For the people living outside the Land of Dawn, Northern Vale is nothing but a remote and strange name.This place is the coldest spot in the Land of Dawn and also, the northernmost end in human knowledge.Surrounded by the vast Frozen Sea, this place has been full of danger. Therefore, besides the sea lane, Megalith Wasteland has been the only way for people in Northern Vale to get to the other areas in the Land of Dawn.
Except for a few places, the whole of Northern Vale is covered by thick snow. With piercing wind rampant, the harsh weather and its unique disadvantageous location have made this place a fertile land. Life here has been extremely hard and only the most robust Northern Valers, could prosper here from generation to generation.
The harsh weather has forged this tough people. They have regarded courage and honor as the most precious things in this world. In the continuous struggle against the nature, people in Northern Vale has created a unique world view and civilization.
Freya Valkyrie
Valkyries were distinguished and revered fighters among the warlike Northern Vale folks. The bravest and strongest female warriors in each tribe would be chosen to join their rank and take up the responsibility of guiding the spirits of fallen heroes into Valhalla and keeping the peace in Northern Vale. Becoming a Valkyrie would bring glory to everyone in the tribe, it was the greatest achievement one could ever dream for. But such a glory came with a price, and Valkyries had to make huge sacrifices for their privilege. “They shall never marry or bear children, they shall dedicate their entire live to the Northern Vale.”
At first, such glory and burden did not belong to Freya. As far as Freya could remember, her elder sister Skuld was their tribe’s best hope. She was clever, decisive, brave and resilient. She could already defeat all the other warriors in their tribe when she was only sixteen years old. The high priest of the Martyr Shrine foresaw the future in a prophecy. “A female warrior, daughter of the Northern Vale, will one day lead this land to a new path.” Everyone believed that the kid in the prophecy was Skuld, so she kept training day and night, hoping that one day she could take up the mantle and bring a glorious future to her tribe and the Northern Vale.
Unlike her sister Skuld, young Freya lived a carefree life. She was naughty, vigorous and curious. She admired her sister Skuld, beliving that she could live happily ever after so long as her brilliant and lovingly sweet sister was with her. But her sister Skuld disagreed. She would always encourage Freya, saying that Freya would one day become the person who could lead their tribe and even all the Northern Vale folks.
When Freya was twelve, Skuld passed the high priest’s trial, became an exalted Valkyrie of the Martyr Shrine, and left her homeland. Two years later, Freya sneaked out of the tribe by herself and headed to Martyr Shrine, the place where all Northern Vale folks were forbidden to visit. She missed her sister so much that she was dying to see Skuld.
Her destiny was changed entirely that day. Outside of the Martyr Shrine, Freya was peeking at the Valkyries who were holding a transcendence ritual for the spirits of the dead. But inside this empty hall, a strange light caught Freya’s attention. Freya approached, and realized that it was a strange object floating above the altar. Its radiance encircled itself, like a giant light orb. It felt like there was a wonderful dreamland hidden in its light, calling Freya to come. Propelled by this mysterious force, Freya was unknowingly drawn to it, and reached out to touch the light orb floating above the altar.
Suddenly, an immense amount of energy raged inside the orb, then broke free from the seal of the altar, rising straight toward the sky. What Freya didn’t know was that this orb, Heart of Aurora, was actually an ancient relic kept and worshiped by the Northern Vale for the past hundreds of years. But it also had another secret identity: it was the legendary Apocalypse Shard.
After Freya accidentally touched it, the immense energy once contained within the Heart of Aurora got out of control and started to grow ever stronger. Should it exploded and spread, the entire Northern Vale would be swept away. This anomaly startled the priests and Valkyries outside. Facing this dire situation, the high priest told everyone that they had to jump into the energy field to be able to stop the energy from growing. Just as Freya was shocked and frozen by this terrible scene, a familiar and gentle figure appeared and hugged her from behind. Skuld emerged from the Valkyries, and gave her own sword and shield to Freya. Skuld smiled to her, then dived into the energy field.
The lights became blinding, then everything stopped, and peace was restored in the hall of Valhalla. But after this accident, Skuld and the Heart of Aurora gone rogue both went missing, never to be found again. Freya was in deep sorrow, she blamed herself for this tragedy. The old high priest approached and caressed her forehead. He told Freya that Skuld had always had high hopes for her sister, she believed that Freya was the chosen one, she believed that Freya could lead Northern Vale to a different path.
Devastated by the sense of guilt, Freya took up her sister's sword and shield along with her faith on her, and walked into the endless dark night. After years of training and extraordinary efforts, Freya finally became a Valkyrie at the age of twenty. She returned to the Martyr Shrine, took up her sister’s mantle, and kept watch for Northern Vale.
Times flied by as Freya stood guard in coldness and snow as a Valkyrie. She had been to everywhere in Northern Vale over the years, reconciling conflicts and resolving difficulties for people. She gave everything she had to Northern Vale, like a caring elder sister.
As Captain Bane and his Black Shark Pirates rose, the world of Northern Vale shifted. The merciless Captain Bane and his mortal enemy Franco fought each other fiercely along the coast shore, and the newfound traces of the “Heart of Aurora” drew lots of attentions. The news came: the endless conflict between Bane and Franco, the “Heart of Aurora” that sank into the bottom of ocean, the lurking darkness. She remembered the tragedy that happened years ago and deeply missed her sister. Everything was calling Freya, leading her toward the coast shore.
There, she would find all the answers she sought, and she would protect her homeland at all cost as a Valkyrie of Northern Vale.
Bane Lord of the Heptaseas
The excellent jewelry and fur products of the people of the Northern Vale not only gave rise to their booming maritime trade economy, but also brought about many illegal dealings, such as with the notorious pirates of the Northern Vale. For a long time, the pirates of the Frozen Sea and other sea regions existed as bands. They divided territory between themselves, and held to a principle of non-interference, plundering only merchant ships that passed through their own territories to enrich themselves. This became the de facto rule of the pirate community.
This widely respected order lasted until the arrival of Bane and his men. Cruel, cunning, violent, and tyrannical... No list of adjectives commonly given to pirates would be enough to describe Bane's terrible reputation. Born into a family of pirates, Bane was raised and trained in the strictest manner from childhood. By the time he became an adult, Bane was already the most feared pirate of his time.
But young Bane's ambition was far greater than this. Not long after, Bane murdered his uncle, and assumed control of the Behemoth, a seaborne fortress with an enormous battering ram and dozens of cannons, hence truly becoming Captain Bane. Bane then broke the ancient rule of the pirates, and started to encroach upon other pirates' territories.
Facing Bane's incredible firepower and terrible cruelty, the other pirates had only two options: submit, or be annihilated. More and more fugitives and opportunists gathered under Bane's flag, earning him enough funds to establish a huge pirate fleet he called the Black Sharks. Bane dominated all of the Frozen Sea's sea routes, ruling the people on the Northern Vale’s coast with an iron fist, and naming himself the Lord of the Frozen Sea. Some people of the Northern Vale who could no longer bear Bane's despotic rule armed themselves and gathered under the banner of his nemesis Franco to wage a war of resistance against Bane.
The desperate Bane ordered his men to risk everything to sink Franco's fleet, but after several battles, he was still unable to gain an advantage. At this time, Bane learned of a secret: the Ionic Heart, one of the fragments of the mysterious and powerful Twilight Orb, lay somewhere in the depths the Frozen Sea, and it contained a powerful regenerative power that could help him to conquer the world.
Bane came up with a cunning plan to kill two birds with one stone. First, he would let the information out, to attract the attention of the Moniyan Empire's navy. Then, he would pretend to sue for peace with Franco, revealing the location of the Ionic Heart to him, and falsely expressing an intention for them to jointly rule the Frozen Sea. The goal was to use Franco's forces and the Moniyan Empire to help him locate the Ionic Heart, while provoking a battle between them, so the Empire would destroy his hated nemesis. He would then swoop in amidst the chaos to seize the Ionic Heart for himself.
Everything went just as Bane had planned. The Moniyan Empire's massive navy departed from Castle Grandrock's harbor. Meanwhile, Franco seemed to believe him, and led his fleet to search for the Ionic Heart. Both parties finally ran into each other in a narrow region on the eastern edge of the Frozen Sea. As each had been unaware of the other's existence, the Moniyan fleet and Franco's fleet were caught in a tense face-off. Bane's opportunity had arrived. He ordered his men to sneak into both fleets with fast and stealthy boats and suddenly open fire, thus igniting a massive naval battle.
After both sides had been heavily decimated in the ensuing battle, the mastermind Bane arrived aboard the enormous Behemoth. He looked upon the terrible aftermath of his plan with glee, while commanding his men to destroy the surviving ships and seize the Ionic Heart. Bain smiled contemptuously as he appreciated the "beautiful" scene before him, and savored the hateful curses of the Moniyans. With almost no effort at all, he had manipulated the Moniyans, and eradicated Franco. All he needed now was to find the Ionic Heart, and he would have power enough to conquer the world. Then, neither the Moniyan Empire nor the demons of the Abyss would be able to stand against him...
Just as Bane was exalting in his victory, a huge cannon fired from the fleet behind the Behemoth, making a direct hit on the flagship. The battle-hardened Behemoth and its owner were blown up to pieces that sank to the bottom of the sea and were never seen again.
Bane was dead, or so those who witnessed the explosion and sinking of the Behemoth believed. His enormous pirate fleet disintegrated and scattered, and peace was restored to the Frozen Sea. The man who had fired the cannon was none other than Bane's nemesis, Franco. Franco had never trusted Bane, and was suspicious of his sudden peaceful overtures. Hence, he ordered his men to pretend to take the bait and search the seas, while he led a small contingent of sailors to infiltrate and seize one of Bane's ships during the night. When Bane was at his most complacent, Franco gave the order to fire upon his flagship, dealing Bane a fatal blow.
Bane's age of piracy was over, and would gradually be forgotten, while Franco would become the new ruler of the Northern Vale's coastline. But in the depths of the ocean, the shattered Captain Bane suddenly opened his eyes amidst an ancient and abandoned ruin, awakened by a bright light. The strange object before him radiated a mesmerizing power. As if possessed, his broken body regained consciousness. It was the Ionic Heart that Bane had spent so much effort searching for. Having been in despair at his complete defeat, Bane smiled grimly as he approached the Ionic Heart. Upon touching it, a tremendous power surged through him, repairing his shattered body.
