Chapter 01

The Years of War

               In the late early years of the 15^th Century, the year 1514, a mad Wizard nearly unleashed doomsday on Earth when he tried to summon the King of Demons from the Netherworld. Enchanting a mirror with Dark Magic, he nearly succeeded. However, he was still mortal and the power he chose to unleash was too much for him to control. As a result, he died while performing the ritual to summon the demon king. Yet his death did not bring the same fate for the mirror because it stays intact. Dark magic protected it from ever being destroyed by anyone.

               The Wizards of the Kingdom tried to destroy the Mirror, but to no avail. Each attempt only piled up bodies and deaths all around. Hope was lost, until one young Wizard suggests to try theory. He opted to try to take a jewel from the crown of the mirror, a blue jewel.

               “We tried to destroy the whole thing, but it is to no avail,” the young Wizard explained, “How about if we try to just take away a piece from the mirror? We know not if this theory will succeed, and yet it is worth a try than losing another Wizard to a hopeless cause of trying to destroy.”

               Due to the dire need of a success, the King and the remaining Wizards opted in unison to put the young wizard’s plan into motion. And so, preparation was once again underway to complete the perilous task. Both mental and physical preparation are needed especially for the young wizard because if one wrong move was made, it could his life or everyone present for the procedure.

               Three days’ worth of preparation brought them back to the dungeon under the kingdom where the Mirror is kept hidden. Only the Kingdom’s most trusted Wizards and Knights, including the King, know the location of the Mirror. The location’s entrance is heavily guarded with 50 of the best foot soldiers and archers in the kingdom. Getting inside also needs both the King and the High Wizard to be present in order to confirm access for entry. If either one is not present, entry is not permitted.

               After the final preparations are done, the young Wizard stands in front of the Mirror alone with three support Wizards at his back. Three days they spent to put layers upon layers of defence and strengthening spells upon their physique so they could minimize the damage as much as possible.

               The young Wizard takes a deep breath and looks towards everyone in the room, “Let’s begin.” With that statement, blue-ish red aura surrounded both the young Wizard and his supporting Wizards. The previous procedures were pushing the immense power of the magic they layered for weeks into the mirror to destroy it, but now they are trying to pull something from the mirror. The jewel at the crown of the mirror.

               The young Wizard stretched forth his arm towards the the Jewel and took a deep breath. Then he releases his magic towards the jewel. In that same instant, the atmosphere of the room turned violent when streaks of the mirror’s magic strikes everything around it. However, everyone in the room are protected by runes that are placed around the chamber of the dungeon prior to the procedure. The Wizard, they deemed crazy, who died was a former high council wizard and was the strongest among the Wizards. His spells are no joking matter because of how strong it is.

               Their concentration averted away from the Mirror when one of the support Wizards flew off the chaing due to one of the streaks striking him dead on. He flew a few feet away from the group and was outcold. That suffered a big burden on the remaining supporting wizards. The young Wizard starts to lose feeling on his right hand, the arm he uses as the channel of his power. With loss of one supporting Wizard, he is starting to flinch because his right arm is starting to burn from his fingertip. However, there's light to this disaster as the young Wizard felt a his tug on the jewel starts to get stronger, for the jewel starts to loosen from the mirror. Things turned for the worse when another wizard got thrown off the supporting line with another streak from the mirror's magic.

              As the second supporting wizard got thrown off, the burden got even more for the remaining supporting wizard and the young wizard. The power of the mirror starts to overwhelm the young Wizard as he starts to go down on one knee while his right-hand starts to burn through the process. The supporting Wizard tries to heal the young Wizard's hand but the damage applied was too much compared to the amount of healing energy given. And with his hand about to lose it's function, the Young Wizard moves his left hand to support up the right hand in order to keep it steady. In doing so, his left hand starts get burned as well.

             "Argghh!!!!" one last scream the young Wizard unleashed whatever power he has left then he too along with the last supporting Wizard got thrown off away from the mirror separate ways. 

             At first everyone was in dismay when the mirror was still seen completely unharmed, but things changed immediately when they noticed that the jewel from the crown of the mirror is missing. The young Wizard stood with his left hand up high to show everyone present in the chamber that he has the jewel in his hand. But he had to suffer the loss of his right hand completely because the damage was too severe and beyond healing. To him, it is a sacrifice worth making because once more, there is a certain guarantee that this world will be at peace for the time being without any real means of Demon summoning madness around. 

