Shadow Blade.

A fragment of the history of this powerful yet dangerous artifact. A remarkable sword crafted from unknown materials, granting its wielder immense immortality, but at a price. On

May 8, 1612, before the Imperial Era, two small galleons, one belonging to the Imperial Haliburg Fleet and one flying the banner of the Cult of Afabolis, and two cogs from the Imperial Haliburg Fleet, sailed at full sail toward the southern tip of the largest of the Skull Islands. It was the rockiest and most fortified island in the archipelago, controlled entirely by pirates.

Another war against pirates had begun seven years earlier in 1619, uniting all the nations of Keta against the scourge of pirate attacks on merchant ships and ports. Strong winds favored their swift vessels, which was counterproductive for their enemies. Even though the Skull Islands were approximately 2,000 km from the nearest settlements, pirates appeared as quickly as they vanished with their loot. Their ships' defenses were useless. The pirates used a new weapon capable of sinking or severely damaging a ship. They called these cannons. Only the larger ships had mages among their crews, who could provide an effective alternative to cannons. This was made worse by the fact that, apart from the pirates, no one on Ket knew how cannons worked, and that they required gunpowder, which no one knew how to produce.

However, a massive attack on their strongholds using the fleets of all nations had a chance of success.

Two years later, in 1617, the fleets of the nations united against the pirates attacked the Skull Islands. The pirates possessed a large fleet, an army, and many elaborate fortresses and castles on even more islands and islets. Moreover, they knew their own territory intimately, knowing every tiny island, and their knowledge of underwater rocks and shallows was invaluable. An unusual communication system also tilted the scales of victory in the pirates' favor. Mirrors made of polished metal, called Mirrors of Seeing, allowed communication with another mirror, regardless of its location. They were invented by the Karamin mage Ky'Bra Yforn and purchased by the pirates. Shortly thereafter, the mage died under mysterious circumstances. However, the fleet opposing the pirates was so powerful and well-organized that they quickly began to win victories, capturing islands one by one.

The ships were now close enough to make out the fortress on the southern tip of Serpent Island (so the pirates called it because of its long and twisted shape). The fortress rested on a mountainous mass that stretched across the entire island, forming terraces with several of its walls. At the left end of the fortress there was a bulge formed by the lowest wall, behind which there were more important buildings.

The short distance separating the coalition fleet allowed for fire from the terraces. However, the cannons, lethal to ships, were no longer effective. The fire was weak and inaccurate. The pirates' forces were already severely weakened by several years of fighting, the fortress's crew was not elite, and it was one of the few remaining defended positions.

With each meter, the shells fell closer, some even striking ships, but causing more fear than harm. The barrage was as short as it was ineffective; most of the pirates headed for the beach to await the attack.

From the gate in the bulge, pirates began to emerge, each armed with different weapons and various types of armor. They formed a line on the beach, several ranks deep. They also had a small cavalry banner, which remained at the gate with the fortress' commander, Ymeh. A few meters behind the infantry lines stood a small wooden platform, onto which a half-naked man climbed.

A hundred meters from shore, the ships stopped. And the sailors began to launch small boats. These were instantly filled with soldiers and sailed straight towards the beach. The half-naked man, standing on the platform with numerous magical tattoos, stretched his arms upward and let out a scream that evoked no terror. But when he straightened his arms, a blue sphere appeared before him, which a moment later turned red. In the blink of an eye, it flew towards the Dawn, the largest of the Halibur galleons participating in the landing. When the sphere struck the Dawn's hull, the ship exploded into thousands of splinters. The surviving Halibur infantrymen were hit and dragged their heavy armor underwater, leaving them with no chance of survival. Only a few sailors survived the ship.

"They destroyed our ship," muttered Lieutenant Etopar Eurynomos of the Elven Kingdom Navy, who, along with many elven sailors, had been incorporated into Haliburg's forces. He sat at the helm of the boat and watched the burning remains of Dawn.

"We'll have to get rid of that mage," Tilho Oryyp, the elven boatswain, pointed to the landing

. "Yes, before he regains his strength. Row harder," he shouted to his compatriots on the boat.

As soon as the boats were close enough, the archers on the boats fired the first volley of arrows. Despite the rocking, most of the arrows, especially the elven ones, reached the enemy lines. The pirates, without shields and heavy armor, fell like flies. They spread out, so their formations and subsequent volleys were less effective.

As soon as the boats reached the shore, musketeers appeared in front of the pirates' lines, firing a volley from primitive muskets. The Haliburg heavy infantry suffered no casualties thanks to their good armor, and the Cult's orcs also suffered only pinpricks from the bullets. Only a few elves fell to the bullets, but these were mostly healable wounds.

