«| Episode 1: The Tradition |»

Chapter 1: In The Midst Of...

The great, never-ending struggle, tormenting nations alike for countless generations and marking thousands for life, was yet another chapter of tragedy and collective hardship developing in the history of a time-bent, twisted, and unforgiving world. Spanning multiple generations since its creation, its nature was characterized by a constant conflict of untold magnitude and its increasingly destructive consequences for those unlucky enough to stick around. Just like the first who suffered it, they had no choice; their fate was sealed. Cursed with infertility and a short lifespan, they were doomed to spend their days battling their own will and desires, to the detriment of their very souls. But their efforts were futile, as it seemed like the more they endured this misery, the tougher they were punished, aggravating their condition at a rapid pace that would someday put an end to everything.

That struggle was evidenced time and time again, with the latest being displayed in a massive assault against the Echokins, brought by the dreadful Omens. Out of spite, greed, or even desperation, it served as only another daunting reminder of the reality they had accustomed themselves to. Despite their conflict being one of many blemishes in history, a fire burning as old as the world itself was reignited with their destructive spark. They had deliberately unleashed another vicious round of an eternal war for those states that remained in the fight, the ones daring enough to risk their livelihood for a chance of abrogating the burden that had consumed their lives for their entire existence.

Even if they managed to defend and secure the safety of their states, at this point, they had learned the harsh truth: they'd never be fully set free, not as long as they lived. Another fight was just part of their routine, one in which they had reluctantly become regular participants. Survival wasn't a choice but a lifestyle they had to earn, albeit that through any victories, the only thing they seemed to achieve was a growing distance and rancor between each other, a sentiment inherited by their past generation, which they succeeded from their past generation. Therefore, battle by battle, the nature of the battlefield had been smoldered by the collective grief and hatred of all survivors, and consequently, their world now hosted souls festered by malice and despair, clueless as to what they wanted to accomplish or why they were subjects to the despicable atrocities of their own, though they had stopped asking a long time ago.

Without knowing the reasons, fixated on meaningless concepts like territory and respect that served as empty justifications, they battled blindly through the years, killing themselves for the amusement of those in power. They were the higher forces too great to confront, the same ones fueling a global massacre, and the ones finding joy in the act of destroying each other and their entire home as they knew it. Covering up their feebleness, the only goal for each state became fighting unyieldingly to the end, following orders from the next in the chain of command, and hoping they somehow could justify their actions and celebrate surviving another day.

In the grand scheme of things, just a few notable heroes and figures are worthy enough to stand out from the sea of disposable pawns. Only in legends have they given their world more meaning than senseless rivalry, but as remarkable as their stories are, there has yet been one grand enough to shift the influences, change the hostile nature, and inspire others to halt the ceaseless war. While violence and strife are still present on the battlefield, they can only wait for something, or someone, to redefine the purpose of their existence and rewrite history to prevent the next generation from committing the same mistakes. Only one great chapter of the story could change the narrative, and only one protagonist is required to write it. But regardless of who achieves it, they must be strong enough to survive and tell the tale.

| When they asked me if I knew you

I'd smile and say you were a friend of mine |