Prologue
A wooden sword lay burning on the dirt road, waiting in vain for its young owner to reclaim it. It had belonged to a young boy, a toy to help him imagine that he was a glorious warrior in the kingdom of Navaria under King Galien. Now, however, there was no need to imagine. The Civil War that was tearing Navaria apart following Galien’s death had caused all to become warriors, though glory was no longer as important to them as survival.
A small girl watched fearfully out the window, watching as fire and terror reigned down onto the kingdom of Navaria around her. Her mother, Elinda Zonyn, rushed to pull the girl from the window as the flaming arrows of the archers drew closer to their home.
“Come away, it is not safe for you to be so visible, Hetti.” Elinda scolded. The small girl, Hetti, let go a small whine as she followed her mother to the corner of the bedroom.
“But what about Papa?” Hetti asked with a shaky whisper. Before Elinda could answer, the very man they spoke of burst through the bedroom door.
The battle grounds were a chorus of desperate screams, littering a once prosperous city in Navaria with bloody corpses. The stench of rotting bodies mixed with the metallic smell of blood and other bodily fluids dominated the atmosphere and choked the throats of those who breathed it in. General Audrick of the Navarian army looked about this massacre of a battlefield, watching as his former comrades fell at the hands of his current ones. At the start of this civil war a significant number of Elves had adopted themselves into a new race, the Dark Elves. These Dark Elves were reckless, bloodthirsty, and utterly merciless—mirroring their leader Damien, Audrick’s former brother in arms.
Each man was a king of his own people now, no matter the results of the war. Audrick’s blood ran cold as he caught sight of his former friend a mere few feet away. He stared down the changed Elf before him through watery eyes. Damien looked as though he hardly recognized his old friend.
“I do not wish to kill you Audrick,” Damien growled over the commotion. “Why do you fight with those daft men?”
“They fight for the good of this kingdom, while you fight for the sake of spilling blood and having power.” Audrick spat back.
“Are you not also fighting for power?” Damien cocked an eyebrow at him. Audrick felt a faint twinge in his stomach, hating the way Damien could make him doubt his own beliefs and motivations.
“I am fighting for the kingdom of Navaria, just like my men.”
“Then they will die with the Navaria,” Damien replied lowly. “And you with them.”
“So be it, old friend.” Audrick sighed, feeling utterly defeated in his endeavours to save his old companion.
They fought for what seemed to be ages, lunging with their swords and parrying each other’s blows. All in all, both generals knew each other’s fighting moves and styles all too well, creating a stalemate. It was when Damien had finally screamed in rage against the other Elf and hacked away at him relentlessly that Audrick grew weary and less quick to react. He was knocked from his feet by a powerful blow from Damien’s sword slashing across his chest. Audrick looked up into the merciless eyes of his former brother, feeling the warmth of his own blood trickling from his slashed chest and the velvety crimson liquid spilling from the corner of his mouth. He was bleeding out. Damien raised his sword for the killing blow, but something inside him held the sword still in the air above his head.
It would be the fate of the battle that most Dark Elves were killed or defeated, and the Navarians prevailed. Audrick was fortunately found and survived his battle wounds, to become King of Navaria. However all knew that Nevaria could never be the united, powerful kingdom it once had been. And so, Audrick had claimed kingship over the Navarians, while the Dark Elves followed their Dark King—King Damien. After much debate, it was decided that the northern half of the old Navaria would belong to King Audrick, and the southern half to King Damien. Neither king would ever speak to the other after that. And so, the northern kingdom was called the kingdom of Navaria, existing in peace among its people. However, in the south, the Dark Elves lived in the madness that was the kingdom of Ormere.
