The Iskyla kingdom was at southeast of the Nordic peninsula, surrounded by forest in the west, plains in the north and the rest adjoined the Baltic Sea. The city had colorful buildings of all sizes; the most striking infrastructure was undoubtedly the white castle in the center of the land. Great scale parties were held frequently, especially at the anniversaries of the royal family; there was no doubt peace reigned this place, you could almost forget about the existence of the empire and the injustices they provoked. Large attacks towards this city were sporadic and they always came out victorious, until…

─Huff, huff ─a panting Iskylian soldier was running at full speed towards the assembly hall of the castle ─. I need to tell them immediately… hah, hah ─once arrieved, he abruptly opened the doors wide open ─. Your Majesty! Your Majes… hughf ─he needed some air. 

With his hands over his knees, took some time to recover his breath, he had to deliver the urgent message to King Nero. After the loud sound of the doors, all the presents in that room looked at the upset boy with bewilderment.

─What’s so important to interrupt this meeting? ─General Rasmus asked: a well-built man, average high, long beard and dreadlocks; he was the war strategist.

─Im… immin… Imminent attack from the empire… my lords ─scared he answered. He looked down, his body was trembling and sweating cold, like he just saw the grim reaper.

─What did you say? ─Prince Raidha spoke: a tall boy for his age, light brown skin, navy blue hair, wearing light blue silk and linen clothes to highlight the color of his eyes; covered in jewels. At first sight you could tell this child had had a life full of pampering and luxuries; in effect, it was like that. Eventhough he was the right hand of the king and his youngest brother.

─Of what magnitude? Is it from air, land or sea? dragons? any dark sentinel? ─Rasmus interrogated.

─Ginormous… from… everywhere my general ─with trembling voice the soldier answered, extending his arms widely, indicating the dimension of what was coming ─. Dragons… lots of them sir, sentinels and worst yet, the emperor is their leader.

The room went silent, the soldier dropped himself to the floor sobbing. He heard some steps getting close to him and felt a hand on his shoulder.

─Thanks a lot for letting us know what’s going on, you’ve done a great job. Is normal to be frightened… ─with a gentle voice full of confidence, Nero was comforting his citizen ─. Rise up, you’re not alone, you’re part of Iskyla and this city is not going to fall easily.

─Of course, y-your majesty ─he nodded with tears in his eyes while smiling, he regained his posture.

The king was a tall man,toned, light brown skin, navy blue hair, hazel eyes; he was wearing a green tunic, neclaces and jewelery in abundance, of course he couldn’t be missing his swanky crown with water kivet; it was the element he could control.

─How do you want to proceed my lord? ─Rasmus asked.

Nero sighed, followed by indications for everybody in the room ─. I declare the city in Onix alert (1) ─took a pyrotechnic orb, lighted it and inserted into a suction tube so it could explode in the sky. The signal was black, ordering the citizens that it was urgent to get safe immediately.

─Rasmus,prepare the army, our guesses were right; destroying Iskyla is Helios’s next goal ─he pointed in the map of his city on the table while talking ─. I want you to deal with the northern zone.

─Raidha, you and Heimon take care of the southeast coastal area ─both nodded. Heimon was the prince bodyguard: a man over 6.5ft, sturdy and always wearing a full body armor. Only the royal family knew the look of his face.

─Lewellen, you’ll be on charge of the evacuation to the domes ─this man nodded too, bowed and followed the order. He was the king’s advisor, serving over six decades to the Lundberg family. He wore a gray greenish tunic that covered his feet, white long hair, bushy eyebrows, beard and mustache the same color.

The domes were undergound bunkers, they could refuge almost all the citizens, the entrances were at the end of halls inside the castle.

─Also… ─the king spoke to the old man again ─. I want you to keep my children with you all time, until this is over ─Lewellen accepted the order doing a reverence again ─. They could ask for help to allies in case we need to.

─As you wish your majesty.

─And you ─Nero saw the scared soldier.

─Eeh! Me? ─he pointed at himself looking around in search of somebody else.

─Of course he is talking to you ─the young prince said in a mocking tone ─. You are the only one in this room who hasn’t received directions ─he laughed.

With a compasive smile, the king spoke ─. I need you to meet Commander Karalee at the academy (2), assist the civialians evacuate fast, and that the rookie trainees guard the domes; they’ll be the last line of defense to our people ─with every word, the soldier’s expression petrified more and more ─. And you stay with them, understood?

─U-u un… understood you majesty! ─he bowed.

The advisor and the soldier leave the room in the same direcction. With stiff and robotic movements the boy turned left from the hall they were walking.

─Ehem, Commander Karalee is towards the opposite side ─the advisor said.

─Ah! ─while noticing his mistake, the soldier boy turned around and ran to fulfil his mission ─. Thank you sir.

The rest of the group only observed these two, then, they were goint to their posts ─. He surely graduated with honors, hehehe ─Raidha said again in a mocking tone.

─His first battle perhaps ─Rasmus added.

─Now you are brave and strong; but I remember that no longer ago, you cried all day, and nobody could separate you from my leg ─Now Nero was the one laughing ─. “Uwuaaah, du nuu weave me awone, I’m scwaaaared” ─he was imitating his little brother, at the same time he hugged the young one.

─Hmph, I don’t remember any of this, it was a loooooong time ago ─blushed he was denying, holding his laughter. Nero, Rasmus and Heimon laughted out loud ─. Hey! you can’t laugh at me ─with a smile he looked at his bodyguard.

─Ok, I’ll activate the city’s shield. Be ready, I’ll see you at the central courtyard ─said the king. The other three responded affirmatively at once.

The central courtyard was the place where all the army reunite to receive military instructions, hand out battalions and heavy artillery; so this way everybody could take their combat places.

——

(1)Onix: no, is not the pokémon nor the car, it refers to the black gemstone, it is related to perseverance and to not give up in hard situations until achieve the goal.

(2)Order of the Caravans Academy: it’s the place where the people who wanted to confront the empire were trained, they were teached one on one combat, weapon handling, to control and potenciate kivet powers of all kinds.