Fantasia: I Am the Dungeon

With the blare of the war horn, Jo's heavy infantry takes the lead, advancing unhurried but unstoppable like a steamroller. Their stacked plate armor resembles pagodas, hence their moniker: Jo's Halberd-Towers. Close behind follows Caido's light infantry, far less professional but much more varied, comprised of humans, goblins, Lirans (catfolk), centaurs, and orcs. The cavalry of both rebel kingdoms remains waiting far in the rear.

A line of 1,000 warriors to face the first exchange with the Union.

"How naive!" Goro exclaims, shaking his head, a gesture that flutters the ribbons extending from his golden helm. "For a moment, a small part of me worried they would try to outflank us with their superior numbers. But treason clouds their judgment! It is also what they get for placing a woman in command of the army... I pity Queen Aori. Perhaps if she had married a good man, instead of falling to the temptations of King George's charms, she would not be here today, but in her castle tending to her husband and children."

The priestess of Aquas ignores the comment and instead asks what strategy they will employ, her words interrupted by heavy profanities from the Ludopedia warrior. Lynel watches the enemy army in silence while battling a bitter taste in his stomach.

"Isn't it obvious? Attack head-on with everything!" Goro says, waving an arm. "We will destroy that vanguard in the blink of an eye, and we will have fewer to deal with when we pierce the core of their rebel army. I only hope, fellow commanders, that you allow me to spare the queen's life. I have a son more than suitable to marry her, cleanse the stain of her treason, and teach her her place in the sacred order of things. A woman is not made for war!"

Lynel cracks a grimace that doubles as a half-smile. If Goro knew Hilda, perhaps he wouldn't think that way.

"It occurred to me to send a similar force, slightly larger, perhaps divided into three flanks, with the priests supporting us from the rear," Lynel says upon noticing that the enemy kings have vanished from his line of sight. "I suspect Queen Aori and King George are preparing a trap, not a mere exchange of spears and swords."

The recommendation for caution causes Goro to frown. Smoothing the tip of his long white mustache with one hand, the noble from Great Conquistia looks at Lynel with distrust.

"Excuse me, Commander, could you tell me your name and that of your honorable family? As nobility in the kingdom of Stoicus is scarce, I am not familiar with your surnames or your faces."

Lynel groans inwardly, but just as he opens his mouth to reveal that he is actually a commoner, the obese warrior of Ludopedia steps in and points at the enemy.

"They are getting closer, we must act."

Goro's eyes light up.

"Squires! My horse!"

Two youngsters, whose perfumed silks suggest they are far more accustomed to palaces than stables, manage to lead a docile white mare plated in golden armor by the reins. Goro mounts the beast, takes the long lance from his man-at-arms, and with a kick of his heels, begins to gallop along the rearguard of his troops.

"Cavalry! Infantry! Everyone attack, the Mage King watches us from the sky!" he barks the order, and the soldiers comply, breaking away from the rest of the Union's forces. The units of Stoicus, Ludopedia, and Aquas remain on standby with their leaders. Seeing such passivity, Goro snorts in the direction of the other commanders. "If you wish to leave all the glory to me, so be it! This shall be known as the Battle of the Undefeated!"

Two thousand soldiers of Great Conquistia advance like a destructive wave, while Goro watches them from atop a hill. The commander raises his lance even higher and mutters a word of power to activate the spell imbued in his armor.

A pillar of light rises from his shoulders up to twenty meters into the air, enveloping him in a glow of deceptive glory. It is a purely aesthetic spell; it serves little practical purpose. The squires soon reach the hill carrying paint, canvases, and an easel, to begin painting a portrait of Goro.

Jo's heavy infantry halts abruptly as Conquistia's soldiers draw ever closer, with the cavalry in the lead, waving the banners of their fiefdoms and the Mage King. Jo's halberd-pagodas part in perfect synchrony, revealing a path. In the middle of the opening stand Queen Aori and King George, holding the frontline, together grasping Heart's Valor.

The greatsword is a piece of white steel, a meter and a half long and half a meter wide, featuring a curved pommel adorned with the gems from the necklace of the late wife of the holy hero, Valentine. It looked like a decorative weapon, far too heavy and cumbersome for a single person to wield. But the couple lifts the weapon by the hilt and lets it fall forward.