Gunpowder weapons were not very popular among pirates, and in the future, even on the continent, so they were not perfected.

After firing a single volley, the pirates charged at the soldiers disembarking from the boats. Two-meter-tall orcs, with dark skin and long black hair, in their pale green heavy plate armor, seasoned by the rigors of the Zobna swamps, emerged first from the water, ran a short distance along the beach, and engaged the pirates, immediately seizing the initiative. With their enormous, meter-long swords, they cut the pirates to pieces. Several haramids commanding the orc army also decimated the outlaws.

The Haliburian heavy infantry fared much worse; the pirates caught them while they were still in the water, making the fight much more difficult. Eurynomos and twenty elven sailors landed between the Haliburians and the orcs, directly in front of the mage, who was preparing for another spell. The black horde of orcs quickly began pushing the pirates deeper into the beach, which the elven lieutenant took advantage of.

"We must finish this mage quickly before he sweeps us off the beach," he shouted to his soldiers, some of whom were already engaged in combat.

The elves were not happy about having to fight shoulder to shoulder with the orcs, especially the "dark elves," as the haramids were called. Nevertheless, Eurynomos and his companions, taking advantage of the orcs' momentum, slowly but surely cut a path to the platform.

The loose, fine sand was unfavorable for the fighters on both sides. The heavy infantry of the Haliburg Empire, in particular, struggled on such ground. Grains of sand seeped through gaps in their armor, causing problems with movement. A few minutes later, the orc forces broke through the pirates' lines and attacked them from behind. Taking advantage of this, Eurynomos's subordinates advanced towards the mage, who was already poised to cast another spell.

Together with eight elves, he defeated four of the mage's guards, climbed onto the dais, and plunged his one-and-a-half-handed sword into the mage, who was holding the orb one by one.

The pirate leader, Ymeh, in a black cloak covering his entire body and limbs, advanced with his cavalrymen onto the battlefield. The pirates were already encircled between the Haliburians and the Cult orcs; Ymeh's charge had little effect. The commander of the southern fort charged straight at Lieutenant Etopar. Despite the loose sand, the cavalry quickly reached the fighting men. Most of the cavalrymen, however, decided to attack the orcs. Ymeh himself and several pirates rode up to the dais.

"You killed our best mage. You will die for this!" the pirate leader rasped from beneath his hood.

From under his cloak, he pulled a large bundle. While the elves fought the cavalry, Ymeh unwrapped a huge, single-edged, curved sword, thickened at the tip and with a large spike at the rear. The sword was made entirely of steel, but the blade and spike were made of an unknown, matte black material. It bore no decorations or markings. Only the round crossguard bore heavily worn lettering. The hilt was covered in gray leather, and the spherical pommel, made of blue topaz, had two symmetrically placed pairs of fire opal eyes.

The hooded figure repeatedly tried to slash at the elf from his horse, but he successfully evaded the blows. Ymeh jumped from his horse onto the dais and charged straight at Eurynomos. The elf dodged the first blow, but had to parry the next. The one-and-a-half-handed steel sword, typical of officers of the Elven Kingdom Navy, gave way and bent slightly. The blow was powerful enough to tear him from Lieutenant Etopar's hand. Ymeh's subsequent blows were also ineffective; the faster elf dodged the slower blows. As the pirate leader prepared for another slash, Eurynomos lunged at him. Ymeh, seeing what the elf was doing, stepped to the side, and the attacker fell from the platform onto the beach. Ymeh jumped down on him, but Eurynomos rolled to the side, avoiding the blow of his curved sword. The pirate leader landed smoothly on the sand and was immediately attacked from the front by an orc sailor armed with a partisan. Turning his arm, he deflected the partisan's blow to the side, tearing his cloak. He turned to the right, jumped, and with an incredibly precise slash, decapitated the enormous orc.

The elf was slightly horrified at how easily Ymeh defeated the orc sailor. Orcs, though considered meat in combat, were quite challenging opponents, if only because of their strength, armor, and heavy weapons. A single innate elven courage compelled him to fight on.

"Now it's your turn, you wretched elf!" However, her voice had already become more normal

. "Come and try." At the elf's reply, Ymeh charged at him, sword raised.

