CHAPTER1: DEVIL OF THE CRIMSON VALLEY

Bastille County. 

A small county in the Carny nation.

A fine morning in the peaceful small county where local buisinesses thrived. 

Where everyone lived happily. People smiled at each other when they passed one another. 

The lively market place was particularly noicy, Various merchants attracted the cusomers attention by talking about their products. Sounds of children laughing and adults engaging in small talks. 

"Come in here to check out the special Jewellery." A chubby man said to a beautiful young woman who was walking with her 8 year old daughter. 

His store was already surrounded by several girls aging from 10 to 16, all trying on the various ornaments that were on display.

She smiled at the man and beckoned her daughter,"Lucy, come here baby. Lets buy you some nice bangles." 

"Yes momy." The child obeyed her and walked with her mother into the shop.

"Let's make you the prettiest girl in all of Bastille with these." The chubby man smiled at the little giril and took out a tray containing various multi colored bangles. They were really beautiful to look at.

While her daughter was trying on bangles, the mother and the chubby store owner chatted.

"You are not from around here, are you?" The man said to the woman.

She nodded with a smile, and asked "How could you tell?"

"Ha, ha..." The man laughed and his whole body shook with it. "Your accent is a bit diffrent. I can tell that you are from abroad. My guess is Padina. Am I correct?" He asked with a kind smile.

"Yes. Wow, I am amazed by your ability to recognize my home country by talking. You must have traveled the world, huh?" The woman exclaimed.

"Yes, my lady. I had the honor of visiting your country a while ago. Padina is indeed a beautiful country." With a sigh, he continued," Its a shame that your neighbouring country, Nordville is headed by the Mad King Lucius. He is a war crazy mad man." 

The womans face was also drained of its color by the mere mention of the Mad King. He was the reason that she and her family boarded a ship and fled their beautiful home country, to make a living in Carny Nation. They, along with countless other families, had spent close to a month on the ship on their arduous journey, because they were sure that the Mad King would certainly attack their country. 

"You are indeed correct in saying that sir." She said with a sad voice, "We had to flee our beautiful nation in fear of the Mad King. He had already attacked and subjugated three of our neighbouring contry. His cruelty knows no bounds." The woman let out a sigh.

"News really travels slowly here. I only knew that he attacked two countries; Masnia and Hershia. Which other country did he attack?" The store owner asked with a slight fear.

"Kingdom of Lorenza!" The woman said. Once could tell that she was really sad about her news. She really admired the beautiful neighbouring contry of Lorenza as well. The people there were very welcoming towards the outsiders and she had visited Lorenza often with her family.

"Oh my god. I can't believe it. Lorenza is the most beautiful country I have ever visited." The man almost teared up after he heared the news. He couldn't believe that any nation will gave the audacity to attack Lorenza, a country known for being the trade hub of the continent.

"After we heared of the fall of Lorenza, many families from Padina uprooted their life to come to your shores in search of peace. If Lorenza can't defeat Mand King and his men, we dont stand a chance either." The woman sighed.

"Have you heared anything about the royal family of Lorenza? I have been only there once before. But they were very kind to the people. Their king Charles of Lorenza, was the most benevelont of all the kings." The man asked the woman. It was clear that the merchant admired King Charles.

The woman looked away into the crowd of people, going about their life,outside the store and let out another sigh.

"I heared from my husband that it was a brutal invasion, The King was behaded and his wife was violated by the Mad King and twenty of his closest advisors, Afterwards, she was thown to the tigers. His youngest son was dragged behind the Mad Kings Chariot through out the city inorder to scare and subduie King Charles' supporters. The boy lost his life tragically. He was about the same age as my daughter. I couldn't bear to listen to my husband. Thw whole family was massacred." The woman had a small tear in her eyes by the time she finished.

"Such cruelty..." The merchant was at a loss for words.

"The only survivor would be the King's elder son. I heared that he was abroad for his education, Even his chances of survival are close to nothing. The Mad King must have sent spies inorder to Kill him." The woman said.

"Mommy, I want these..." They were interrupted by the sound of the little girl. She held up three beautiful bangles in her hands.

"AAAAAHHHH!!!" They were suddelny stunned to hear someone screaming. Within seconds, the whole Market was filled with screams of people.