A growing crest of light, born from the edge, carves a trench into the earth and forces the enemy cavalry to split in two.

Some riders are thrown into the air by their mounts, who are overcome by terror. Others press on with the attack, even with pebbles and dust clashing against their visors, and the sun blinding them.

The kings pivot in perfect synchrony, almost like a dance, swinging the greatsword in a horizontal arc that sheds a new, pristine radiance like a wedding dress.

Those who throw themselves to the ground survive. Those who attempt to jump collapse as soon as their legless mounts hit the grass. Those too slow or too close to the blade fall with their torsos severed from their legs, spilling their steaming, foul-smelling entrails. The fallen begin to call out for their mothers.

Goro pales, and the glow of his armor dies out.

The expressions of Lynel and the rest of the commanders darken with shadows.

The queen releases the greatsword, takes a few steps forward, and removes her demonic-looking helm. With sweat slicking her long black mane and determination burning in her almond eyes—Aoi's heritage—she shouts, her voice echoing across the battlefield.

"The Mage King is dead!"

The declaration is followed by the clamor of Jo and Caido's army, a booming "Hu!" like an explosion that makes thousands of hearts tremble.

"Crossbowmen! Fire!" screams the queen.

With mechanical clacks, the bolts fly, mowing down several rows of Conquistia warriors who were just arriving, panting as they followed the riders. It only takes one to squeal and run for the others to join. Under the incredulous gazes of their allies, the soldiers scatter in any direction that leads them away from the enemy army.

"What are you doing?! Go back, attack! I will execute every deserter myself!" Goro screams, his eyes bloodshot. He nearly falls off his horse upon noticing the enemy cavalry also beginning to mobilize.

"Archers! Fire!" Aori exclaims.

Bows are drawn tight, and arrows whistle through the air in an effort to reach those fleeing, the fallen, and those playing dead, but primarily to buy time for the crossbowmen to reload—who in turn fire to buy time for the reinforcements to join the all-out vanguard.

Goro grits his teeth and shakes his head. He whips the reins, turns his horse around, and flees, abandoning the terrified squires with an unfinished canvas.

The other commanders were already preparing to fight, though it would be far more complicated now with Conquistia's army scattered and demoralized. They follow Lynel's plan: three groups, with the priests of Aquas supporting from the rear, the entire army engaged.

The hues of the sunset drape themselves in intense reds. Lynel tastes rust in the air, a harbinger of the massacre that will undoubtedly take place. He holds onto only two hopes: to fight well, and to see his granddaughter's face at least one more time.

The captain of the third squad takes his position at the front of his soldiers. He roars and twirls his steel staff, wielding two spiked spheres at either end of the weapon, capable of tearing flesh and pulverizing bone. At a trot, he directs the steady march of the right flank, while the Ludopedia warrior handles the left, and the Aquas priestess commands the center from far back.

Lynel keeps his attention locked on the enemy's heavy infantry as he moves up and down the hills. He ignores the deserters running past him; his focus isn't on punishing indiscipline, but on emerging victorious. With every step, he must remind himself to breathe; he is no longer at an age where he can afford to run out of breath. He searches for the kings, but when two massive crowds threaten to clash, his gaze can only center on what is directly in front of him.

But against all odds...

The clash never happens.

The expectant voices and gasps of war cease, and Lynel notices how warriors on both sides stop looking at their adversaries to turn their eyes toward the sky. Swords and shields fall to the earth. The soldiers of Jo and Caido, who only moments ago displayed absolute bravery and readiness, collapse to their knees.

Lynel watches it all in sheer astonishment, suspecting the enemy army has fallen victim to some spell designed to shatter minds and morale. His gaze finds the royal couple again; they, too, are staring at the sky with expressions of pure terror.

"I-It can't be... Impossible..." Queen Aori's voice trembles. Her fingers lose their strength, and just like George, she ends up dropping Heart's Valor. The legendary weapon lands on the dirt, just like its more mundane peers. "After so many decades without appearing... He was supposed to..."

