• It was a simple time, when people worked the land for food, tribute to their respective rulers, and lived out their lives like the simple folk most people in the villages throughout Thuron. When the young dreamt of grand adventures and making history. It was a time when the great plains of Thuron saw peace. Dralgo, had become known as the largest city in all of Thuron. They say that when it was being built, they had so many skilled people to help; they decided to move the city further north, so it was surrounded by tall, beautiful mountains on one side and a wide ocean on the other. Once every few years the king would hold tournaments to appease the small villages who felt like they were nothing more than dirt on the shoes of the rich. Warriors from far and wide came to these competitions to show their skills and prove their worth to the world. It truly was warrior’s haven. The next largest city that was founded went by the name of Zocun. Zocun was more of a trade center than a city. Merchants from all over came with their wares to sell to the highest bidder in hopes of making their lives easier, better, more fulfilling. It was a came to be known as Traders Paradise. The last kingdom to finalize its borders, Kushu was known as the City of Colors. Its main source of entertainment encircled the artists. Every year they held the Festival of Senses. It was a grand event that contained many attractions which excited every sense in your body. There were many small villages scattered about the land but if nothing important was passing through, they fell through the pages of history. Soon afterward a terrible war erupted and tore the land apart. Men changed, people killed, and futures vanished from times path. In order to bring peace back to the people Dralgo’s King had decided to raise an army that to combat this terrible force. At the moment he was examining a map with his advisor. She was intelligent and wise woman who went by the name of Abidona Chausten. She had advised his father before him when his father ruled and would never dare to go against her logic, for she had helped his father quell countless civil uprisings during the Great Divide. Her economical advice alone had helped make Dralgo the way it was today.

    “Your majesty I brought the people you ordered me to find.” A messenger said bowing before the king, Lord Franz.

    “Thank you, bring them in.” He asked Abidona to leave them, she bowed in compliance, and although she made it clear she hated his decision with an evil glare aimed at the seven people in the doorway it couldn’t be helped. The seven people entered and bowed, “please, I have little time for formalities, come.” He said waving them over to a table covered in maps.

    These seven people Lord Franz had desperately searched for. They were from all over Thuron. The man that seemed to lead this little band was a man that went by the name of M’kael Fowl. The woman standing to his side like an Amazonian guarding her king went by the name of Alyssa Trestle who was from the kingdom of Kushu, unfortunately that was all his informants had been able to find out. If he didn’t know better he would have assumed they were something of an item, the way the two of them stood next to each other but it was of little consequence to him.

    "Please, I have searched for you because I have heard of your reputations" Franz said looking to each one, "your band of warriors is know throughout the land as a righteous sword known only to sell their swords to those of like mindset. I am in need of this sword for my righteous cause... the people's cause."

    “What a speech, no wonder your in a position of power, what with a tongue like that you could spin a tale to turn even the cruelest of killers to turn over a new leaf. So what do you need us for, if you already have an army?” one of the seven members said.

    “Jonathan, for once show a little respect and think before you let something out of yer mouth. One day it might just git ya inta trouble an I won’t be there to bail ya out.” Another woman of the band of seven said shaking her head. The woman went by the name of Sasha Gorlin. His reports indicated she came from a somewhat noble family in Thirsh’s capital city, which one he didn’t know. Jonathan Zomas and his hawk, Starswift came from Zocun. His reports indicated his family had trained him to be a Tracker from a young age, as he grew older he honed his skills and sold them to any in need of them.

    “I beg your forgiveness, your majesty. Some of this group traveling together still holds... ill feelings... towards some of your economical decisions over the years. Please continue with why we are here.” A man leaning against a wall said not removing his eyes from the window. The man who spoke carried a bow on his back and two long, slender knives one on each side of his waist. His bow told him instantly who he was. He went by the name of F’lorin Yaru, stories of his expertise with his bow and his honorable way of living had preceded him. If he remembered correctly he was a wanderer who originally came from a village to the north of Dralgo.

    “If you would help lead my army as my tactical advisers in this war, I would gladly make you an offer none could refuse” they looked from one another exchanging silent thoughts, “what would that be ma lord, what could ya give us to make us not leave right now and let ya deal with ya own problems, hmm?”

