"the kingdom is burning".
"Let it burn, I told king such was inevitable".
Two knights stood firmly on battlements watching over merlons, grabbing the hilt and glancing over a city that was once alive.
A gust of wind suddenly rose, with it came suffocation and restlessness.
Both the knights coughed up blood.
One of them grabbed a demonic gargoyle and pressed it hard with his ash-filled hand.
"Is it true then?"
"What is true?"
The knight eyed him and chose his next few words carefully.
"The king betrayed us?"
"Why wouldn't he? The ancient gods corrupt those who seek them. And you know our king foren, he was mad. He cared only for power not people, not even queen mother".
Another few knights came clambering through the narrow steep highway.
Their scabbard rustling through granite parapet which was now a shade black due to high columns of smoke rising through the tattered city below.
All of them drew their sword and threw it beside the knight.
"We are of the third regiment of scar apas, we are in charge of artillery and cannons", one of the newly joined knights raised his voice and mustered up courage to speak these words.
"It means you are fleeing from the battle?"
"We are lesser of knights, we did what we could. I can understand noble knights like you would have utmost difficulty of choosing between sides but, We have decided".
"Such is war", the knights who were discussing about betrayal from their own king said in unison.
One of them still had blood oozing out of their mouth, a trail of warm Blood still fresh against their chin.
All of the knights glanced over carefully through the merlons, Sky still dark and faint blue lights still coming towards their view.
"Very well, you knights have my permission".
All of the knights bowed gracefully and left down the steep highway they came from.
"My mistake", gennis said. "Was to trust that whore amberia".
"Good old foren, obsessed with two things, ancients gods and amberia", janeran said ruefully.
"Sometimes I think I shouldn't have accepted to be a part of this kingdom", gennis said. "Maybe I would have lived more peacefully and certainly less hurt".
"It was your folly that you thought that king foren was our good friend, no he was not. He was not even a good king, let alone be a good friend", janeran said with a slight hint of anger.
Gennis eyed him and then all of the memories came rushing, His own recruitment from his home Village, king foren insisted and gave him these false promises that he will be the greatest knight to ever live, And then in the travels they had met young janeran and the three of them had made promises to each other, that foren will be the greatest king, gennis will be the greatest knight and janeran will be the most richest of all in sumaka.
But that false hope was only so short lived as gennis turned his eyes over the city below which was now burning. Dozens of common folk died, burning alive, butchered by the hands of king Aramzir who was a tyrant known for his brutality.
"Ready yourself", gennis said. "It is time we honour ourselves".
Janeran nodded.
The noble knights drew their swords one last time.
Someone has to honour the kingdom even if the king had abandoned his people.
Both gennis and janeran fought several battles. They had confidence and skill. But most importantly they had their king supporting them through their several battles.
But this time, they had no king.
They knew they won't return.
This was their last battle.
So, for one final time they jumped over the battlements, and rushed towards their final battle.
World of sumaka through eyes of common folk:
It is said that amberia has several abilities. She can change her appearance and can seduce kings to their downfalls. But one thing that interests me is that amberia has never showed herself for a long time after a kingdom falls. Where does she go? Who gave her these powers? And why doesn't kingdom refuse her arrival?