Age of Heroes

The pressure that General Castile is giving of as he leads his riders trampling and killing is like a general of millions of soldiers behind his back. 

Even though only five thousand cavalries have managed to enter the city gate as the other will wait until more path is opened before they could enter, to those that is facing him right now, all they could see is horseman filling their entire periphery of vision. 

Fear could make people see things and that is exactly what is happening right now. Some of the enemy officers are stunned in abject terror and disbelief.

Castile took his bow from his back and aims his arrows at the stunned officer who was about to chase Ragar rear and release his arrow.

His horses keep running through the open path, riding the flow of the earth. 

Archery while on horseback, not many people is able to do this but those who do manage to learn it is appreciated by genius commanders.

His arrows sail through the thousands of people and before the enemy officer manages to understand the danger, the arrow lodged itself through his eyes and pierces his brain as he died instantly.

'ARGHHHH!' The soldiers beside the officers screamed in fear. 

With this the second line of defense almost crumbled as their soldiers become lost

And then with a BANG sound the cavalry collided with the soldiers and leaving only meats beneath their horses hoof and blood marked hooves as they crashed with the third line of defense.

The Balhae troops morale collapsed on the first encounter. It was a one sided massacre. Ragar seeing this immediately shouted

'Follow their path. We will guard the rear and protect General Castile!' They made a turn and immediately positioned themselves behind the cavalry rear.

On top of the walls, Arial stand silently as he wipes the blood from his face as he looked at the corpse of his enemies sprawled across the battlement with none of them were spared. 

None of them surrenders, so none of them were spared. 

Expression of despair and fear is etched into their face, almost like they were experiencing something very terrifying before they die.

Then approaching one of the corpse Arial smiles bitterly. 

The corpse has an intact body which is rare since many of the corpses on top of the battlements has either been cleaved into half or exploded into pieces of red meat.

Arial did not do such thing to this particular person because he respects the man bravery and commanding presence in the battle.

The man was the officer with the bushy beard. Arial crouched down and look at the person face. He was smiling.

'People fear death. I've seen people begged, scream, cry and wail when facing death, yet you smile. To find such person like you is rare. In that last moment what did you see that you smile so widely?' 

Arial said as he looks at that man smiling face like he was satisfied. Looking at the sky, it was like the man could embrace the sky without shame.

Arial then sigh as he shakes his head. A hero deserves a hero honor. After Arial take this city, he will not malign this person family.

They fight because they have different objectives and motives, that itself is not wrong. Arial did not think killing him was wrong. 

He only thought it was a waste. If only they could see the same direction he is facing, how good would that be?

'This city has lost' Arial said as he slowly gets up and look toward hiss soldier breaking though the defenses of the city almost as easily as they were sword cutting on dry branch twig. 

With their commanders and officers killed and incapacitated, they have no one to order them and chaos reign in the battlefield making them easy pickings for Ragar and Castile.

Arial smiles as his white hair fluttered wildly. His snow white hair is now red, dripping blood trickles down from his hair.

It was like he was bathed in blood.

Arial know that the moment he got to open the gate, the fate of this city is sealed. 

From the top he could see the Balhae troop is being repulsed. Those who surrendered and thrown their weapons to the ground were allowed to live.

And they do not touch the civilian homes. 

Arial strictly forbidding it so much so he has handed down a military decree forbidding any of his soldiers to loot the civilians hiding in their homes.

Ragar was cutting people to pieces, while Castile trampled everything underneath the hooves of his horse, thousands were slain and endless men were captured.

The banner of the Dragon fluttered majestically amidst the battlefield, blaring red.

The din of shields and sword and thunder of battles, and Arial victory was assured. 

People cheered and the General send their officers to receive their Lord in the battlements while they stormed the castle, the last bastion for the defenders.

Arial come down from the battlement in an unhurried manner. 

When he arrived below the battlements, carriage was prepared for him and officers of the army were there beside the carriage waiting for him.

The officer kneels and presented a clean white cloth to Arial for Arial to wipe the blood on his armor. 

Arial smiles scanning the officer with interest

'Which General you serve?' Arial asked the officer and the officer was jolted.

'General Castile, my lord.' He replied. Arial only nodded.

Looking at the luxurious carriage with four horses carrying the carriage Arial eyes glint with understanding.

'You are too ambitious' Arial said calmly.

