls out, panic in her voice. “What is going on?!”
General Isaic, wounded but standing firm, turns to her with urgency.
“My lady! We’ve been betrayed by the High Elves—they struck at night, killed most of our men, and slaughtered the mages in the southern tower!”
Valrie’s expression darkens. She looks down, her voice quiet and sharp.
“It’s not just an attack... they’re targeting the mages.
But why?”
She looks back up with resolve.
“Stay here and protect the civilians. I’m going to find out what they’re after.”
Isaic nods and salutes.
“Stay safe, my lady.”
As Valrie hot-footed it toward the southern tower, she struck down several High Elves with blasts of searing magic, her hands moving faster than thought. Fire and arcane light carved a path through the chaos.
By the time she reached the tower, the gate was already blown open, smoke and ash swirling in the air like ghosts.
She stepped inside—slowly.
Like walking into a nightmare.
Her breath caught.
Her friends…
Slaughtered.
Bodies of mages she had trained with, laughed with, protected—now scattered across the stone floor. Each step forward shattered another piece of her heart.
Then she saw it.
A piece of parchment lying among the bloodstains.
She knelt down, trembling, and picked it up.
Her eyes scanned the page—and at the very bottom, in bold ink, it read:
“Purge all mages. Leave none behind.
– Ameria”
Valrie stared in disbelief—her breath stolen by rage.
“Ameria…” she whispered, her voice cracking with fury.
She dropped the note as if it burned her hands, then turned and sprinted out of the ruined tower—
Her next destination clear:
The northern tower.
As Valrie sprinted toward the northern tower, her thoughts raced just as fast.
“Am I too late?”
“Is everyone already dead?”
When she reached the tower, her heart dropped—the gate was already blown open.
For a moment, all hope left her.
But then—
The sound of fighting echoed from inside.
Without hesitation, she rushed in.
And there she was.
Ameria.
Blade raised—pressed against the throat of Valrie’s best friend, Fred.
Valrie’s eyes widened in horror.
Ameria barked out, “WHERE’S THE ARCANE BOOK?!”
Then struck Fred hard across the face.
Valrie almost lunged forward right then and there—but held herself back.
She knew if she rushed in now, she’d end up killing Fred by mistake.
Fred coughed, blood dripping from his mouth, and shouted,
“I SAID IT’S NOT HERE!”
Ameria growled, “LIES! I KNOW YOU BLOOD ELVES HIDE EVERYTHING!”
And slapped him again—harder this time.
That sound—
The crack—
It broke Valrie.
She snapped.
“LEAVE HIM ALONE!”
She screamed, sending a firebolt straight at Ameria.
Ameria turned and blocked it effortlessly.
“Ah… another mage.”
Fred, bleeding and barely standing, laughed weakly.
“She’s not just a mage… hehehe…”
Without hesitation, Ameria drove her sword into his throat.
Silencing the laugh.
Valrie’s scream echoed through the tower as her rage exploded.
“YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT!”
Ameria smirked, now circling Valrie like a predator.
“So will you,” she whispered.
And Valrie began to circle her too—
Two hunters.
One fight
Suddenly, Ameria dashed at Valrie with blinding speed. Valrie blocked the strike and countered with a sweeping wave of fire.
Ameria jumped back and fired an arrow mid-air.
Valrie raised an arcane barrier just in time—the arrow vanished on impact.
Ameria’s eyes narrowed.
“How in the…?”
Valrie smirked.
With a flick of her hand, a fiery whip shot forward, wrapping around Ameria’s body. With a grunt of effort, Valrie slammed her into the ground.
“Ugh!” Ameria groaned, but she rolled back to her feet and hurled another arrow.
Valrie instinctively raised her barrier again—
But this time, Ameria disappeared.
Valrie gasped—
Ameria reappeared behind her.
With no time to react, Valrie took a powerful kick to the back, sending her flying across the floor.
She hit the ground hard but used her staff to steady herself and rise.
Ameria taunted her with a sneer.
“It’s useless, Blood Elf. You and your city are going to fall—no matter how hard you fight!”
Valrie’s eyes flared with rage.
“Not if I’m still standing!”
She hurled two fireballs at Ameria, who crossed her blades to block them.
But as the flames clashed, Valrie vanished—
And reappeared right behind Ameria.
Ameria spun around, wide-eyed in shock.
