Morning rose over the plains of Duldera, a gentle silence stretching across the land, basking in the calmness of it all, soon to be broken by the stirrings of a new day.
A tame wind stirred the grass, its chill crisp on the skin, yet its presence oddly comforting.
Yet this dawn carried no ill omen for Blood Denegis. Only the favor of the Vita was present. Across the plains, thousands of riders, lines of carriages, and tens of thousands of soldiers behind it all bearing three distinct banners advanced with steady, disciplined purpose.
The allies have arrived, and they brought with them salvation.
There was no time to rest. The enemy was near.
"REST!" yelled a giant of a man as he came down from his riding ram.
"HA!" roared the soldiers bearing the sigil of a mountain of axes, answering their Patriarch's command with thunderous unity.
He, along with two others who had signaled their troops to halt, now walked side by side toward the figures ahead. Who, despite their noble standing, looked far less intimidating than the ironclad warriors approaching them.
"It is the greatest pleasure to see your Blood is still strong, Lord Elion," said the older warrior. Erol An, with his warm smile and eye patch, looked scarier than a few days ago when he appeared more as an unfortunate older man than the warrior he really was.
Clearly shown by the armor he wore and the Leviathan's sigil, which he wore proudly on his chest.
His armor was donned from head to toe, made of dark blue scales from creatures of True Vita so deep in the oceans that this might have been the first time the scales on the armor would have seen the light of the sun and felt its warmth.
His weapon was no ordinary weapon either, as a double-headed sword stood high on his back, making him appear taller than he was.
"My Lord Erol An, my Blood never wavered," began Elion, putting his open hand in front of him as they shook arms.
"We've heard troubling news. Is it true?" asked the tall, slender man beside Erol An, whose delicate frame did not match the power in his presence.
His armor was of pure black. Made of steel and painted black, and decorated with gem artifacts by artisans who only exist in one place in the entire Senvia Empire. The Imperial Capital.
His wing lance was made out of one of the rarest materials in the empire as well. Obsidian. Enforced by gem artifacts that ensured the enormous shard of obsidian would not break any time soon.
"Indeed, it is true, My Lord Renn Alvenin," Elion began explaining, "A vanguard of around a hundred thousand brought ruin in one village of my domain and were on their way to lay ruin to Duldera when we stopped them and fed their Vita to the earth."
"Mmm. Good," approved the man who towered over all who were near him.
If his appearance spoke of anything, it was his love for war. He thrived in it. He was the definition of it.
Though clad in thick iron plates, his armor bore no decoration, a deliberate choice that reflected his belief in function over flair as well as his intelligence, though he did not always show it.
He needed no embellishment to project power. He was already formidable. And none dared contest that statement.
No jeweled relics or armor crafted from mythical beasts could add to what he already was. His golden eyes alone were enough proof.
They were sharp and unforgiving and pierced anyone who dared to stare into them for too long.
And then there was his axe... a colossal great axe, easily six feet in length. Its massive axe head was capable of cleaving through trees with such overwhelming ease that men ran away at the sight of it.
"My friend," Elion said, shaking the hand of Dalv-Varran Tarba as they stared into each other's souls.
"My Lords," Valar greeted, shaking the hands of the Patriarchs before stepping aside for his mothers.
"My Good Lords," said Mera as she did a curtsy, "you are most welcome."
"Indeed," added Auren, following her sister, "it has brought us great relief in seeing your arrival during such dark times."
"Please, come inside. There is much to discuss. We've sent for food and ale to be brought to your men. So rest assured, they will be well taken care of," ended Elion, as the doors of the estate opened.
And so, the adult members of Blood Denegis and their allies retreated inside the mansion to discuss the looming threat.
"Beautiful…" muttered Blanc, seeing the Plains in front of his eyes filled with man and beast alike. Warriors all. Gathered here with one single purpose. Their defense. It was a sight to behold.
"Indeed," Celine replied, "but is it a good idea to be here?"
"Where else would I be? I want to at least lay eyes on them if I cannot fight beside them," Blanc said, sitting on the balcony of his room, as they drank tea and listened to the muffled sound of thousands of voices.
They also stood silently as they watched the interaction between Elion and the Patriarchs. Blanc's eyes split between their armor and weapons.
"If it gives you enough peace," Celine added, "but wouldn't you like to rest more? It would do you good."
"I know. I also feel like it would. But I want to watch them a few moments longer, before doing that." Blanc replied, not taking his eyes off the allied army.
It's huge, Blanc thought to himself, as he spun numbers around, figuring out an approximate estimation of all present. At least eighty thousand. With their forty-five… A hundred twenty-five thousand. A good number. Still too huge a difference between theirs and the Iron Line, which was expected to be here by this time the next day.
Still, hope was not lost. More allies were on their way as they spoke. And hopefully that will be enough. But his thinking would not change much now.
He will be absent from the council meeting and from the battle that followed. He was already useless to them all.
"Let's go, my love. It seems I need to rest more than I thought. My thoughts are getting darker." Blanc said, getting up from his chair, "Will you join me? You have not rested properly either."
"I will, my dear," she replied, grabbing his left hand and heading towards the bed.
Whatever the result of the battle was, only the Vita knew. He will only be a witness to it all.