Aranthian Year 4018
Rain falls on the fields of Abbey Province, in the southern regions of West Aranthia. Today, the Great Aranthian War shall finally end. King Kildrin of Helvoria, a land to the west of Aranthia, declared war on the Holy State, attempting to take it for his own. Kildrin led his elven soldiers to the battlefield, and took a large portion of Aranthia. However, he was pushed back into his own lands of Helvoria. Kildrin eventually escaped his homeland, and sailed to Abbey Field, where the final battle will take place.
King Kildrin stands on a hill in the field, the soldiers of the Helvorian army at his back. At their backs, the Aranthian Ocean. King Kildrin grips his magical book, the Bloodbath Tome, tightly. On the opposite side of the battlefield, he spots his enemy: High Priest Velin Achenrill of Aranthia, descendant of High Priests Aran and Thia.
Velin Achenrill grips the hilts of his two blades, joined together by a mystical chain. His swords are called Einheit, the Blades of Unity. His white armor bears the crest of the Valorixist church, depicting two figures joining hands, with a smaller figure just beneath them. The two larger figures represent Sora and Ania, the Mother Gods, while the smaller figure represents Valorix. On the opposite side of the battlefield, Velin Achenrill spots his enemy: King Kildrin.
In the city of Lorentia, just west of the soon-to-be battlefield, a funeral takes place. A soldier, fallen in battle, is being lowered into the earth, so that he may finally join Valorix and the Mother Gods in the Heavens above. The church emblem engraved on his casket, he slowly descends. A woman begins to sing the Aranthian Requiem, a song that is sung for many funerals across Aranthia. Her notes are carried by the wind, and they float through the air across Abbey Field.
"The solemn chords of the Aranthian Funeral Song fill the air," Kildrin notes. A grin appears upon his face. "Hm. Perhaps this is a sign." Kildrin readies his tome, and the soldiers behind him ready their weapons as well. Across the field, Achenrill takes note of this.
"They should know..." He says, readying his blades. "They brought this upon themselves."
Far to the east, a third army rides. A large man, with chilling white hair, leads them, riding his horse toward Abbey Field. This is Wuhlfrik Ravagon Asleen, the Warlord. He hails from the land of Asleenia, and he is their leader. He injected himself into Aranthia and Helvoria's war, and craves only bloodshed. While the armies at Abbey Field wear grim faces, Wuhlfrik and his Asleenian soldiers wear smiles, for they know blood awaits them at their destination.
At Abbey Field, both armies watch the other closely, waiting for the other to make the first move. Velin Achenrill decides that it will be his army who begins the battle. He points the blade of one of his swords at the Helvorian Army.
"My church soldiers!" He yells. "Tonight, this bloody chapter of Aranthia's history ends! Tonight, the Aranthian people will sleep safely in their homes. Tonight... we end this war! Never waver!"
The church soldiers let out their war cries, and they begin to charge at the Helvorian army.
"Helvoria!" Kildrin shouts, raising his Bloodbath Tome. "Claim this world as our own! Stain the land red with those evil Aranthians' blood!" The Helvorian army rushes forward. And so, the Battle of Abbey Field begins. Sorcerers from each army launch fireballs and call lightning upon their enemy. Swords, axes, and greatblades clash against other weapons and shields. Arrows fly through the air, plunging themselves into the bodies of their targets. Velin Achenrill cuts down Helvorian soldiers, attempting to find King Kildrin, and end this foul war.
From a nearby hill, Wuhlfrik and his Asleenian army watch the battle. An Asleenian commander, with long white hair, approaches the Warlord.
"Your Majesty. Is... should we really be here?" She asks. "Your weapons. You-"
"The Asleenian Empire will live on, Azrael. If I fall here," Wuhlfrik begins. He turns to the Commander, his youngest daughter. "Everything falls to you. Do you understand?" Azrael looks up at her father, sitting on his steed.
"I understand, Your Majesty," Azrael says. She readies her blade. Wuhlfrik grips the hilt of his greatblade, closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath, breathing in the smoke, the dust, and the smell of war and bloodshed.
"Ah..." He opens his eyes. He raises his blade. "KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM! LEAVE NO SURVIVORS!" The Asleenian Army lets out their war cries, and they charge toward Abbey Field, ready to join the battle.