             In order to keep the peace in the world, the mirror was moved away from the land and kept as far away as possible from it's jewel. Both items of destruction are put away in places that only the King, the young Wizard and Head of the Wizard council. For that same decision made, the world knows peace for 5 long years. Everything seemed right in the world. 

            Fate, has other plans. An earthquake occurred hundreds of miles away from the Shores of England, unbeknownst to the world. This earthquake occurred only but a moment, yet what it brought forth is one of destruction. Five entities emerged from the sea unto the shores of England with forms of unimaginable horror. Their forms however immediately averted to that of a human's form.

               "This is the beginning of our domination," the leader of the five-spoke in their native demon tongue, "Alastor, hide the mirror far away from this land for we are at an advantage, we must start somewhere else because of sense not the jewel in this land."

               Alastor, the demon who carries the Mirror with him replied, "Yes General Eisheth." The mirror was sunk beneath the sea hundreds of miles away from the shores of England. The earthquake earlier was teh result of the mirror opening a portal to make way for these five demons, the demon lord's most trusted. The demon Lord is powerful enough to open a portal for his followers if there is given access, but in order for he himself to be free, the door has to be opened from both ways by additional material. In his case is the dark-induced magical jewel. 

                "Grow your troops and let us wage war against this world and find that missing jewel," Eisheth commanded his underlings.

                "Yes General," replied in unison with their native tongue, the 2 male and 2 female demons split their ways. They disappeared like dust in the wind to go their separate ways to accomplish their own missions. 

               "Soon milord, you will be carried out in this world," he looked upon the horizon from where he emerged, and just like his subordinates, he disappeared like dust in the wind. 

                The mission of these five dangerous demons is to subdue humans and summon their own troops into the world. These 5 have the ability to summon portal from the demon world, granted by their king before they left. However, their ultimate goal was to bring forth the last piece of the mirror in order to bring their king into this world. 

                  The 5 demons spread across the world, making their settlements in abandoned Castles or buildings far away from society in order to amass their troops. Each of these demons has its own specific powers that made them different than any other demons. No human weapons could stand against them. They are the very epitome of destruction and the extent of the demon lord's powers to destroy humankind.

                     In a few shorts months, the 5 demons rain havoc upon the world with their troops of thousands of demons. The world was thrown into chaos and none is left to survive. Armies upon armies are no match to the demon army, death was around the world and no one is able to do anything about it. The demons scour the world in search of the missing piece of the mirror, the Jewel. Countries upon countries, nations upon nations have fallen to the might of the demon army. And at last, the army came back to England for its last attempt to find that jewel.

                     The Kingdom is at its last stand, with thousands of demons at their doorstep. No way to run, no to escape. The World's last stand against the demons is to be decided here. The very nation that interrupted judgement day from happening now is faced with the same task to make a stand for the world as it's last line of defence. Once again Hope for survival hangs in the balance.

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                      "My King, I have a resolve that might give us a chance in this battle," The young Wizard says as he bows down on his knee. With his right arm amputated due to it's severe damage, he is not left with only his left hand, "I think I have found a way to reverse the power of the jewel into our advantage."

                        "Reverse it? What is your goal for this?" The King asked, intrigued by this idea.

                        Then the young Wizard revealed to the King that besides the human world, there exist two other realms. The realms of Spirits, where the actual source of Wizards' powers come from, and the Netherrealm where the demons reside. The mad Wizard was able to amass such an amazing amount of magic to create the demon portal, the only explanation would be that he had immediate access to the Spirit World to gather that much strength. Yet he lost control of that power when the Spirit realm knows what he was up to and cut off their power from the Wizard. 

                        "If that were the case, why couldn't you summon that power as well to destroy the mirror?" the King asked with curiosity, "You would have saved an arm if you had done what he did."

                          "I wish I could your majesty, but sadly that Wizard was an Elite S Class Wizard while I was still a B class Wizard," the young Wizard stated with his head down, "But I can assure you that my level for the last 5 years has increased tremendously and that I am sure I am for the task to reverse the power of the Jewel. However, I need our permission, my King, for we have not much time."

                           The King pondered on the matter for a moment and then said, "You have my permission Rhydys, go forth with your plan."

                           "Then my Lord, I am asking permission. Let me bring two thousand of your best soldiers in the Kingdom and 5 of your best Generals," Rhydys requested the King one last time.

                         "Why? They are all positioned at the front line," the King is shocked with the request, "How will our troops stand a chance then?"