What Bane could not imagine was that a giant octopus had just then picked him out as its prey, reaching out and touching him as he laid hands on the Ionic Heart. As he fought the octopus, Bane was forced to release his grip on the Ionic Heart, letting it fly from his hands and sink into the sea. However, its residual energy enveloped Bane and the octopus, and started fusing them into one.
On the Northern Vale's shores, the coming and going merchant ships were busily loading and unloading cargo. In the distant waters, the resurrected Captain Bane was no longer bemoaned his repeated failures. Looking at his new body and the familiar seas, he smiled once again.
The game was only just beginning.
Masha Wild-oats Fist
There was a land in the far north called Northern Vale, which was covered by winter snow all year round. It was also known as the land closest to the Frozen Sea. In their long history, the Sarmi Tribe and the Bears shared their land. Having a common ancestor, they never attacked each other and lived in harmony. As time passed, they developed a spiritual bond. Such peace was maintained for a long time.
Nobody would have thought that the perilous natural environment of the Northern Vale would still invite invaders to this land. Large numbers of pirates from the Frozen Sea came to the Northern Vale. They brought not only endless plunder but also bitter wars. Formidable as they were, the pirates pillaged and occupied this land. As if that was not enough, the invaders started to hunt the Bears. Every tribe of Northern Vale was threatened by those invaders - some of them were conquered, some of them were expelled from their homes, having to struggle homeless in the cold. As the leader of Sarmi Tribe, Masha protected her tribal from waves of attacks. As a tribal hunter, she had a great talent in battle, and this was the reason why she could defend the dignity of the Northern Vale.
She never forgot the vow of Sarmi - to "Protect the Bears!" She endeavored to find the Bears. But when she found the habitat of the Bears, she found only death and signs of violence everywhere. Suddenly, Marsha heard a loud roar. It was a familiar roar. As expected, there was a group of invaders trying to hunt down the Bear King, who was constantly saying "Beast Power". They launched attacks with their advanced weapons and unique hunting skills. The Bear King tried to protect the injured little bears by shielding them with his body, though he had been badly hurt by those iron spears. Masha dashed into the battlefield to assist the Bear King, but was in vain. The Bear King perceiving Masha's intentions, decided to divert the attention of those hunters by moving away. Masha understood the purpose of the Bear King and rescued the little bears and ran into the mountains.
She used her own cloth to bind the wounds sustained by the bears and placed them safely in a secret cave. She went back to assist the Bear King who was gravely injured. Those hunters beat him down and tried to capture him. This irritated Masha who descended upon them and tore them up while attempting to save the Bear King. The Bear King then mustered all his remaining strength and unleashed his final "Beast Power". Masha and the Bear King fought together and let the hunters pay in blood for their invasion. It was the first time the Sarmi and the Bears fought together, and the victory belonged to all of Northern Vale. What Masha didn't expect was that the Bear King was down to his final moments. Masha could feel the grateful trust from the Bear King's eyes. It seemed that the King was showing his deepest respect for what she had done. Finally, the King closed his eyes and endowed Masha with powerful energy. Masha felt this energy coursing through her body and she realized that this was the "Beast Power". Her body became extremely powerful. It seemed that she could withstand any kind of attack with this body and could beat any opponent with her superb attack speed.
Masha successfully saved the little bears, in hopes that the bears would rise again in future. From that day onwards, Marsha vowed to guard the Northern Vale with her "Beast Power" and no invaders would escape the wrath of her wild fists.
Franco Frozen Warrior
The harsh natural environment of the distant and wintry Northern Vale shaped those who live there into a brave and martial people. They revered the strong, and took pride in their tall and rugged appearances. They believed that their robust physiques were inherited from their common ancestor — the Iceland Golem who once ruled these lands.
To the young Franco, however, this traditional way of thinking was nothing but oppressive. His tribe had lived on the coast of the Frozen Sea for generations, and relied on their large fleet of ships for trade and fishing to support their livelihoods. But the passing years did not make young Franco want to become a grown man. They only made him notice the strange way the others would look at him. Though his father was a harpooner famous throughout the coast, and his brothers were all tall and strong, Franco was small and unimpressive for a Northman. Some even said jokingly that, given Franco's stature, his ancestor was not the Iceland Golem, but the dwarves of legend.
To train strong warriors, the Norther Vale tribes on the coast of the Frozen Sea engaged in intensely competitive games from childhood, and received systematic combat training once they reached puberty, so that they would be ready to engage in long trading missions or fishing journeys upon reaching adulthood. To Franco's embarrassment, however, when the other boys had already started to wield battle axes, spears, and to rig sails, he could only handle much smaller weapons. In fact, the battle axes were even taller than he was.
Though small in stature, Franco had a great ambition — to become the Northern Vale's greatest warrior, and to have his name remembered in the book of heroes, to be adulated by future generations. To achieve this ambition, Franco trained relentlessly day after day, increasing his strength and martial prowess. Yet, no matter how hard Franco trained, he was looked down upon by the others for his short stature. Even his father and brothers believed that little Franco was only suited to be a merchant, and never a warrior or sailor who could take on the cruel environment and ferocious enemies.
Facing constant mockery and discrimination, Franco angrily decided to leave his tribe. He would prove to all of them that, even if he was little, he could still achieve his great things. Over the next few years, he hid away in the Northern Vale's endless mountains, surviving and training alone in that most extreme of environments. After many long years of fighting the bitter cold, terrible beasts, and ever-present threats, Franco developed a strength far exceeding an ordinary man's, as well as a firm and indomitable character.
Whilst Franco was training alone in the mountains, the cruel and power-hungry Captain Bane descended upon the Frozen Sea. Breaking the long-respected rules of the Northern Vale's pirates and fishermen, he began to invade and annex the territory of other pirates as well as commoners, ruling them with an iron fist. Those facing Bane's powerful fleet and fearsome firepower had only two options: submit, or be annihilated.
Bane's cruelty drew fierce resistance from various forces, the fiercest of all coming from Franco's tribe. As a warning to those who would defy him, Bane sent a massive armada of pirate ships to blockade the surrounding sea, and sent constant raids on Franco's tribe, declaring he would sink all their ships, and raze their harbor to the ground.
After ten years in the mountains, Franco returned to his tribe, full of confidence and strength. Descending upon the ferocious battle, he crushed Franco's henchmen with his anchor and god-like strength. Only after the battle did his oppressed tribesmen make a surprising discovery: that the hero who had come to save them was none other than the once-mocked little Franco. After learning of Bane's treacherous actions, Franco angrily swore to annihilate him and all his henchmen.
Franco then led his tribesmen and their ships in resistance against Bane's cruel rule. They equipped old fishing ships with battering rams and cannons, and attacked Bane's pirate fleets wherever they were found, dealing a heavy blow against Bane's forces. In desperation, Bane gathered an enormous fleet to suppress Franco's resistance, but both sides remained in a deadlock after several battles, with Bane unable to force an advantage. Once, Bane managed to lead Franco into a trap, but only managed to wound him, and Franco managed to escape with his life. Furthermore, more and more people of the Northern Vale, inspired by Franco's courage and strength, united around him to fight Bane.
Seeing Franco's strength grow steadily by the day, the cunning Captain Bane came up with a plan: he would sue for peace with Franco, suggesting that they search for the Twilight Orb of legend together, while secretly drawing the Moniyan Empire's navy to the Frozen Sea. This would allow him to kill two birds with one stone: find the Twilight Orb, and defeat Franco for good. Suspicious of Bane's sudden goodwill, Franco pretended to take the bait, ordering his men to search for the Twilight Orb, while secretly leading a contingent of warriors to seize control of a pirate ship among the Black Sharks fleet
Bane instigated a battle between the two navies, preparing to reap the benefits for himself in the aftermath. However, Franco, hidden within the Black Sharks, ordered his men to open fire from behind Bane, making a direct hit on the Behemoth. In his most exultant moment, Bane and his flagship received a deadly blow from the defiant lord, and sank to the bottom of the sea.
With Bane drowned, Franco became ruler of the entire coast of the Northern Vale. He led his people to drive out the remnants of Bane's forces, rebuild the harbor, and restart trade, bringing a renaissance to the entire Northern Vale.
Out of respect for Franco's glorious achievements, the people of the Northern Vale titled him the Frozen Warrior. But to Franco, all that he had done so far was still not worthy of such praise. Not long after, Franco learned that Bane not only had not perished, but had gained a new power, and was gathering his men to make his return.
The battle between them is only just beginning.
Hilda Power of Megalith
Nestled between the tundras of the Northern Vale and the Moniyan Plain is a unique land with a massive and ancient stone formation for which it is named the Megalith Wasteland. The Megalith Wasteland must be passed if one is to reach the Northern Vale. It is also Hilda's homeland.
In the resource-scarce Northern Vale, tribal conflict is as constant as the year-long ice and snow. The strongest tribes can possess the largest and easiest hunting grounds. This is even more true for the Garland tribe of the Megalith Wasteland. The perilous geography and barren soil of the Wasteland have makes it incredibly inhospitable to human habitation. Yet, with the protection of the Power of Megalith, this tribe has tenaciously survived there year after year.
The ancient Megalith has stood here for many centuries. Its creators hoped to use its magical powers to confine the Iceland Golems to the north of the continent, preventing them from coming south. As the Golems faded into extinction, the Megalith's magic also lost its original purpose. All that remains of it are ancient ruins, flowing with the power of the Megalith that has been passed down through the centuries.
Legend says that only one in whom runs the purest bloodline of the Garland clan can lift the plate of stone disc at the center of the Megalith, and inherit its power. Thus, when every successor to the tribe's leadership turns 20, she would travel to the Megalith, and receive its incredible power, becoming the Power of Megalith. She would then be ready to lead her tribe against foreign incursions.
Ever since she was a child, Hilda had been the subject of great expectations, as her mother, the previous Power of Megalith, was killed in battle while defending the tribe ten years before. Having lost the protection of the Megalith, the tribe had fallen into a deep crisis, enduring constant plundering and harassment. Hence, the tribespeople placed all their hope in Hilda, praying that she would grow strong, and take up the important duty of protecting the tribe.
Hilda did not disappoint them. From a young age, she demonstrated an exceptional talent for combat, and strength far beyond her years. Within time, she became the tribe's strongest warrior.
