The first clash along the central plains did not end the conflict. It only removed what little hesitation remained. Word spread quickly across the territories, and within days, movements became deliberate rather than cautious.
The forces of the Volkrin Clan advanced toward the storage routes that crossed the plains. Their soldiers moved in tight formations, shields raised, their approach steady and direct.
From the opposite side, the combined banners of the Aurevian Clan and the Nerathi Clan appeared along the ridges. Their numbers were greater, their positions elevated, their supply lines already prepared.
The first full battle unfolded beneath a sky without wind.
Energy stones shattered under strain, releasing bursts of light that scarred the ground. Formations broke and reformed. Orders were given, withdrawn, and replaced. Neither side withdrew.
The fighting spread beyond the plains.
Volkrin divisions struck at supply routes leading toward the plateaus. Aurevian forces responded with fortified outposts. Nerathi tacticians redirected resources, reinforcing shared strongholds.
Each move tightened the conflict.
Where caravans once passed, columns of soldiers now marched. Where shared vaults once stood open, barriers were raised.
In time, the alliance between the Aurevian and Nerathi began to strain. Supplies grew thinner. Requests multiplied. Decisions became slower.
During one council, the Aurevian leader ordered additional reserves moved toward his plateau cities. Nerathi representatives were informed afterward rather than consulted.
The change was noted.
Soon after, Nerathi envoys requested access to certain stores. The reply spoke of limited reserves and necessary priorities.
No argument followed, but cooperation became measured.
On the battlefield, this change showed in subtle ways. Formations no longer moved as one. Reinforcements arrived later than expected. Commanders hesitated before committing shared resources.
The Volkrin forces, though pressed from two sides, did not retreat. Their advances were fewer, but each push struck with concentrated force. Their strategy shifted from open confrontation to disruption—targeting supply lines, isolating units, forcing their opponents to divide attention.
Weeks passed.
The land between the three territories bore the marks of repeated battles. Stone was cracked, fields burned, and the central plains—once used for the Pidashin gatherings—were carved by trenches and scattered with broken armor.
It was during the largest engagement that the shift occurred.
All three forces converged upon the same ground. No alliances held firmly, yet no side withdrew. Each sought to claim the remaining reserves believed to lie beneath the plains.
The Aurevian divisions advanced in disciplined ranks.
The Nerathi formations moved to secure the flanks.
The Volkrin forces surged from the low ground.
The clash that followed lasted until the sun reached its highest point.
By then, the formations had dissolved into scattered fronts. Commanders lost sight of one another. Signals failed. The battle no longer moved according to plan.
Energy stones fractured under strain, their power released without direction. Waves of force collided in the open air, distorting the ground beneath them.
For the first time, none of the clans held clear advantage.
The Aurevian ranks, built for structure, faltered in the broken terrain.
The Nerathi formations, reliant on coordination, fractured when communication failed.
The Volkrin charges, powerful in bursts, stalled against reinforced lines.
Each strength met a limit outside its natural ground.
Like a creature of the sea cast onto land, or a hunter of the sky forced below the clouds, their dominance weakened when removed from its origin.
By dusk, the three forces stood separated by distance rather than victory.
None had claimed the field.
None had secured the reserves.
The cost lay scattered across the plains.
As night fell, the released energies—once contained within stones and guided by controlled hands—lingered across the battlefield. They drifted through the air, drawn toward the traces left behind: ambition, restraint, hesitation, desire, anger, and hunger.
The land absorbed them.
Where the ground had split, faint currents moved beneath the surface. The air above the plains grew still, carrying no banner and belonging to no clan.
When the remaining forces withdrew, they left the field empty.
No victor was declared.
In the years that followed, the three clans did not return to their former unity. Their territories grew distant not only in land but in memory. The Pidashin tradition faded, and the shared balance it once represented was no longer restored.
Yet the energy released during those final battles did not disappear.
It settled into the world itself, shaped by the forces that had stirred it.
And from that time onward, the power drawn from the land no longer reflected balance alone, but something deeper, something shaped by the divisions that had once fractured the three clans. ...
The book closed with a soft silence that comes after a knowing truth, the students looked at each other's faces slowly as if making sure they all heard the story. the student sat up straight.
