The Fall of Everything [Rewrite]

Corvus had left the lands of Rhazgord only a few times in his life. Each time, the purpose of these journeys had been war. He was never much interested in the situations of the lands he passed through, the countries he visited. His eyes were focused only on the Demon claws and the battlefields. This lasted until the day he arrived in the city of Rax, the capital of the Kingdom of Adler, and met Belisarius.

He had a shallow knowledge of the major powers on the continent, thanks to his training in the army and the information provided by his mentor Montis. But that didn't mean he really knew the world. He was still ignorant of much on the continent, and his short time on Rax had made this knowledge gap even more pronounced.

During the short journey to the city of Bahoz, Corvus almost completely ignored Ilyada. Instead, he preferred to consult Belisarius. This journey was not just a city rescue operation; it was also an interrogation to understand the true face of the war in which they were engaged. Corvus was increasingly convinced that this war was merely a strategy to wear down the Rhazgord. In his view, the real enemy would be revealed before the war was over, or soon after.

This idea had crossed Belisarius' mind too, but he had not yet voiced it. Neither of them was sure who this hidden force was. The enemy was quite adept at concealing his identity. If Belisarius was in his own country, he might have had a chance to gather information. But right now he was far away from his sources of information and contacts.

One thing was clear in Belisarius' mind: Whoever the power behind this was, he had a firm idea of who they were not.

"All I can say," Belisarius said thoughtfully, "is that the Sizat Empire is not behind this."

Corvus turned to Belisarius. At first it was a little surprising to hear him speak with such certainty. The first possible enemy Corvus could think of was the Sizat Empire. But he trusted Belisarius. Belisarius' country had been a vassal of the Sizat Empire for years, and Belisarius knew a lot about this power. At that moment, no one in Rhazgord knew the Sizat Empire as well as Belisarius. This information provided by Belisarius offered an important clue to shape Corvus' battle strategy. However, even this new information did not reveal who the real enemy was. The mystery was still watching them from the shadows.

Before Corvus could ask why Belisarius thought that, Belisarius spoke up. He spoke thoughtfully, looking into the distance, but the sadness in his voice was striking.

"The Sizat Empire is suffering from its rapid territorial expansion. They are finding it very difficult to stabilize the country."

Belisarius' statement raised some questions in Corvus' mind. He wanted to know the details; he wanted to know how much the Sizat Empire had expanded in such a short time and what kind of difficulties it had created. But he did not voice these questions. The information he had received from Belisarius was enough for him. He preferred to focus on the threats they now faced rather than dwell further on Sizat's weaknesses.

The two seemed to want to continue the conversation, but were interrupted from their thoughts by a loud warning from Ilyada. Ilyada warned them in an impatient tone: "We have reached the city!". Even though she had been eavesdropping on the conversations along the way, she had not been able to take part in them because she could not speak the Adler Language. On top of that, it bothered her to be ignored.

When Corvus and Belisarius looked up, they realized that they had reached the gates of Bahoz. The strategic questions and worries of the journey gave way to the reality before them.

Corvus' entry into the city had a profound impact on the allied forces. The Black Flag he carried was a symbol of leadership and authority. His majestic stance on his horse inspired confidence in everyone around him. He had returned to this city, which he had left only a few hours before in the face of death, now standing tall and resolute. A flurry of activity soon began among the Allied forces. Corvus' presence had boosted morale. The leader of the Black Flag had returned, and this was seen not only as a symbol but also as a sign of victory. As Corvus' eyes roamed the city, he could see this motivation in every glance he encountered.

Guided by the warriors, they soon arrived at Rasur's place. As soon as Rasur noticed Corvus in the distance, he immediately stood up. The weight of the exhausting day, both mentally and physically, was evident on his face, but his surprise that Corvus had recovered so quickly was reflected in his expression for a brief moment. His fatigue prevented him from showing more of this emotion.

Rasur took quick steps towards Corvus. The distance between them had diminished to five or six meters when he suddenly paused. It was Ilyada's eyes that caused him to remain frozen in place, motionless. Ilyada's face was as usual; there was nothing unusual about her expression. But her eyes shone with anger. Someone not looking directly into those eyes might have thought that Ilyada was calm. But Rasur could clearly feel the anger in those eyes. They were like an invisible wall that prevented Rasur from taking a step.

Rasur looked away and tried to speak. "I greet the young star of the Iskats," he said with a slight tremor.

The Iskats often visited Bahoz and got what they needed from there. So Rasur and Ilyada knew each other. Their relationship could even be called friendship. But Ilyada's gaze made it clear that this friendship had long since ended. Her words proved it even more harshly.

"I will have your fucking head at the first opportunity, you traitor dog."

Ilyada's voice cracked almost like a whip. The contempt and anger in her words created a moment of silence. Rasur knew he had no answer for Ilyada. He lowered his eyes to the ground, turned silently to Corvus and saluted him respectfully. Then he bowed to Belisarius in the same way.

Rasur took a deep breath, pushing aside his nervousness. He quickly pulled himself together and, looking around more calmly, began to explain the latest situation. Ilyada crossed his arms over her chest and watched him with a stern expression. She was following Rasur's every word, waiting for the end of the conversation.

According to Rasur's words, all but the slums of the city had been cleared of the enemy. The perimeter of the city was under control, leaving only the most dangerous and complex area, the slums. The fighters were waiting, ready to attack this area. But one thing was stopping them: the order.

"What are you waiting for?" Corvus said in a stern tone. He frowned as his eyes roamed around him. Then he asked another question that had been nagging at the back of his mind: "And where is Kragan?". Rasur answered, looking Corvus in the eye. "We are waiting for Kragan."