'General Ragar is storming the castle, General Castile is rounding up the enemy soldiers and you come coming here to invite me to the castle.' In his word there are many underlying meanings.

'General Castile sent me.' The officer tries to reply though there is nervousness in his tone of voice.

'Indeed' Arial said not smiling nor as he angry. 

The intention of this officer was evident by the way he prepared all of this for him. 

If Arial was not experienced, he might have thought nothing of this officer conduct and even might praise him but Arial has seen many people. 

His court houses many different characters and this officer character while he could be said to be opportunistic he could also be called meticulous and knowing human relations.

For the soldiers the honor of being the first to storm the castle is a great honor but this man seems not interested in the battle and more interested in gauging his mood and pleasing him.

A born politician that is Arial estimation. 

He didn't think that even in the Thirteen Tribes there are people like him but this act did not make Arial angry, it only amused him.

'No need for towel and no need for carriage' Arial said as he swings his glaive and cut the huge carriage. 

With one sharp swing the carriage explodes into bits as the four horses was startled and run forward. 

Arial smiles as he jumps to one of the horses and he immediately tighten his reins on that horse forcing the horse to stop.

Arial turn his horse around and look at the pale white face of that officers and he asked

'What is your name, soldier?' Hearing Arial question the officer finally regains himself and joy could be seen on his face.

'My name is Lelanc Son of Lervine, my lord.' Arial smiles and said

'I will remember your name Lelanc Son of Lervine. You amuse me.' Then Arial tossed something to Lelanc.

'This is my token of authority. When you meet your General tell him that I promote you to one of my councilors. Report with Councilor Arun. Do not disappoint me!' 

Saying this Arial squeezes the horse and rides towards the castle leaving Lelanc dumfounded.

Looking at the reliable back of his Great General he could not help but feel that he has changed his fate today. 

Smiling he chase for one of the horses and rides it towards the castle, with dreams of reaching ever higher.

>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Meanwhile on what used to be the shore of Novus Gaia, a hundred warship stops in the middle of the ocean as they look disbelieving in the distance.

The most ferocious pirates Rehan Sang Wangsa, a Pirate Lord of the Sea, who have sworn his fealty to Arakath look at the vast oceans in front of him.

'WHERE THE HELL IS NOVUS GAIA!' he shouted to his first mate and his cartographer and they all also show a puzzled and dumfounded expression.

'How could a large continent just disappear!!' he shouted again. This sends the fleet into a panic. 

The Continent of Novus Gaia disappeared and talks of dark magic and curses began flying around all across the Sea with the Pirate Lords will all be convening a meeting in the Pirate Cove by the end of the year.

Rehan not knowing what to do now that an entire continent disappeared sent a messenger bird from Port of Ana Maria addressed to the King of Arakath and the Ruler of the Demonkind, Azrael Mournstar.

When the news arrived at Arakath King Azrael immediately summon the Three Heavenly Noble Protector to his Palace and convene in a secret meeting for seven days before ordering Rehan to instead fetch Mikael Devonhurst from the Azure Dragon Pirate.

Meanwhile on the Human Continent, with Seren sudden surrender, and the threats of Vernian on the North from Southern Tai and Northern Chu, Princess Adriana of Arrandy went to Hall of War asking the High Minister Leander Crom to help her. 

He responded by shutting the Hall and he declared unless a foreign invasion happens to the empire, the Hall will not move.

With Lord Silas poisoning, the political landscape of Arrandy is in disarray while the Southron Lords are even more fervent in seating the First Princess onto the Throne of the Empire and wear the Imperial Mantle.

Great Renasia also moves by sending their navies to the Dark Sea as it is revealed that their Empress is also missing and their army is fortifying their defensive position across the border from Seren as the tension between the two larger superpower empire is at an all-time high after Seren surrenders which used to be a buffer zone between Great Renasian and Eden.

After the news of Arial disappearing in Eden was widespread, civil war erupted and now that Great Renasia is also missing a ruler, the people of the Burning Sun felt insecure as Seren suddenly surrenders at such timing. 

The common people fear that Eden now possessing Seren would march their army across the Desert and invade Great Renasia.

With all of this problem, it was like darkness pervaded the entire world. 

With uncertain futures and wavering present, the people have to keep moving forward to pave forward to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The world is after all a heartbreaking place.