In a world once scarred by the fires of endless conflict, where every race—humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, dragons, demons, dark armies, and even the ancient gods—met in bloody strife, a fragile peace now tenuously holds the remnants of civilization together. The lands, once vibrant and full of life, are now littered with the stark remnants of a chaotic struggle: charred trees stand like grief-stricken sentinels amidst fields once lush and green, now churned to dust by the relentless tide of war. The dust of battle has settled, but the echoes of clashing steel and the cries of the fallen linger like specters, haunting the memories of those who survived. Friendships forged in the heat of strife shattered in an instant, while alliances formed under the heavy weight of necessity dissolved under the pressure of long-held grudges.
A timeline woven through a century of strife saw the War to End All Wars rage for a hundred harrowing years. From the first skirmishes that erupted over resources and territories, conflicts escalated into grand battles that consumed entire cities. The sun was often hidden behind a veil of smoke and ash, casting the world in shades of gray. Generations were born into the chaos, living in fear and uprising, until at last, the storm reached its zenith—the clash of titans that would become the stuff of legends.
Amidst this tapestry of fractured alliances and new beginnings stands Cade Wolf, the man known by the fearful and reverent title of the Kingslayer in Black. Dressed in darkened armor, a relic of his past glories, Cade is a figure both feared and respected, a hero in a world desperate for legends. His reputation was carved in blood; during the last great upheaval, he emerged from the chaos as the unwitting hero, leading the charge against the encroaching dark armies and slaying their fearsome king in a battle that resonated through the annals of history like a thunderclap—an act comparable to the exploits of godlike beings. All things thought beyond the reach of mere mortals, he achieved the impossible—that's what earned him his name: the Kingslayer in Black.
Now, in the aftermath of that war, a new era has dawned. The Council of Kings and Queens, an assembly of the leaders of the major races, has formed to ensure that the madness of war does not return. Each ruler, holding a key that embodies their commitment to peace, collectively governs with a promise of accountability. No longer could one race provoke conflict without the assent of the others. What was once nearly consumed by destruction now stands on the precipice of chance—a temporary peace reigns, a strange and delicate truce guarded by the enduring memories of the past.
Cade, however, is no longer the relentless warrior of legend. He is a teacher and a handyman, having laid down his sword for the plowshare. His days are now spent mending fences and tutoring the children of diverse backgrounds in a modest school nestled on the borders of elvish and dwarven territories, surrounded by a land still healing from its scars. In this sanctuary of learning, he conveys lessons not just of history and the arts, but also of unity and understanding, nurturing the next generation that will inherit this post-war world. The school, a converted stone building with ivy creeping up its walls, is a microcosm of hope—inside, children of different races—long seen as enemies—sit side by side, learning together and laughing, freed from the hatred that once dictated their histories.
Yet not all is perfect; Cade carries the weight of his past like a cloak, heavy and suffocating. Each morning in the mirror reflects not just the mark of a legendary warrior, but a father—a guardian to a spirited girl named Lyrica, whose laughter is a beacon of light in his otherwise shadowed world. Her presence is a tender reminder of innocence, but it also holds the weight of a profound secret—one that claws at the edges of his consciousness, threatening to unravel the fragile peace he has fought so hard to maintain.
Lyrica, a demigod of remarkable potential and innocence, is a living connection to the darkness he has vanquished. Unknown to her, she is the daughter of Kasathar, the very Dark God who once threatened to engulf the world in chaos and despair. Cade had found her in the aftermath of that climactic battle, an innocent babe left behind in the rubble of fate, and he had taken her in, knowing she would be judged not by her own actions but by her father's legacy. In that moment, he chose to hide her away, shielding her from a world that would see her as a monster born of darkness.
In his heart, Cade knows that the truth could shatter the delicate peace they have built. As he walks the hallways of his school, teaching lessons of compassion and unity, he combats the darker shades of his past—the haunting specter of once standing on the battlefield, drenched in blood, and living with the memories of the horrors he had inflicted. Each day passes in a delicate balance, between the life he has chosen for Lyrica and the echoes of a life he would rather forget. Together, they look toward a future that gleams faintly at the horizon, hopeful yet burdened, as the legacy of the past lingers, forever entwined with their lives.