Kragan, along with a few of his elite men, had dived deep into the city in search of the enemy headquarters. His delay in returning from this mission, however, was unsettling for everyone. In his absence, Rasur could not risk mobilizing the troops. Kragan's information could have been crucial in deciding the fate of the war. He was afraid to do anything that might affect Kragan's operation.

When Corvus heard this explanation, there was a brief flicker of alarm in his eyes. Kragan's absence for so long was a clear sign that something was wrong. Something could have happened to him, but Corvus had no time to think about it. As worrying as the situation was, it wouldn't be the right decision to tie the course of the war to Kragan's return.

Corvus took a deep breath and reviewed the plan once more. Quickly weighing the options in his mind, he came to a firm decision. "Start the attack," he said with stern determination. He ordered the soldiers to advance.

Then he announced to whom he would give the command. "Ilyada will command the warriors."

These words instantly changed the mood. Belisarius looked at Corvus in disbelief. Given Ilyada's stern and at times unpredictable demeanor, he had thought that she was not suitable for such a task. But the surprise only increased after a moment; Ilyada spoke immediately.

"I refuse, I will stay with you and protect you," Ilyada said, her eyes fixed on Corvus. This surprised Belisarius even more.

Ilyada may have seemed like a maniac to Belisarius, but she was a leader who had proven herself time and again on the battlefield. She could command large forces skillfully and outmaneuver her enemies with her strategic acumen. It was therefore a perfectly logical decision for Corvus to offer her the position. However, Ilyada's refusal and her choice to stay by his side to protect her betrothed raised new questions in Belisarius' mind. He could not understand their relationship.

Corvus' insistence finally convinced Ilyada. Ilyada accepted the mission and was to lead the troops under Rasur's guidance. Rasur knew the city well and, combined with Ilyada's skills, could reduce potential casualties.

Corvus, meanwhile, would stay in a safe place and concentrate on strengthening the city's defenses. Both Corvus and his advisors were certain that the city was likely to be attacked from outside. Corvus therefore ordered immediate preparations to evacuate the city for those unable to fight.

"The enemy could appear on the horizon at any moment," Corvus said, his voice firm and clear. "Before that happens, make sure those who cannot fight are moved to safety."

In addition, the city walls needed to be reviewed for deficiencies, gaps closed and the chain of command reorganized. Corvus had ordered the evacuation and was watching the necessary preparations begin when several soldiers approached him. A tired and wounded man stood out among the group. His face was covered in scratches and part of his armor was damaged.

Corvus recognized this person immediately. The man standing before him was one of his best fighters. As far as he knew, he was part of the group that had been assigned to find the enemy headquarters with Kragan. But the mere fact that he had returned sparked a spark of concern in Corvus. Yet he remained calm, keeping his expression in check.

The wounded warrior took a deep breath and began to speak. His fatigue and hardships were reflected in every word. "Kragan and the others," he said, his voice a little shaky, "have found the enemy headquarters... but they need support."

These words indicated a more urgent situation than Corvus had thought. He listened attentively to what the warrior had to say and then stood still for a moment. His mind was working to formulate a plan as quickly as possible. Then, without delay, he ordered Ilyada to be informed.

When Ilyada received the call for help from Kragan, an indescribable excitement gripped the young woman. Ever since she arrived in Bahoz, she had felt trapped. She had been caught between groups of soldiers crammed together in the streets, almost never engaged in serious combat. The enemies they did encounter were quickly neutralized by other soldiers before Ilyada could act. For a warrior like her, this was an unbearable ordeal.

Kragan was just a name to Ilyada. She had never even seen him before. It didn't matter to Ilyada that Kragan was in danger. In her eyes, Kragan was a little more powerful than the others, and no more than a friend of Corvus. The real source of Ilyada's excitement was that she had finally found something to drown her boredom. This was her long-awaited opportunity for action.

As soon as she learned from Tanar the location of the enemy headquarters, she took action. She was accompanied by a few loyal warriors who followed her like shadows. The streets were crowded with soldiers, making it almost impossible to move forward. But this was no obstacle for Ilyada.

Instead of getting lost in the chaos of the narrow streets, she quickly made her way to the side of a building. With a graceful move, she grabbed onto the wall and pulled herself up, reaching the roof in a few seconds. The warriors behind her followed with equal agility. Now, instead of the chaos of the streets, they had the advantage of advancing from the rooftops of the city.

As soon as Ilyada reached the top of the roof, she realized that thick smoke was rising in the direction Tanar had described. Her eyes quickly scanned the source of the smoke. The smoke pointed in the direction of the enemy headquarters. This meant that Kragan and his men were still in danger.

A slight smile appeared on Ilyada's face when she saw this image. For her, this adrenaline-boosting danger represented a warrior's most natural environment. Ilyada approached the edge of the roof and leaned down. Amid the bustle of the crowd at street level, she easily spotted Tanar. The familiar feeling that rose in her every time she saw him once again swept through her: a deep anger and a desire to kill. The mere presence of Tanar created a rage inside Ilyada that was hard to contain. She shouted in a cold, but threatening tone: "Do anything wrong and I will have you trampled by horses!"

Her voice echoed through the streets. His words made it clear how serious Ilyada was. Her gaze was locked on Tanar. The menacing expression in her eyes was more powerful than her words.

When Tanar heard this warning, he raised his head slightly and looked up at her. There was no sign of fear on his face, but he did not dare to look Ilyada in the eye. Ilyada's threat was not just words; anyone who knew Ilyada's character knew that she would do what she said.

Ilyada paused for a moment after seeing the look on Tanar's face. She could feel the pressure that even her presence put on Tanar. Then, as if nothing had happened, she turned around and started moving towards the other end of the roof. As adept as she was at controlling her anger, she was equally skilled at habitually hurling such threats.

Then she gripped the hilt of her sword tightly and, without turning to those around her, gave a single order: "Let's move out."