Son of Ashcroft

In the year 610, during the Dark Age on the Lyrica Continent.

The demons had gained control of almost half of the western region, expanding towards River Moor. They had not crossed the river to further expand their conquest for years.

On the other side of River Moor, the province of Sindhiria was under the rule of Duke Kaer of House Ravensheild, who had sworn allegiance to the Kingdom of Ashillia.

Ashillia was growing increasingly weak. Demonic threats loomed from the west, but no human kingdom was willing to unite against the common enemy. Instead, they were embroiled in internal struggles for power and land.

In terms of appearance, most demons bore a striking resemblance to humans, but their skin tones varied, and they typically possessed greater physical strength than ordinary humans.

The defining characteristic that set humans and demons apart was their proficiency in magic. While only a select few human magicians wielded formidable magical abilities, demons with magical powers were exceptionally powerful.

In the entire kingdom, the activity of monsters was increasing, with more goblins and orcs being sighted day by day. These were dark times, and King Valric was struggling to maintain peace as threats of rebellion were also looming within the kingdom.

As the Kingdom's strength weakened, the Demons seized the opportunity to launch a massive assault on the City of Maldor, situated in the Province of Sindhiria on the banks of River Moor.

The city fell to the demonic forces, with every human soldier and civilian being slain. This audacious move by the demons posed a grave threat to the stability of the entire region.

The demons' action endangered the control of Ashillia.

Understanding this, King Valric Stromwind assigned Duke Kaer Ravensheild the task of reclaiming Maldor and pushing the demons back across the River Moor.

The Lord of the Province of Sindhiria, Duke Kaer of House Ravenshield, gathered his forces and sent letters to every noble under his authority, requesting soldiers for the upcoming battle in response to the King's summons.

My father, a Knight of the Kingdom of Ashillia, also answered the call and ordered me and my half-brother to join the army.

My father, Gabriel Ashcroft, marched alongside Duke Kaer's army, which consisted of around 10,000 soldiers, towards Maldor. That night, a courier arrived at Duke Kaer's camp near Maldor with news of a surprise demonic attack on neighboring castles.

Duke Kaer made the difficult decision to split his forces. The original plan to siege Maldor would continue, while the other forces, commanded by Duke Kaer, would confront the demons.

"You seem nervous, Senjar." said a familiar voice.

I turned and saw Zafir, who was the only person who truly looked out for me - my loving half-brother. Our family was quite large. As a prominent knight, my father had three wives: Anya, his official wife; Zafir's mother Lyra, a concubine; and my mother Elara, also a concubine.

In total, there were five children, and I was the youngest. My oldest brother Kael remained in Stonecreek and served as the acting Lord of our domain.

My other two brothers, Corvus and Daric, studied swordsmanship and magic at the academy of the Royal Capital. Even though I was also gifted in magic, I never really developed my abilities in that area.

"Of course I'm nervous," I said with a tremble of terror in my voice.

"It's my first battle."

"You'll do well, Senjar," Zafir said, grinning.

"You've spent years training. I trust you."

"You will march with Commander Hudson tomorrow to siege Maldor. We'll join you later."

"Divide?" I frowned. "Why don't you and I go together?"

"Father gave the orders", Zafir said. "In this hard world, he wants you to learn to depend on yourself."

"Still,..." He cut me off when I tried to talk.

"Senjar, never forget to observe your surroundings. I have no doubt that you will succeed," he said, giving me one more pat on the shoulder before leaving me to ponder.

Alone in my first battle? What rotten luck! I had just turned sixteen years old, and there I was, a soldier. I knew that the rest of us would have to fend for ourselves after Kael will inherit Stonecreek.

The war, however, seemed a little extreme.

General Hudson was left in charge of 4,000 soldiers. Their task was to seize Maldor while Duke Kaer marched ahead with 6,000 soldiers the next day. Being the son of a well-known Knight, General Hudson contacted me.

"I heard you're Gabriel's son, Senjar," General Hudson said, glancing over at me. "Yes, General," I replied, seeming tough.

My father was respected, even though he was a minor noble. The way people talked about him, it would not be incorrect to believe that he would have been a great and powerful man if he had been born into a higher noble family. His reputation was well-earned.

Hudson declared once more, "I appoint you as captain of 20 men. Scout the route ahead to Maldor and kill enemy spies if you see any."

I nodded appropriately.

He uttered the words "Don't die, Senjar" once more. It dawned on me that despite my father's lack of attention, he did care, and that meant a lot to me, especially when I was chosen to lead a small unit.

As I departed from the General's camp, I was met by twenty mounted men, ready to follow my command. I was startled when General Hudson, whom I hadn't noticed leaving the camp, addressed me from behind.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked. With the General's words still echoing in my ears, I led my little scouting group towards Maldor, riding ahead of the main army.

There were no indications of any risks along the peaceful route. Once in the forest close to Maldor, we made the decision to camp. As clear as day, we left at first light.

I organized my men into four groups and assigned them the task of scouting Maldor to gather intelligence for capturing the city.

I moved alone after issuing orders. I headed straight into the city. After years of training, I had become a young, attractive, and rather tough man.

As I got nearer to the city boundaries, I began to climb the enormous tree. It was clear that I had done this before, as I was up in a matter of seconds. From my vantage point in the tree, I could see the city walls and the demon soldiers standing guard.

I carefully descended from the towering tree, my eyes fixed on the distant city's main gate. Making my way to a nearby cliff, I settled in and meticulously sketched the cityscape, keenly searching for any vulnerabilities in the formidable walls.

As I studied the fortified city, I became acutely aware of the demons' vigilance, knowing that a future assault would not be easily executed.

The gap I was seeking was nowhere to be seen. I was startled to see a female dark elf on the wall, with every demon soldier bending to her. Maybe she was the commander. Though she was quite beautiful, that was not the moment to be impressed.

I convened with my squad as the evening descended, attentively absorbing their insights and concerns. Following this, I ensured the safe passage and proceeded to relay the gathered intelligence to General Hudson, who awaited with his army at the fringes of Maldor.