                       "I know my Lord, what I am asking is too much but please trust me, they are needed as our last hope," Rhydys pleads for the King, "This way our nation, the world will have a chance." 

                      The King took a long pause to decide until he took a deep sigh, "You have my say, but Rhydys," he looked at Rhydys straight in the eye, "If this fails, we are all doomed."

                        "Yes my Lord, you will not be disappointed," he bows to the king and heads out to the deep forest of the Kingdom to perform his procedure. And as it happens, he is the holder of the Jewel. All this time the demons did not know of its whereabouts due to the spell he has put on the jewel to make is untraceable. But if he is to proceed with the procedure, it will undo the jewels cloaking spell and will expose its location to the demon Lords. This plan is nothing but a two-edged sword, succession or failure will result in one thing, his life in extreme danger along with everyone in the kingdom. The spell he will conjure in the procedure also means two things, success will give him open access to limitless power but failure will kill him and the two thousand men along with the 6 Generals.

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                      Rhydys, commenced his preparation deep within the forest while waiting for the Generals and the troops to arrive. Creating a circle-shaped rune of 'GATE'  within the center of the forest supported with runes of Power, Nature, Space and Time on four corners of the circle. Two hours he spent in order to finish his preparation until the Generals arrived along with the troops behind them.

                         "This better be worth it for you to call us away from the front lines Rhydys," one of the generals voiced out. 

                         "I hope so, Nicholas," Rhydys replied as he puts the Jewel at the center of the Circle. "I have no time for explanation everyone, but please stand back."

                        With their trust for the Wizard who saved their lives 5 years ago, Rhydys needs not to ask twice. They all backed away as soon as he gives the word. And before starting, Rhydys took a deep breath then enchanted the spell. His left that's stretched forth to the Jewel glows bright blue and fired a beam towards the jewel. The Jewel glows pitch black and rose from the ground where Rhydys had put it. The runes of Power, Nature, Space and Time glowed bright Gold and everything seemed to be running well until the jewel's power starts to demand authority. The pitch-black energy starts to overwhelm the blue energy and pushed its way towards Rhydys until took over to consume Rhydys slowly.

                        "Rhydys!" one the Generals ran towards the Wizard after seeing the event unfold in front of him.

                        "NO! Stay back, Daniel!" Rhydys shouted in pain as the pitch-black aura start to consume him. 

                        "The price to reverse this the dark power is life," a voice echoed in Rhydys' mind as he struggles to maintain the fight.

                       "Who... are you?" Rhodes spoke through gritted teeth.

                      "I am the Jewel you are trying to change," the Jewel spoke as Rhydys struggles through pain, "You are not powerful enough to come back from this procedure alive, the only way is to surrender a life."

                       "I accept, take mine," Rhydys says without hesitation, "Whatever it takes so this world and everyone has the chance to fight back."

                       "Are you certain?" The Jewel spoke again, "It doesn't have to be your life, it can be someone else's life. Like the previous Wizard who used me, he sacrificed his entire family for the sake of my power."

                      "Yes I am very certain," Rhydys starts to lose the strength on his legs as he starts to kneel due to the numbing pain, "No more lives should be sacrificed other than mine."

                        "As you wish," The Jewel replies. In no time, the blue energy pushed back the Pitch-Black energy back towards the jewel. But, the more the Blue energy rises in power, the more Rhydys feels life failing away. 

                    In only a moment, the black energy loses power and the blue power took over. As the blue energy took over the jewel, a beam so bright shot up from the jewel unto the heavens like a tower of energy. The whole land could see, including the very beings trying to find the jewel. The demon lords.

                     From the tower of energy, comes forth a beast that resembles a lion with wings so vast it could possibly be able to summon storms.  "You who has opened the gate of this Spirit realm, I am the King of this realm. What do you seek of me?"

                      "I seek salvation for this land, my Lord," Rhydys was in pure awe of what he had seen, "Please bestow your power on these Generals and their soldiers so that we might vanquish the evil of this land."

                        The Lion looked at Rhydys as he kneels and notices his life siphoning away slowly with each passing second. The Lion bows his head slowly and says, "Because of the Sacrifice you gave for your people, I shall grant your request." The Spirit King looked towards the still stunned Generals and soldiers than spoke, "Come forth and kneel before me, Generals."

                         "Daniel, it's alright," Rhydys looked at the Generals and encouraged when they were stunned, "It's safe."

