Chapter 1: The Path of Aru and The Rise of Ramsi

🔱 Main Character Bios

Aru Nytherra

Age: 27 Kingdom: Nytherra Role: High General, Swordmaster Traits: Noble, disciplined, loyal, emotionally driven Background: Trained from a young age by his father, a respected general. Rises through the ranks of the military. Deeply in love with Maria. Ultimately betrayed and turned into stone by dark sorcery. Notable Weapon: Standard military sword; dreams of wielding an Elemental Sword.

Ramsi Velmaria

Age: 43 Kingdom: Velmaria Role: King and Wielder of the Earth Sword Traits: Ruthless, power-hungry, strategic genius Background: Rose from a mid-ranking general to king by mastering the Earth Sword and staging a coup. Becomes a tyrant feared across all realms. Notable Power: Earth Sword – Second Phase Activated

Maria

Age: 25 Kingdom: Nytherra Role: Civilian, Economist Traits: Intelligent, graceful, emotionally torn Background: Aru's first and true love. Promised to marry him but falls in love with Moha while Aru is at war. Her betrayal leads to Aru’s tragic downfall.

Lila of Elarion

Age: 24 Kingdom: Elarion Role: Royal Advisor to the High Command Traits: Calm, observant, quietly powerful Background: A prodigy with a healing sword. Grows close to Aru during the war. Secretly falls in love with him. Notable Weapon: Magical Healing Dagger

Kiyaa of Thalvethar

Age: 26 Kingdom: Thalvethar Role: Wielder of the Volcanic Sword Traits: Brave, sacrificial, humble Background: Rose from poverty to become a general. Sacrifices himself to defeat Ramsi. Notable Weapon: Volcanic Sword

General Migo

Age: 51 Kingdom: Nytherra Role: Senior General Traits: Stern, wise, loyal Background: Aru’s mentor. Fights valiantly in the final battle and entrusts his legacy to Aru before dying in combat.

Moha

Age: 28 Kingdom: Nytherra Role: Ministerial Assistant Traits: Charming, ambitious, gentle Background: From a wealthy merchant family. Wins Maria’s heart during Aru’s absence. Killed in a tragic confrontation.

General Kunbaaf

Age: 47 Kingdom: Thalvethar Role: Supreme Commander of Allied Forces Traits: Strategic, calm, heavily armored Weapon: Enchanted shield

General Asad & General Adam

Kingdom: Elarion Roles: Senior Generals Notables: Asad is a war veteran with a spear. Adam is a mystical knight who dies in battle against Ramsi.

The Sword Realms and aru’s story

Chapter 1: The Path of Aru and the rise of ramsi

Long ago, there lived a young boy named Aru. He was a first-year student in high school—bright, curious, and full of potential. One ordinary day, he met a girl from the same school. She was still in middle school, but they quickly became close. What began as a simple friendship gradually blossomed into something deeper. Though Aru was two years older than her, they fell in love—genuinely and wholeheartedly.

Three years later, Aru graduated from high school. Rather than pursue a typical career, he chose the path of a soldier, inspired by his father, who was a high-ranking general. Throughout his high school years, Aru had trained with his father in both physical combat and swordsmanship. The military had become more than a dream—it was his destiny. Determined to follow in his father's footsteps, Aru joined the Military Academy.

He trained relentlessly. Among his peers, he quickly rose to become the most skilled and intelligent cadet at the academy. Though separated by distance, Aru and the girl—now a university student studying economics in the capital—remained deeply connected. They exchanged letters, sharing every detail of their lives. Their love grew stronger with time, despite the miles between them.

Aru had only one month of leave each year, while the girl had three. Whenever they were both on break, they returned to their hometown. There, they would spend time together—talking, laughing, reminiscing, and exploring the places they once called home.

After years of training, Aru completed his military education with distinction. In recognition of his exceptional skills, he was selected for a special program and offered the opportunity to train as a general. Before beginning this intense course, he was granted a three-month leave.

Coincidentally, the girl also received her university break at the same time. They reunited and enjoyed those precious months together—going on trips, sharing stories, and dreaming about the future. Before returning to his training, Aru made a promise. Once he completed his training and she finished her studies, they would marry.

