Mamir and his army, accompanied by the King of Sahal, set out toward the occupied kingdom. Thousands of soldiers marched in unison, their steps echoing on the stone roads, while the wind carried with it the faint, salty scent of the sea.
For a while, they rode in silence. At last, Mamir turned to the king beside him, who rode with a solemn air:
— "What is your name, my lord?"
The king took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the horizon.
— "My name is Eovar, the twenty-third King of Sahal. That is why they call me the 23rd Son of the Sea. For our kingdom was built upon the shore of the ocean, and all my ancestors were great seafarers."
Mamir's heart trembled for a moment. In his mind's eye, he saw his father, Visernes — the twenty-second King of Harland. And if Mamir one day ascended the throne, he too would be the twenty-third king… just like Eovar.
— "I am also," Mamir said in a voice filled with emotion, "the son of Visernes Harland, the twenty-second King of Harland, in the continent of Trolos. I am Prince Mamir Harland. I began this journey to save my kingdom — and the entire world — from darkness. But along this road, my greatest enemy is Ostomas Harland, the very one who ordered the invasion of your kingdom."
Eovar's gaze hardened as Mamir continued:
— "Ostomas was the first king to found Harland. But he chose the path of darkness and evil. To rule the entire world, he performed ancient dark sorceries. His shadow beasts can only be slain by two things: weapons forged with the light of the Elves, or those wrought from the essence of darkness itself. Any other blade will simply pass through them."
Eovar lowered his head, sorrow in his voice:
— "So that is why my soldiers were helpless… Our swords, our spears — none of them could touch the enemy."
Mamir's voice rang with firm resolve:
— "That is why I convinced the Elves. They gave me enough swords, spears, arrows, and shields to arm entire armies. The Dwarves forged the finest armor. With these, we shall defeat the darkness."
Eovar's eyes gleamed once more, his voice resounding with hope:
— "Then I stand with you, friend Mamir! If we reclaim my kingdom, I will gather the surviving soldiers and form an army to fight at your side!"
A bright smile spread across Mamir's face.
— "First, let us free your land. The rest will follow!"
As the horses pressed forward, the salty scent of the sea grew stronger in the wind. In the distance, the crashing of waves began to echo. The shores of Sahal awaited them.
And so, the son of the sea and the son of the land marched together, side by side, toward the coming war against the darkness.
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