    Lord Franz suspected she was the outspoken one of the group, yet the man known as Jonathan was a close second.

    “I will offer you all positions in my court. You can finally change the laws for the better of your homes. Jonathan... those economical matters affecting your village, can go away and with your help now I can make you my financial adviser. Then you can improve the lives of all those you left behind.”

    It seemed to hit him because he went silent, really thinking this decision over. For some time he said nothing until, “so those tax laws you passed las year... I could git rid of em, may hap even raise em on those rich arses in ma village?” Lord Franz nodded, “then count me in laddy! Whoops, I ment m’lord” he said concluding his part in this meeting. Lord Franz let himself have a little victory sigh of relief in the back of his mind. So I’ve won one over, I just have to change the other six’s minds. Lord help me, because if I don’t... I don’t want to think about it.

    “That offer may work for him, but I want something a little more concrete if you know what I mean, would you be able to help my family have a little more influence in Thirsh? Can you wipe away any discredit my family may have had done to them? Can you return my family’s happiness?” another woman in their band said walking towards him, almost letting some of her frustration slip into her voice. He didn’t know much about her except that his informants said her name was Pamela and she was born somewhere in Dralgo.

    He looked directly into her eyes, wanting to desperately win all of them over. “I will do all that is within my power to convince her majesty to return to you and your family all that has been taken from you and your kin.” He said looking from one to another, holding her gaze wanting her to fully grasp that he really would do all he could.

    “Yeah alright, I’m in” she said patting him on the shoulder, “see that wasn’t that hard now huh?” then walked away and sat in a chair with a drink in each hand.

    He couldn’t believe it, this was going to easy. He could only hope and pray the other five would be able to win over as these two. Once those two concluded to help Lord Franz; two others in M’kael’s band followed suit, including F’lorin which was a great victory in Lord Franz’s mind. By midday he had won over half the group and was pushing for the fifth member, Sasha Gorlin.

    “Sasha, if you would help me, help the kingdom of Dralgo it would be in your debt. What can I do to turn your heart?”

    “You can start by stopping your blubberin like a little baby and your flowery talk, just ask for my help with dignity, a true leader should suck it up and just ask your question, what’s the worst that kin happen? I say no?” she said challenging his leadership. He examined her face wondering what it was she was after. Exhaling a long breath and taking in a long breath he said, “Sasha Gorlin, would you help me in my time of need?”

    “That’s more like it, ya bloody damn convincin when you’re sincere, and even kinda cute.” She said laughing as he blushed at her comment. He quickly gathered his composure and looked around for the last two, in all of his conversations he noticed out of the corner of his eye the two of them had been watching him, like a predator does its prey, like a smithy wondering if the weapon he was creating would be used for vengeance... or for retribution.

    “It would seem the others have been swayed by your actions and your words,” a female voice said. He turned around to find Alyssa and M’kael together yet again staring intently into his eyes, “Yes I am relieved that they are honorable and just. The stories I have heard from my informants about your band giving their support to only a truly righteous cause was true."

    “Yes, it would seem” was all she said. The two of them exchanged glances, as they did this he noticed the others had all grown quiet. They were wondering if their leader would do the same, if he would use his swords for this man wanting their help for his war that would most likely shape the future of Thuron.

    M’kael spoke finally, “Let me ask my comrades this one question; would you follow him even if I were to refuse?" the others looked to each other and once again exchanged that silent look he noticed throughout this meeting, the look people who were one yet not one people who act together yet are just as deadly by themselves. They all looked towards him and nodded in agreement, Sasha even walked back to stand by his side. M'kael nodded and turned to face Franz, "now let me ask you this, what is your purpose for doing this? Tell me what your heart has planned for the future. Tell me why you would have us bloody our blades for your cause? Burden our hearts with the death of so many to come in this war so that yours could stay pure?”

    He almost laughed out loud, he could see why he was their leader. He asks what no one will, he speaks what everyone fears to say. He truly was worthy to lead this band of warriors.