The merchant stepped outside for a moment, only to run back inside with all his might, scared senseless. 

"Its bad." He shouted. "Its the Mad King's men." 

The woman's knees weekened when she heared that. Ofcourse, she knew the cruelty of the people of Nordville. They only had eyes for violence, leaving a path of destruction in their wake.

By this time, sounds of flesh being pierced by swords filled the market. People were screaming violently as they were slaughtered. 

Hundreads of soldiers on horsebacks hunted down people like predators and was killing them in the most inhumane ways. Smell of blood spread all over the once peaceful market. Various fruits and produce were scattered all over the ground, covered in blood, along with severed limbs of the customers.

The merchant quickly led the women and children in his store to the back to hide them. He knew that once the soldiers found them, they would be raped, tortured and executed regardless of their age. Once he led them into his back room,he tunned around to lck the door to the room behind him. He instructed them to keep silent and slowly lopoked out tthrough the small partition of the door.

Soldiers clad in war armour were wreaking havoc in the market. They were shouting as they continued to hack at innocent civilians. Soon, 3 soldiers barged into the jewellery shop that they were hiding in.

"Come out you filthy dogs." They yelled. They already knew that people were hiding inside.

They smashed the various ornaments in display and laughed maniacally. 

The merchant slowly got up to open the door. He thought that may be if he surrendered, he might be spared. He wanted to protect the girls who were hiding in his store.

Lucy's mother reached out to stop him from going out. 

"Please stay here. You will be killed if you go out." She whispered shakingly to the merchant.

"Lady, all of you are my customers." The merchant whispered to the lady. "I will never let anyone harm you in my store." His voice was shaking. He was clearly afraid. But he wanted to protect the women in his store.

Then he opened the door to slowly get out with his hands raised above his head.

"Sir, please spare me. You can take whatever you fin d valuable in my store. Please spare my life" He pleaded with the maniacs inside his store.

One of the soldiers lewedly licked his lips. "I smell women in here. Ha ha..."

The other two also licked their lips and laughed.

"No sir, I am the only one in this store. There are no wo..." The merchant could not finish his sentence as a sword quickly flashed past his neck. His severed head flew back to knock the backroom door open, falling on the floor and rolled. 

As soon as the women inside saw the head of the merchant rolling on the ground before them, they screamed in fear.

"Women.." The soldiers were salivaating and barged inside to drag the women and girls outside. They slapped and kicked those who resisited.

The entire county was attacked at the same time, with the Mad King's army comprised of 2000 men, sorrounding and storming the houses and dragging the men, women and children. All the men and boys were not spared and immediately executed, regardless of their age, by stabbing or beheading. 

It was like a war zone, but there was no battle. 

There was only one army here. 

The Mad King's Army.

The women were terriefied and pleaded with the soldiers for their lives. They were kicked and beaten into silence by the armed soldies. 

It took less than 15 minutes for the Mad Kings men to completely take control of Bastlle.

The women and girls were lined up o n the streets on their knees on both sides of the road leading to Bastille County mayors office. They wimpered and trembled as the soldires lined up the rest of the woman they gathered from the market. Lucy and her mother were also there, with tears in their eys.

Soon they heared a charriot arrive, pulled by three horses. A man was tied to the charriot and was dragged behind. The women who saw who that was were crying hysterically. It was the mayoir of Batstille couunty, Mr Mills. Hiis clothes torn, blood everywhere. 

The man in the carriage was seated with a smug expression.

"The Mad King..." Lucy's mother muttered in a shaky voice. 

The man looked on the women on both sides of the road, as he rode the charriott down the street. Suddenly, his eyes cought Lucy's mother. She was really a ravishing beauty. He pulled the reigns to stop the charriott. 

The horses immedeatley stopped, obeying their master,

The Mad King glanced at the woman and said in a cold voice, "You... You'll do tonight." 

The womans heart sank as she understood what the Mad King wanted...

"Your majesty, please have mercy. I am a mother... Please show me mercy..." The woman moved on her knees towards the charriott and begged,

"Hmph..." The Mad King paid no attention and turned his gaze to look for another woman,

A soldier immedieately came towards Lucy's mother and grabbed her by her hair to drag her away.

"Mommy..." Lucy bawled and leapt up and started kicking and punching the soldirer, which didnt even tickle the man.

