Gazol forestMasari left an upset princess to join his stationed army. He knew that there was no chance of winning but he decided to fight till the end. His princess...- Masari warmly remembered her concerning face and smiled.Masari's escort abruptly stopped. Something happened in front.

-General...

-Report

- There were injured women by the road.- Masari did not look concerned it was a war zone so she might be just an unfortunate victim.

He looked behind his guard heads and suddenly moved forward. The woman by the road was wearing light lilac clothing, Zia's favorite color. She had the same long dark hair and princess flower ornaments. Masari felt like his heart froze from fear and without much thinking he reached for the injured woman and scooped her up. It was Zia. She was injured but alive. Something was not right as to how the royal princess could end up in the middle of the forest road but Masari just had not time to process all these.

Suddenly women's face moved closer and her arms strongly clenched his neck.

-Gotcha!- he heard the strange voice and everything around him exploded in colors, he felt like his body was sucked into something and he teleported to another place.

Masari pushed the woman away and stood up. It was an enemy trap. He was no longer in the forest but in the war tent. He drew the sword moving aggressively towards the long-haired woman but the woman skillfully jumped to the far corner of the tent. She was a martial artist.

Masari heard another sound and when he turned around he saw two generals looking at him. Masari met them at a negotiation meeting, the closest comrades of Sar'gen.

-Ilula generals?- realized Masari

- General Masari welcome to Ilula' camp. We are not here to fight. Lets talk. 

- Yes, just give me a moment, - the injured woman interrupted. Masari turned towards her voice and froze from the shock. The woman removed her top and was standing there half-naked. Blood was still dripping from the deep cut on her arm. She no longer looked like Zia as her face became more manly. It was strange.

-Put some clothes...- Masari asked.

-No need to...- replied the woman in a deep voice and Masari noticed how her long dark hair started to get lighter and lighter. The woman's petite body started getting more muscular and expanded in size ...another moment and Sar'gen was standing in Infront of Masari still wearing a thorned skirt.

-Lead commander Sar'gen? - Masari stared at him in disbelief.

Sar'gen took a closer look at Masari. He saw him last time over a hundred years ago all bloodied, dying.

Masari was a brave person, he came into that battle knowing that he would die. Sar'gen still vividly remembered Masari standing in the middle of the battlefield. Gazol's commander could no longer move as dead bodies palled around him. Sar'gen tried to reach him many times but Masari' people fought their last battle aggressively defending him. When Sar'gen managed to reach Masari, the Gazol' general was barely standing, his long dark hair was reddish from the blood and his face was almost white. Blood was gushing from many wounds on his body but this stubborn warrior was still standing. When he fell into Sar'gen's arms, not even a drop of blood was left in his tired body but he begged Sar'gen to have mercy for Gazol's people and their princess.

Sar'gen did not win this battle, he lost as conditions of surrender were writing in the blood of Masari and his men, who fought desperately for their kingdom to live. They taught him a hard lesson, Sar'gen would be never the same after it.

Now, he has a chance to change everything. He looked again at Masari who despite the situation was standing with his head high, the same as on that bloody battlefield a hundred years ago.

<He is beauty>, - thought Sar'gen as he moved his eyes  from head to toe.  

- Please have a seat, - Sar'gen pointed to the chair, inviting Masari to sit. -Kedra you cut me too deep, - the Lead commander waved his injured hand to his general.

The strong warrior snorted at this comment.

-You would survive.

- Why I am here? You want to use me to force the kingdom to surrender. It would not work. - Masari angrily replied.

-Are you sure? - Sar'gen smirked at Masari.- I think we both know that you are the only one in all Gazol kingdom who can lead this army. Who would lead them if not you? If I remember correctly you are the last general in Gazol.

Masari swallowed hard. It was bitter truth but just kidnapping him, Sar'gen already won this fight. His corrupted kingdom had no generals left. His King had fears of conspiracy so he executed most of the prominent warriors in his kingdom. 

- I never thought you would stoop so low.- Masari replied bitterly pointing to his thorned skirt.

-Low? Why not if it would save my people from dying on the battlefield I am happy to wear dresses, heels, clown masks or whatever.

Masari did not know what to reply. He never thought that Sar'gen could be this kind of man. Of course avoiding unnecessary death by any means. This great man did not care about pride. Masari moved his eyes away from Sar'gen's half-naked body, he felt embarrassed for some reason. Sar'gen was a handsome well-built man with beautiful blond hair and bright blue eyes. Like many of Ilula's people, he has his blond hair shaved on both sides and back with top hair made into a loose long braid. He was a tall but very agile warrior probably due to martial arts influence from his dad, he moved mesmerizingly smoothly as big cat-like predator.

