Beyond

Prologue

I should begin with the story of how Ospia came to be. The four shattered remnants of a once proud and whole country. How the Demons closed in around the villages, and Ospia's selfish rulers left them to burn. How the four leaders fought for power rather than to protect their lands. 

However, like a beacon of light, they arose. The Knights of Ospia, a sign to the people that they were not forgotten. The Gods had yet to abandon them.

The Knights drove the Demons back into their dark forest, the Vylmeph Forest. The strongest of their Mages created a barrier to shield the people from the Demons so they would always be safe from harm. With the Knights' war over, they returned back to their homes glorious, as heroes. They were treated as royalty almost. The great saviors. For the moment, Ospia saw a reign of peace settle over the war torn country.

The four segments that had once fought for centuries for land and wealth went about their own ways. New leaders, those that had once been Knights, rose to prominence in each of the four lands, molding them into something greater. Richil brought about a vast trade network for the kingdom of Spaemothia. Nicolette, the Elven Mage, created a safe haven for all the Mages and Scholars to gather in Oleurosis, the city of the Arcane. Perceval once one of the most powerful leaders of the Knights, developed Azraokron, a city where the most valiant fighters gathered to take up work. Rique brought about a unique intellectual change for the people of Zilantay. For them, engineering, architecture, the arts, and mathematics were culture.

But peace was not to last. The barrier that had stood strong for centuries was brought down by the forces of the Demons. Without the Knights to protect them, the people fell victim to the dark creatures once more.

However, the Knights rose once more. This time under the direction of Thierry, a descendant of Perceval. When the Demons were once more dealt with, it was decided that the Knights were needed to stay permanently, and this they made their home in Azraokron, near the Vylmeph Forest where every few years, the barrier would be strengthened by the Knights' finest Magic Wielders. 

All over the land, including the neighboring countries, warriors, scholars, and mages alike came to see if they could join with the group of Knights. It was an honor if the Knights chose you to become one of their own.

Years after, my mother and father were both elected to join the Knights. The two were smitten with one another, but it was forbidden within the ranks of the Knights. The Knights were forbidden to have families inside or outside of the Knights. So, they met in secret. Stolen time in the fleeting moments they had with one another.

However, they could not hide the relationship forever, for soon my mother was expectant of her first child. A little boy with her same auburn burgundy colored hair and striking blue eyes she would later name Voran.

Luckily, the Knights were never discovered her first child, and she gave the baby to her closest sister to nurture while she stayed with the Knights. However, another child soon was growing within her. A baby girl with the same features of her mother and brother.

The head Knights were able to discover the child this time, and as a result, my mother was disbanded from the Knights. She never saw her lover again, for he stayed within the Knights and dropped contact with her. She grieved for many days, torn over the loss of one whom she thought would stand by her side.

A few years after my birth, she took ill and her body gave into the fever. My aunt, not knowing what else to do with her sister's children gave us to the Knights. They never knew of our relation to our mother, and our position was never questioned. They often took children to train, and this was no different.

I was with the Knights for eight years before I turned eighteen and was eligible to undertake the process of becoming a true Knight. Voran had done the same thing and had passed three years prior to my own undertaking.

We both became Knights and learned their ways. As I grew within their ranks, I began to see the corruption where previously I had not. Growing up, the Knights were valiant beings who protected us. All I saw now, were the knife in the shadows collecting money from the poor, the lust that permeated throughout the air as the Knights disobeyed the orders given from the top Knights, and the disrespect they channeled, and so we left.

Those that were valiant were nothing more than overpriced mercenaries with an ego that was larger than a foolish king. I spent four years with the Knights, but Voran and I decided that it was time for us to leave. It was an unspoken rule that if a Knight wished to leave the order, they would pack their things and leave, not telling a soul. The order made it very clear that if you left, you were to never return back. There was no place in the order for Deserters, but apparently there was room for thieves and the dishonorable.