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</div></div><div style="text-align: center"><b>+ - + - + - + - + -+ - + - + - + - + -+ - + - + - + - + -+ - + - + - + - + -</b>​</div><br/><i>In the world of Marosia...</i><br/><br/><i>...the kingdom, Elzier, is said to be at the very center. Beautiful as it was, every kingdom is said to contain a tragedy. For this kingdom, the fell came in the form of the simplest fact of the lust for power, and the betrayal from within. The Elzierian army had the four strongest knights to lead it, branching off into their own elements, but together, they were undefeatable. The Queen had given them each an area to govern, so that they would return to her to with a report of the lands around them.<br/>
<br/>
To the North was the Youngest Knight, said to have reached up into the heavens and brought down judgment upon those who had sinned in the form of destructing light. Stretching towards the South was the Female Knight, igniting the flame of justice that was said to reside within the heart of all in Elzier. To the West resided the Eldest Knight, protecting the Elves with the winds that many believed to carry the voices and spirits of Elzier. Spanning towards the East stood the Cardinal Knight, soothing the world with the healing waters that gave life and health. Together, they were the four pillars of Elzier and, in essence, the world. But just like any platform that was held up by pillars, they were doomed to the greatest weakness, for they would fall if not united.<br/>
<br/>
The King of Darkness had known this, thus he had gone after one that had been predicted to have the weakest of hearts among the four. No one knew how he had lured the Cardinal Knight, a great hero that no one had expected to betray them. They said that the susceptible mind he possessed allowed the King to lure him with the promise of power and leadership. This knight was said to be of the blackest of heart that had been already lurking in the shadows, caving into the Kingâ??s will and immediately joining that side. They say he was so ugly and sickening that no one could gaze upon him without feeling the darkness eat away at their sanity.<br/>
<br/>
On the night that the Queen had been assassinated, the story went as thus. The Cardinal Knight had joined in the usual meeting of the four knights, reporting to the Queen of Light about the situations of the world. A beloved son-like figure and savior of the Queen from a previous war, he had been trusted to near her in any way or form. Something that they had realized been the hardest form of betrayal. Wrapping his arms around someone they thought he saw as a mother, the Cardinal Knight drove the dagger of darkness deep into her body, corroding the light that resided from within. The Amulet of Marosia flared to life and exploded, sending four pieces into the scatters of the world. At the same time, the Queen was said to have fallen with a scream that pieced all that was within range to hear.<br/>
<br/>
Another version was that when the Amulet had scattered, the King of Darkness reached out his hand and caught one of the pieces like a ball thrown at him, a stream of light flaring beyond his hand, even though he had caught the main object that the light had been designated for. The magic flared, and any lower being without as much power would have been destroyed. Four lights that flared outwards to the corners of the world, leading them to where they might be able to find the shard of the Amulet. Even the three knights did not know fully where the shards were; just a general direction that the lightâ??s path showed them. But even if they found it, the question remains on those who still believe them, lips; of which the three knights was pure enough to wield part of the Amulet?<br/>
<br/>
As for the Queen? Her body flared into a glow of light, and they said that as she died, her body clung to the boy that she had raised by her own hands, only to be killed by his. What she had said to him, or had done, was left to be a secret that only the Queen of Light and the Treacherous Knight to know.<br/>
<br/>
But the truthâ?¦well, only those who had been within the room, the Queen, King, and knights, knew what had truly happenedâ?¦ what had trulyâ?¦</i><br/><br/><i><div style="text-align: right">destroyed and collapsed the world.​</div></i><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center"><b>+ - + - + - + - + -+ - + - + - + - + -+ - + - + - + - + -+ - + - + - + - + -</b>​</div><div style="text-align: center"><b>[ + ] The P R E F A C E [ + ]</b>​</div><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffff">"And that my friends is the story behind the fall of Elzier. It may sound like theatrics but I assure you my good people, what I speak is no tale crafted for the purposes of entertainment, but the cold, hard truth. Marosia is in trouble, in dire need of saving. Yes. . .what we need are our heroes,"</span>the man said passionately, his firey voice and wild gestures capturing the attention of the passerby's and drawing more and more people in the every growing crowd gathered around him.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffff"> "But alas, we know not where they have gone too. But rest assured my friends, they are out there! They are fighting, for you,"</span>he said pointing to a boy in the crowd,<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffff">"and you young madam,"</span>he said, pointing to a young woman,<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffff"> "and even you good sir,"</span>he said, pointing to the man standing just before him.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffff"> "I believe, in my heart of hears, that despite what others are saying, our brave knights continue to stand up against the. . .injustices of this one King of Darkness, and there are others out there! Comrades in arms they have yet to have met who will adi them in this most noble quest! We will not suffer at the hands of this. . .greedy king, this man who thinks the world and the people of it a thing with which he can have his way.