" Did anyone understood " Sylus asked
Zipporah lifted a hand,
" Good, now summarize what happened"
she stood up, " first of all the three clans of Zennin are the very people that influence the untamed power of this land with their emotions, but they were unaware, the Padishin games was something created by their first leaders to create an occasion of togetherness but after the new leaders it became a competition to show off power,
the first clan, Aurevian won seven rounds over and grew the sin of Pride, becoming proud of their power,
the third sin and the first Aurevian and Volkrin with their immense power began to cooperate together without the second clan Nerathi , they willingly left that clan out because of their lack in power and the old age of their leader, witnessing this the second clan Nerathi grew the sin of Envy, becoming envious of the relationship between the two clans,
The Nerathi clan went feather from Envy, they wanted power, they needed to be on the same level as the other clans, they wanted their recognition back and with that they grew the sin of Lust, becoming lustful of power,
The Nerathi clan worked more than ever till they succeeded, they gained the recognition they wanted, they gained the power they wanted and with that they gained the satisfaction and the power to treat the other how they please, the Aurevian clan began to want their power they began to need their assistant, not because they recognized them as fellow clan but as an important place for resources, the Aurevian clan grew the sin of Greed, wanting to everything to themselves,
Aurevian clan and the Nerathi clan began cooperating and willingly left out the Volkrin clan, the Volkrin clan wasn't the type to keep things down, with the attitude of the two clans, the favoritism and the Pride of the Aurevain clan, the Volkrin clan grew the sin of Wrath,
The Aurevain clan and the Volkrin clan broke into a fight with both sides claiming to gain more favor from the Nerathi clan, with their newly gains power they became an important clan for both of them, the Nerathi clan could have stepped in to stop the fight, they could have arranged a balance interference but did not, the fight between both clans gave them trill, and with that they stepped back and let them fight themselves to death, with this they grew the sin of Sloth,
The Aurevain clan and the Volkrin clan fought bay and night but because both clans had almost the same level of power they couldn't win in any field, then they began to change their mind, since fighting didn't get them anywhere they changed their mind, if they couldn't gain in calmly then they will claim it forcefully, they wanted the Nerathi clan, they needed their power desperately, with that both clans grew the sin of Gluttony,
They devour each other, the end "
the students fell back in their seat " this is crazy " Ivy remarked " why couldn't they just... you know just be one "
" I don't think that's possible, with the nature of people that won't be possible " Kairo responded.
" everything happened for a reason right, what happened then has led to now" Zipporah added.
the student engaged in a small conversation while Sylus listened, Damian sat closer to the group than before, he looked from time to time not at the student but at Sylus, planning. calculating.
when he brought the books earlier he thought the students would find it difficult to understand but it seems like they are well smart in the fields of royal polities.
But right now with their comments back and forth it seems like no one noticed, no one noticed the story has a cliff end, Lady Asha was the one who wrote the book anyway, with her knowledge in literature it's a surprise she didn't put in a heavy doss of royal polities, the words are clean and the ending was perfect, only a few would notice anything.
Damian opened an already read page and smiled.
Sylus noticed Ren had been quiet while the others were busy dissecting what they heard,
Sylus sighs, for the past two days he realized that Ren doesn't speak unless spoken to he never speaks no matter what he wants to say, an extremely timid person with the sharpest reflexes, he physically fit but the aura around him is lesser than an average person, his face and attitude are that of a shy child but that doesn't excuse his sharp eyes.
"afternoon brake, now" Sylus stood up and walked to where Damian was sitting, the students got up slowly Kario picked up his books and Zipporah also picked the rest of the books left, " those leaders are all idiots " Kairo spoke, " watch your words Kairo, not thing that happens are bad" Zipporah said " guys how about I fresh fruits drink for brake what do you say" Ivy spoke.
" no Zipporah and I have a match" Kairo spoke,
" a match?" Ivy asked.
" Yeah, she thinks her fire abilities are more powerful than mine just because she is a swordsman"
Zipporah smirked " it's not that I think, I am more powerful than you Kairo"
" you have no idea what I can do fox woman, watch me beat you, the fields are free for now, Master Diablo's students are also on a break"
" can I watch" Ivy asked. " I'm bringing popcorn "
" you can, watch my victory " Zipporah spoke.
the voices of the students faded as they moved feather away from the table, Ren was still seated with his head down,
" Ren" Sylus called out, " come "
Ren got up and followed Sylus as he sat down where Damian was, Sylus placed a hand on the space between them and Ren sat down after a few seconds,
" what's wrong, speak up Ren"
Ren held the base of his jacket and looked from left to right, his actions gained the attention of Damian who was deep into a page of the chronicles, but with one question from Ren, he shut the book close.
" the story.... its incomplete .... isn't it"