Chapter 6

As years passed in the kingdom, a lingering dissonance began to cast its shadow over the once-united noble houses. Four of the houses—Leoharth, Stormcrest, Ravenshadow, and Thorne—boasted a lineage that produced sun marked knights, warriors gifted with unique abilities to combat the encroaching darkness. The fifth house, Ironclad, was not so fortunate.

House Ironclad's lineage had been marred by a mysterious time ripple that had deprived them of producing a single sun marked knight. While the other houses flourished with these formidable warriors, House Ironclad found itself at the center of whispers and side-eyed glances.

In a grand council hall adorned with tapestries depicting the realm's history, representatives from each house convened. Lord Ainsley of House Stormcrest raised his voice above the hushed conversations, his eyes settling upon Lady Elara of House Ironclad, late lord Gavric's younger sister who stood in as the new lady of the house.

"It's a disgrace, Lady Elara, that House Ironclad has failed to produce a single sun marked knight," Lord Ainsley declared, his tone heavy with judgment. "How can we trust your house to defend the kingdom?"

Lady Elara, clad in the colors of House Ironclad, stood tall, her eyes unwavering. "Our loyalty to this realm remains steadfast, Lord Ainsley," she replied calmly. "Though we lack the sun marked knight, our commitment to Kingdom's protection is unwavering," she added. "Besides, my nephew Lucius, would stand in as our knight and bear our sigil with pride till this is all sorted".

Lord Cedric of House Leohearth chimed in, his voice laced with skepticism. "Loyalty alone doesn't secure our realm's safety against the darkness and now the imminent threat of the Fallen. We must uphold the legacy of the sun marked knights, for they are the pinnacle of our defense."

As the council continued, tensions simmered and a rift deepened among the houses. The resentment towards House Ironclad grew, festering like a wound. Mockery and insults became commonplace, further isolating the fifth house. House Stormcrest and House Leohearth, in particular, saw an opportunity to solidify their own power.

On the training grounds, where once knights from all five houses had trained side by side, a palpable division now reigned. Ser Caelan of House Thorne sneered as he faced the young Lucius of Ironclad in a sparring match.

"Watch your stance, you metal bastard," Caelan taunted. "Oh wait, I forgot, you've never seen a real sun mark, have you?"

Lucius's grip tightened on his sword, his gaze unwavering. "Our loyalty isn't defined by a mark alone, lord Ser ," he retorted, his voice steady. "We'll prove our worth when the time comes."

Yet, discord spread like wildfire beyond the walls of the training grounds. Secret meetings were held, alliances formed, and plots hatched. Lord Ainsley of House Stormcrest and Lord Cedric of House Leohearth convened in a dimly lit chamber.

"Ironclad's weakness threatens us all," Ainsley remarked, his expression grim. "To think their sigil holds a shield in it and yet can you see the irony, we need to unite against the darkness."

Cedric nodded in agreement. "Agreed. Let us join forces to ensure the realm's safety, even if it means sidelining House Ironclad."

As the rift between the houses widened, the very foundation of the realm's defenders began to crumble. The once-unified sun marked knights, representatives of each house, found themselves affected by the prevailing discord. Neglect and resentment seeped into their interactions, weakening their collective strength.

But as shadows deepened and the realm faced an encroaching darkness, a turning point emerged. Turns out that the rest of the houses have conjured magic causing an undead army to eradicate the fifth house as they stand deficit to the defense of the kingdom. The darkness advanced, consuming the land in its path.

Lady Elara stepped forward, her voice carrying across the fields. "Our house is in danger," she declared, her eyes locked onto the encroaching darkness. "We must stand together to protect it."

With those words, House Ironclad's knights rallied alongside themselves. The battles that followed were fierce, and the unity forged in the crucible of conflict breathed new life into the realm's defenders. Despite lacking the sun mark, House Ironclad fought with a ferocity born from loyalty and determination.