Finally, Hilda was to turn 20 years of age, and the languishing Garland tribe held a grand ceremony for the event. They prayed day and night for the Power of Megalith to be reborn, and that she would return the tribe to its former glory.
Yet, as many watched expectantly, Hilda was unable to lift the stone disc, even with all her strength. There was a stunned silence until an elder of the tribe stepped forward to tell the truth: Hilda was not the birth daughter of the previous Power of Megalith, but was adopted after being found as an abandoned baby in the wilderness.
The tribespeople, so full of hope and anticipation before, now fell into despair. The faith that had sustained them throughout the years had collapsed in an instant. Their huge and simmering disappointment soon led to rage and prejudice, and they started jostling and cursing Hilda, so that she could not even stand steady.
As disappointed as the rest, Hilda suddenly remembered her mother's last words to her: "The Power of Megalith isn't simply inherited. One must truly understand its inner meaning. Each generation's Power of Megalith has its own unique meaning. To me, the Power of Megalith is a heart as resilient and indomitable as a giant boulder."
Hilda, filled with frustration, left her home of many years, and began a long period of vagrant living. During these years, she became a wandering mercenary, and traveled through the Moniyan Empire and almost all the Land of Dawn.
Her mother's words never left her during this time. She never backed down, no matter what great danger she faced. The constant trials and tribulations she endured strengthened her greatly, turning her into a warrior as formidable as stone.
And although she had left the Megalith Wasteland behind, Hilda knew that it was where her heart belonged. Years later, Hilda rescued a slave from torture, and recognized her as being from the Garland tribe. From her, Hilda learned of the tribe's current condition: after Hilda left, the Garland tribe chose a new Power of Megalith who was truly of the chieftains' bloodline. However, this new Power of Megalith was no leadership material. Her foolish and childish ways had caused the Garland tribe to decline even further, until one day it was wholly subjugated by another tribe, and all its people enslaved.
Despite her tribe's former treatment of her, Hilda returned without hesitation to the Megalith Wasteland, liberating her people from brutal enemies with her fists, and leading them to rebuild their home. Only then did the tribespeople finally understand that true leadership has nothing to do with one's ancestry. Having come to their senses, they accepted Hilda, and hoped she would stay with them, to continue to pass on the glorious Power of Megalith.
This time, however, Hilda refused their invitation, deciding to set forth once more for a foreign land. Her mother's words weighed constantly on her mind: Each generation's Power of Megalith has its own unique meaning. She had received an indomitable heart from her mother, but she still had not found her own unique meaning.
One day, however, she would.
Aurora Frost Oracle
In the Land of Dawn, the first time that people heard the name Aurora can be traced to the last millennium, a thousand years ago. At the time, the Land of Dawn was nearing the end of a convulsive period. The forces of darkness were recovering in the shadows, and the once-great ancient Moniyan Empire was surrounded by danger.
As one of the strongest mages in the Magic Academy's history, Aurora not only possessed an unparalleled mastery of ice magic, but was also an oracle, able to foretell future threats.
At this time, mutations started spreading all throughout the Land of Dawn, and rumors of the return of the Abyss began to spread. Only the icy Northern Vale still enjoyed peace and harmony. Yet, Aurora knew well that the threat to the Northern Vale would not come from the Abyss, but from the sea, and an alien realm.
The spacetime rift above the Frozen Sea was like a long and narrow red scar spanning the sky. It had existed for many millenia after the Ancient Ones' use of the Twilight Orb led to an explosion. No one could approach it, and no one knew where it led to. Only Aurora watched it constantly, on guard against an otherworldly threat.
Just as almost everyone had forgotten about the rift, disaster struck. Through the rift, Zhask the Swarm King led his enormous swarm of mutant insects to the Land of Dawn, blotting out the sky. The bloodthirsty and sadistic race was one that traveled between universes, destroying civilization after civilization. The swarm's arrival brought a calamity upon the Northern Vale. Countless villages and tribes were annihilated by the insects, uprooting the people from their lands.
Although the Moniyan Empire was on the verge of collapse, it still had heroes who would stand forth in times of crisis. The Empire sent an army to the north, and the knights led by young Tobias fought valiantly against Zhask. However, knowing nothing about these alien creatures with their spines and razor claws, the Empire's army suffered heavy losses in just a few days, with only Tobias and a small troop of survivors holding out.
By this time, Zhask had already conquered all of the Northern Vale. Once Tobias fell, all of the Moniyan Plain would be under threat from the swarm. Zhask led his flood-like swarm to attack the imperial knights, aiming to be rid of this final remaining threat.
Within an endless sea of insects, Tobias and his men waged an arduous battle. Then, at a crucial moment, Aurora arrived, wielding an enormous blizzard. The powerful gales and freezing winds decimated the alien swarm. With Aurora's help, the imperial knights rallied, and drove back the swarm's assault.
Aurora's arrival was like the break of dawn into darkness, giving them all hope and strength. Led by Aurora, the imperial knights and the people of the Northern Vale began their counterattack. Aurora's glistening ice magic dealt blow after grievous blow against the swarm, allowing humanity to reclaim its lands.
Fighting side by side again and again, the like-minded Tobias and Aurora fell deeply in love. To Aurora, choosing love meant that losing the immortality that her ice magic gave her. Yet, eternal life paled in comparison to true love. The lovers promised each other that, after Zhask was defeated, the two of them would be married in the Northern Vale, and spend the rest of their lives together there.
Working together, their army managed to annihilate most of the occupying insects, retaking all of the Northern Vale. Only the powerful and evil Swarm King Zhask remained.
During the final battle, Zhask summoned swarms of insects that poured constantly over the land from every direction, whittling away at mankind's strength, and preventing their approach. Facing this endless swarm, Tobias charged headfirst into the sea of insects to clear a path for Aurora to reach Zhask, in spite of her protests.
The final showdown had begun. But Aurora and Zhask were evenly matched, and their battle was long and furious. At the last moment, Aurora focused all her power into her left hand, summoning a blade of frost that pierced Zhask's torso, but lost her hand in the process. The all-consuming swarm retreated, and the heavily wounded Zhask fled back to Kastiya with Aurora's arm still within his body, to await his next opportunity to strike.
Aurora returned from her victory, only to discover that her beloved Tobias had sacrificed his life in the battle. In that moment, grief and sorrow engulfed Aurora. All alone now in the world, her mind began to contort, as she abandoned herself to the agony of her loss, becoming paranoid and volatile.
When the dust had settled, the Magic Academy called upon Aurora to return and take up the post of headmaster. And, as per Moniyan tradition, the fallen Tobias was to be returned to the Lightborn Capital, where he would receive his final rites in the Hall of Valor.
To the now-changed Aurora, however, all these seemed aimed at separating her from Tobias. And she would never allow her lover to leave her side again. She declined to return to the Magic Academy, and summoned a terrible blizzard that swept the imperial knights' camp away, after which she retrieved her lover's body.
After that, no one ever saw or heard of Aurora and Tobias again, other than in the legends of ice magic. And on the isolated Queen's Peak, Aurora guards her lover, looking forward to the day when she might find a way to revive him, while watching the spacetime rift, awaiting a chance to take revenge upon Zhask.
Cecilion Embrace of Night
Many years ago, enjoying the night opera performed by Cecilion was the most popular form of entertainment for the people of Castle Aberleen. It was always full house at the theatre each time this most famous opera actor performed. Everyone was attracted by his indescribable beauty and talent. However, the applause, love and cheers from human beings didn’t make Cecilion feel happy. He was one of the Blood Demons, and it was hard for him to open his mind to humans.
As long as Cecilion could remember, his kind have been living in the place where human beings lived. The oppression of Lord Lava against the blood demons meant a dark future for them. As such, some demons decided to leave the Despair Place and came to live among the humans. They were eager to seek forgiveness from the King of Light, live normally and integrate into the human society. But the fact was that they not only suffered hostility from the human society, but they also hunted down by the Abyss. When Cecilion became an adult, he was the only one left amongst his kind.
In order to hide his true identity, Cecilion lived in Castle Aberleen as an opera actor and tried to cover up all abilities and characteristics related to the Blood Demons, He was gorgeous and elegant on the stage, surrounded by thousands of people. But at night, Cecilion spent his nights alone, night after night.
The lonely days continued until Cecilion made an unforgettable performance. When he went to the center of the stage to take his bow, he saw Carmilla. And this beautiful lady was looking at him too. At this moment, the two lonely souls instantly fell in love.
Although Cecilion always warned himself against having contact with human beings, he could not resist his love for Carmilla. So he decided to follow his heart. In each performance, Cecilion would sing a song for Carmilla and they never ceased eye contact with each other. When talking about his own life, Cecilion chose to keep it as a secret. Even when Carmilla had doubts about his lifestyle, he still said nothing about it.
As the flames of love grew stronger, they had met secretly more frequently. Carmilla’s father, Earl Ansaac knew everything about what they did. In his eyes, the Earl only thought of Cecilion as just humble opera actor. He felt Carmilla should get married with a powerful man. When this couple's love grew deeper, Earl Ansaac violently interrupted the relationship between the two, imprisoned Carmilla, sealed the opera house and exiled Cecilion.
Soon after, there was a rumor that Earl Ansaac was about to marry off his only daughter, Carmilla, to the new Baron Tawil. At this time, Cecilion was so tempted to knock down the guards and take Carmilla away. However, he knew that he couldn’t bring happiness to her, as she would become a fugitive on the run. After careful thought, he thought it best to give up.
The night was drawing to a close, and at dawn Carmilla was to marry Baron Tawil. Before the first light of dawn, Cecilion placed a rose and a letter with his name at Carmilla's window and turned away.
But what Cecilion didn’t know was that his enstranged lifestyle was not important to Carmilla and she didn't care if he was a Blood Demon or a human being. She loved Cecilion for who he is. After putting on the white wedding dress, Carmilla cut her wrist with a sharp dagger, forfeiting her life for he love for Cecilion.
Giving up Carmilla made Cecilion feel terribly sad, and his life seemed to return to what it had been. After two lonely nights, Cecilion went to see Carmilla, from a distance.
But when Cecilion arrived, he found Carmilla's cold corpse lying still at a solemn funeral. For a moment Cecilion felt nothing but pain and regret. How could he live as a human being without Carmilla? The new moon rose, Cecilion spread his wings and swept through the city in the cold night, taking away his love.