Eurynomos grabbed a Cult partisan and tried to drive it into the pirate's exposed body, but the weapon was too massive for him, and he was soon forced to avoid Ymeh's powerful slash. He jumped to the side and ran under the dais. The pirate commander followed, easily hacking away at the dais's wooden scaffolding with his sword. The retreating Eurynomos tripped over a protruding plank and fell flat on his back. Ymeh wasted no time in finishing off the fallen lieutenant. Eurynomos quickly drew his wavy dagger, rose even faster, and ran at the rushing Ymeh, jabbing him in the side. The pirate leader from the southern fortress released his enormous blade and with his force, knocked the elf down again, pinning him to the ground.

"It's not over yet," the pirate growled, trying to get up.

Eurynomos threw him aside and quickly grabbed Ymeh's sword. As soon as he began to rise from the sand and draw his dagger, Etopar Eurynomos chopped off his head as quickly and easily as Ymeh had done to the orc.

The battle was almost over at that point. Haliburg's soldiers were slowly taking the fortress, while the orcs and haramids were capturing the surviving pirates. Elves on temporary Haliburg duty, Lieutenant Etopar's subordinates, were guarding the bound prisoners. Eurynomos himself sat down next to Ymeh's body, beneath the dais where the mage's body lay. He still held the pirate's sword, examining it carefully. The young elf (he was only 235 years old) decided to keep this interesting blade and take it home. The only problem was carrying the sword; the rather unusual blade couldn't be sheathed. So he grabbed a large piece of oil-soaked cloth lying nearby, in which Ymeh had wrapped his blade to prevent rust. Next to the cloth lay Ymeh's hoodless head. His face, as well as his entire body, looked terrible, like a corpse. Heavily damaged and partially rotted. Unable to bear the sight, the elf turned to his companions, but for a moment he stopped, gazing at the battlefield and the pirate stronghold.

The banners of the Haliburg Empire and one of the Cult were already hanging on the fortress walls. The beach was bustling with activity, as if it were the market square of any large city; groups of orcs were diligently clearing the beaches, collecting all the bodies and weapons left behind. Ymeh's body was also taken to the stronghold. The elf unwrapped his sword and looked at it again.

One of the Haramid officers in pale green light armor, without a helmet or gloves, approached the standing Eurynomos. He had blond hair, unusual for a haramid, tied in a ponytail and piercing black eyes.

"A beautiful blade." He replied in a pleasant voice.

"You are a haramid. So what do you want from me?" Eurynomos didn't even look at the haramid.

"We won, isn't that reason to celebrate?" After a moment of silence, he added. "You elves hate us even when we fight on the same side.

" "We have reason to," the lieutenant replied proudly

. "Of course. However, we will spend some time here. I am Abzur, I command the Cult's land banners here. Tomorrow I take command of the entire fortress. We will definitely meet again. It was nice to meet a nice elf.

" "I can't say the same about you.

" "Too bad." Abzur turned and walked towards his troops, but after a few steps, he turned and said, "Be careful with that sword

." "Why should I listen to you?" the elf smelt.

"We too are divine creations, though everyone hates our god." We can love and feel – Haramida looked at the ground and added – This sword is dangerous.

Abzur said nothing more, not even why the sword was dangerous. He turned and left. Eurynomos recoiled the blade and went to his compatriots, completely ignoring Abzur's words.

The troops of Haliburg and Kult occupied the fortress for a year, eliminating the pirates hiding in the forests and mountains. On July 15, 1611, two cogs arrived for the Haliburgers and their forces. The fortress eventually passed from Kult and Abzur control for 300 years, after which Ahiburg took it over and, after 50 years, lost it to the pirates.

Eurynomos sailed with the remaining elves and Imperial soldiers to Egesaz, the Haliburg port on the island of Rydo.

"So where will you go now?" asked Boatswain Tilho.

"To the most beautiful place on Zia. Where lush forests grow, game abounds, and the women and buildings are beautiful."

"I mean, where? There are plenty of such places. Especially in our country.

" "To Thori, my home port." Eurynomos turned his head from Oryyp and looked in the direction of Thori, the largest port in the Kingdom of the Elves. "And for the next few hundred years, I don't want to hear about any wars.

" "I forgot that you from the east don't like fighting .

" "Yes, you like fighting, in fact, you love fighting. You're eager to raid Ottot, just like the orcs. I'm here because I have to, it's an order.

" "But you're from a noble house, you don't have to fight like an ordinary soldier.

" "My uncle is Lord Aspuku and hated his brother, my father. I don't think I need to explain further.

" "You don't have to.

