*The Cold Wind of the Forest** The cold wind of the forest blew across Asterius's face, as his horse calmly made its way along the narrow path. The sky above him was filled with gray clouds, as if nature itself sensed his sorrow and anger. His war minister, Haruvan, rode alongside him on horseback. A veteran with scars, each telling a story of war. "Your Majesty... if I may be so bold, may I ask how you came to be here?" Asterius glanced at him. His eyes were cold and piercing. "Have you ever heard of the Faleria family?" Haruvan shook his head. "Then listen... because this story is the story of the birth of an empire." He took a deep breath and stared at the forest that stretched out before them. "When the world was still in darkness, when people were scattered in tribes and fought only with wood and stone... my ancestors were the first to find civilization." "They rose from the chaos, from the ashes." "They learned how to unify lands, how to build cities, how to unite people." "And among all this, the most important thing they learned was the 'art of war.'" Asterius looked at the sword strapped to his saddle. "The Faleria were unmatched in war. They were never defeated on a battlefield. Every time a king knelt before them, they asked only one thing: 'How can I resist you?'" Haruvan was engrossed in the story. Asterius continued: "And finally, my ancestors built the first city... a city whose name is still whispered among the people: 'Nexarium.'" "All the families knelt. They were afraid of our power." But suddenly, Asterius's face darkened. "But, as every glory comes to an end, so did ours." "The great rebellion." "A family built on power was shaken by betrayal." He continued with hatred: "They attacked my father. They killed him right in the heart of his palace. They slaughtered my mother. And I..." "I could only escape." A heavy silence echoed among the trees. Haruvan stared at the ground. Now he understood why this man, this king, was so cold and determined. "But, my king... you survived. You and your sisters. And now you have returned." Asterius raised his head. "Yes. I have returned." "And this time, I will not run away." **Battle in the Dark Forest** The sound of horses neighing and warriors screaming shattered the silence of the forest. In the midst of tall trees and dark shadows, the Nortans emerged from the darkness, like wild and hungry ghosts. They wore leather armor, each rushing towards the Faleria army with a bloody ax, sword, or spear. Asterius drew his sword from atop his horse. The steel blade flashed in the dim sunlight. "Hold your positions! Push them back!" The Nortans, like a roaring wave, crashed down upon them. The Faleria soldiers raised their shields and went into battle. One of the Nortan savages attacked from the mist. A tall man, with eyes red with anger, who had raised a large ax and was rushing directly towards Asterius. "Die!" The ax fell towards Asterius with a savage force, but he nimbly dodged to the side. The Nortan man prepared for another blow, but Asterius was faster. He raised his sword, turned, and with a precise blow, slit the enemy's throat. Blood splashed on the forest leaves, and the Nortan man, choking on his own blood, fell to his knees. Another soldier attacked Asterius from behind, but he suddenly turned and with a sudden blow, ripped open the man's stomach. The enemy cried out in pain and staggered back. Meanwhile, Haruvan, the war minister, was also fighting. He deflected attacks with a large shield and killed the Nortans one after another with his spear. One of the Nortans, with a dagger in his hand, ran towards him, but Haruvan slammed his shield into his face with force. The savage man fell to the ground, and before he could get up, the tip of Haruvan's spear pierced his heart. "Show no mercy! Destroy them!" Asterius shouted. The forest was filled with the sound of clashing swords, cries of pain, and roars of anger. One of the Faleria warriors was engaged next to Asterius. The Nortan plunged his sword into his stomach, and the soldier screamed, but before he fell, Asterius plunged his sword into the enemy's neck and severed his head from his body. The clash continued for several minutes. Bodies lay on the ground, blood staining the forest path. The Nortans gradually retreated. Their numbers had dwindled, their morale was broken. Their leader, who was watching the carnage from afar, shouted angrily: "Retreat! Retreat!" The remaining savages fled in terror. Asterius, with blood-stained clothes and a sword dripping with the blood of his enemies, looked around, panting. "We have won." But he knew this was just the beginning... **Bloody Dawn** The sun was slowly rising from behind the dark forests. The faint morning light shone on the blood-soaked ground, where the bodies of the warriors still lay on the soil. The smell of blood, fire, and death filled the air. Faleria soldiers moved among the bodies. Some carried their comrades on their shoulders and took them to a corner, while others piled up the bodies of the Nortans. The sound of crows that had swarmed to the battlefield created an eerie atmosphere. Asterius stood in the midst of this scene of death. His golden armor was stained with the blood of his enemies and comrades, but his gaze, still dignified and proud, was fixed on the battlefield. One of the Faleria commanders came to the king and said: "My lord, we lost 340 of our men." Asterius took a deep breath and sadly lowered his head. Then he looked around with a determined face. "They paid the price for their attack. Pay respect to the bodies of our soldiers. But the enemies? Burn them in the fire." The soldiers bowed their heads respectfully and began to carry out the king's orders. Meanwhile, a few soldiers dragged a wounded man across the ground towards Asterius. One of the