After that day, the people of Castle Aberleen never saw Cecilion or Carmilla again. Only the legend of the night, which passed from mouth to mouth over time.
When the night came, Carmilla nestled in Cecilion's arms above the top tower of Castle Aberleen, as if time had stood still.
Carmilla Shadow of Twilight
Carmilla was born in the House Ansaac in the Castle Aberleen. As the only daughter of the Earl, she was loved by all her family since birth. When she grew up, her eminent family background coupled with her captivating beauty made her one of the most popular noble ladies around the Castle Aberleen, and maybe even the whole Empire. However, her royal origin was inevitably bound to the tragedy as was to become a political tool of her father Earl Anssac, consolidating power by betrothing her to another family of power.
Though countless aristocrats tried to court Carmilla, none of them pleased her. Her innate pride made her refuse to bow down to mediocrity. What she wanted was someone who could connect with her soul. But, her father Earl Ansaac had already made his decision. As the threat of the abyss was getting closer, he knew that the new class of military-nobles would dominate the politics of the land. Thus, he had to establish good relations with them in order to sustain the social status of his family.
However, a man who was a rather insignificant to the old Earl foiled this plan. This man was Cecilion, the best opera singer in the southern Empire. Carmilla became his most loyal audience since the first day he came to the Castle Aberleen. In Carmilla’s eyes, he was just so elegant and talented, but she could also read the melancholy and the mystery from his eyes. For every performance of Cecilion, Carmilla would sit in the right middle in the auditorium, quietly enjoying his song performance.
One day, as the curtains called, Cecilion and Carmilla's eyes met. The flames of passion ignited between them. And like a bolt of lightning cracking open the dark night sky, they instantly fell in love.
The days that followed were the happiest ones in Carmilla's life. When night fell, Cecilion dressed up and came to invite her to the opera house, singing songs he composed for her. And Carmilla watched his performance intently, never taking her eyes off him. When the performance ended, they dated at the backstage, dancing in the moonlight. And in the early morning, Cecilion would put a rose on Carmilla's windowsill that was nourished by the morning dew and leave quietly.
As time went by, Carmilla noticed something unusual about Cecilion. He lived in solitude and never had needless contact with others. His skin was always pale, even when he didn’t makeup; and it seemed that he always tried to avoid something. From his eyes, Carmilla could feel his desire for a normal life, and she could vaguely see that Cecilion might have some connection to the legendary blood demon species. Though Cecilion never talked about his origins with her, she still chose to believe in him, because she could feel his love was real. No matter he was man or blood demon, it was just about love between them, and Carmilla believed that she would always belong to Cecilion, and would spend the rest of her life with him.
Though they loved each other so deeply, Carmilla’s father the Earl forbade her to marry this humble singer. He imprisoned her and forced her to marry Baron Tawil, the general of the imperial army, who was stationed near the Castle Aberleen. In order to make Carmilla forget Cecilion, the Earl even sent his men to close the opera house. In Cecilion’s mind, he knew that the love between the blood demon and mankind would never be true. Though he loved Carmilla, he finally decided to give up. At the day he left, he wrote a letter to her, in which he told her everything, about his origins, his story, and left it with a rose at her windowsill.
Carmilla didn’t stop fighting, she was not willing to succumb to her father's will. But her heart broke when she read his parting letter. To Carmilla, it didn't matter what species he belonged to. She loved him, and without him, her life would become meaningless.
She stood at the window, watching the direction Cecilion left to. As the dawn was raising, she slit her wrist with a sharp dagger. The world fell into endless darkness. And Carmilla buried her love in her own way.
When Carmilla awoke, she found herself once again in Cecilion’s arms. His eyes were full of kindness, and he was looking at her. Then she found that her touch was so cold, as if she was lifeless, and her skin looked just as pale as Cecilion's. She knew, her lover didn’t abandon her, he returned and revived her with his blood. These two lonely souls finally were together again and could live with each other forever.
After that day, the people of Castle Aberleen never saw Cecilion or Carmilla again, only the legendary tales of the night, which passed from mouth to mouth over time. When night came, Carmilla nestled in Cecilion's arms above the top tower of Castle Aberleen, as if time stood still.
Civilization of Northern Vale
The harsh environment has forged Northern Valer’s adoration for martialism. They believe that dying in the battlefield is a supreme honor.Since childhood, every Northern Valer has been participating in all kinds of competitions, such as wrestling, weightlifting, and archery. All the competitions are for the same aim: to be the strongest warriors.
Once there is a conflict, Northern Valers like to solve it through 1v1 duals. This kind of dual would be held based on complete fairness. Those in conflicts should defeat the component with courage and strength. The most venerable elders will be the witnesses. All the people, no matter whether they win or lose in the end, would honorably respect the results.
Northern Valers love feasts and drink. They would always get drunk during such feasts.Apart from that, they love stories and poems and they would write their chronicles in this way. All the Northern Valers would tell the heroic stories of the bravest warriors to their children during the long and harsh winters.
Tribal Civilization More Conflicts Between Tribes
Since the start of its civilization, the Northern Valers have been living in tribes on the vast Northern Vale, fighting for the place to live and the resources that support them. Therefore, war constantly break among those tribes. Only when one tribe destroy the other or the High Priest intervenes can the conflicts be stopped. At the start of the Glorious Era, the mighty Moniyan Empire imperial soldiers invaded the Northern Vale. Although the tribes in Northern Vale fought relentlessly, they were no peer to the well-organized imperial military. In the end, the Northern Vale was conquered by the Moniyan Empire and the Northern Valers deem it as a huge humiliation.
The unyielding spirit and resistance of the Northern Valers have made the Moniyan Empire shudder. Therefore, they gave the Northern Valers high degree of autonomy and recognized the authority of the tribal leaders within their tribes. However, even so, in the next several centuries, the resistance of Northern Valers against the Moniyan Empire has never stopped. At the beginning of the Changeable Era, the Tyrant Solinus IV was so cruel, so the tribal leaders of Northern Valers have cooperated with each other and revolted. In the end, they drove away the imperial soldiers garrisoned in the Northern Vale. After all these years, the Northern Valers finally taken back the right to rule themselves.
They are three classes in a typical Northern Valers’ tribe: the leader, the warriors and ordinary civilians. Of course, only the leader and warriors are entitled to make decisions that will affect the whole tribe. When there is a huge event in the tribe, the leader will rally the members for discussion. In circumstances that the fate of the whole Northern Valers is concerned, the leader of the tribe will send invitations to all the other leaders and hold a Grand Rally witnessed by the High Priest. Of course, the Grand Rally of the Northern Valers are always special because it's easy for them to quarrel with each other.
Legends of Northern Vale
Faith
In the Ancient times, Northern Vale was the home to Iceland Golems.The Iceland Golems once created a splendid civilization in Northern Vale. However, through the passage of time, they gradually vanished, leaving behind historical relics with their bloodline down to the Northern Valers.
According to the legends of Northern Valers, their ancestor, the Iceland Golems followed the Lord of Light away from the Land of Dawn and went to the remote strange dimension, where they built the giant Sacred Palace to accommodate those who died in the battlefield.
To the Northern Valers, dying on the battlefield is a unique honor. They believe the souls of the heroes died in the battlefield would be reunited in the Sacred Palace built by the ancestors, where they could feast and wine. They would make merry and laughter from day to night. Cowards would be sentenced to the Frozen Hell, where they would suffer from endless coldness and never-ending piercing wind along with poisonous rain.
Also, the Northern Valers worship all the warriors who died in the battlefield.
VALKYRIE
Among the Northern Valers, there is a unique group of people, who are called as Valkyries. They are led by the High Priest and inhabit the grand Martyr Hall.Only the bravest and the strongest female warriors of each tribes can be selected as Valkyries. And the best Valkyrie will be the High Priest.
According to Northern Valers’ religion, the fate of all the Valkyries is to guide the souls died in the battlefield to the Martyr Hall and help them to go to the Sacred Palace.As time goes by, the Valkyries have shouldered another important mission: protecting the peace in Northern Vale. Every time when someone is selected as a Valkyrie, it will be a huge honor for the Valkyrie's tribe and all the Northern Valers. However, becoming a Valkyrie means abandoning the secular happiness as Valkyries cannot marry nor bear a baby—they need to devote their whole life to the Northern Valers.
Significant Locations
Megalith Wasteland
Located at the borders between the Northern Vale and the Moniyan Empire, the Megalith Wasteland is famous for its giant and peculiar rocks. As the boundary separating the Northern Vale ice-land and the Moniyan plain, the configuration here becomes barren. Mysterious creatures inhabit in this crimson land. Amidst the vast wasteland, the giant rocks stand. These rocks formed a huge magic circle to block the Iceland Golems to invade the south. With the disappearance of the Iceland Golems, this magic circle was abandoned, leaving mysterious relics behind.
Queen of Scourge
Situated in the Northwest of Northern Vale, this snow mountain stands on the isolated island, like a tower pointing directly towards the sky. It is extremely cold around the Queen of Scourge and the whole mountain is covered by snow and ice all year round. Standing on the top of the mountain, the splendid Aurora can be seen. However, ordinary people can never set foot on Queen of Scourge.
Martyr Hall
Situated at the center of Northern Vale, Iceland Golems, the ancestors of the Northern Valers, built this giant hall to worship the dead and rally. As the Iceland Golems extinguished, this hall was abandoned, until one day, the Northern Valers found this place and called it as the Martyr Hall. They regarded this place as the link of their faith and where souls ascend to the heaven.
Folk Customs Ocean Dominator
Due to the geographical reasons, the crops here are extremely in shortage. However, the jewels and beasts’ fur of the Northern Vale are extremely famous in the Land of Dawn. And that’s how the sea trade of the Northern Valers becomes prosperous. Therefore, many Northern Valers become either fishermen or pirates. Obviously these two occupations are totally different. Those who choose to become fishermen can only drive their rugged fishing boats, either with their families or with their partners, to catch fish. Then, they sell them to the businessmen. Every day, the fish they can catch are so few and they ca barely depend on them for a livingly. On the contrary, the pirates are there to plunder ships passing by to get brilliant profits. Meanwhile, those pirate bold enough will try to catch those giant and strong sea beasts, which can be sold for numerous money.