" After a month's voyage, Haliburg's ship, the Sundust, was approaching the port of Egesaz, gliding calmly along the island's shore. Eurynomos, with his new sword strapped to his back, like all elves in the morning, went out to admire the view. After a moment, a cry rang out. A sailor in the crow's nest began shouting, and some of the crew looked up and pointed at the sky. Eurynomos ran to the starboard side and looked up too. A black streak appeared in the sky, left by a white-hot meteorite. A huge rock fragment was hurtling straight towards Aegean. Captain Lyx Nwar ordered the ship to turn around, but it was of little use. A few seconds later, the meteorite struck the city, sweeping it from the face of Zia. The shock wave, along with fragments of the city and rocks, struck the ship, nearly capsizing it. The only saving grace for the Sundust was that not all of its sails were set. Fragments of brick and rock riddled the ship and broke off part of the masts. But that was only the beginning. The meteorite's shock wave raised a massive 10-meter sea wave that radiated from the harbor. The water crashed into the cog, shattering the ship and claiming almost the entire crew. Only a few survived and landed on the beach on Rydo Island.

Etopar Eurynomos was found unconscious on the mainland. Not near Rydo, however, but about 4,000 km from Rydo, not far north of Ytyshe, a port in the Principality of Raxau. Heavily exhausted and hypothermic, he nevertheless showed signs of life.

For the next year, he lived among the Raxan fishermen, repaying them for the help they had given him. The citizens of Raxau were not particularly fond of elves, though this was not the case throughout the Principality. Eventually, Eurynomos returned to his homeland and settled in Thori. There, he recruited crews for his ships, but this did not satisfy his soul. Nor did he feel drawn back to the seas and oceans like any sailor. He felt increasingly worse. More than ever, thoughts of battle, and later even of war, entered his mind. Two years passed, and these thoughts intensified, and Eurynomos became increasingly uneasy. On Sunday, March 12, 1608, he set out from Thori for Otaxe, where Gikymbar, his mentor and teacher, lived. Gikymbar held the noble title of sage and, like every elven sage, came from a time when elves had only just emerged on Ket.

After a twelve-day journey, Etopar Eurynomos reached Otaxe, a remote town 700 km west of Thori. The city, or rather a small town, was located within the castle walls and was home to 600 elves, not counting soldiers. The castle lay on a small plain between Esburg Forest and the Elven Woods. Gikymbar had lived for several hundred years in a castle belonging to the burgrave of Esburg, Clyir Ulhwo.

When Eurynomos arrived, the burgrave was not at the castle. He had set out for a meeting of elven nobles and magnates in Newli, the capital of the Elven Kingdoms. During his absence, Gikymbar took over the castle and the burgrave's estates. The sage gladly accepted one of his students, especially since he was seeking help. After dinner, Gikymbar and Eurynomos retired to the castle library to talk quietly over goblets filled with Rimmonian wine.

"What troubles you, my boy?" Gikymbar sat down in an armchair and took a goblet of wine to his lips.

"I don't know, I feel terrible, I keep thinking about the fight. Just like the nobles of the west. And I... after all, I come from the sea. It shouldn't be like this.

" "I'm not a healer to make you feel better. Perhaps you've simply grown fond of war. There's nothing unusual about it. Perhaps your father's death has affected you so much.

" "My father disappeared with Jarcil Cile when they tried to sail around Keta. It was so long ago, what could that have to do with the war?

" "Your father was a soldier, he wanted to gain fame in war.

" "I know." However, that doesn't change the fact that I feel bad. I can accept that I'm constantly thinking about war, but why, when I'm not fighting, do I feel like I'm getting older?

"But you're an elf," Gikymbar laughed. "Old age isn't a threat to us or the haramids."

"I've been having these thoughts ever since I woke up on the Raxau beach. Some of my hair is turning gray and falling out, see for yourself.

" "Impossible." Gikymbar looked at Eurynomos closely. "Strange, you're right, you look like you're slowly aging.

" "My skin is different. I don't know what's happening to me. Only when I fight do I feel better.

" "It's hard to say. Perhaps some curse. But you're an elf, and that would require a ritual performed by a powerful mage. However, I don't think you have such powerful enemies." Gikymbar stroked his bald beard and added, "Or some artifact. Maybe you have something new.

" "I acquired a sword while fighting pirates. Only, as I say, it started when I was found in Raxau. Not when I found the sword.

" "It doesn't matter, show me the sword."

Eurynomos left the library without a word. He returned a few minutes later with the sword wrapped in an oil-soaked cloth in an additional leather sheath. He sat down and removed the sheath. He unwrapped the cloth and handed the curved blade to Gikymbar. Gikymbar examined the sword carefully, studied the inscriptions on the crossguard for a few minutes, and leafed through several books. Finally, he sat down and placed the sword on the table.

