1 Tradition

It began as a small mound of dirt resting atop the hard soil. Slowly the mound grew, higher and higher, as the hole was dug, deeper and deeper, after each successive strike of the shovel, louder and louder, until only silence was left, and, as fate dictates, one is returned to the earth.

Over the eons the burial grounds expanded, accepting only the named, only those whose souls were claimed. Brilliant tombs and small stacks of stone alike littered the fields, separated by status even in death, however all were made equal as they honored and mourned those that had been lost.

The traditions of these grounds were ignored only in times of war, when the dead piled too high to sort, and many suffered beyond recognition. Hence the remains of common origin, regardless of merit, were burned, preserving space for only the nobility to honor their dead properly.

This was law, set in stone for eons, a rule never to be broken, however, it is known that history is nothing but a reminder of the fallacy of an ultimatum.

...

"I have told you countless times, the law cannot be changed and does not yield, regardless of right or wrong. No man or woman of common birth may be allowed burial during times of war. My son, you must remember your place, and leave the remains of the dead to their preordained fates. Fight this battle and you will turn many in the nobility against you and fuel the fires of those who already target you."

These words were spoken by a small lord of a subsidiary family, Leon Aurus, five days after the end of the Providence War, to his son, General Chrono Aurus, commander of the second army of Kalif, the Night Regalia.

Word had already spread to every corner of the kingdom that the Night Regalia had fought in the vanguard and led the armies of Kalif to victory against the Usurper, Darius Ostrava. However these rumors were only a half truth.

The Night Regalia was an army made up entirely of soldiers of common birth and had only earned itself the title of second army as a means of appeasing the masses.

This army of one thousand men and women had stepped onto the battlefield knowing that their fates were sealed. To end the war they would sacrifice themselves, providing an elite party of soldiers the chance to invade the Castle of the Usurper.

They were to remove the Usurper's head, finally severing the ties of war that had long plagued Kalif, even if it meant walking on the corpses of their comrades to do so.

Not a single soldier spoke a word of protest as they received their orders.

The plan was designed to rid the nobles of an annoyance, and alas it succeeded. The soldiers of the Night Regalia were led to their deaths and the existence of a commoner army was finally removed from the ranks of nobility.

"I am aware of the law Father." Chrono replied, as calmly as he could manage, all the while gritting his teeth to repress the fury he felt inside. "One thousand of my soldiers consigned themselves to a fate that should not have been theirs, knowing full well that their sacrifices would not be honored and their deeds would go unsung. To fight for them now would only serve to disgrace their legacies. I only wish for nine graves, to bury those that fell during the invasion of the castle. They deserve at least that."

"I understand how you feel my son, I truly do, but this is not something for us to discuss. Despite their rank, despite their efforts, despite their skill, regardless of everything that they achieved, all the world sees of them is their birth. That is the way it has always been, and that is the way it shall continue to be."

Leon sighed heavily, placing a gentle hand on his son's shoulder. He wanted to say more, needed to say more, but knew that it would serve no purpose.

His son was as headstrong as his mother, and would not give up this fight lightly, but that is not why he chose to stay quiet. It was the look in his eyes, the sadness that permeated his being. His was not the face of a man who had just won peace for his kingdom, but a face of grief, of loss, and nothing could be said or done to change that.

Sensing his father's hesitation, Chrono sighed as well, knowing that this conversation was over. He was all too aware of their meager stature and position within the nobility, to the point that many seemed to hold them with as much regard as a lowly servant. They were there to serve a purpose, to be a means to an end, to be discarded when they offered no more use.

"I shall take my leave then. It is about time I go and find Raiko. This grief is far more his than it is mine." Chrono said, failing to hide the emotion in his voice as he spoke, even while knowing that his father was not his enemy in this and that he did not deserve his anger.

With a single nod, Leon dismissed his son. Watching him leave with his head held high, his back stiff and straight, and his fists clenched at his waist, was far more painful for Leon than he had imagined it would be. He almost wished that Chrono would wear his feelings more openly rather than putting on a facade of strength, but knew that doing so would only make the situation worse.

...

The long walk from the Aurus courtyard to the Palace was dictated by a cobbled walkway that stretched wide enough to permit two people to walk side by side. It followed a meandering stream that broke off, at some point, from the raging rivers of the Nilhaven Mountains. As a result, the path was surrounded by a variety of trees, flowers, and wild brush, with lush grass spreading outward for as far as the eye could see.

The stark contrast with the desolate battlefields he was used to and the scenery in front of him would have brought a smile to Chrono's face on any other day, but now he only felt disgust. These feelings were only made worse as the imposing silhouette of the Waterlily Palace came into view beyond the foliage. Despite such feelings, all he could do was swallow his anger and press forward, as this unfortunate source of emotional turmoil was his destination.

Chrono had all but grown up within the walls of the Palace as it is the home of the royal family, whom the Aurus family directly serves.

The name Waterlily was said to have come from the first Queen of Kalif, dating the Palace to ancient times and bringing about the assumption that it had been built from the wealth of conquest during far calmer times. Its creation came in an era marked by peace and prosperity, however it would stand for many generations to come, even through times of raging war.

As a testament to the times of its birth, the sprawling capital city of Corinth was constructed and designed to display the Kingdom's sense of community and as a representation of the union of the many peoples of Kalif. It is centered by the Palace, made up of three imposing towers, meant to bring the royal family closer to the heavens, which are then grounded by five circular tiers, one to represent each of the main houses and the last to house those of lower status.

The tiers were arranged with the first, and closest to the Palace, being the Artolius house, second the Tarlile house, third the Lorrant house, and fourth the Reiter house. This order was not intended to denote the strength of the house, nor any favoritism from the royal family, in fact these two factors were constantly fluctuating over the years, but was simply built in the order of when the house was founded.

Being a subsidiary of the Tarlile house, the Aurus family had been allowed to live within the second tier for generations.

This proximity to the Palace had instilled Chrono with the dream of being a soldier and a great sense of pride in his kingdom from before he could even properly hold a sword. He had trained hard and fought even harder to gain his rank, never batting an eyelash as he led his army into battle to protect the lands of his forefathers and serve the King he believed in.

All of which changed the day he received the orders that would end the war.