"Look, the little woman wants to beat you up... Ha Ha Hah..." Another soldirer laughed and soon many other soldiers joined the laughter.

The Mad King sneered and turned to look at Lucy. His eyes were filled with lust immediately. Indeed, the girl was really pretty. 

"Take the girl also. I've never had a mother and daughter together. It would be a first rate experience. Ha ha ha..." He laughed, meanacingly.

The other soldiers laughed along with their king.

"Noooo...." Lucy's mother screamed as she continued to beg the Mad King. "Your Majesty, please. She is only eight years old. You can do whatever you want to me. Please spare my child." She was begging for her daughters life.

Another soldier came forward and dragged little Lucy by her hair.

"No... Leave me alone." The little girl struggled to get herself free.

SMACK!!!

With a furious slap, little Lucy fell backwards, dazed. The soldier had smacked her to shut her up.

Lucy's mother immedialtely fell uncoscious when she saw her little girl getting smacked. They were both dragged away by the soldiers.

"Hmph... Take them away to my tent and tie them up. I will be there soon." He ordered his men.

"And men, you've been extra ordinary today. Its time to take the spoils of the war. Enjoy these women." He pointed at the women who were kneeling.

The sodliers all made a triumphant hoorah while the women on their knees wimpered and cursed their own existance.

*** *** *** ***

Crimson Valley.

A few hours later.

Crimson Valley was a vast valley near Bastille County. Normally, a very peaceful and serene place, it was today filled with 2000 men' yelling and laughing. 

It was the Mad Kings Camp.

The soldiers all sorrounded a large cage, filled with the women they captured, laughing and shouting at the women, terrifying them. Some of them had entire bottles of various drinks in their hands and were already drunk. The women wimpered and huddled together inside the cage, trying to stay away from the soldiers who tried to grope them through the bars of the cage.

"I want that one."

"No way. I will have her first. Then you can have her."

"Ha ha ha..."

The men were yelling and getting drunk, while choosing which woman they get to violate. A typical celebratory afternoon for them. Afterall, they just captured Bastille county while encountering no resistance at all.

One of the soldiers turned his gaze from the women for a brief moment. Suddenly, he spotted movement far away.

"Look.." He grabbed the soldier who was closest to him to show him. His friend turned around as well. They could see four people, on horsebacks, arriving in the distance. Although they were moviing slowly towards them, the soldiers couldn't see who they were from this distance.

Slowly, all the soldiers fugured out what their friends were staring at and one by one, they all turned to look at the four figures in the distance as well. They saw one of them get down from their horse and walk towards their camp. As he walked, he drew a large sword that was in the scabbared behind his back. 

The soldiers looks at each other. They were 2000 strong. They couldnt help but laugh.

"Ha ha ha."

"What an idiot.."

"Approching us alone...."

Three soldiers who were in the front drew their swords as well.

"Come on. Lets see what you got. I couldn't even warm up on that pathetic city. I will use you for todyas practice." One of them yelled.

Dark clouds loomed in the sky, suddenly causing the bright afternoon to turn into a gloomy dark one. Sound of thunders eched in the valley.

*** *** *** ***

At this time, inside the largest tent, which was sorrounded by several smaller tents:

"Dont be afraid little one." The Mad King was licking his lips while he was approaching Lucy, who was kneeling and was tied up, with tiny hands behind her back. She was still in a daze. Her mother who was also tied up, was kneeling beside her with a rag tied around ther mouth to muffle her screams.

The Mad King approached Luchy with a sinister look. There was misty blood droplets on his face. He has killed countless people today at the town mayor's mansion.

Sound of thunders eched in the valley.

"It's going to be a cold night. A thunderstorm is coming." The Mad King said with a sinister tone. "But don't be scared. I'll introduce a new toy for you to play with." His mouth was watering.

He truned around at walked to a small bsin filled with water, where he washed his face and hand.

as he was preparing to undo his pants.

Lucy's mother was screaming at the top of her lungs, but only a muffled voice came out of her.

"You dont have to do a thing, young one." The Mad King sounded extremely perverted. "Just keep your mouth open for sometime. He he." He undid his pants.

All of a sudden, the thunders outside stopped.

There was an eerie silence in the valley. The Mad King couldn't hear the sound of his men either. He turned around and pulled his pants up, realising that something was amiss.