"Interesting. Very well made, high-quality steel, probably dwarven, though not dwarven. I'm curious about something else. For a sword of this quality, it looks rather average, apart from the hilt. There are no drawings, inscriptions, or decorations on the blade, and then there's that black material on the spike and blade. There are some inscriptions on the crossguard, but I can't read them; they're either too faded or some unknown writing. Perhaps Taraman could help.

" "That great sage. You don't think he'll be interested, do you?

" "Maybe he will, maybe not. He's interested in all mysteries, which is why he's the greatest of the greats. As soon as Ulhwo returns, I'll go to Taraman."

For now, I suggest you leave the sword here.

" "What!!" Eurynomos abruptly rose from his chair. "Why should I leave it here? I come to you for help, and you want to deprive me of one of my most precious possessions.

" "Exactly. Look at your behavior. It's unbecoming of an elf." Eurynomos sat down.

"No. It's my sword, and it will stay with me. I got it, and I have no intention of getting rid of it. A haramid already tried to take it away from me.

" "And perhaps he was right," the sage interrupted. "Do as you wish. Just be careful."

The next day, Etopar packed his luggage and left Otaxe Castle. Gikymbar stopped him at the entrance gate.

"Where are you going now, boy? Where can I find you if I learn anything about this mysterious sword?

" "I'm no longer a boy." Eurynomos smiled for the first time since arriving at the castle.

"Yes, I know, but to me you will always be one of my students.

" "I will go to where there is fighting, and that's where I will be found. Now I'm going north, to Beorf. The nobility there has started a rebellion against the unification of Beorf, Ahiburg, Ferenburg, and Imsygard into one state.

" "Well, all that remains is to wish you luck. I believe you'll meet some of our compatriots from Ferenburg there. Farewell, Eurynomos.

" "Farewell, Gikymbar, and see you later." The elf rode out of the castle on his horse and headed north, through Eifenburg and Haliburg to Beorf.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Gikymbar said to one of the soldiers standing at the gate.

"So what do you intend to do, Master?

" "Send them to pack my things; I'm going to Sipijon, to Taraman."

After traveling over 3,000 km, Eurynomos reached Eket on the Naalh River in southern Beorf. The entire country, as well as the surrounding areas, was engulfed in rebellion. Signs of small, and occasionally larger, skirmishes between rebels and supporters of the monarchs were visible at almost every turn. Thieves and bandits were also rife, taking advantage of the immense chaos; no one knew which territories were under the control of the monarchs or the rebellious nobility. A significant portion of the nobility and magnates from the four states fought with the remaining nobility and the monarchs' forces, opposing the merger of Beorf, Ahiburg, Ferenburg, and Imsygard into a single universal monarchy.

On May 6, Eurynomos reached Eket. The rebellious Count Iwysh Nythegem of Ahiburg was defending the city. For a month, the city had been besieged by 2,000 troops under General Ase Getor, also from Ahiburg. Eurynomos joined the general's forces and, five days later, on Thursday, participated in another assault on the city. The several-hour assault, like the others, was unsuccessful, although the city gates were breached and the young Etopar wreaked havoc among the enemy. Ase Gator attempted to capture the fortress several more times, but subsequent attacks were unsuccessful. After another month of fruitless siege, Count Nythegema reached an agreement with King Beorf's envoy, surrendered the fortress of Eket, and joined General Getor.

The general was impressed by the elf's bravery, the fear he inspired with his sword, and the deadly effectiveness with which he wielded it. He was quickly promoted and became standard-bearer of the Fourth Banner of the Ahibur Medium Infantry of Eskuz. The banner consisted of 100 soldiers armed with double-edged, one-handed swords and rectangular, one-meter-high shields. The entire armor consisted of a breastplate, greaves and shoulder pads, all in purple and silver colors.

Eurynomos served as commander of this banner until Tuesday, June 26, 1590, when he participated in the final and one of the largest battles between the supporters of the merger of Beorf, Ahiburg, Ferenburg, and Imsygard, and the rebels. The Battle of the Twin Castles on the Oprob plateau, on the border between Beorf and Ferenburg.

The actual clash, however, took place thirty kilometers further from the northern castle.

