FALLEN | rowan whitethorn x oc

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR - i may have accidentally killed someone, sorry not sorry

Isabella had only known of Banjali as a far-away land where its rulers had once retained their royal titles despite succumbing under the King of Adarlan's claws. She had known it as the homeland of a young girl who had begged the Gods for freedom and had instead exchanged her life to be little else than pawn for a lost queen in a desperate mission to find herself and her rightful place under the crown.

But those were stories Isabella had read, webbed in silk, connected to reality and fantasy, crafted by a traveller of worlds under a disguise.

Now, she knew the truth that lay in a faraway world where she found herself in. Rowan and the others had spoken tirelessly about the kingdom of Eyllwe, where the biggest and most dangerous war camp of the Fae had taken place and birthed soldiers with the only purpose of battle.

After the Big War between humans and the Fae, immortals had given the humans the lands of the Northwest, including Adarlan, the Deserted Land -although very few ventured to that part of the territory, or so it was told-, Terrasen, and all the small and less known kingdoms in between. The Western Wastes, a realm that had always belonged to the witches -and unknown by humankind, for they were rumoured to be beings who enjoyed the taste of mortals' flesh- was left undisturbed and under the rule of the witches.

Wendlyn, Doranelle, and the Southern Continent had been taken back by their rightful Fae heirs, although all the land was now divided due to the Novyk, with camps of their own scattered all over the territory, poisoning others with their hatred and building their army of enemies.

Eyllwe, however, had been considered unclaimed land for centuries before the Big War. Due to the discovery of its crucial trade routes, the Fae asserted their dominance over the state and became its rulers. Short after the increase of strength of the Novyk, they tried taking over Eyllwe for its wide resources, and its convenient location.

Rowan confessed to her that the Fae fought really hard to keep the Novyk away from the nation, for they knew that if they possessed it, they would find a way to take hold of humans and use them as disposable soldiers in their cruel game. So they had engaged in a battle that had lasted years -known as the Ground War-. In fact, the time period had widened to such lengths that it had seemed for a moment that the Fae were going to lose. Realistically, they would have, if it hadn't been for the appearance of Anneith, goddess of wisdom and slow deaths -and consort of god Hellas- who blessed them with a warning of the Novyk's attacks. With the goddess' information, the Fae managed to secure their victory in the Ground War.

After the high ride of victory, Queen Sellene had ordered for a fortress to be built in the border between Melisande, Fenharrow and Eyllwe, a wall constructed with the purpose of separating mortals from immortals, to contain and fight against the Novyk, and to protect humans from falling prey to the tricks of the enemy.

With time, towers were built in order to maximise the sight over the land, where soldiers would stay, guarding the entrance to the fort, and to warm in case of attack. The structures were followed by houses for the soldiers and trainees to live while they trained and waited to be dispatched to join the battlefield. And, then, a castle, where the most important meetings took place, where soldiers prayed and offered sacrifices to the Gods, where royalty stayed whenever they visited the fort, and located in the exact place where it was said Anneith sided with the Fae to help them win.

As the territory evolved into a city, the Fae made sure to secure it with magic. Every piece of stone and brick used for construction was both charmed for protection, and cursed to attack if needed; spellworkings were sung to the skies and carried by the wind, until it grew with the soil and took root with every step taken into progress and advancements.

Until Banjali evolved from a land of ghosts to a land filled with hope stained in blood.

So now, as Isabella stood in place where history had clapped in delight, and where daydreams were tinted with grief, she could not help but be taken aback.