    “When I was little my father led Dralgo through much pain, much sorrow. The people loved him, they showed their loyalty by trying to support whatever cause he was leading, whether it be a simple tribute to some remote village or bringing three kingdoms closer together,” he was speaking of the Treaty of Three, or the peaceful conclusion to what could have been total annihilation of the three major kingdoms. “I was walking through the city when I overheard some of the local merchants talking. The only thing I remember is that they said my father was a kind, and strong ruler. That life was truly peaceful with him as ruler” Lord Franz said walking over to the window, “I would like to let those kids there experience the peace those merchants felt they had when I was little. I want to be a kind, strong ruler, like my father was before me.”

    It was silent for what seemed like an eternity, the only noise being the sounds of the kids playing in the streets, the soft sounds of the merchants in the bazaar off a ways, and the soft, soothing, melodies the chirping birds were singing.

    “I believe you have the full support of the Band of Seven.”

    The months that followed, with the help of the Band of Seven, the terror that rose to strike fear in the hearts of people across Thuron was slowly being beaten back towards the capital of the country that had suddenly risen on an island off the western shores of Thuron. The ruler of the kingdom that had quietly been founded had come to be known as the Dolyon Empire. Few people hated life on the island, although some disliked how life was there. So they fled the capital, few made out alive. Even fewer made it off the coast and sailed safely threw the whirlpools surrounding its coastline told stories of its valuable treasures, and also horrifying stories. Almost no adventurers dared to venture there for the fabled treasures, knowing full well that the lack of people who escaped there meant its treasure was too much a risk, for they knew dead men told no tales and bones could never enjoy the riches they had in their possession. There had been many battles that were fought, many skirmishes that some would have thought Dralgo’s army would lose but came out victorious. One however battle stained the history books pages with red. It was the Battle of Lunar. Dralgo’s army had started out with a complex formation for its soldiers. On one side of the plains the army of the Dolyon Empire and on the other side Dralgonan soldiers, secretly split in half with one half visible to the Dolyon forces and the other sneaking up on its flanks. A simple tactic for sure but under F’lorin’s guidance, a deadly attack, for he tweaked this tactic just slightly so that if they anticipated even this move, he had archers ready with flaming arrows on both sides of the forest that surrounded the Lunar Plains to engulf his enemy. So a simple flanking tactic became a deadly firestorm that would destroy any who stood against him. F’lorin’s tactical mind sometimes scared him, sometimes. The battle had already begun and all was going according to plans, but like any plan it failed. They anticipated F’lorin and his flanking tactic. F’lorin proceeded to send word to one of the others in the Band of Seven who was leading the archers when the Dolyon army suddenly let loose their own flurry of flaming arrows into the forest surrounding the plains. It was a crushing loss for Dralgo not because of how many men they lost, that would be replaced by those seeking vengeance. No it was the blow to their morale that would be hard to repair. For in the attack the member of the Band of Seven who was leading the archers was lost in the attack. His name was J’son Dishul. It was the last battle the Dolyon Empire won, for Dralgonan people grew closer, wanting to exact their vengeance on the Dolyon forces for his death. It was a few years before the Dralgonan forces were successful in pushing the fight into the very courtyard of the capital of the Dolyon Empire. The once powerful armies led by its genius generals were now a dwindled band of nothing more than a few thousand soldiers under the command of the Emperor of Dolyon himself, Emperor Dolyon. The Dralgonan army had surrounded the capital and cut off all supplies being transported into the inner walls. Instead of just waiting until they ran out of provisions they sent in the remaining members of the Band of Seven. Silently and swiftly, they snuck into the inner walls. It is said that a fierce battle took place in the Emperor’s palace that night, between the emperor and the six remaining warriors. When the sun rose the next morning, the people who were young then say the six brave warriors were nowhere to be found. All that remained was a piece of parchment and the lifeless body of Emperor Dolyon and his two most trusted, and skilled generals. The only thing that was written on the piece of parchment was one sentence; a sentence that would be written in a stone monument to document the heroics of these men during what would later be known as the Great Divide.

    “Remember what they stood for, so that you may have a second chance to begin... a second chance at life, may hope guide you to a brighter future.”