On a forested hilltop, the rebels took up their positions under the command of three magnates, the leaders of the entire uprising: Baron Yra Moozaruth of Beorf, Lord Iwenzo Dulu, also of Beorf, and Lord Iforgo Ojoh of Imsygard. They had a relatively small force under their command, totaling 3,500 soldiers. Most of the soldiers were scattered across all four kingdoms. Those on the high ground were mainly light infantry armed with two-meter lances, armored only with chainmail and helmets. They constituted about a third of the entire army. In terms of numbers, the Ferenburg archers, trained by the elves living there, were deadly effective. They numbered five hundred. In addition, there were several dozen infantrymen armed with halberds and axes, and the heavy Ferenburg cavalry. The heavy cavalry were armed with glaives and clad in thick steel armor, including for their horses. There were only thirty of them, but in a charge from the top of the hill, even among the trees, they were the most dangerous opponent.

The army gathered in the valley below the hill numbered 10,000 soldiers from all countries, commanded by all the rulers involved in the conflict. King Thob Kormon of Beorf, Queen Lith Ollud of Ahiburg, King Wut Idhalm of Ferenburg and his liegeman, Prince Onex Daesua of Ehrudor, and Grand Prince Fejavos Tunecc of Imsygard.

The largest forces were controlled by the kings of Beorf and Ferenburg, each with three thousand men at their disposal. The Prince of Imsygard had an army of 2,500, while the queen had only 1,500 soldiers. The composition of the entire army was extremely diverse: Ferenburg heavy and light cavalry, highlanders, archers (including elves from Ferenburg), halberdiers from Beorf, Beorphian spearmen, the Prince of Imsygard's Bodyguard, exceptionally devoted and loyal, and light and medium-heavy infantry from Ahiburg.

Eurynomos' banner was in the center of the line formed by all the units that were to attack the rebels. The cavalry, with the exception of the Ferenburg heavy cavalry, took up positions at both ends of the line. The hill was too steep for them, and the forest at the top too dense for them to climb. On Eurynomos's left were the Imsygard Guard, led by the Grand Duke, while on the other side was General Getor, who had already befriended the elven mercenary.

"We will strike soon. This will be an extremely difficult battle. Are you ready for it?" Ase turned to the elf, who was preparing for battle.

"I'm always prepared, and the thought of fighting gives me even more strength.

" "Good to hear that, you're the best warrior I've ever met," the general sat down next to Eurynomos, "and you're an elf, too. And I've certainly never heard of an elven mercenary.

" "That's because not all elves love fighting. And I'm not like all elves. Although I used to be.

" "I see you've grown sad, but it's good that you're with us; the battle won't be easy at all.

" "And why is that?" Eurynomos turned his gaze to the hill.

"In the same place as now, on this same hill, many years ago, Beorf's army suffered a defeat that decided the end of the war with Ferenburg. Beorf had to renounce his rights to Ehrudor forever. And the disproportion was even greater.

" "This time, Beorf and Ferenburg are on the same side." Eurynomos was as certain of victory as ever

. "However, that doesn't guarantee victory. Well, we'll find out soon enough. Be menacing as always, it will certainly help." The general patted the elf on the shoulder and left.

The general returned to his battle-ready banner. Eurynomos unwrapped his enormous, universally feared and terrified curved sword, and they taught the same. The same fear of swords inspired among his companions; no one dared to engage in an argument with Eurynomos, not even the strongest.

When all the banners, regiments, and maniples were ready for battle, the commanders began to shout battle cries, signaling the beginning of the battle. To the rhythm of drums, trumpets, and many other loud instruments, the crowd, singing war songs, began to climb the hill. Eurynomos, like any standard-bearer, stood at the head of his unit, followed closely by a soldier holding banners bearing the Ahiburg emblem: a blue starling against a white, irregular star. To the right, a high rocky peak jutted from the slope, casting a shadow over the troops marching up the hill. The two rulers who intended to participate in the clash, King Beorf on the left wing and Prince Imsygard, encouraged the fighters. Lith, Queen of Ahiburg, was a woman and incapable of fighting, and King Wut, as tradition and tactical knowledge dictated, did not personally interfere in the battle. After a few minutes, everyone reached a small ledge and briefly halted. Before them remained only the forested peak and the rebels.

"Relax your formations!! Raise your shields!" Prince Fejavos shouted loudly, so loud that even the rebels on the hill heard him.

As soon as the troops formed their new formation, the sound of many trumpets rang in the air, signaling a charge.

With a shout, everyone ran forward. Those with shields raised them above their bodies, while the rest had no protection. A cloud of dust rose behind the soldiers, and at the sound of their loud running, birds and other game fled from the grove. Only the royal cavalry remained in their positions, waiting for the decisive moment. The infantrymen began to accelerate as a hail of aging rained down from the hilltop. Most fell to the ground or had their shields impaled, but some reached their targets. Many of the lightly armored soldiers fell to the ground under the impact of steel arrows. Before the infantrymen reached the grove, four more volleys were fired, leaving many of their comrades dead or bedridden.

