I

━━━━━━┓༻❁༺┏━━━━━━

Arc I Chapter 1

━━━━━━┛༻❁༺┗━━━━━━

The kingdom of Arcadia was an old kingdom. A kingdom rich in culture and history, located in the heart of Eudia, the ancient continent. A kingdom populated by countless duchies, baronies, counties and pesky nobles.

Some duchies were small. Some duchies were large. And some were duchies with history. The Duchy of Schwarzwalt was such a case. It was a duchy with history, a history interwoven with the foundation of Arcadia itself. Schwarzwalt enjoyed a prominent place across Arcadia, known among commoners and nobles alike, but not because of its possessions, not because of its wealth, not because of its military might.

The duchy comprised vast territories situated in Arcadia's heartlands. The duchy mustered a respectable military. The duchy profited from a sizeable population, a prosperous industry, a productive agriculture, but what gave Schwarzwalt its importance was a single family.

Since ancient times, the proud House of Schwarz ruled over these lands. Few doubted they would continue to do so for the coming centuries.

The Schwarzs were an old, a powerful lineage that traced their origins back to the earliest days of Arcadia and beyond. Empires, kingdoms, dynasties rose and fell since the dawn of time, but the Schwarzs persisted throughout the ages with their place firmly among Arcadia's high nobility.

The name Schwarz was a name that could not be ignored. It was a prestigious name that carried weight, that commanded respect even among neighbouring countries.

The authority of the nobility derived from their magic prowess. From the lowliest knight to the highest king, magic formed the basis of the power and might. The ability to wield magic was a rare gift, a privilege inherited only through blood. Commoners graced with this gift existed, but their numbers were few, their abilities weak.

This was a world where lineage determined your worth. The House of Schwarz was such a powerful lineage, feared for their might and their mastery of fire. Rumours claimed their magic had weakened in recent times, but few were brave enough to verify these claims. Schwarzean magic remained potent, yet, unbeknownst to everyone, times were changing.

A lone carriage moved through the ancient forest, returning from the royal capital Eiche and heading for Freyburg, the proud capital of Schwarzwalt. Travelling for weeks, the journey was long, arduous. Danger lurked in the shadows.

“Captain, we found them. Albert and Hagen spotted the carriage. The knights wear the crest of the House of Schwarz. No doubt, it's them and the girl should be among them, provided our intelligence is correct“, Ludwig reported.

“Excellent.” Guenther grinned with a slight sense of satisfaction. He and his men chose simple attires. Their gear made them look like mercenaries, or bandits. Both of which were in plentiful supply these days.

They wore hauberks, chain mail, sturdy leather boots and gloves, but their posture betrayed Guenther and his men. They were neither mercenaries, nor bandits. They were professionals. They were knights with a mission, armed with steel.

An icy wind swept across the forest. Ominous clouds darkened the horizon as thunder roared in the distance. A storm was gathering.

Guenther gripped his sword. “Ludwig, prepare the horses. Tell the men we move out. We have got a girl to kill.”

The proud House of Schwarz would end today.

━━━━━━┛༻❁༺┗━━━━━━