1 - Kingdom of Dalmatia - The letter to the Red Apple

Prologue

The western supercontinent of Zetirya on its south-west coastline Zetiryas biggest peninsula lies.

On those lands, the kingdom of Dalmatia stands in the south the mountainous chain Velerija serves as a natural border and westward the ocean is extending as far as your eye can see, east the Pannonian Basin stretch indefinitely and north......death and eternal snow stretches to the ends of the known world.

The Kingdom of Dragons where Angels are flying through the sky and Sirens are the masters of the sea. Here begins the story of revenge and death with the promise of eternal devotion divided blood and an unexpected relationship between master and student.

The story begins with the unexpected end of the war between the Sky clan one of the 3 pillars of the Kingdom of Dalmatia and the Kingdom of Hell how it came to that ... peace between the eternal rival Angels and Demons well this is a story for another time but here our story begins after a restless and weak peace, after 117 years close to the new capital on the west coastline of the great sea Nova Dragonica lies.

 A little out of the capital on a hill south the 1st Royal Military Academy of King Peter I. Dragna is situated, where the meeting between the Queen and one guild master a young princess and the General of the 1st Royal army is the beginning.

Part 1 - The letter to the Red Apple

Near the edge of the forest in the base of the Velerija mountain chain stands a small village just like any other in the south, a small number of wooden houses and a few other buildings centered on the main road leading to the village.

They are surrounded by fields of grain the occasional dirt path that leads through thous fields are the closest thing to a road in the village, the occasional windmill can be seen sprouting from the fields but aside from that there was nothing else to see, to the south the cliff stood tall that separated the open plains north of the village from the mountain forest to the south of the village.

The only thing that sets it apart from other villages in the area is one particular building if one follows the main road into the village at the end of it they would arrive at the small hill at the edge were the plains stopped and the cliffside began.

A big house with a stone base and a particularly sturdy looking wooden frame stand on that hill, it was clearly built in a different style than the rest of the buildings in the village next to it a big tree, toward almost as high as the three-story building next to it. At the back was a small lake into which a waterfall flows from the top of the cliff.

Red Apple was rightened in bright red colors as it adorned the front door, next to it are big glass windows on both sides wide enough that someone sitting down can see through them, in front small wooden chairs and tables were arranged to first time visitors this looked like an inn and that's what it is Red Apple the village inn.

Once inside one can see the humbly decorated dining room few tables and chars in both corners of the room, on the opposite side of the front door a long slim bar counter stands from one end of the wall to the other.

There are a few people sitting at the tables in the corner and one person at the bar counter, they all look human in appearance but the barman is clearly not a two meters tall Lizardman stands there as he cleans the empty glasses he converses with the person sitting at the counter.

The person sitting at the counter looks human in appearance dressed in dark grey pants and a tight shirt under which one can clearly make out his mussel and strong build clearly he was no ordinary person an aura of discipline and order surrounds him his eyes give out such an impression, his eyes and shoulder length hair share the same deep black color - raven black - he carries himself like a warrior evident by the two swords he carries with him. His hands and other parts of his body that are exposed reveal deep scars and wounds his left arm shows signs that it has been cut off his neck reveals deep stab wounds and his right-hand looks like it has been crushed several times to the point of bones breaking.

Clearly, he was no ordinary customer and in the way, he spoke to the Lizardman - a race that was not common on this continent- shows that he clearly must be part or have some relation to the clan that ruler these lands. 

 Small chain necklaces that he carries around his neck and tattoos that are on his right arm adore his body as eye chacing accessories. His right arm tattoo is drawn in some tribal style one can make the faint image of the Moon and a wolf on it.

Two meters tall his skin or what qualifies as skin is the dark grey scales that cover his body, his eyes a deep green color he is dressed in a short-sleeved white shirt under which he carries a long black shirt that covers his arms and part of his neck.

His eyes give a menacing look and one can occasionally see his long tail as he turns around he is dressed in his work close behind the counter one can see that he wears pants or what would qualify as one, to humans they look more like a kilt but it allows his tail and long legs to move unrestraint.

"Master Grey is the drink not to your liking if so I can make a new one?" Seeing his customer giving a deep in thought look.

"No, no need Regen, it's just the request we got from the army is on my mind, that's all," Said the person sitting at the counter.

The tall Lizardman is this inn's barman and assistant chef his name is Regen and he is a member of the Fallen clan that runs this inn.

"You mean the slave traders and smugglers that have been causing trouble recently?"