The forest was less conducive to running. The dense undergrowth and bushes, and the soft ground, did not help at all. As soon as Eurynomos, who had moved a few meters to the forefront, saw the rebel positions, they immediately rushed down the slope. Lord Dulu's light infantry charged the attackers. The conditions favored the rebels, and from the very beginning they inflicted heavy losses with their lances.

The first rebel to approach Eurynomos was cut in half by a powerful sword strike from a roundhouse. Subsequent ones perished in a similar manner, either from a spike or some other subtle means. Cover was useless; young Etopar shattered the lances and swords of his opponents. The elf wielded this large sword with such speed and precision that after a moment the rebels stopped attacking him, creating a gap in their ranks.

Despite the elf's valor, the coalition army was losing ground along the entire line; even a cavalry attack was of no avail. The rebels inflicted further casualties and steadily pushed the entire infantry downward. Despite this, Eurynomos, his banner, and the Imsygard Guard remained stationary.

Baron Moozaruth, seeing the disturbing course of events where Eurynomos was fighting, sent the Ferenburg heavy cavalry into battle. Most of them aimed for the breach in their lines, and the rest against King Beorfu. The elven warrior was about to strike at the rear of the rebels, but hearing the clatter of horses' hooves, he shouted to his subordinates:

"Form a line! Place your shields on the ground and place your swords between them! And you'd better hide behind them, because things are about to get tough."

Eurynomos and the others stood behind the hedgehog, which was waiting for the cavalry. The cavalry was too heavy to jump over the shields, but it was armored enough to tear the hedgehog to shreds and escape unscathed. Eurynomos's banner was unprepared for such a fight, so they had to retreat quickly. Eurynomos, the only one, used his skill to fight the cavalry from the ground. However, avoiding the horses' hooves, fell to the ground, and as he tried to get to his feet, one of the riders slashed him in the leg with a glaive. The elf, however, seemed unaffected by the blow. With a blow of his sword, he severed the wooden shaft of the glaive, rose, jumped onto a rock, and from there, directly onto the rider, knocking him from his horse and piercing his helmet with a spike. His entire banner was already several meters below, fighting the cavalry. The rest of the troops were already out of the forest, and some were already thinking of fleeing. Prince Fejavos's guard was surrounded and quickly utterly wiped out, the Grand Duke himself also perishing.

The elf galloped back to his banner, rejoining the fight. He fought his way to his soldiers, which boosted their morale. However, there was little he could do. A few minutes later, the rebels captured King Beorf Thob Kormon. This moment proved decisive. Seeing their total defeat, the royals (those who survived) began to flee the battlefield. Even Eurynomos' banner abandoned its commander.

The elf himself remained, fighting three cavalrymen at once. Lord Ojoh himself rode up to him and said,

"You have lost; further fighting is pointless." The elf lowered his sword, as did the soldiers around him. "

It's a pity; I enjoyed killing you."

"You are a strange elf; it's a pity you're not on our side." On the winning side

, "I'll find myself a new war," Eurynomos spurred his horse and waved after the fleeing soldiers.

A year later, a peace treaty was signed, ending the civil war in northern Keta. The rebels won, the Prince of Imsygard was killed, and King Beorfu was forced to sign the peace; his life depended on it. Additional sabotage by the secret alliance of the Fifth Order and Erydor, the Organization of Friends of the Cult of Afabolis, prevented the creation of a vast and powerful Universal Monarchy composed of four states.

The elf once again traveled Keta, searching for conflicts and discord among the nobles. He sailed to the distant Empire of Abaathaal, where another civil war was raging. For many years, he participated in numerous battles there, using his deadly blade on various sides. Despite the constant war there, he returned to Keta after 32 years and was never heard from again. Meanwhile, a rare peace reigned on the continent.

In the summer of 1512, the sage Gikymbar met with his old friend, Taraman, the greatest of sages, in Newli, the capital of the Elven Kingdom.

"Greetings, Taraman," Gikymbar greeted his guest in the rented house.

"Greetings, Gikymbar. It's been a while

since I saw you in Sipiion about that strange matter.

" "Exactly. It really intrigued me, and that's why I wanted to meet with you." The two sages sat down in a small room full of books, manuscripts, and papyri.

"So, I'm listening. What have you learned?

" "After searching my collection, I found nothing, so I went to the Spire

." "Were you at the Goretei Academy? You were forbidden to enter there, after all, it must have really interested you.

" "And you're right. I like a challenge. And this turned out to be interesting.

" "What did you learn as a result?

