Prologue
“Earth, stone, wood, metal, and bone. The Holy Lands. The places that your gods send you your children. The only places that aren’t owned by any of the 5 nations, but instead are the only places where there is no war. These places, these temples, where our children, our future, appear, belong only to your gods. No matter what war we may go through, these places are the safe places. No drop of blood shall touch The Holy Lands. Am I correct?” Damira asked, almost daring the 3 men in the room with her to disagree.
“Yes, empress, you are correct.” Crisvan bowed his head and then looked back up at the empress.
Damira was beautiful. Pale skin that made her black hair look even darker, and striking green eyes. She ruled over the country Vidaaren. Vidaaren was known for war and its need to conquer. It is said that the god of life and death, the one who ruled over the Holy Land of Bone, came into being under the only white tree in the center of Moonless Grove. Damira would have been a completely normal and wonderful empress for the people of Vidaaren, if she respected the gods as everyone else did.
“The Holy Lands are what keeps our lands populated, allows us to keep moving forward, and they are the most powerful thing in what we know of our world. Everyone in the 5 nations rely on these Holy Lands. This means, that whoever controls these lands, controls everything.” She paused, letting everyone soak in what she just said. “This means that to be in complete control, we need to take over the Holy Lands. And this is exactly what we’re going to do.”
Crisvan swallowed. He knew what Damira wanted. She wanted power. And to get that, she was going to start a war, and that war would take place on the Holy Lands. Great Gods and Goddess, I am sorry for what we are about to do.
Not a full day had passed before the first blood in history touched the marble floor in the temple of the Holy Land of Bone.