</span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffff">"Nay my friends, he will be stopped. We will be saved. And we will know peace once more. Yes, we have lost our symbol of hope, her Majesty the Queen of Light Cecilia Von Kali, but her spirit still lived on in each of us. We all hold the light in our hearts, but we must be wary! Darkness sleeps in us all. Do not fool yourselves friends, we are all just as weak as the Cardinal Knight - nay - the Traitorous Knight! We can bend, fold, succumb to that darkness. Sometimes, it may in fact be easier than standing up and fighting. With wills so fragile, this world will crumble under the might of an army powerful enough to subdue the greatest nation to ever thrive! Elzier may be lost, Lassadar may be his, but we still stand strong. We must unite! We must fight! Man, woman, child, elf, dragon, merfolk, ogres, monsters in the wilderness. . .we must stand together if we hope to win - hope to continue living!"</span><br/><br/>The ravings of this man indeed drew attention from all around. The vendors left their stalls, the thieves dropped their plunder, common folk, noble men and women, even the town guard stood hanging off of his every word. So who was this mysterious man, preaching of unity and spreading the message of hope to these fair people? One would indeed be surprised to find out that he was nothing more than a lowly town crier! His job was to spread the word of the land, the teachings, the advancements of society to all who would lend the humble man his ear. And those that heard, learned. They were filled with passion, and with the same fiery spirit as he.<br/><br/>But one had to be careful about passion. That much, the Queen of the Long Empire knew. Many nations rose and fell from such fiery sermons, rousing the sleeping spirit of the every man and every woman. His words were like a ladle in a cauldron, stirring a peasant family's evening meal. Realistically, how many people could eat from a single pot? Could his feast fill the hearts of the masses that stood before him? If nothing more, Ranis Zaberisi was intrigued. Yes, very much intrigued. It was, out of pure curiosity that she stood where she stood now, huddled closely together to all kinds of people from different backgrounds, taking in the words of the simple man. If nothing else, the dragon noble felt he should be commended for being able to draw such a crowd. He had their attention, he had them all eating out of the palm of his hand, but where was he going with it all she wondered.<br/><br/>But the Queen was not the only important individual there. Standing directly beside her was a young woman wearing a heavy black cloak. Most of her face, with the exception of her jaw, her nose, and her lips, was all hidden by the hood. However, it was possible to see long strands of red hair poking out from underneath her hood. Her head was tilted slightly, as if deep in thought. This was the first time she had ever heard or seen such a spectacle in her short life. Indeed, she was fascinated by the man, much like the rest of the crowd. She turned her head, towards the long eared woman beside her and spoke,<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#bf0040">"This guy is really somethin' huh? Never seen so many folks all crowdin' 'round a guy jus' to hear'em speak like this."</span><br/><br/>Naturally, the queen could tell that this was no mere human she stood behind. No, the smell that she had, the aura around her. . .it was definitely something different altogether. Yet still, she was civil, and spoke as if she were truly captivated by the words of the town crier. The Queen politely bowed her head, silently greeting the young woman.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4000ff">"It's something you should get used to seeing, especially in towns such as this one,"</span>she started, adjusting the strap that held her instrument case in place, to shift the finely crafted leather bound case into a more comfortable position.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4000ff">"He is quite good though. If I didn't know any better, I'd think him a bard and not just a mere town crier."</span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffff">"No matter what happens, everyone here today, and everyone through Marosia should believe that a time will come when someone - be it the brave knights, be it the traitor, or the dark king himself - will put an end to all of this. Tread lightly friends, watch your words, watch your tempers, steel your hearts, your very souls if that is what you must do. No matter what, do not allow yourself to be taken over by the fear, do not give in to the tyrant that would no sooner kill you than look at you."</span><br/><br/>Ranis was, honestly, a bit disappointed now. This was going to turn into another one of those mock prophetic ramblings that were all too common these days. Unlikes the rest of the ignorant masses, she knew what happened that knight. She knew that Gandrian killed the Queen of Light, she knew that the King of Darkness held a shard of her amulet in his hands, he even knew that the knights were alive and well. There was no way they were going to sit back and let everything that was happening happen, no, they would definitely stand up and stop the King of Darkness. They would need all the help they would get though. Maybe, this man's mad ramblings would serve some use after all.<br/><br/>Ranis walked away from the crowd, continuing up the road, humming a tune to herself. Her steps soon fell in rhythm with the tune, and she began to sway to and fro.<br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4000ff"><div style="text-align: center">"Sub sole nihil novi est<br/>
( Nothing new under the sun )<br/>
Ad astra, per aspera. . .<br/>
( to the stars through the thorns. . . )<br/>
Quaerite prime regnum dei<br/>
( At first seek the kingdom of the god )<br/>
Ante bellum memento mori. . .<br/>
( Remember the death before war. . .)"​</div></span><div style="text-align: center">​</div><br/><div style="text-align: center"><b>+ - + - + - + - + -+ - + - + - + - + -+ - + - + - + - + -+ - + - + - + - + -</b>​</div><div style="text-align: center"><b>[ + ] Preface - End [ + ]</b>​</div>