"Father!!" Ephraim cried, trying to shake off the general who's dragging him away. Castle Lycaon is under direct attack from the new Duke of Scriedzel, Alforde, on his conquest to be the King of Lyaeus.

"Milord Ephraim, we need to get out of here." the general insisted, dragging the prince towards the southern backdoor that faces the forest rather brusquely. Knights clad in red livery swarmed the place like giant ants on a pilgrimage, lances and swords thrashing about. Heavily armored generals plowed their way in with their silver lances and axes held high, killing anyone unlucky enough to get in their way. Mages cast devastating spells against each other as if there's no tomorrow, misguided spells destroying the stone walls; innocent clerics and troubadors who heals the wounded were mercilessly killed by fierce foot soldiers. The walled citadel is on fire, with bloodshed raging inside it.

Down at the city, Scriedzel's men plundered every houses they chance upon, while the reserve knights of Lycaon fights them off. The poor citizens were trapped in their war and casualities were climbing at an alarming pace. King Marcel Maeandell von Lycaon led the charge of his knights to repel Alforde's generals in advancing. The King himself ordered the crowned prince to flee from the battle and run to the Royal House of Reglay for help. But the prince is keeping up a good struggle with his knight like a kid who wants to play outside but is grounded for a whole month.

"I need to help my father, Seth!" Ephraim said. "I have a duty to Lycaon and to her people as the Crowned Prince. And I have a duty to my father as his son!"

"No!" General Seth said angrily. "The King specifically ordered you to retreat to Etruria. Your duty to Lycaon and to your father is to stay alive."

"My life means nothing if I can't fight for Lycaon or for my father!" Ephraim sobbed. "My mother died already in this slaughter...if I won't do anything...my father...Lycaon's people..."

Seth ushered the prince out of the South Wing and onto the prince's hunting horse that was waiting not far off the forest. The general went to his own mount, took the prince's reins, and galloped to the forest where their retreating forms were immediately swallowed by the darkness. As they galloped along in the darkness, Crowned Prince Ephraim Ruisall von Lycaon turned to look back at Castle Lycaon, its beauty marred by the ongoing bloodshed.

Above them, platoons of pegasus knights engages the enemy's wyvern knights in a gruesome battle. Hidden among the tallest towers were archers and snipers, with their steel bows at the ready for a sortie. At a signal, rains of arrow fell on the wyvern knights. He could hear distinctly the cries of wyverns in pains and the startled shouts of their riders falling off their backs, the neighing of the pegasus mounts preparing to attack. As the two of them rode deeper in the darkness, Ephraim wondered how many territories have the Duke of Scriedzel have captured already on his way to the Capital. That is when he heard an arrow whistling past his ear.

"Ho!" Ephraim cried, steering his horse out of harm's way. General Seth cursed something under his breath, turning his horse as he unsheathed his sword and charged at the nomadic troopers that were on their tail.

"Get the prince!" Ephraim heard a woman ordered from the darkness ahead of him. He took out his rapier just in time to intercept the mercenary's sword who came out of nowhere. He heard a horse galloping and thought it was Seth. Unfortunately for him, it was a cavalier with a very sharp lance who want s him dead. He managed to avoid it but only slightly. The cavalier managed to scratch his hose where blood seems to ooze. Trapped between his attackers, the prince took a deep breath and collected his thoughts on how to get past this kind of obstacle during his trainings.

Just as they were about to attack the prince, the cavalier and the mercenary were thrown back by a powerful dark spell casted by a woman clad in dark robes who appeared out of nowhere. With two quick casting, she felled both assailants, though the mercenary did try to cut her up before she ended his life. Then she turned to face the road ahead of them. Holding out her right hand, she released a powerful spell, powerful enough to blast the trees. Ephraim stared. He know well enough how dangerous the Dark Arts is, but this is the first time he witnessed it first hand.

"Oh, please...do not amuse yourself with that weak power..." the woman said. Ephraim turned to look at her as he heard Seth returned from his own fight and felt his jaw drop in amazement.

"Sorienn Lyendell von Reglay?" he exclaimed. "When did you get here?"

Deep within the Valley of Themisto, the Great Water seer began to wake along with Earth Guardian...