The pirates are usually well-organized. They act together and can go very far away with their giant ships. Besides plundering business ships, they will hunt for giant sea beasts, because the profits a beast brings exceed far more than plundering business ships. However, high profits always go alongside huge danger. Those beasts are not only huge in figure, but very cruel. They can do every kinds of horrible things.
Compared with ordinary fishermen, the ships of those pirates are so much bigger. The ships are tall, wide and heavy. Even in the most thunderous ocean, they can sail steadily. Moreover, the pirates installed giant horns at the front of the ships and put numerous cannons at the side, to attack other ships.
Besides ships, the pirates of Northern Vale have developed various delicate instruments to hunt sea monsters. To those pirates, experienced and hard-working sailer skillful in using harpoon and diving make the perfect candidate for captain.
The time-honored culture stimulates the development of Northern Valers, who make a living by the side of sea. Under such circumstances, famous navigators come into existence this way. They sail fearlessly in the board ocean and search for the broader world unknown.
Creatures in Northern Vale
Bears
As the aboriginal inhabitant in Northern Vale, he strong and tall Bears are the aboriginal and were the best predators in this land. They were furious with strong sense of territory. However, they will not attack people voluntarily. The Northern Valers also make peace with the bears and will never set foot on their borders nor their territory. For thousands of years, the bears and Northern Valers co-exist with each other harmoniously.
Wolves
Wolves are the most dangerous predators in the Northern Vale. They invade in groups, leaving no trace behind. They show no mercy to whatever they are after, either their prey or enemies. They have already attacked human for multiple times.
Except for a few places, the whole of Northern Vale is covered by thick snow. With piercing wind rampant, the harsh weather and its unique disadvantageous location have made this place a fertile land. Life here has been extremely hard and only the most robust Northern Valers, could prosper here from generation to generation.
The harsh weather has forged this tough people. They have regarded courage and honor as the most precious things in this world. In the continuous struggle against the nature, people in Northern Vale has created a unique world view and civilization.
Freya Valkyrie
Valkyries were distinguished and revered fighters among the warlike Northern Vale folks. The bravest and strongest female warriors in each tribe would be chosen to join their rank and take up the responsibility of guiding the spirits of fallen heroes into Valhalla and keeping the peace in Northern Vale. Becoming a Valkyrie would bring glory to everyone in the tribe, it was the greatest achievement one could ever dream for. But such a glory came with a price, and Valkyries had to make huge sacrifices for their privilege. “They shall never marry or bear children, they shall dedicate their entire live to the Northern Vale.”
At first, such glory and burden did not belong to Freya. As far as Freya could remember, her elder sister Skuld was their tribe’s best hope. She was clever, decisive, brave and resilient. She could already defeat all the other warriors in their tribe when she was only sixteen years old. The high priest of the Martyr Shrine foresaw the future in a prophecy. “A female warrior, daughter of the Northern Vale, will one day lead this land to a new path.” Everyone believed that the kid in the prophecy was Skuld, so she kept training day and night, hoping that one day she could take up the mantle and bring a glorious future to her tribe and the Northern Vale.
Unlike her sister Skuld, young Freya lived a carefree life. She was naughty, vigorous and curious. She admired her sister Skuld, beliving that she could live happily ever after so long as her brilliant and lovingly sweet sister was with her. But her sister Skuld disagreed. She would always encourage Freya, saying that Freya would one day become the person who could lead their tribe and even all the Northern Vale folks.
When Freya was twelve, Skuld passed the high priest’s trial, became an exalted Valkyrie of the Martyr Shrine, and left her homeland. Two years later, Freya sneaked out of the tribe by herself and headed to Martyr Shrine, the place where all Northern Vale folks were forbidden to visit. She missed her sister so much that she was dying to see Skuld.
Her destiny was changed entirely that day. Outside of the Martyr Shrine, Freya was peeking at the Valkyries who were holding a transcendence ritual for the spirits of the dead. But inside this empty hall, a strange light caught Freya’s attention. Freya approached, and realized that it was a strange object floating above the altar. Its radiance encircled itself, like a giant light orb. It felt like there was a wonderful dreamland hidden in its light, calling Freya to come. Propelled by this mysterious force, Freya was unknowingly drawn to it, and reached out to touch the light orb floating above the altar.
Suddenly, an immense amount of energy raged inside the orb, then broke free from the seal of the altar, rising straight toward the sky. What Freya didn’t know was that this orb, Heart of Aurora, was actually an ancient relic kept and worshiped by the Northern Vale for the past hundreds of years. But it also had another secret identity: it was the legendary Apocalypse Shard.
After Freya accidentally touched it, the immense energy once contained within the Heart of Aurora got out of control and started to grow ever stronger. Should it exploded and spread, the entire Northern Vale would be swept away. This anomaly startled the priests and Valkyries outside. Facing this dire situation, the high priest told everyone that they had to jump into the energy field to be able to stop the energy from growing. Just as Freya was shocked and frozen by this terrible scene, a familiar and gentle figure appeared and hugged her from behind. Skuld emerged from the Valkyries, and gave her own sword and shield to Freya. Skuld smiled to her, then dived into the energy field.
The lights became blinding, then everything stopped, and peace was restored in the hall of Valhalla. But after this accident, Skuld and the Heart of Aurora gone rogue both went missing, never to be found again. Freya was in deep sorrow, she blamed herself for this tragedy. The old high priest approached and caressed her forehead. He told Freya that Skuld had always had high hopes for her sister, she believed that Freya was the chosen one, she believed that Freya could lead Northern Vale to a different path.
Devastated by the sense of guilt, Freya took up her sister's sword and shield along with her faith on her, and walked into the endless dark night. After years of training and extraordinary efforts, Freya finally became a Valkyrie at the age of twenty. She returned to the Martyr Shrine, took up her sister’s mantle, and kept watch for Northern Vale.
Times flied by as Freya stood guard in coldness and snow as a Valkyrie. She had been to everywhere in Northern Vale over the years, reconciling conflicts and resolving difficulties for people. She gave everything she had to Northern Vale, like a caring elder sister.
As Captain Bane and his Black Shark Pirates rose, the world of Northern Vale shifted. The merciless Captain Bane and his mortal enemy Franco fought each other fiercely along the coast shore, and the newfound traces of the “Heart of Aurora” drew lots of attentions. The news came: the endless conflict between Bane and Franco, the “Heart of Aurora” that sank into the bottom of ocean, the lurking darkness. She remembered the tragedy that happened years ago and deeply missed her sister. Everything was calling Freya, leading her toward the coast shore.
There, she would find all the answers she sought, and she would protect her homeland at all cost as a Valkyrie of Northern Vale.
Bane Lord of the Heptaseas
The excellent jewelry and fur products of the people of the Northern Vale not only gave rise to their booming maritime trade economy, but also brought about many illegal dealings, such as with the notorious pirates of the Northern Vale. For a long time, the pirates of the Frozen Sea and other sea regions existed as bands. They divided territory between themselves, and held to a principle of non-interference, plundering only merchant ships that passed through their own territories to enrich themselves. This became the de facto rule of the pirate community.
This widely respected order lasted until the arrival of Bane and his men. Cruel, cunning, violent, and tyrannical... No list of adjectives commonly given to pirates would be enough to describe Bane's terrible reputation. Born into a family of pirates, Bane was raised and trained in the strictest manner from childhood. By the time he became an adult, Bane was already the most feared pirate of his time.
But young Bane's ambition was far greater than this. Not long after, Bane murdered his uncle, and assumed control of the Behemoth, a seaborne fortress with an enormous battering ram and dozens of cannons, hence truly becoming Captain Bane. Bane then broke the ancient rule of the pirates, and started to encroach upon other pirates' territories.
Facing Bane's incredible firepower and terrible cruelty, the other pirates had only two options: submit, or be annihilated. More and more fugitives and opportunists gathered under Bane's flag, earning him enough funds to establish a huge pirate fleet he called the Black Sharks. Bane dominated all of the Frozen Sea's sea routes, ruling the people on the Northern Vale’s coast with an iron fist, and naming himself the Lord of the Frozen Sea. Some people of the Northern Vale who could no longer bear Bane's despotic rule armed themselves and gathered under the banner of his nemesis Franco to wage a war of resistance against Bane.
The desperate Bane ordered his men to risk everything to sink Franco's fleet, but after several battles, he was still unable to gain an advantage. At this time, Bane learned of a secret: the Ionic Heart, one of the fragments of the mysterious and powerful Twilight Orb, lay somewhere in the depths the Frozen Sea, and it contained a powerful regenerative power that could help him to conquer the world.
Bane came up with a cunning plan to kill two birds with one stone. First, he would let the information out, to attract the attention of the Moniyan Empire's navy. Then, he would pretend to sue for peace with Franco, revealing the location of the Ionic Heart to him, and falsely expressing an intention for them to jointly rule the Frozen Sea. The goal was to use Franco's forces and the Moniyan Empire to help him locate the Ionic Heart, while provoking a battle between them, so the Empire would destroy his hated nemesis. He would then swoop in amidst the chaos to seize the Ionic Heart for himself.
Everything went just as Bane had planned. The Moniyan Empire's massive navy departed from Castle Grandrock's harbor. Meanwhile, Franco seemed to believe him, and led his fleet to search for the Ionic Heart. Both parties finally ran into each other in a narrow region on the eastern edge of the Frozen Sea. As each had been unaware of the other's existence, the Moniyan fleet and Franco's fleet were caught in a tense face-off. Bane's opportunity had arrived. He ordered his men to sneak into both fleets with fast and stealthy boats and suddenly open fire, thus igniting a massive naval battle.
After both sides had been heavily decimated in the ensuing battle, the mastermind Bane arrived aboard the enormous Behemoth. He looked upon the terrible aftermath of his plan with glee, while commanding his men to destroy the surviving ships and seize the Ionic Heart. Bain smiled contemptuously as he appreciated the "beautiful" scene before him, and savored the hateful curses of the Moniyans. With almost no effort at all, he had manipulated the Moniyans, and eradicated Franco. All he needed now was to find the Ionic Heart, and he would have power enough to conquer the world. Then, neither the Moniyan Empire nor the demons of the Abyss would be able to stand against him...
