The sky appeared red as if someone had stained it with blood. Corpses of demonic creatures, demons and humans lay still on the now silent battlefield. Some soldiers were carrying the dead demonic creatures to a pile of corpses and setting it ablaze. The pungent smell filled up the atmosphere.
"Smells horrible as always" said the soldiers with dark hair and blue eyes while looking at the soldier with blond hair.
The soldier with blond hair just smiled, thinking that he had come a long way. From being a failed paladin cadet at the temple of Aria to being a soldier at the front lines fighting demonic creatures and demons.
He had survived all these ruthless battles only to prove that he can be a paladin while gaining the favor of Goddess Aria.
While touching the long vertical scar running over his left eye he asked, "Remy, how many more of these damn creatures do we have to slay?" In a low husky voice.
The soldier with dark hair and blue eyes replied, "Beats me Ark. Depends on the paladins of the 4 temples, we fight as long as they want us to fight."
"Damn those paladins. They sit behind in the rear while we are here at the frontlines fighting. They only come out to kill the demons that appear. Paladins should lead the charge not hide behind the frontlines." Ark thought to himself while chewing on some beef jerky handed to him by Remy.
Ark had himself once been a paladin cadet at the temple of Aria. He harbored the dream to charge into the battlefield as a paladin to vanquish the demons, how could he not after his family being murdered by a demon running rampant in the capital city of Luxem of the Kingdom Of AVANT. For 14 years he harbored such hatred against the demons kin in his heart, until his dream of being a paladin came crashing down. In the final test, rthe high priest told him, "Ark, you have no affinity for holy power. Goddess ARIA has judged you unworthy of recieving her blessings."
Ark was shocked. He spoke desperately, "But high priest Andrias I have completed all the trials of the Goddess, how can she deem me unworthy??"
"The Goddess works in mysterious ways". came a cold reply.
Deep inside he knew the reason. It was because he was a commoner. The shinning armor and the bask glory of a paladin was only reserved for the nobles.
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The battle was quite. The night was approaching. The darkness was an Ally to the wicked. Creatures howled in the distant. Monsters tainted by demonic energy of the demons became demonic creatures. The demons were humanoid monsters with typical wings, twisting horns and tails, with only desire, to rule the continent and the humans.
Ark was swinging his sword outside the tent of his squad. He was devoted to his training. His swordsmanship had reached a certain mastery that no one could just scroff at. But without holy power or aura, competing against the demons was impossible. He could only cut done demonic creatures but not demons. Demons were higher beings with an evil aura that couldn't be countered with aura or holy powers.
But Ark didn't care, he always remained diligent to his training with the hope that someday the goddess would notice and grant him holy powers.
In the continent of Estillo, there existed
The temple of Aria ( goddess of light) in the kingdom of AVANT
The temple of Thrasis (God of war) in the kingdom of VALHALLA
The temple of Leah (goddess of water) in the kingdom of LEANA
The temple of Heim (god of creation) in the kingdom of RUTHER
There existed a 5th kingdom. Now a desolate land, a battlefield for the war between the humans and the demons. The kingdom of Chronos, who worshipped the Goddess of darkness, Ampha.
300 years ago the demons attacked the kingdom of Chronos , razing it to the ground. All the temples of Ampha were destroyed. It was a massacre, that united all the other 4 kingdoms in their united effort to drive the demons to the edge of the continent.
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