The sun is shining heavily and sky is clear, it is the time of afternoon. Beneath this wonderful sky isn't a happy scenery but just smoke and fire. A child is crying over a man dead body and smoke makes it hard to look anything behind her.
The scene changes and we see a man bathing in a huge pool and some 10 feet away from the man standing a monster of a man. He is close to 6 foot and 6 inches, his muscles are well defined even under his armour it can be easily said that this man might be able to kill someone just by hugging them tightly.
The man bathing in the pool suddenly stands and starts drying himself and then draps a loose cloth over him. He isn't huge or muscular or anything remotely even close to the muscular man. He is just 5 foot 7 inches and is slim and looks to be in his early twenties.
Suddenly another man enters the room this man is also very slim and of smaller height and is currently wearing an armour. His hair and beard is black but some white hair are clearly visible clarifying that this man must be in his early fourties.
He says, "My lord, we have caught all those who were loyal to Veis. What should we do with them?".
The lord which is the man who is still in some loose clothes looks at the man and says," Those who helped in opening the gates should be allowed to go free as for the rest kill them all and their entire family but before that make sure that all the women in their families be sent to the barracks and make them watch while our soldiers rape them."
The man doesn't even hesitate or looks a little bit remorsed like it's something very normal or not even worth caring about and this look is shared by all three men in the room.
Suddenly the muscular man asks," My lord, I still don't understand that you did nothing other than announcing that if the door isn't opened in seven days you will kill all the men in the city and your soldiers will rape them and by the third day the door was opened. Are these people cowards or what, they didn't even put any resistance at all?".
The lord looks at the muscular man and says," This is your mistake Sandom if you think that they are cowards actually it is because of us."
The muscular man named Sandom looks confused and asks, " How my lord?"
The third man in the room suddenly answers ," This is because of lord's reputation and fear, we haven't lost a single war till now and they fear us and more than that they fear our lord's reputation of cruelty."
Sandom looks at the thin man and asks, " Does that mean we will never have to fight a war again and we will just win wars like this, wouldn't that take all the fun Mace?"
The thin man named Mace looks at Sandom with annoyance and says, " No you dumb, we won this city because the army lord of this city was an idiot and couldn't even keep his people and soldiers in check."
The lord in the room looks at both of them and says, " Fear is a good weapon but it has it's weakness and we just need to lose a war or become a little soft and our fear in people's heart will subside."
Sandom then looks at the lord and suddenly asks, " Then shouldn't we kill all the soldiers to establish our fear and show that we aren't some soft pussy."
The lord has now put his entire clothes and looks at Sandom and says, " Fear is good but only if it can help us, if we kill all the soldiers even those who opened the door for us then soon enough that fear will become our enemy as rather than fearing and opening the gates for us the soldiers and people will start fighting us till the last drop of blood remains in their body because they will start thinking that we are some kind of monsters."
The man named Mace then looks at the lord and says, " My lord there is another message and this one is from your father."
Now the lord looks confused and looks at Mace and asks," What has caused my father to write to me in a war?"
Mace then looks at the lord and says, " My lord, your father wants you to go to an event."
The lord looks at Mace and then asks," What kind of event?". Mace looks at the lord and speaks," My lord, the lord of Pardry is celebrating his 40th nameday and is organising an event and tourney."
The lord looks with a small smile and says, "Isn't it strange young people like us are fighting in a war and we don't even know when we might die but old lords like him are celebrating their 40th nameday. The gods sure are partial."
All three men in the room laughs and then the lord asks Mace, " Is it written what we have to gift this lord for his nameday."
Mace looks at his lord and says, " Your father has written that the gift has already been sent from cursed fort with some loyal men and will meet us at the riverside town.
The lord looks at Mace and gives a subtle nod and then puts a serious look on his face and says to Mace, "Ready the fastest 200 horses and men. We will start riding for Golden City tomorrow morning."
Mace nods and all three men leaves the room. At the top of this building from which the entire city is visible is a flag. The flag has 2 golden swords crossed on a black background.