Just as Bane was exalting in his victory, a huge cannon fired from the fleet behind the Behemoth, making a direct hit on the flagship. The battle-hardened Behemoth and its owner were blown up to pieces that sank to the bottom of the sea and were never seen again.
Bane was dead, or so those who witnessed the explosion and sinking of the Behemoth believed. His enormous pirate fleet disintegrated and scattered, and peace was restored to the Frozen Sea. The man who had fired the cannon was none other than Bane's nemesis, Franco. Franco had never trusted Bane, and was suspicious of his sudden peaceful overtures. Hence, he ordered his men to pretend to take the bait and search the seas, while he led a small contingent of sailors to infiltrate and seize one of Bane's ships during the night. When Bane was at his most complacent, Franco gave the order to fire upon his flagship, dealing Bane a fatal blow.
Bane's age of piracy was over, and would gradually be forgotten, while Franco would become the new ruler of the Northern Vale's coastline. But in the depths of the ocean, the shattered Captain Bane suddenly opened his eyes amidst an ancient and abandoned ruin, awakened by a bright light. The strange object before him radiated a mesmerizing power. As if possessed, his broken body regained consciousness. It was the Ionic Heart that Bane had spent so much effort searching for. Having been in despair at his complete defeat, Bane smiled grimly as he approached the Ionic Heart. Upon touching it, a tremendous power surged through him, repairing his shattered body.
What Bane could not imagine was that a giant octopus had just then picked him out as its prey, reaching out and touching him as he laid hands on the Ionic Heart. As he fought the octopus, Bane was forced to release his grip on the Ionic Heart, letting it fly from his hands and sink into the sea. However, its residual energy enveloped Bane and the octopus, and started fusing them into one.
On the Northern Vale's shores, the coming and going merchant ships were busily loading and unloading cargo. In the distant waters, the resurrected Captain Bane was no longer bemoaned his repeated failures. Looking at his new body and the familiar seas, he smiled once again.
The game was only just beginning.
Masha Wild-oats Fist
There was a land in the far north called Northern Vale, which was covered by winter snow all year round. It was also known as the land closest to the Frozen Sea. In their long history, the Sarmi Tribe and the Bears shared their land. Having a common ancestor, they never attacked each other and lived in harmony. As time passed, they developed a spiritual bond. Such peace was maintained for a long time.
Nobody would have thought that the perilous natural environment of the Northern Vale would still invite invaders to this land. Large numbers of pirates from the Frozen Sea came to the Northern Vale. They brought not only endless plunder but also bitter wars. Formidable as they were, the pirates pillaged and occupied this land. As if that was not enough, the invaders started to hunt the Bears. Every tribe of Northern Vale was threatened by those invaders - some of them were conquered, some of them were expelled from their homes, having to struggle homeless in the cold. As the leader of Sarmi Tribe, Masha protected her tribal from waves of attacks. As a tribal hunter, she had a great talent in battle, and this was the reason why she could defend the dignity of the Northern Vale.
She never forgot the vow of Sarmi - to "Protect the Bears!" She endeavored to find the Bears. But when she found the habitat of the Bears, she found only death and signs of violence everywhere. Suddenly, Marsha heard a loud roar. It was a familiar roar. As expected, there was a group of invaders trying to hunt down the Bear King, who was constantly saying "Beast Power". They launched attacks with their advanced weapons and unique hunting skills. The Bear King tried to protect the injured little bears by shielding them with his body, though he had been badly hurt by those iron spears. Masha dashed into the battlefield to assist the Bear King, but was in vain. The Bear King perceiving Masha's intentions, decided to divert the attention of those hunters by moving away. Masha understood the purpose of the Bear King and rescued the little bears and ran into the mountains.
She used her own cloth to bind the wounds sustained by the bears and placed them safely in a secret cave. She went back to assist the Bear King who was gravely injured. Those hunters beat him down and tried to capture him. This irritated Masha who descended upon them and tore them up while attempting to save the Bear King. The Bear King then mustered all his remaining strength and unleashed his final "Beast Power". Masha and the Bear King fought together and let the hunters pay in blood for their invasion. It was the first time the Sarmi and the Bears fought together, and the victory belonged to all of Northern Vale. What Masha didn't expect was that the Bear King was down to his final moments. Masha could feel the grateful trust from the Bear King's eyes. It seemed that the King was showing his deepest respect for what she had done. Finally, the King closed his eyes and endowed Masha with powerful energy. Masha felt this energy coursing through her body and she realized that this was the "Beast Power". Her body became extremely powerful. It seemed that she could withstand any kind of attack with this body and could beat any opponent with her superb attack speed.
Masha successfully saved the little bears, in hopes that the bears would rise again in future. From that day onwards, Marsha vowed to guard the Northern Vale with her "Beast Power" and no invaders would escape the wrath of her wild fists.
Franco Frozen Warrior
The harsh natural environment of the distant and wintry Northern Vale shaped those who live there into a brave and martial people. They revered the strong, and took pride in their tall and rugged appearances. They believed that their robust physiques were inherited from their common ancestor — the Iceland Golem who once ruled these lands.
To the young Franco, however, this traditional way of thinking was nothing but oppressive. His tribe had lived on the coast of the Frozen Sea for generations, and relied on their large fleet of ships for trade and fishing to support their livelihoods. But the passing years did not make young Franco want to become a grown man. They only made him notice the strange way the others would look at him. Though his father was a harpooner famous throughout the coast, and his brothers were all tall and strong, Franco was small and unimpressive for a Northman. Some even said jokingly that, given Franco's stature, his ancestor was not the Iceland Golem, but the dwarves of legend.
To train strong warriors, the Norther Vale tribes on the coast of the Frozen Sea engaged in intensely competitive games from childhood, and received systematic combat training once they reached puberty, so that they would be ready to engage in long trading missions or fishing journeys upon reaching adulthood. To Franco's embarrassment, however, when the other boys had already started to wield battle axes, spears, and to rig sails, he could only handle much smaller weapons. In fact, the battle axes were even taller than he was.
Though small in stature, Franco had a great ambition — to become the Northern Vale's greatest warrior, and to have his name remembered in the book of heroes, to be adulated by future generations. To achieve this ambition, Franco trained relentlessly day after day, increasing his strength and martial prowess. Yet, no matter how hard Franco trained, he was looked down upon by the others for his short stature. Even his father and brothers believed that little Franco was only suited to be a merchant, and never a warrior or sailor who could take on the cruel environment and ferocious enemies.
Facing constant mockery and discrimination, Franco angrily decided to leave his tribe. He would prove to all of them that, even if he was little, he could still achieve his great things. Over the next few years, he hid away in the Northern Vale's endless mountains, surviving and training alone in that most extreme of environments. After many long years of fighting the bitter cold, terrible beasts, and ever-present threats, Franco developed a strength far exceeding an ordinary man's, as well as a firm and indomitable character.
Whilst Franco was training alone in the mountains, the cruel and power-hungry Captain Bane descended upon the Frozen Sea. Breaking the long-respected rules of the Northern Vale's pirates and fishermen, he began to invade and annex the territory of other pirates as well as commoners, ruling them with an iron fist. Those facing Bane's powerful fleet and fearsome firepower had only two options: submit, or be annihilated.
Bane's cruelty drew fierce resistance from various forces, the fiercest of all coming from Franco's tribe. As a warning to those who would defy him, Bane sent a massive armada of pirate ships to blockade the surrounding sea, and sent constant raids on Franco's tribe, declaring he would sink all their ships, and raze their harbor to the ground.
After ten years in the mountains, Franco returned to his tribe, full of confidence and strength. Descending upon the ferocious battle, he crushed Franco's henchmen with his anchor and god-like strength. Only after the battle did his oppressed tribesmen make a surprising discovery: that the hero who had come to save them was none other than the once-mocked little Franco. After learning of Bane's treacherous actions, Franco angrily swore to annihilate him and all his henchmen.
Franco then led his tribesmen and their ships in resistance against Bane's cruel rule. They equipped old fishing ships with battering rams and cannons, and attacked Bane's pirate fleets wherever they were found, dealing a heavy blow against Bane's forces. In desperation, Bane gathered an enormous fleet to suppress Franco's resistance, but both sides remained in a deadlock after several battles, with Bane unable to force an advantage. Once, Bane managed to lead Franco into a trap, but only managed to wound him, and Franco managed to escape with his life. Furthermore, more and more people of the Northern Vale, inspired by Franco's courage and strength, united around him to fight Bane.
Seeing Franco's strength grow steadily by the day, the cunning Captain Bane came up with a plan: he would sue for peace with Franco, suggesting that they search for the Twilight Orb of legend together, while secretly drawing the Moniyan Empire's navy to the Frozen Sea. This would allow him to kill two birds with one stone: find the Twilight Orb, and defeat Franco for good. Suspicious of Bane's sudden goodwill, Franco pretended to take the bait, ordering his men to search for the Twilight Orb, while secretly leading a contingent of warriors to seize control of a pirate ship among the Black Sharks fleet
Bane instigated a battle between the two navies, preparing to reap the benefits for himself in the aftermath. However, Franco, hidden within the Black Sharks, ordered his men to open fire from behind Bane, making a direct hit on the Behemoth. In his most exultant moment, Bane and his flagship received a deadly blow from the defiant lord, and sank to the bottom of the sea.
With Bane drowned, Franco became ruler of the entire coast of the Northern Vale. He led his people to drive out the remnants of Bane's forces, rebuild the harbor, and restart trade, bringing a renaissance to the entire Northern Vale.
Out of respect for Franco's glorious achievements, the people of the Northern Vale titled him the Frozen Warrior. But to Franco, all that he had done so far was still not worthy of such praise. Not long after, Franco learned that Bane not only had not perished, but had gained a new power, and was gathering his men to make his return.
The battle between them is only just beginning.
Hilda Power of Megalith
Nestled between the tundras of the Northern Vale and the Moniyan Plain is a unique land with a massive and ancient stone formation for which it is named the Megalith Wasteland. The Megalith Wasteland must be passed if one is to reach the Northern Vale. It is also Hilda's homeland.
In the resource-scarce Northern Vale, tribal conflict is as constant as the year-long ice and snow. The strongest tribes can possess the largest and easiest hunting grounds. This is even more true for the Garland tribe of the Megalith Wasteland. The perilous geography and barren soil of the Wasteland have makes it incredibly inhospitable to human habitation. Yet, with the protection of the Power of Megalith, this tribe has tenaciously survived there year after year.