The battlefield freezes, and when Lynel looks up, he swallows hard, understanding why.

A man flies among the clouds. His messy, raven-black hair flutters gently in the wind, as does his wide purple tunic. On his young, smooth, pale face rests a gaze as black as ink, occupying almost the entirety of the whites of his slanted eyes—a gaze that seems to absorb the light, betraying his apparent youth, as if the rise and fall of multiple kingdoms have been permanently burned into his retinas.

Kazuto, the Mage King.

Thousands of knees plant themselves into the earth, including Lynel's. Those rebels who do not abandon their weapons to flee drop to their knees as well and lower their heads. Only the kings remain standing, though George's legs are shaking.

The world is seized by an unnatural silence; not even the wind dares to make a sound.

"We were supposed to be abandoned... The council of mages supposedly tricked us..." Aori mutters repeatedly, clinging to the theories she and her partner had concluded with what they believed to be absolute certainty.

But Kazuto descends and plants himself three steps away from her. So close that Aori could attempt to swing Heart's Valor and kill him; so close that it is impossible to deny he is real.

George falls flat on his face, clutching his head. Aori feels her body go as stiff as a statue.

The Mage King advances. One step. Two.

Aori trembles, the plates of her armor clinking. She hesitates between begging for forgiveness or taking her own life.

Kazuto leans in and extends a hand. The gesture, simple and devoid of overt power, is enough for Aori to fall onto her rear. A warm, golden liquid seeps from her greaves, creating a puddle that stains the side of Heart's Valor.

Kazuto acts as if he doesn't notice, while not a single gaze on the hills dares to settle upon him. The Mage King grasps the hilt of Heart's Valor and pulls his arm back.

The greatsword remains immovable.

A barely perceptible grimace disturbs the lips of the supreme ruler. He mutters a few words in his native tongue. Words that Aori and George hear without understanding, yet they feel like a curse, causing them to shriek.

The Mage King, as if having lost any trace of interest, rises into the air and vanishes into the clouds, just as silently as he arrived.

Ten minutes later, both armies remain in a stupor. Lynel and many others do not even dare to lift their heads. Goro's galloping and his shouts claiming victory are the first things to break the stillness, freeing them from the overwhelming shock.

The armies of Jo and Caido surrendered without a word of protest. Goro demanded the execution of 2,000 soldiers to send a harsh message to anyone flirting with treason. However, for the first time, the Aquas priestess and the Ludopedia warrior agreed on something: they convinced him to abandon the idea, recommending they wait for instructions from the magic council regarding how to handle the prisoners. Goro, in his foolishness, seemed the least susceptible to the Mage King's presence, but even he understood it would be prudent to await orders from Mahou.

King George used his knowledge in the magical school of illusion to turn invisible, disappearing alongside his most trusted men. Queen Aori was imprisoned; she didn't utter a single word nor offer any resistance. The wingless dragon attempted to defend its owner; one soldier died and two were injured during the assassination of the albino beast.

No one figured out how to move Heart's Valor, and the legendary greatsword was left right where it lay.

Lynel gathered his army and prepared to move away to find a place to make camp. He figured that back in Stoicus, they would celebrate upon learning that of the 150 soldiers sent, all 150 returned alive and unharmed. Though it would also be strange to recount that the battle was won without them ever having to fight.

A chronicler from Platia—part of the committee overseeing the northern mercenaries who were currently busy capturing the deserters—approached Lynel and asked what name he deemed appropriate for the battle that had just occurred.

The third captain inhaled, exhaled, and took a moment to sweep his gaze across the Ten Hills. He looked with sorrow upon the bodies of the fallen—casualties that could have been completely avoided if they had only waited a little longer.

Goro insisted it should be called the Battle of Supreme Glory.

The warrior of Ludopedia recommended calling it the Battle of the Ten Hills, plain and simple.

The priestess of Aquas: The Battle of the True King, because the Mage King does not need to wear a crown to prove he is the authentic ruler of all.

Meanwhile, Lynel...

"A skirmish like this should be called the Battle of the Sigh."

Because that was exactly how it ended—in a fortuitous gasp.