Book 4: Chapter 1
Future generations would be taught this incident had come upon them like an early summer.
They wouldn’t be far off the mark: The Kingdom of Natra had been seared by fanned flames long before the first signs of summer appeared.
The source was a major incident involving the Kingdoms of Natra and Cavarin.
It all began when Crown Prince Wein Salema Arbalest was invited to attend the Festival of the Spirit in Cavarin to celebrate the religion of Levetia, the church with the largest following in the west side of the continent. That happened to coincide with the Gathering of the Chosen, a ceremonial meeting held by the most influential figures of the faith.
It was the biggest event of the year, drawing eyes across the continent to the kingdom. But in the middle of it all, Ordalasse, the king of Cavarin and one of the Holy Elite, had been murdered in cold blood.
It was totally unprecedented for a ruler hosting an international conference to be assassinated in his own country. And as if that wasn’t a bolt from the blue, General Levert had the gall to accuse Wein of the crime after being granted temporary authority over the grieving nation.
The people of Natra were thunderstruck—and then burst into fits of rage! After all, Wein was beloved in their kingdom, known for standing out from all the rulers of the state’s long history for governing with benevolence and integrity. The accusation did not sit well with them.
Once Wein managed to escape the capital of Cavarin, he firmly stood his ground and insisted that the charge was false. By joining forces with the Remnant Army of Marden, former foe of Natra and most recently an enemy of Cavarin, they managed to push back General Levert’s forces.
And once Cavarin had been freed from Levert’s rule, all parties had finally reconciled. With its territory returned to the people, Marden had declared vassalage to Natra.