"Rowan, come in here..." He grunted.

.

.

.

.

Rowan, his trusted advisor was nowhere to be seen. 

"What the hell is going on" The mad king muttered as he went outside to take a look.

The air outside the tent was really cold, almost chilly even. The Mad King made his way outside. As he laid his eyes on the scene before him, his eyes started to bulge. His men, amounting to alomost 2000 people, were lying in a pile. It almost looked like a mountain, made with body parts. Some of them were missing their arms and legs, A few of the faces in the pile before him had a look of horror in their eyes. They suffered greatly before they crossed the threshold.

"Who did this? What army of devil did this.." The Mad King was absolutely terrified.

His body trembled with fear, his voice was shaken.

He took a step backwards, suddenly stepping on something and fell down ungraciously, loosing his balance. He turmed around to see what it was. 

He immediately screamed in horror. It was his trusted advisor, Rowan, who was covered in blood. His entire lower body was missing as if it was ripped apart. His eyes were bulging. He was on the verge of death.

Mad King grabbed his hand to comfort him. He wanted to know whose dared to attack him.

"Who did this Rowan? Whose Army? I swear to you that they will suffer my wrath. Tell me who?"

.

.

"Not... an.. army.." Rowan struggled to even breath. "One... man..." The light in his eyes slowly faded.

The mad king was overcome with fear,

'One man?'

'Who is capable of this much violence? Who can defeat an entore army of 2000 people'

The mad king wondered when suddenly, a flash of lightning scared him out oif his wits.

The sky was dark. A large storm was coming.

The cold air was almost suffocating fot the Mad King. He couldnt even breath propetly. For the first time in his life, he knew what fear was. He didnt even dare to move. Another lightning flashed, and in the corner of his eyes, the Mad King spotted a man clad in black staring at him. He couldnt make out his face, but he saw that in his right hand there was a alrge sword and in his left hand, he was holding a severed head. 

"Who.. Who are you?" The Mad king was utterly afraid. He was the war crazy King of Nordville. But here he was, shaking with fear. He even felt himslef pissing his pants with fear.

The man simply threw the head that he was holding, at the Mad Kings feet. The second he saw the head, he screamed, "My son..."

Tears filled the Mad Kings eyes as he picked up his sons head.

When he left for war with carny nation, Mad King left his youngest son Edwin as his regent in Lorenza. He couldnt figure out how his son was killed and his head ended up in Carny. The man must have kidnapped him and brought him on these shores.

"How dare you kill my son? What kind of devil are you? My son..." The mad king was overcome with sorrow and he screamed unconsolably. 

In a flash, the man clad in black charged the Mad King and swing his sword, severing his right arm. It all happened in a millisecond. The man was that quick! The thunderous sound of his movement echoed in the valley. The blood squirted from the stump where the Mad King's arm used to be.

"Aaaahhhh!!!" The mad king screamed in pain.

"How many Sons have you killed?" A Cold voice arose from the figure clad in black. The deep voice was almost heartless. The voice alone made the Mad King shiver in fear.

"How many fathers?" He continued, swinging his sword again, this time severing The Mad Kings left arm. More blood squirted. "How many Mothers and Sisiters you have violated? How many wives you have made widows?" 

With another swing, both the lgs of the mad king were severed. The ground around the Mad King turned red with blood.

".Aaahhhh.."

The mad king was screaming in pain. Within seconds after meeting the man in black, his arms and legs were cut off. He was essentially a peace of meat now. Bleeding profusely, he was about to pass out from the pain and blood loss. 

Another lightning flashed. The mad King saw his assailant's face clearly. It was covered in a black mask. The stranger's short black hair was moving in the wind. 

"You asked me who I am? I am your retribution. Your reckoning. I am the devil himslef, who have come to collect my bounty. King Lucius, Today is the day you die." The man said coldly.

In a flash, the man thrust his sword into the Mad kings right eye. His movement made an explosive sound. The large sword penetrated the Mad King's skull and came out through the back if his head.

With much ease, the man lifted the heavy body of the mad king with his sword. It was as if his body weighed nothing. Blood seeped out of what remained of his body. The man in black gave it a kick. The corpse flew into the air, as if it weighed nothing and landed on the top of the pile of the bodies.