The ancient Megalith has stood here for many centuries. Its creators hoped to use its magical powers to confine the Iceland Golems to the north of the continent, preventing them from coming south. As the Golems faded into extinction, the Megalith's magic also lost its original purpose. All that remains of it are ancient ruins, flowing with the power of the Megalith that has been passed down through the centuries.
Legend says that only one in whom runs the purest bloodline of the Garland clan can lift the plate of stone disc at the center of the Megalith, and inherit its power. Thus, when every successor to the tribe's leadership turns 20, she would travel to the Megalith, and receive its incredible power, becoming the Power of Megalith. She would then be ready to lead her tribe against foreign incursions.
Ever since she was a child, Hilda had been the subject of great expectations, as her mother, the previous Power of Megalith, was killed in battle while defending the tribe ten years before. Having lost the protection of the Megalith, the tribe had fallen into a deep crisis, enduring constant plundering and harassment. Hence, the tribespeople placed all their hope in Hilda, praying that she would grow strong, and take up the important duty of protecting the tribe.
Hilda did not disappoint them. From a young age, she demonstrated an exceptional talent for combat, and strength far beyond her years. Within time, she became the tribe's strongest warrior.
Finally, Hilda was to turn 20 years of age, and the languishing Garland tribe held a grand ceremony for the event. They prayed day and night for the Power of Megalith to be reborn, and that she would return the tribe to its former glory.
Yet, as many watched expectantly, Hilda was unable to lift the stone disc, even with all her strength. There was a stunned silence until an elder of the tribe stepped forward to tell the truth: Hilda was not the birth daughter of the previous Power of Megalith, but was adopted after being found as an abandoned baby in the wilderness.
The tribespeople, so full of hope and anticipation before, now fell into despair. The faith that had sustained them throughout the years had collapsed in an instant. Their huge and simmering disappointment soon led to rage and prejudice, and they started jostling and cursing Hilda, so that she could not even stand steady.
As disappointed as the rest, Hilda suddenly remembered her mother's last words to her: "The Power of Megalith isn't simply inherited. One must truly understand its inner meaning. Each generation's Power of Megalith has its own unique meaning. To me, the Power of Megalith is a heart as resilient and indomitable as a giant boulder."
Hilda, filled with frustration, left her home of many years, and began a long period of vagrant living. During these years, she became a wandering mercenary, and traveled through the Moniyan Empire and almost all the Land of Dawn.
Her mother's words never left her during this time. She never backed down, no matter what great danger she faced. The constant trials and tribulations she endured strengthened her greatly, turning her into a warrior as formidable as stone.
And although she had left the Megalith Wasteland behind, Hilda knew that it was where her heart belonged. Years later, Hilda rescued a slave from torture, and recognized her as being from the Garland tribe. From her, Hilda learned of the tribe's current condition: after Hilda left, the Garland tribe chose a new Power of Megalith who was truly of the chieftains' bloodline. However, this new Power of Megalith was no leadership material. Her foolish and childish ways had caused the Garland tribe to decline even further, until one day it was wholly subjugated by another tribe, and all its people enslaved.
Despite her tribe's former treatment of her, Hilda returned without hesitation to the Megalith Wasteland, liberating her people from brutal enemies with her fists, and leading them to rebuild their home. Only then did the tribespeople finally understand that true leadership has nothing to do with one's ancestry. Having come to their senses, they accepted Hilda, and hoped she would stay with them, to continue to pass on the glorious Power of Megalith.
This time, however, Hilda refused their invitation, deciding to set forth once more for a foreign land. Her mother's words weighed constantly on her mind: Each generation's Power of Megalith has its own unique meaning. She had received an indomitable heart from her mother, but she still had not found her own unique meaning.
One day, however, she would.
Aurora Frost Oracle
In the Land of Dawn, the first time that people heard the name Aurora can be traced to the last millennium, a thousand years ago. At the time, the Land of Dawn was nearing the end of a convulsive period. The forces of darkness were recovering in the shadows, and the once-great ancient Moniyan Empire was surrounded by danger.
As one of the strongest mages in the Magic Academy's history, Aurora not only possessed an unparalleled mastery of ice magic, but was also an oracle, able to foretell future threats.
At this time, mutations started spreading all throughout the Land of Dawn, and rumors of the return of the Abyss began to spread. Only the icy Northern Vale still enjoyed peace and harmony. Yet, Aurora knew well that the threat to the Northern Vale would not come from the Abyss, but from the sea, and an alien realm.
The spacetime rift above the Frozen Sea was like a long and narrow red scar spanning the sky. It had existed for many millenia after the Ancient Ones' use of the Twilight Orb led to an explosion. No one could approach it, and no one knew where it led to. Only Aurora watched it constantly, on guard against an otherworldly threat.
Just as almost everyone had forgotten about the rift, disaster struck. Through the rift, Zhask the Swarm King led his enormous swarm of mutant insects to the Land of Dawn, blotting out the sky. The bloodthirsty and sadistic race was one that traveled between universes, destroying civilization after civilization. The swarm's arrival brought a calamity upon the Northern Vale. Countless villages and tribes were annihilated by the insects, uprooting the people from their lands.
Although the Moniyan Empire was on the verge of collapse, it still had heroes who would stand forth in times of crisis. The Empire sent an army to the north, and the knights led by young Tobias fought valiantly against Zhask. However, knowing nothing about these alien creatures with their spines and razor claws, the Empire's army suffered heavy losses in just a few days, with only Tobias and a small troop of survivors holding out.
By this time, Zhask had already conquered all of the Northern Vale. Once Tobias fell, all of the Moniyan Plain would be under threat from the swarm. Zhask led his flood-like swarm to attack the imperial knights, aiming to be rid of this final remaining threat.
Within an endless sea of insects, Tobias and his men waged an arduous battle. Then, at a crucial moment, Aurora arrived, wielding an enormous blizzard. The powerful gales and freezing winds decimated the alien swarm. With Aurora's help, the imperial knights rallied, and drove back the swarm's assault.
Aurora's arrival was like the break of dawn into darkness, giving them all hope and strength. Led by Aurora, the imperial knights and the people of the Northern Vale began their counterattack. Aurora's glistening ice magic dealt blow after grievous blow against the swarm, allowing humanity to reclaim its lands.
Fighting side by side again and again, the like-minded Tobias and Aurora fell deeply in love. To Aurora, choosing love meant that losing the immortality that her ice magic gave her. Yet, eternal life paled in comparison to true love. The lovers promised each other that, after Zhask was defeated, the two of them would be married in the Northern Vale, and spend the rest of their lives together there.
Working together, their army managed to annihilate most of the occupying insects, retaking all of the Northern Vale. Only the powerful and evil Swarm King Zhask remained.
During the final battle, Zhask summoned swarms of insects that poured constantly over the land from every direction, whittling away at mankind's strength, and preventing their approach. Facing this endless swarm, Tobias charged headfirst into the sea of insects to clear a path for Aurora to reach Zhask, in spite of her protests.
The final showdown had begun. But Aurora and Zhask were evenly matched, and their battle was long and furious. At the last moment, Aurora focused all her power into her left hand, summoning a blade of frost that pierced Zhask's torso, but lost her hand in the process. The all-consuming swarm retreated, and the heavily wounded Zhask fled back to Kastiya with Aurora's arm still within his body, to await his next opportunity to strike.
Aurora returned from her victory, only to discover that her beloved Tobias had sacrificed his life in the battle. In that moment, grief and sorrow engulfed Aurora. All alone now in the world, her mind began to contort, as she abandoned herself to the agony of her loss, becoming paranoid and volatile.
When the dust had settled, the Magic Academy called upon Aurora to return and take up the post of headmaster. And, as per Moniyan tradition, the fallen Tobias was to be returned to the Lightborn Capital, where he would receive his final rites in the Hall of Valor.
To the now-changed Aurora, however, all these seemed aimed at separating her from Tobias. And she would never allow her lover to leave her side again. She declined to return to the Magic Academy, and summoned a terrible blizzard that swept the imperial knights' camp away, after which she retrieved her lover's body.
After that, no one ever saw or heard of Aurora and Tobias again, other than in the legends of ice magic. And on the isolated Queen's Peak, Aurora guards her lover, looking forward to the day when she might find a way to revive him, while watching the spacetime rift, awaiting a chance to take revenge upon Zhask.
Cecilion Embrace of Night
Many years ago, enjoying the night opera performed by Cecilion was the most popular form of entertainment for the people of Castle Aberleen. It was always full house at the theatre each time this most famous opera actor performed. Everyone was attracted by his indescribable beauty and talent. However, the applause, love and cheers from human beings didn’t make Cecilion feel happy. He was one of the Blood Demons, and it was hard for him to open his mind to humans.
As long as Cecilion could remember, his kind have been living in the place where human beings lived. The oppression of Lord Lava against the blood demons meant a dark future for them. As such, some demons decided to leave the Despair Place and came to live among the humans. They were eager to seek forgiveness from the King of Light, live normally and integrate into the human society. But the fact was that they not only suffered hostility from the human society, but they also hunted down by the Abyss. When Cecilion became an adult, he was the only one left amongst his kind.
In order to hide his true identity, Cecilion lived in Castle Aberleen as an opera actor and tried to cover up all abilities and characteristics related to the Blood Demons, He was gorgeous and elegant on the stage, surrounded by thousands of people. But at night, Cecilion spent his nights alone, night after night.
The lonely days continued until Cecilion made an unforgettable performance. When he went to the center of the stage to take his bow, he saw Carmilla. And this beautiful lady was looking at him too. At this moment, the two lonely souls instantly fell in love.
Although Cecilion always warned himself against having contact with human beings, he could not resist his love for Carmilla. So he decided to follow his heart. In each performance, Cecilion would sing a song for Carmilla and they never ceased eye contact with each other. When talking about his own life, Cecilion chose to keep it as a secret. Even when Carmilla had doubts about his lifestyle, he still said nothing about it.
As the flames of love grew stronger, they had met secretly more frequently. Carmilla’s father, Earl Ansaac knew everything about what they did. In his eyes, the Earl only thought of Cecilion as just humble opera actor. He felt Carmilla should get married with a powerful man. When this couple's love grew deeper, Earl Ansaac violently interrupted the relationship between the two, imprisoned Carmilla, sealed the opera house and exiled Cecilion.