commanders said: "My lord, we captured one of the Nortans alive. But he lost his leg and can no longer fight." Asterius looked at the Nortan man. His face was covered with dried blood, he had deep wounds on his body, and one leg was missing. However, his wild eyes were full of anger. He glared at Asterius with hatred and said in a dry, harsh voice: "Damn you, stranger! You and your soldiers have conquered this land, looted our homes, and now you are massacring us! You are a devil who came from across the seas!" Asterius, calmly but powerfully, took a step forward. He drew his sword from its sheath and placed the tip on the Nortan man's neck. "I have not conquered anything." He leaned forward slightly and continued in a firm and measured voice: "This land was full of tribes who lived in darkness and savagery for centuries. But we, the Faleria people, came and brought civilization to this land. We built cities, made laws, gave science and progress to the people. Most tribes accepted this truth and now live in peace and power. But you, the Nortans, still resist change. You are still bound by your rotten ideas." The Nortan man laughed contemptuously and spat on the ground. "You think we will kneel before you? We are the descendants of warriors, not your slaves! This land belongs to us!" Asterius stepped back, put his sword in its sheath, and stared at the Nortan man with piercing eyes. "Very well. If so, why did you lose?" A heavy silence settled between them. The Nortan man averted his eyes. He knew he could not answer. "Guards, send him to their commander," Asterius raised his hand. One of the guards said in surprise: "My lord, do you want to release him?" Asterius nodded: "Send him to his master and tell him that I want to negotiate. No more people should be killed." The Nortan man grinned and said: "They will not negotiate with you, they will kill you!" Asterius smiled and said: "Then let them try." The Nortan soldiers, with eyes full of doubt and fear, took their prisoner away. As they took the prisoner towards the Nortan lands, Asterius stared at the horizon. He knew that this negotiation would only be the beginning of a greater battle... **Ambassadors in the Land of Savages** A few days had passed since the bloody battle. The five Faleria soldiers, carrying Asterius's message, had moved towards the Nortan lands. They had traveled for days through dense forests, raging rivers, and misty mountains to reach the enemy's headquarters. But all this time, the shadow of death hung over them. They were only five, and before them was an army of savage warriors. But their king's order was clear: "Go to their leader. Give him my message. If he accepts, there will be no war. If he refuses... then know that peace is no longer possible." During this perilous journey Ambassadors in the Land of Savages (Continued) Amidst this perilous journey, they had only one other companion: the Nortan prisoner who had lost his leg in the battle. He was mounted on a horse, but his hands were kept bound. Throughout the journey, his piercing and savage gaze never left the Faleria soldiers. One of the Faleria soldiers, Marcus, the youngest member of the group, finally broke the silence. Marcus: "It's strange... you didn't feel fear for even a moment. Even when you were dying." Nortan: "Fear?!" (with a contemptuous tone) "The Faleria know nothing of real war. You grew up in your stone palaces, while we grew up on the battlefield. Fear? We have nothing to lose." Another soldier, Gallius, gave a bitter smile. Gallius: "Just like us. We fight every day too. For something greater than ourselves. You talk about fighting for your lord, but the difference is that we fight for something called 'the future.'" The Nortan sneered. Nortan: "The future? You think building cities and your ridiculous laws creates the future? You don't even know that in the real world, there is only one law: the law of power. The weak die. The strong survive." A heavy silence settled between them. Marcus looked towards the horizon, where the Nortan camp appeared in the morning mist. Eye to Eye with the Nortan Leader Upon reaching the camp, the Faleria soldiers felt as if they had stepped into a den full of hungry wolves. Nortan archers from atop the camp's wooden walls aimed their arrows at them. But after inspections, they were allowed entry. When they entered the Nortan leader's large tent, the first thing they saw was a colossal man. Leonheid Draxler. A man who stood before them like a mountain of flesh and muscle. He was taller than all of them, his long golden beard flowed like a mane of gold around his face. His heavy, gray eyes looked at them like small prey. "So, you are the Faleria soldiers..." His voice was like the roar of a giant bear. One of the soldiers, in a trembling but firm voice, said: "Yes, we have come from King Asterius. He has a message for you." Leonheid smiled. "From that foolish foreigner?! You are very brave to come to the wolf's den." The soldiers remained silent, but their hands rested on the hilts of their swords. Leonheid said with a loud laugh: "Negotiation?! What does he think?! That we will give up the war? I can cut off your heads right now and send your body parts to your king!" The Faleria soldiers took a deep breath. But Leonheid suddenly ordered wine to be brought. "Well, he still provided me with good entertainment... let me write him a letter." He wrote something on a piece of leather with a large and rough hand and sealed it. Then, he gave the letter to one of the soldiers and said with a mocking laugh: "Give this to your king. But I warn you, do not open it... unless you want to die before you reach home." The soldiers, with hidden fear, took the letter and left the tent. The real adventure had just begun...

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