“Wha—”
Valrie roared,
“TAKE THIS!”
She launched a massive arcane orb point-blank, sending Ameria crashing into the stone wall of the tower with a thunderous impact.
The tower began to collapse, stones crumbling and the walls giving way. Valrie attempted to fly out, but a wave of debris crashed down on top of her, burying her beneath the rubble.
Ameria was the first to emerge, stepping out from the dust with a grin as she looked upon Valrie’s city—now engulfed in flames. Buildings collapsed in the distance. Screams echoed.
It looked as if hell had taken over.
Moments later, Valrie finally rose from the wreckage, her robe torn, her body bruised and battered. Blood trickled from her forehead, and ash clung to her skin.
Ameria raised her bow again, aiming it directly at her.
Valrie gritted her teeth and took a stance, her body aching but still ready to fight.
But before she could move—before she could even dash or cast—
A blur of motion swept past her.
Valrie’s eyes widened in shock as she turned to see—
A woman in shining armor
—clashing blades with Ameria in midair
Valrie began to take in the woman’s appearance—pale skin, long black hair, and eyes that seemed too young for the darkness she radiated. There was something unnatural… something ancient within her.
Valrie moved to a safer vantage point, hiding behind a fallen column to observe the fight—trying to figure out who this mysterious warrior was.
As the battle continued, the woman in dark armor started to gain the upper hand. Her movements were precise, fluid—lethal.
She began landing solid blows on Ameria, forcing the High Elf back with every clash.
Then, in a sudden burst, the woman landed almost directly in front of Valrie.
Valrie froze.
She looked at the woman and, breathless, asked,
“W… who are you?”
The woman didn’t smile. She didn’t even shift her expression. Her voice was calm. Cold.
“I’m Ada.”
Valrie’s eyes shot open.
That name… no. It couldn’t be—
The legend whispered in shadows… the Death Knight reborn.
Before Valrie could ask another question, Ada launched forward, dashing at Ameria with terrifying speed.
The clash resumed, steel ringing through the burning ruins of the city
Valrie ducked back behind the column, her heart racing.
She whispered to herself,
“Am I dreaming?! There’s no way… that’s Eldrin’s daughter. She—she was killed! How could she be here…?”
Then it struck her.
A chill ran down her spine.
She peeked out once more, just to be sure—watching the battle unfold.
And then she saw it.
The purple glow.
Ada unleashed a devastating blast at Ameria, her power radiating with a force Valrie had only heard of in myth.
Valrie quickly ducked back behind the column, her breathing shallow.
Her hands were shaking—violently.
And they had never shaken like this before
Valrie closed her eyes, trying to calm her breathing. She counted the seconds, willing her hands to stop shaking.
Then she peeked around the column again—
The Death Knight was gone.
All she could see now was Ameria, lying motionless on the ground, clearly defeated.
Suddenly—
A voice whispered coldly behind her:
“Looking for me?”
Valrie jumped, spinning around in terror, her staff trembling in her grip. She was on the verge of tears.
“W… wha… what are you?!”
The woman stood there, completely composed.
“I’m Ada. Daughter of Eldrin.”
Valrie’s body froze. Her eyes shot wide open.
“B… but… but you were killed…”
Ada took a slow step forward, then knelt in front of Valrie, her expression unreadable.
Valrie scrambled back, trying to retreat, but the wall was behind her—she had nowhere to go.
Ada leaned in slightly, studying Valrie’s terrified expression.
“Yes. I was slain…”
“But I was brought back.”
Valrie’s staff clattered to the floor.
She began to shake—violently
Valrie fell to her knees in front of Ada, trembling.
She began to pray, her voice shaking:
“Please… Arcane Gods, protect me… Oh gods, may they protect me…”
Ada tilted her head, confused by Valrie’s fear.
She didn’t understand why this mage was so terrified of her.
After a moment of silence, Ada dropped her sword and slowly extended a hand.
Valrie looked at it—confused, still trembling—but after a long pause, she hesitantly reached out and took it.
Ada helped her up.
As Valrie rose to her feet, she looked around—and the full weight of everything crashed down on her.
Her city, burning. Her people, gone.
She was now the last Blood Elf… and the last Blood Elf mage.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she said nothing.
Together, she and Ada turned and began to walk—slowly—toward Ameria’s fallen body
As they reached Ameria’s body, she twitched from the pain—but then her eyes slowly opened.
