The Way of the Future: Age of Machines(Completed)

That Night

The Dioz Capital, acclaimed for its wealth and exquisite architecture was then the proud beacon of Dioz Supremacy over its neighbours. Its wealth was almost unrivaled due to the careful but lucrative merchant class who spearheaded the growth of the kingdom under the influence and guidance of the King.

When the Senadate Theocracy started its brutal campaign against demihumans one hundred fifty years prior, the Dioz Kingdom was officially neutral but actually provided support and refuge to the demihumans whenever they sought their protection. Soon, the kingdom became well known as a safe haven for all sapient creatures. Such kindness, however, was frowned upon by their neighbors.

Demihumans were denounced by the world religions as the descendants of the great demons. These great demons were what the referred to the enemies that started and were later defeated during the first Great War. That was the claim of the Empire and the Republic and it has been passed down from generation to generation and integrated into the very heart of the world's religion.

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150 years ago...

The moon was blocked out by the dark storm clouds, providing little light to the soldiers down on the ground. The soldiers were Dioz Knights. The Dioz Knights were tasked with aiding the escape of a group of demihumans trapped behind the Senadate border. They were high skilled saboteurs and have saved many demihumans before.

This night, however, was different. The storm clouds were ominous and struck a feeling of unease that was shared among the knights. Still, they carried on with their mission.

The demihumans sent out a magic signature an hour prior to give away their location. This was a risky move, by this point the Senadate Theocracy has made its mage Supremacy known to the rest of its neighbors. A mage could feel this signature from a kilometer away and easily deduce its location. If felt properly, they would even know who sent the message.

The knights crossed the border under the cover of night. Before they got to where they were, they noticed that the surrounding area had become a marshy biome.

"These storm clouds must've rained a bunch to cause this" One of the knights said. "We have no choice but to go through this way, you kids don't mind having a bit of mud on your boots ey?"

The knights chuckled but remained focused. Their feet would soon be covered with a lot of mud from stepping over the shallow marshes. Around them were frogs that croaked and crickets that rang whenever they got near.

It was as if they were warning them not to go forward and turn back. The knights were oblivious and were actually annoyed by the abnormal amount of frogs that tried to block their war.

"Why are there so many!?" The knight got jumped on his ċhėst by a few frogs which he safely brushed off.

"Keep it together, for all we know these frogs could be working for the Theocracy!" The captain of the group said.

"Ay"

Being suspicious of the frogs was not without a real reason. A few other groups of Dioz Knights with the same missions as theirs were reported to have been attacked by critters to bears alike. The Theocracy must have cast their spells on them, making the wildlife hostile to the knights.

Still, they pressed forward and eventually they were out of the marsges and into solid ground. They were now beyond the frontier and were deep within tue Theocracy territory. When they came upon a wide grassland that stretched till the eye could see, it was their marker.