                   Daniel along with Nicholas and the other generals kneeled without thought at Rhydys' request because of their tremendous trust upon Rhydys. As soon as they kneel, 5 different weapons appeared in front of them.

                   "These weapons will be your strength as you stand against the demons that are on their way as we speak," The Spirit King spoke, "Only with these weapons can you kill the demon warlords and their King." 

                     The Generals present are Daniel, Nicholas, Mary, Alice and William. Before them are their respective weapons. Daniel earns himself a golden one-armed sword, Nicholas two golden swords, Mary a golden bow in front of her, Alice a golden spear adn William a double-handed golden Ax. After speaking to the Generals, the Spirit King opened his mouth and bolts of energy shoots out into the air and rained down upon the two thousand soldiers. The soldiers at first were frightened but then their armors changed into different colors. Red, Blue, Silver, Golden, and Gray.

                    "Your positions, Generals, are as follows," The Spirit King spoke, "The Ax will be the tank, the one in front due to his high magic defence and physical prowess to stand the front line and push the enemies back, The Archer will be the Mage for her high magic damage and range capacity to reach almost anywhere in the field, The Spear will be the support due to her expertise and vast magic in healing and strengthening her allies, The Assasin will the fastest and the deadliest in close combat while the Sword will be the one applying the most damage with his strong attacking magic. These troops in their colored armors will be your specified units. The Red and Blue will be the Axe and Archer, the Silver and Gold will be the Assasin and The Sword while the Gray will be the Spear." 

                      "Thank you, my Lord," Rhydys spoke as he kneels on both knees with his breath slowly fading. Seeing the Wizard dying before their eyes, The 5 Generals immediately tend to his side. With concerns on their faces. The Spirit King has other plans when Rhydys suddenly floated away from his comrades.

                         "Your sacrifice earned you the strongest power I can ever bestow to any being," A white light enveloped Rhydys completely then shines very brightly as if it is the second sun. And only a moment later did the light comes down and dispersed away from Rhydys. There he stood on his own two feet with both his arms intact. He is dressed in a snow-white armor, patterned with Golden lines and around him floats 7 blades that glow crimson gold. 

                     "You are to be my Grand General for this realm and you possess what the other 5 generals do not," The Spirit King stated, "You possess all their powers combined and more, but that is up to you to find out for my presence cannot remain here any longer."

                 With that last statement, the Spirit King glows blinding light and disappears before anyone could respond. Along with the vanishing of the Spirit King, the portal and all the runes disappeared except for the jewel at its center. The Jewel that was once colored Pitch-black is now glowing a radiant royal blue color. Instead of giving a deadly and eerie aura, the new jewel form gives off positive energy. An energy Rhydys must immediately hid once more.  

                 As if rehearsed, a soldier in blue armor came running to approach the 6 Generals, "Generals, scouts have informed me the demon army are heading this way as we speak," he wasn't out of breath even after running and using the armor is using, "They will arrive in a matter of minutes!"

               All eyes went to look at Rhydys as the highest and strongest among them all. Rhydys, being someone who's always active behind the scenes is now someone leading the new hope of the world. Rhydys took a deep breath and addressed the soldiers and Generals, "My brethren, today we have a chance to change the course of history. To claim what's been lost! To regain our freedom! To protect our loved ones! This is our chance for retribution! Our chance for salvation! Our chance for FREEDOM! Who is with me?!" His short speech was welcomed in an uproar of agreement from the thousands of people before him.

                With that speech, the troops with their newfound powers marched into battle against thousands of demons. For once in a long time, the army of England is finally pushing back the demon hordes. Slowly and surely the world has the chance to fight back and push back the demons. And within a two years, they have gained back the countries ruled by the demons. But of course not only with the gifts of the 2 thousand men because even with their powers, they still die in battle but in this case they have a chance to fight back. When one of the soldiers die in battle, his power will be distributed to new hosts. Not one host to another but from one host to multiple hosts. The more demons that soldier kills, the more power he gains and when he dies, more soldiers or fighters receive the chance to fight to regain the world's freedom.

               Even with their gifts and help, reality cannot be mocked and sidelined. The reality is that the demon army are powerful beings and are not easy to take down for when the soldiers get stronger each time they take down a demon so are the demons the more soldiers they kill. The War was on a push and pull position as they tug one nation to another to regain full control. Years passed and finally, the demons are forced into hiding, and the humans regained control upon the earth. But things never stopped there.