Epsos was a nation built on war.
Under the rule of its third emperor, Lennix Depraysie, the empire had only grown more fearsome. Though still in his late thirties, Lennix had ruled for five years—five years of conquest, of burning cities, of fallen kingdoms. His name alone was enough to silence a room.
To some, he was a hero.
To most, a monster.
Whispers followed him across borders—of pillaged lands, shattered armies, and the cries of those left behind. Mothers, children, soldiers alike… none were spared when Epsos set its eyes on a nation.
And now, Lennix had a new target.
"Gaitan," one of his advisors had said.
A country hidden behind dense forests and steep hills, untouched by war, unseen by most of the world. A place that had survived by staying invisible.
But what truly caught Lennix's interest was not its location.
It was its people.
Magis.
"They control seasons," the advisor had continued. "Grow crops without waiting for rain. Craft machines we cannot understand. Their knowledge… surpasses ours."
That was all Lennix needed to hear.
A week later, fifty thousand cavalry rode under the banner of Epsos.
The march was swift. Relentless.
And when they arrived—Gaitan was not ready.
Panic spread like wildfire among its people. One moment, they had lived in peace. The next, they stood on the edge of ruin.
Children cried. Parents trembled.
And at the center of it all… sat the emperor.
Lennix Depraysie watched with quiet amusement as several captured children were brought before him. His sharp eyes studied them closely.
They were… different.
Skin tones like sunlit bronze, deep earth, and pale ivory. Hair that shimmered in colors rarely seen—silver, violet, crimson. Each one looked almost unreal.
Ethereal.
"Interesting…" Lennix muttered.
Without hesitation, he pulled one child onto his horse, while the rest were held by his elite guard. Then, as if strolling into a garden rather than an enemy's domain, he rode forward.
Arrows were drawn.
Strange machines hummed.
Magic flickered in the air.
But Lennix did not stop.
Before him stood the gates of Gaitan—white as marble, glowing under the sun like something untouched by the world's cruelty.
He smirked.
"Bring me your leader!" his voice rang out.
Silence followed.
Then—
The gates opened.
Not a king. Not a warlord.
But a woman stepped forward.
She was entirely white.
Hair like falling snow, skin without flaw, robes woven with threads of gold. And her eyes -
Golden. Piercing. Unyielding.
Behind her stood others. Each just as strange, just as extraordinary. A man cloaked in black with crimson eyes. A woman with violet hair clutching scrolls. A towering warrior with bronze skin and a massive axe resting on his shoulder.
Lennix's smile widened.
Then he laughed.
A loud, unrestrained sound that echoed across the battlefield.
"Hahaha! What a sight…" he said, eyes gleaming. "To think such wonders remained hidden from me all this time."
He leaned forward slightly, gaze locking onto the white-haired woman.
"You have done well to stay unseen."
His voice dropped—cold, absolute.
"But no longer."
Straightening, he raised his chin with pride.
"I am Lennix Depraysie, Emperor of Epsos."
His grip tightened on the child before him.
"And from this day forward—your land, your people…"
A pause that soon turns into a sinister smile.
"…belong to me."