The Battle of Abbey Field rages on. Aranthia steel clashes with Helvorian steel. Suddenly, Asleenian soldiers rush onto the battlefield, cutting down soldiers from both armies. Wuhlfrik carves a path through the battlefield. Each soldiers he comes across, violently cut down, none of them standing a chance. Velin Achenrill parries an attack from a Helvorian soldiers, and then counterattacks, killing said soldier. Velin looks up, and sees King Kildrin standing before him. The two men lock eyes.
Kildrin opens his Bloodbath Tome, and pages fly out. The pages then turn into dark red tendrils that fly at Velin. The High Priest parries the tendril attacks with his blades. He slices the tendrils, causing them to fall to the ground. Tendrils continue to attack Velin Achenrill, but he survives the assault. Velin reaches Kildrin, spins around a tendril, dodging it. He swings his blade at Kildrin's neck, but stops right as the sword reaches his enemy's flesh. The two leaders continue to lock eyes.
"Surrender, Kildrin," Velin demands. "You have a son. Think of him! You have a people to lead!" Velin looks deep within Kildrin's eyes. He knows that Kildrin will not surrender.
"They will live on without me, High Priest," Kildrin says. "I..." Kildrin looks away from Velin, and looks elsewhere. The High Priest takes his eyes off the Helvorian King, and turns to see Wuhlfrik Ravagon Asleen approaching. Velin stares at the Warlord, and then moves his blade away from Kildrin's neck.
"High Priest Achenrill," Wuhlfrik begins. His gaze turns to Kildrin. "King Kildrin. How pleasant to meet you here, on the field of battle."
"This battle does not concern you!" Kildrin yells. Wuhlfrik smiles. A soldiers falls dead next to Wuhlfrik's feet. An Aranthian? A Helvorian? Perhaps an Asleenian? It is unknown. Dirt and blood cover the soldier's army, and his face. Wuhlfrik looks at the lifeless face of this soldier. And he laughs. Wuhlfrik lunges at Velin and Kildrin, swinging his greatblade violently. The two leaders dodge his attacks. Eventually, the Warlord stops for a brief moment.
"Kildrin," Velin says, getting the King's attention. "Let's put aside our differences. Let's work together to take down this foe!" Kildrin looks at the High Priest. He's serious.
"I've never agreed with you, Achenrill," Kildrin begins. "But perhaps I can make an exception. Just this once." The High Priest of Aranthia and the King of Helvoria ready their weapons. Wuhlfrik smiles, and readies his. He lunges at them once more, slashing at them. They continue to dodge his attacks, and they delivers attacks of their own, hitting him repeatedly. The Warlord stumbles, but regains his footing. He attempts to counterattack, but misses. Another attack hits him, cutting through his skin. A Bloodbath tendril lashes at him, leaving a gash on his skin. He falls over. He attempts to stand up, but can only kneel. He breathes heavily. Blood drips from his mouth, and falls onto the dirt below him.
"So..." Wuhlfrik says. "It seems... this is where I meet my end..."
The battle rages on around them. Wuhlfrik watches, taking in the details.
"History... repeats itself. This will not be the last time our weapons grace the battlefield," He continues. "Your ambitions... will never... NEVER... be realized..." He trembles, and then falls forward, dead. Wuhlfrik Ravagon Asleen, the Warlord, the Emperor of Asleen, has been killed. The High Priest and the King look at his lifeless body. Velin breathes heavily.
"Kildrin..." He begins. "I want us to share this world. I want the fighting to end. I want peace. Command your army to retreat. We can reach a compromise, a-"
"I cannot do that, Velin," Kildrin interrupts. "Helvoria... my home is not safe with your kind so near." They look at each other.
"Very well," Velin says. "Then let us be as primitive animals. And let our weapons do the talking." Velin Achenrill, the High Priest of Aranthia, readies his blades. Kildrin, King of Helvoria, readies his Bloodbath Tome. The Battle of Abbey Field rages on. From a distance, Azrael watches. She sees the body of her father, lying face first in the dirt. Azrael turns, and leaves the battlefield.
The High Priest and the King lock eyes for the final time. Velin Achenrill lunges at the Helvorian King, swinging his blades. King Kildrin launches bloodbath tendrils at the Aranthian High Priest. They join their soldiers, and the battle continues.