Back at the military academy, Aru was introduced to a hidden truth—a legend of Nine Elemental Swords, each tied to the raw forces of nature: Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Forest, Lightning, Sound, Ice, and Volcano.

Among these, five were considered the most powerful: Water, Fire, Ice, Earth, and Wind. And above them all, two swords were feared for their overwhelming strength: the Sword of Fire and the Sword of Ice.

These swords were not scattered but safeguarded by five great kingdoms:

Solmere – The most powerful of all, controlling three swords and vast territories. Velmaria – A strong nation holding one sword. Thalvethar – A mountainous kingdom that possessed two swords. Nytherra – A forested realm with no swords, and the homeland of Aru. Elarion – A land of rivers, holding two swords.

Curiously, only two of the nine swords had ever been activated without a full awakening ritual: the Sword of Earth, wielded by Velmaria, and the Sword of Volcano, used by Elarion.

: The Rise of Ramsi

In Velmaria, a general named Ramsi unlocked the power of the Earth Sword. This discovery shocked the kingdom. Ramsi, once a mid-ranking general, was promoted to the supreme commander. Word of his power spread quickly, striking fear into the hearts of the other four kingdoms.

Within three years of mastering the Earth Sword, Ramsi staged a coup. He overthrew the royal family of Velmaria and crowned himself king. The other kingdoms, too fearful to challenge him, sent their congratulations and tributes, hoping to avoid his wrath.

One year into his reign, Ramsi visited Solmere to strengthen trade relations. During this diplomatic visit, he met the kingdom’s princess. The moment he laid eyes on her, he was captivated. After returning home, he sent a formal letter to Solmere’s king, requesting the princess's hand in marriage.

But the king, after consulting with his wife and daughter, declined. Ramsi was not a man who took rejection lightly. He wrote again—this time with threats. If they refused his proposal, he warned, he would invade and take the princess by force.

Solmere prepared for the worst. The king sent letters to all other kingdoms, pleading for help. All of them refused—except Nytherra, Aru’s homeland. Nytherra responded by dispatching its top generals and soldiers.

Soon after, Ramsi launched a brutal assault on Solmere. The two armies clashed in the mountainous forests of the kingdom, battling fiercely for seven days. Ramsi personally cut down the mightiest generals of Solmere—and even the reinforcements from Nytherra. Among the fallen was Aru’s own father.

With their leaders dead, the allied armies collapsed. Some fled, others surrendered. Ramsi’s forces advanced toward Solmere’s capital.

Knowing escape was impossible, Solmere's royal family tried to flee—but Ramsi's troops intercepted them. They were brought before Ramsi, who ordered the execution of the king and queen. He spared only the princess.

Shocked and terrified, the princess made a desperate plea:

“If you let my parents live, I will become your wife. But if you refuse, I will take my own life.”

Ramsi laughed darkly, intrigued by her resolve. He agreed—and spared her parents. The king and queen were exiled to Nytherra, where they were welcomed as honored guests.

But Ramsi's ambition had only begun…

Two and a half years after the fall of the Kingdom of Solmere, a young soldier from the Kingdom of Elarion awakened a hidden power—he became the first in centuries to wield the legendary Volcanic Sword. When word reached the ruling king of Elarion, he was thrilled. As a reward, the soldier, only 25 years old, was immediately promoted to junior general. Senior generals were instructed to provide him with elite training, recognizing his potential as a rising star.

Soon, the news spread like wildfire across neighboring kingdoms. Most sent congratulations and sought to strengthen diplomatic ties—except for one: the Kingdom of Ramsi. Unlike the others, Ramsi viewed this development as a direct threat to its sovereignty and responded with cold silence.

Meanwhile, in the distant Kingdom of Thalvethar, scholars had developed a secret potion—one that could drastically increase a person’s strength. But it came with a deadly risk: 70% of those who consumed it died. Desperate to keep the discovery confidential, Thalvethar tried to hide its existence, but their secret leaked. Soon, it reached the ears of other kingdoms... including Ramsi.

Ramsi panicked. Once again, they feared their dominance was slipping. Two months after Elarion’s soldier unlocked the power of the Volcanic Sword, Ramsi's king convened his generals and ordered preparations for war—targeting both Elarion and Thalvethar.

