HERESY

The Tigress Heresy was one of great pain and suffering.

Tigress would stop at nothing to resurrect her people, and with Dietha gradually consuming her mind with her powers, her reason soon dissipated. 

Everywhere she went, destruction and turmoil was left in her wake.

Emperor Silus and Empress Usasha were in stark disbelief, who wouldn't? Their child turned their back on the very thing that made the Imperium flourish. The collective peace and harmony that ensued prosperity. 

Aquarius went to the Dwarven shores to confront his sister, he still hoped there was someone, something there that he could reason with. 

But, what he was left with was a monster. Dietha had fully consumed her mind and she looked nothing like the sister he knew.

She was a mess of dark purple, with electricity flowing all around her, her eyes glowing red and her limbs being astral projections.

She had risen to the level of Calamity.

Aquarius and his vast navy, 235 ships strong, their crews consisting of elves, dwarfs and humans, tried their very best to repel her assault, but could not.

Aquarius, was known around the realm to love his marines and sailors like they were his children, and with every death his poor soul shattered until he could take he no more.

He issued a retreat and used himself to cover his men's retreat.

He drew forth the power of the sea and did not hold back. 

“You always said you were stronger, but let's see you overcome this”

It was a beautiful clash of waves, storm, and electricity, that was seen all over the realm.

“NO SISTER OF MINE SEEKS TO DESTROY, WE WERE BRED TO BE SAVIOURS OF THE WORLD!”

It is said that the very clashes between the two tore the fabric of reality many times over, as they shattered countless realities but their own.

“FREEDOM IS THE RIGHT OF ALL BEINGS BOTH GREAT AND SMALL, YOU HAVE BROKEN THAT YOU COWARD”

But in the end, Aquarius was overpowered.

“In the end, it seems that I was not powerful enough to save you from yourself. I am sorry, Tigress”

His sister had smitten him, but Dietha was slowly losing control of Tigress' mind. Her brother's words went straight to her heart.

Aquarius' death was felt across the realm and there was deep sorrow. 

For the elves in particular, they fell to an uncontrollable rage and threw themselves at Tigress, with each and every single one of those that went to her, falling.

Silus and Usasha could no longer sit idly by.

They geared up and took Tulote with them. The four demigod like figures clashed with such speed and destructive power that it was impossible to track with the naked eye. 

Tulote micromanaged his armies all while in constant clash with Tigress, directing cannon fire and ranged weaponry on Tigress' position.

“MEN AIM FOR HER CORE, WE SHALL BE VICTOURIOUS”

But with each second the battle grew, Tigress only grew stronger, and she smote Tulote's armies”

“MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS, HOW COULD YOU?!”

Silus and Usasha still held back, for they did not want to kill one of their children. They thought that they could over-power her and imprison her, but not kill her. Despite Tulote's constant begging, his parents could not bear to kill their favourite.
The memories of what was; all the good, the laughter, the time they shared, blinded them to the fact that this was no longer Tigress as they knew her.
They thought they could reason with her.

But how wrong they were.

Just as it seemed that Tigress was to overpower all three of them, Niath showed herself for the first time ever. She smote tigress multiple times with such power and precision that Tigress slowed considerably. 

She mocked her sister while she struck.

“Oh sister, you were always so slow, so cumbersome, so needy, how blind were you to fall to this power?”

She struck again.

“Even with all this power you still can't catch me, can you sister?”

And she struck once more

“Give me a fight, sister! Did you REALLY kill Aquarius with these skills?”

However, Tigress caught hold of Niath and thrust her arm through her. Niath, in her dying breath, said one last thing;
“Oh, my sister, it seems you've finally caught me. But what have you become? We were friends once, remember?”

Tigress returned for but a second and shivered, but Dietha regained control and crushed Niath.

That pushed Silus and Usasha to the brink.

Knowing that they inescapably caused their daughter's death, they went into a primal fury.

They fused into one; SILASHA IMPERIAL GOD REGENT.

The Gladius Nobellus and The World Tree's powers increased a hundred-fold and became Heavenly artefacts in their own right. 

TIgress never stood a chance.

Silasha smote tigress with the Gladius' soul erasing powers, but right before they activated, Dietha escaped, leaving Tigress there, crying after realizing what she had done.

Silasha erased her from existence entirely, but their dream of a United Imperium was destroyed. The planet was in ruin, entire civilizations becoming undone.

In the end, The Great Four were reduced to just one, only Tulote remained

It was the Darkest Hour of the Imperium.

-

I stood there in awe, with a single tear running down my cheek.

“No parent should ever have to kill or watch their children die.” 

I saw what looked like a single tear roll down Tulote's cheek

Tulote continued.

“My parents, they cried and cried, and I cried, the whole world cried, for the Calamity was great. They then said to me that there was a way to bring back the World to suitable living conditions, but…”

He paused for a while and turned away, perhaps he was crying I assumed.

“But what?”

“They would have to dissolve themselves and allow for their essence to reforge the planet”

Tulote was visibly very shaken by all this, but he continued.

“Before they did, they assigned me as Lord Regent over the Imperium, and told me that times would only get worse, and in our Darkest times a hero would emerge…”
“And that here is you, Arda. You have to save us all.”

I said nothing but nodded simply, this world needed me. It was a lot to take in and with a year to save this stricken world, I was very doubtful.

“I sense your doubt, Arda, but do not worry, for I will accompany you on this journey.”

“You, but you're needed here!”

“Nonsense! These are my people, and I'll be damned if I allow for any more of them to be corrupted or perish while I sit here and do NOTHING!”

I was then briefed on the dire situation the world was faced with.
After 230 years of relative peace and rebuilding, Dietha had returned, stronger than ever, and had made a pact with the demon realm to consume the souls of the innocent, the helpless and the pure. 
For 20 years, she had ravaged the entirety of the Dwarven Kingdom, forcing mass migrations into the capital, Surton, the home of the Imperial Palace.
Her forces were making their way to the elven kingdom, and they were slowly getting pushed back despite the combined efforts of the Elves, Humans, and refugee Dwarves. 
The Imperial Forces were scattered and many were encircled in different parts of the realm.
The FIRST COMPANY was encircled near the Neoth Range
The IMPERIAL NAVY was surrounded in the Dwarven Sea
The IMPERILATI, a bulk of the Imperial Regional Guard, were cut off near the demonic portal within the Irene Desert.
We had to get to them and their commanders before they perished, for if they did, the imperium would be at an even worse disadvantage than it had now.

My quest was clear. To Unite the Three Armies and defeat Dietha once and for all.

“Oh, one more thing before we leave.”

“What's that?”

“My father gave me strict instructions to bestow this to the Hero”

“Is that what I think it is?”

“The Gladius Nobellus. Right now, however, its powers are locked off until the user proves itself worthy”,

“I- can I really have this?”

“It is your DESTINY, now stop asking silly questions and let us go!”

“I don't even know how to use a sword, much less FIGHT”

“You have been granted the powers of proficiency. This means that any weapon you wield, you will be able to use it instantly.”

I held on to the Gladius and my mind surged with techniques, strategies, and plays of the sword. I felt a tense vibration resonate within me.
The sword then morphed itself to a size that fit my hands.

Tulote then informed me that in two days we would leave the capital and head to the elven frontier.
I was then told that I would have a maid accompany me to my room, and that I had to address the kingdom at noon tomorrow to give them hope that the saviour was here.

Tulote excused himself to personally supervise the preparations for the trip to the frontier and to delegate administrative power to his subjects while he was away.

If there was one thing I was sure of, It was that all these people depended on me to save them.
Boy did I have a lot of work to do.