- I have a proposal for you, -Sar'gen invited him to sit again, patiently waiting.

- Your king sold the kingdom and the princess

-What do you mean?

- We intercepted the courier from Maron. They agreed to provide refuge for your king in exchange for the princess and the treasury.

Masari felt like everything around him started to spin.

Sar'gen waved the head and the guard brought the injured man. Masari recognized him immediately he was the closest king's advisor.

-General save me...-pleaded the man pitifully rolling at his feet.

- Tell us everything...-commanded Sar'gen. 

It was terrible when Masari was prepared to fight till the end, the king decided to abandon his people and flee to Maron. He promised his younger sister in the royal harem and magical treasure of Gazol.

Masari closed his eyes feeling numb from humiliation.

- General Masari, - Sar'gen approached him and put hand on his shoulder.

- We already caught the king and his voyage. The princess is safe so please do not worry.

Masari turned around to look at Sar'gen, situation was desperate, they lost everything and were at mercy of the enemy.

-General Sar'gen, I beg you to spare the life of the princess, - Masari never begged in his life, he was a proud warrior. Masari would prefer to die on the battlefield to preserve his honor but now he needed to ensure that his niece was safe.

-No need to beg...I have proposal that would make everyone happy. 

***

Gazol royal palace.

Masari entered the palace with Ilula's army and generals. Just a few days ago he left this palace thinking of protecting it till the last drop of his blood, upholding his honor as a warrior and now he is coming back broken and humiliated. Masari was not sure what to do with his life as he approached familiar walls.

He glanced at Sar'gen who was riding next to him trying to understand what thoughts going thorough Ilula's lead commander head. 

The long throne hall was almost empty, Zia, her brother king, and a few advisors were standing surrounded by Ilula's guard awaiting their arrival.

Masari noticed that Princess was unharmed but extremely pale, as soon as their eyes met Zia brightened a little bit. The king was in more pitiful state as he could not stand and kneeled on the floor.

- I am Sar'gen Asira, Lead Commander of the united Ilula army. Gazol is now part of the Ilula Empire and you are under my jurisdiction - Sar'gen climbed the stairs and sat on the throne of the Gazol kingdom. He had a powerful voice that made

- Gazol would join Ilula's empire as the third kingdom.-Sar'gen paused for a second and turned his hand to Zia and Gazol's king.- You princess... I would give you 1 year to prove your worth.- Princess Zia lifted her head with surprise.- You would be the temporary deputy of Gazol's kingdom. 

-General Masari, you and your army would join me to continue with our mission to unite the kingdoms...-Masari froze from the shock.

-Lead-commander...

-Yes...

- Princess...princess would need my help to secure her position, -Masari started

-No, your help is not needed here. - Sar'gen raised his voice and Masari who had not seen the general angry before froze in shock.

-Princess...-Sar'gen went down and stopped in front of her...- Your dad, the previous king wanted to have you as his successor I am correct? 

Zia paled out from shock, it was never revealed to anyone and was only between a few people.

-How you...

-However, to avoid fighting with your brother you gave away your position and your brother destroyed Gazol in a few years- Sar'gen was ruthless...- You- who could save your people from suffering opted to stand still.

-General...-Masari tried to interrupt seeing how Zia become even more paler.

-You, - Sar'gen turned to Masari.- Who had the power to support her succession, decided to just protect the princess as a royal guard instead of protecting the people of Gazol...-Sar'gen was merciless.

-None of you deserve a say in the future of Gazol's kingdom at the moment. Princess I gave you exactly one year to prove me wrong and I gave you, - Sar'gen pointed to Masari... a year to prove that you can be called general, that lead people and protect them, not just princess guard.

-Donika... .

Tall young Ilula warrior approached the throne. She was as blond as Sar'gen but with pretty dark green eyes. She was holding a very long beautifully crafted but heavy-looking spear.

-My sister and her garrison would be stationed here temporarily to protect Princess Zia and the Gazol. She is the strongest spear wielder on this continent who was able to inherit the heaven spear of thunder, a magical artifact that could crush any cursed gems from queen Alkalala.

Sar'gen looked at his younger sister warmly. He decided to leave Donika in Gazol. It would be safer for her. He managed to avoid her tragic death from the past but he was not sure if her destiny was to die in battle...Sar'gen decided to avoid this for any cost.

Donika nodded silently, moving her spear from one hand to another. It was a scary power show as everyone witnessed how the heaviest spear knowing on the continent moved easily  between her hands.

-I also sentenced King Uzaz to the death for his crimes against the Gazol and Ilula empire.

- We would stay at Gazol for 2 months to complete all outstanding tasks and plan our next step.

Sar'gen waved his hand to his high generals and left the royal hall.