" "About the sword? Everything. The sword you encountered is called Shadowblade.

" "I've never heard of such a sword.

" "Because it's not that old. It was made at the request of the Beorphian general Ynhe Efex in..." Taraman dug out a note, "in 1794." The sword was crafted by a Karamin mage – the blacksmith Nozar No'o. The sword was said to possess the power to grant immortality in battle. However, Nozar was a better blacksmith than the mage, which resulted in a curse stemming from the spell. The inscription on the crossguard speaks of this. The letters aren't worn off, but the mage designed them. The sword does make you immortal, but... well... only after death. Then the wielder turns into a shadow, lives on, but their body doesn't. To keep it whole, they must kill. As you know, death releases a certain energy, which the sword absorbs. Only cutting off the head kills the wielder, and then the sword passes into his hands. General Efex died in 1769 during a battle with pirates, and the sword was lost. Your apprentice found it on the Skull Islands, most likely killed the previous wielder, and the sword passed into his hands.

"That explains a lot, but what about his death?" He didn't say anything about a serious wound.

"You said yourself he was found in Raxau. You don't think he survived that long in the water, do you? He drowned, but the sword prevented his soul from leaving his body.

" "By Ullfi!" Gikymbar stood up abruptly. "That's why he wanted to keep fighting. Is there any way to help him?

" "First we have to find him; perhaps the only way is to kill him, but I'm not sure. Do you know where he might be now?

" "I'm just guessing. Prince Buh Neni of Raxau has died, and some of the magnates and nobility have refused to support his successor. The Republic of Eifenburg doesn't like this, so war is looming. I think Raxau will be his current location.

"

A tall figure dressed in a black cloak entered one of the inns in the city of Rimmon, the largest port of the Duchy of Raxau. He looked like a monk, his head covered by a hood, and his entire body was hidden from view. The figure approached a large counter and, in a rasping voice, asked for a goblet of wine and something to eat. It was quite late, and the inn was sparsely occupied. The newcomer didn't attract much attention, save for two off-duty paladins dressed in civilian robes.

"Look at this one who just entered. Doesn't he seem a bit strange to you?" One of the paladins pointed to the black figure at the counter.

"Perhaps. I wonder who that one is?

" "Let's ask then."

They both rose and moved between the empty tables toward the stranger. Meanwhile, the newcomer drained his goblet of wine, but did so so that his hands couldn't be seen beneath his long, wide sleeves.

"Greetings, stranger," one of the armed men said in a pleasant, slightly ironic voice. "Are you new here and we're curious what brings you to our city?

" "It's none of your business," the figure barely managed to croak.

"And that's where you're wrong." The second paladin raised his voice slightly. "We maintain order here and it's our job to know what you intend to do. Perhaps you're wanted, or a spy?

" "War is near, perhaps you'd be interested in that.

" "Okay, you'll come with us. We'll talk in the citadel."

The second paladin drew his sword and grabbed the stranger by the arm. The figure rose abruptly, pushing the paladin away, and with a piercing squeal, threw back the hood that covered his entire head. This revealed a terrifying sight to those gathered in the inn: his hideous, ruined face. The newcomer had no skin left on his throat; only his larynx remained. He also had neither lips nor gums; his entire jaw was exposed. On both cheeks, the skin, brown with age, was cracked, and on the left, even torn. The nose had long since fallen off, leaving a distinct mark. And the eyes were barely hanging on. The rest of the skull was covered with the same brown skin, and a few remaining gray hairs sprouted above the ears.

With his right hand, now devoid of any trace of complexion and with muscles barely holding together, he pulled a huge, oblong bundle from under his cloak. The two paladins quickly recovered from their shock. They were prepared for all sorts of strange events. So they swiftly engaged in combat. The first tried to slash the newcomer, but he parried the blow with his still-wrapped sword. The blow was so powerful that the paladin's sword shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces. He quickly unwrapped his sword and spun with incredible precision, aiming the blade at the second guard. As he turned, he kicked the first and slashed the second's chest. The first threw himself to the ground, grabbed his friend's sword, and tried to continue the fight. As he rose, half dead, he plunged a black spike into his heart.

The paladin fell to the ground dead, and the assassin spread his arms and, to the horror of the gathered, let out another shrill cry. As soon as he finished, he shouted,

"I am Etopar Eurynomos!!! Warrior!!!"

He screamed again, just like before, only a little longer. His complexion began to grow back and become lighter. Muscles appeared where there had been none. Hair appeared, as did his long-lost nose. Eurynomos threw his hood over his head and, screaming, ran out of the inn, smashing down the door.