"Yes the 7th is having trouble caching them, they have been seen in the city of Donau but since they are obviously not crossing the border through Loresija"

 "They are using the mountain paths to cross over" Concludes Regen.

"Yes, and the mountains being our clan's territory"

 "It falls to us to take care of them, right master?"

"As if, the esteemed General of the 7th knows that heads will roll now that thous smuggler used our territory as if it's some back door to cross the border... " As he pauses for a moment "I'll kill every last one of them" That last statement was so serious Regen could feel the bloodlust from it.

The border these two are talking about is the Kingdom of Dalmatia southern border that is naturally formed by the mountain chain of Velerija on the northern side Dalmatia lies on its southern side the Yamato Kingdom stands on the very tip of the peninsula were the two kingdoms have formed.

Yamato is Dalmatia's oldest and greatest allay as such trade and cooperation between the two is of great importance the ruler of Yamato is Eziliy I. Takeda also known as the Shougan of Yamato.

The ruler of Dalmatia is Queen Scarlet I. Dragna these two women are their respective kingdoms rulers.

Even so, the only safe passageway through Velerija that connect these two is the city of Loresija also known as the "Southern gates of Dalmatia" this city serves also as the HQ of the 7th army of Dalmatia also known as the 7th Hunters.

But the reason Regen and his master are discussing this issue is that the clan these two are part of was granted rule of Dalmatia's side of Velerija starting from Loresija all the way to the south-eastern point were the mountain chain stops and the Gulf of Black Sea begins.

As such, they were tasked by the Queen herself to protect the southern border and for Regen's master that meant any threat or intruder who dared to cross or invade would have met death.

"Umu, master I understand as it is our duty to fulfill our Queen's order... but you do know that the 7th did request our cooperation on this matter since the mountains are our territory and no one knows them better than members of our clan"

"Yes I know, it's not like it will end like last time" He answers timidly as he remembers the fiasco of the last incident that started in a similar fashion.

"Good master Grey, since we are on the subject of the Queen and duty did you not receive a letter last night? I believe it was delivered by Shadow, was it not"

"A yes that well, to be honest, I might have to leave this matter to Abra and Lun, I was summoned by the Queen to attend the graduation ceremony of the 1st Royal Military Academy"

A look of curiosity shows on Regen's face as he recalls something.

"Well it is lucky you were summoned there and then since you were planning to go there anyway, did you not master"

"Well yes it's Lucy's and Maro's graduation as well, she would have known that our clan's youngsters are part of it so there was a strong chance I would be there. So why did she go out of her way to send the letter my way?"

The reason Regen's master received a letter from the Queen herself was simple enough he is the Fallen clan guild master, Grey D. Lionheart.

Thou the Fallen clan is small in numbers it was granted the whole Valerijan mountain - at least Dalmatia's side of it - as part of its territory that shows that the Queen has great trust and believe when it comes to them. They are even considered the protectors of Velerija - and the southern border- by the people who live in the south.

Thou in the capital they are just considered the Queen's watchdogs and part to that is that the Fallen clan has not the best reputation among the other clans especially when it comes to its guild master, even so, the Queen considers Grey to be one of her loyal and trusted subject and  in turn holds him in high regard. 

So this is not the first time a letter or orders from the Queen herself arrived even the mention of Shadow which is this kingdom secret spy order under the direct command of the Queen is nothing strange - even when one considers it that they are used as mear messengers - as such Grey knows when it comes to the Queen it is never simple and clear-cut the content of the letter prove his very suspicion even more.

"Uh, I guess I leave the matter of the smugglers to Abra and Lun then seeing as my Queen might have some special plan in mind (again)" 

"Yes leave the matter of the slave traders and smugglers to us, obviously the Queen's has more pressing matters that require your presence master"

"I know, I will leave that matter to the guys, just..."

"Just?" Asks Regen seeing his master taking another look at the letter.

"Umu, just my gut feeling is acting up - as he focuses his eyes on the last part of the message -   (she sight it with a smiley face, o dear god I have a bead filing about this)"

Usually from Grey's experience whenever his Queen sents him a letter or written directive and its sight by her signature smiley, well it means something troublesome is about to happen.

"I'll leave the Red Appel to you Regen for the next few days then as well"

"Of course master"

As such Grey sets out the next day without knowing that he is about to take one of the more troubling "requests" from his beloved Queen in the last few decades and that the matter of the smugglers is not nearly as simple as he thought it will be. Only time will revile the true extent and impact of his decision.