The other kingdoms were unaware of Ramsi’s war plans, but suspicion always lingered. Most had long anticipated that Ramsi would one day launch an invasion. They quietly prepared their defenses, watching Ramsi’s movements with unease.

A month before Ramsi’s planned assault on Thalvethar, Thalvethar’s royal spies intercepted vital information. Realizing Ramsi’s intent, they urgently reached out to their allies, requesting military support from both Elarion and Nytherra.

Nytherra refused. They claimed they had no obligation to help since Thalvethar had done nothing during Solmere’s fall. However, days later, a second letter reached Nytherra—this time from Elarion’s intelligence network. They warned that if Ramsi conquered Thalvethar, Nytherra would be the next target.

This time, Nytherra’s king took the matter seriously. He summoned his top generals, including a rising star named Aru, who had just become the kingdom’s fourth-highest-ranking general. After intense deliberation, the council agreed to send five generals and a limited force to assist. The scars of the devastating war three years earlier still lingered, and they lacked the resources to send a full army.

Soon, Elarion's elite forces arrived in Thalvethar, led by the young general who had mastered the Volcanic Sword. They camped near the capital but avoided entering cities or marching through towns to prevent panic. The generals proceeded to the royal palace, where they met with Thalvethar's war council. They agreed on key battle conditions:

The battle must take place outside the kingdom’s heartlands. The defenders would choose the battlefield. The terrain must be mountainous. Ramsi’s forces would be met directly by Thalvethar’s finest. If necessary, reinforcements would assist their key general, Kiya.

Three days later, Nytherra’s reinforcements arrived. They joined the existing camp, led by five capable generals:

General Migo, age 51, the most senior. General Gaabe, 39, a veteran tactician. General Aru, 27, the rising prodigy. Commander Sara, 32, a fierce warrior. Commander Faamo, 26, a skilled strategist.

Two months earlier—before Ramsi's intentions were widely known—Aru had completed his advanced military training and was granted a 15-day leave before undergoing a final trial: a duel with a top-ranking general to determine his next promotion.

He returned to his hometown, reuniting with his family: his grandmother, aunt, uncle, and twin cousins—a boy and a girl. He also brought gifts, not just for them, but for the girl he secretly loved: Maria.

Maria had recently graduated and returned to her childhood home for a break. When she saw Aru, her joy was palpable. She welcomed him warmly into her family's home, where everyone shared stories and laughter. As night fell and Aru prepared to leave, he whispered in her ear that he had something special for her and wanted to meet her the next day.

The following afternoon, they met in the city’s beautiful open fields. They talked for hours. Maria told him she had started working in the Ministry of Finance. Aru smiled with pride and said, “You’ve worked so hard.” Then, he shared his own news: “I’ve become a junior general… and soon, I may be promoted even higher.”

Maria's eyes sparkled. “We both worked hard,” she said.

“I want to give you something,” Aru said, “Close your eyes.”

He pulled out a golden ring, stood, and dropped to one knee.

“Open them,” he said.

Maria opened her eyes—and gasped. Aru asked her to officially begin a new chapter with him… to marry him.

With tears of joy, she accepted.

He placed the golden ring on her finger, then revealed another: a diamond ring for their wedding day. “When I return from my trial, we’ll marry. Agreed?”

She nodded. “Yes. I’ll wait for you.”

The next morning, Aru visited his mother’s grave. He knelt beside it and spoke softly about his achievements, hoping her spirit could hear him.

As he walked back, an old man appeared on the path. The stranger greeted Aru, who politely returned the greeting and asked, “Who are you?”

“It doesn’t matter who I am,” the old man replied. “How’s life treating you?”

“I’m doing well,” said Aru, though puzzled.

“But the black smoke still lingers around you,” the man said mysteriously. “What’s coming… is far more than you expect.”

“Wait, what do you mean?” Aru asked. “Who are you?”

The old man smiled sadly. “Time will reveal everything.”

Then, he vanished down the road.

That evening, Aru couldn't stop thinking about the encounter.

His final days of leave were spent exploring the city and countryside with Maria. When it was time to return, he visited the Heroes’ Monument, dedicated to the fallen of the Solmere war. His father’s grave lay nearby. Aru stood silently, saluting the past and the promise of what was to come.

He said goodbye to his family and Maria, then returned to the military academy in Nytherra’s capital.