Soon after, there was a rumor that Earl Ansaac was about to marry off his only daughter, Carmilla, to the new Baron Tawil. At this time, Cecilion was so tempted to knock down the guards and take Carmilla away. However, he knew that he couldn’t bring happiness to her, as she would become a fugitive on the run. After careful thought, he thought it best to give up.
The night was drawing to a close, and at dawn Carmilla was to marry Baron Tawil. Before the first light of dawn, Cecilion placed a rose and a letter with his name at Carmilla's window and turned away.
But what Cecilion didn’t know was that his enstranged lifestyle was not important to Carmilla and she didn't care if he was a Blood Demon or a human being. She loved Cecilion for who he is. After putting on the white wedding dress, Carmilla cut her wrist with a sharp dagger, forfeiting her life for he love for Cecilion.
Giving up Carmilla made Cecilion feel terribly sad, and his life seemed to return to what it had been. After two lonely nights, Cecilion went to see Carmilla, from a distance.
But when Cecilion arrived, he found Carmilla's cold corpse lying still at a solemn funeral. For a moment Cecilion felt nothing but pain and regret. How could he live as a human being without Carmilla? The new moon rose, Cecilion spread his wings and swept through the city in the cold night, taking away his love.
After that day, the people of Castle Aberleen never saw Cecilion or Carmilla again. Only the legend of the night, which passed from mouth to mouth over time.
When the night came, Carmilla nestled in Cecilion's arms above the top tower of Castle Aberleen, as if time had stood still.
Carmilla Shadow of Twilight
Carmilla was born in the House Ansaac in the Castle Aberleen. As the only daughter of the Earl, she was loved by all her family since birth. When she grew up, her eminent family background coupled with her captivating beauty made her one of the most popular noble ladies around the Castle Aberleen, and maybe even the whole Empire. However, her royal origin was inevitably bound to the tragedy as was to become a political tool of her father Earl Anssac, consolidating power by betrothing her to another family of power.
Though countless aristocrats tried to court Carmilla, none of them pleased her. Her innate pride made her refuse to bow down to mediocrity. What she wanted was someone who could connect with her soul. But, her father Earl Ansaac had already made his decision. As the threat of the abyss was getting closer, he knew that the new class of military-nobles would dominate the politics of the land. Thus, he had to establish good relations with them in order to sustain the social status of his family.
However, a man who was a rather insignificant to the old Earl foiled this plan. This man was Cecilion, the best opera singer in the southern Empire. Carmilla became his most loyal audience since the first day he came to the Castle Aberleen. In Carmilla’s eyes, he was just so elegant and talented, but she could also read the melancholy and the mystery from his eyes. For every performance of Cecilion, Carmilla would sit in the right middle in the auditorium, quietly enjoying his song performance.
One day, as the curtains called, Cecilion and Carmilla's eyes met. The flames of passion ignited between them. And like a bolt of lightning cracking open the dark night sky, they instantly fell in love.
The days that followed were the happiest ones in Carmilla's life. When night fell, Cecilion dressed up and came to invite her to the opera house, singing songs he composed for her. And Carmilla watched his performance intently, never taking her eyes off him. When the performance ended, they dated at the backstage, dancing in the moonlight. And in the early morning, Cecilion would put a rose on Carmilla's windowsill that was nourished by the morning dew and leave quietly.
As time went by, Carmilla noticed something unusual about Cecilion. He lived in solitude and never had needless contact with others. His skin was always pale, even when he didn’t makeup; and it seemed that he always tried to avoid something. From his eyes, Carmilla could feel his desire for a normal life, and she could vaguely see that Cecilion might have some connection to the legendary blood demon species. Though Cecilion never talked about his origins with her, she still chose to believe in him, because she could feel his love was real. No matter he was man or blood demon, it was just about love between them, and Carmilla believed that she would always belong to Cecilion, and would spend the rest of her life with him.
Though they loved each other so deeply, Carmilla’s father the Earl forbade her to marry this humble singer. He imprisoned her and forced her to marry Baron Tawil, the general of the imperial army, who was stationed near the Castle Aberleen. In order to make Carmilla forget Cecilion, the Earl even sent his men to close the opera house. In Cecilion’s mind, he knew that the love between the blood demon and mankind would never be true. Though he loved Carmilla, he finally decided to give up. At the day he left, he wrote a letter to her, in which he told her everything, about his origins, his story, and left it with a rose at her windowsill.
Carmilla didn’t stop fighting, she was not willing to succumb to her father's will. But her heart broke when she read his parting letter. To Carmilla, it didn't matter what species he belonged to. She loved him, and without him, her life would become meaningless.
She stood at the window, watching the direction Cecilion left to. As the dawn was raising, she slit her wrist with a sharp dagger. The world fell into endless darkness. And Carmilla buried her love in her own way.
When Carmilla awoke, she found herself once again in Cecilion’s arms. His eyes were full of kindness, and he was looking at her. Then she found that her touch was so cold, as if she was lifeless, and her skin looked just as pale as Cecilion's. She knew, her lover didn’t abandon her, he returned and revived her with his blood. These two lonely souls finally were together again and could live with each other forever.
After that day, the people of Castle Aberleen never saw Cecilion or Carmilla again, only the legendary tales of the night, which passed from mouth to mouth over time. When night came, Carmilla nestled in Cecilion's arms above the top tower of Castle Aberleen, as if time stood still.
Civilization of Northern Vale
The harsh environment has forged Northern Valer’s adoration for martialism. They believe that dying in the battlefield is a supreme honor.Since childhood, every Northern Valer has been participating in all kinds of competitions, such as wrestling, weightlifting, and archery. All the competitions are for the same aim: to be the strongest warriors.
Once there is a conflict, Northern Valers like to solve it through 1v1 duals. This kind of dual would be held based on complete fairness. Those in conflicts should defeat the component with courage and strength. The most venerable elders will be the witnesses. All the people, no matter whether they win or lose in the end, would honorably respect the results.
Northern Valers love feasts and drink. They would always get drunk during such feasts.Apart from that, they love stories and poems and they would write their chronicles in this way. All the Northern Valers would tell the heroic stories of the bravest warriors to their children during the long and harsh winters.
Tribal Civilization More Conflicts Between Tribes
Since the start of its civilization, the Northern Valers have been living in tribes on the vast Northern Vale, fighting for the place to live and the resources that support them. Therefore, war constantly break among those tribes. Only when one tribe destroy the other or the High Priest intervenes can the conflicts be stopped. At the start of the Glorious Era, the mighty Moniyan Empire imperial soldiers invaded the Northern Vale. Although the tribes in Northern Vale fought relentlessly, they were no peer to the well-organized imperial military. In the end, the Northern Vale was conquered by the Moniyan Empire and the Northern Valers deem it as a huge humiliation.
The unyielding spirit and resistance of the Northern Valers have made the Moniyan Empire shudder. Therefore, they gave the Northern Valers high degree of autonomy and recognized the authority of the tribal leaders within their tribes. However, even so, in the next several centuries, the resistance of Northern Valers against the Moniyan Empire has never stopped. At the beginning of the Changeable Era, the Tyrant Solinus IV was so cruel, so the tribal leaders of Northern Valers have cooperated with each other and revolted. In the end, they drove away the imperial soldiers garrisoned in the Northern Vale. After all these years, the Northern Valers finally taken back the right to rule themselves.
They are three classes in a typical Northern Valers’ tribe: the leader, the warriors and ordinary civilians. Of course, only the leader and warriors are entitled to make decisions that will affect the whole tribe. When there is a huge event in the tribe, the leader will rally the members for discussion. In circumstances that the fate of the whole Northern Valers is concerned, the leader of the tribe will send invitations to all the other leaders and hold a Grand Rally witnessed by the High Priest. Of course, the Grand Rally of the Northern Valers are always special because it's easy for them to quarrel with each other.
Legends of Northern Vale
Faith
In the Ancient times, Northern Vale was the home to Iceland Golems.The Iceland Golems once created a splendid civilization in Northern Vale. However, through the passage of time, they gradually vanished, leaving behind historical relics with their bloodline down to the Northern Valers.
According to the legends of Northern Valers, their ancestor, the Iceland Golems followed the Lord of Light away from the Land of Dawn and went to the remote strange dimension, where they built the giant Sacred Palace to accommodate those who died in the battlefield.
To the Northern Valers, dying on the battlefield is a unique honor. They believe the souls of the heroes died in the battlefield would be reunited in the Sacred Palace built by the ancestors, where they could feast and wine. They would make merry and laughter from day to night. Cowards would be sentenced to the Frozen Hell, where they would suffer from endless coldness and never-ending piercing wind along with poisonous rain.
Also, the Northern Valers worship all the warriors who died in the battlefield.
VALKYRIE
Among the Northern Valers, there is a unique group of people, who are called as Valkyries. They are led by the High Priest and inhabit the grand Martyr Hall.Only the bravest and the strongest female warriors of each tribes can be selected as Valkyries. And the best Valkyrie will be the High Priest.
According to Northern Valers’ religion, the fate of all the Valkyries is to guide the souls died in the battlefield to the Martyr Hall and help them to go to the Sacred Palace.As time goes by, the Valkyries have shouldered another important mission: protecting the peace in Northern Vale. Every time when someone is selected as a Valkyrie, it will be a huge honor for the Valkyrie's tribe and all the Northern Valers. However, becoming a Valkyrie means abandoning the secular happiness as Valkyries cannot marry nor bear a baby—they need to devote their whole life to the Northern Valers.
Significant Locations
Megalith Wasteland
Located at the borders between the Northern Vale and the Moniyan Empire, the Megalith Wasteland is famous for its giant and peculiar rocks. As the boundary separating the Northern Vale ice-land and the Moniyan plain, the configuration here becomes barren. Mysterious creatures inhabit in this crimson land. Amidst the vast wasteland, the giant rocks stand. These rocks formed a huge magic circle to block the Iceland Golems to invade the south. With the disappearance of the Iceland Golems, this magic circle was abandoned, leaving mysterious relics behind.
Queen of Scourge
Situated in the Northwest of Northern Vale, this snow mountain stands on the isolated island, like a tower pointing directly towards the sky. It is extremely cold around the Queen of Scourge and the whole mountain is covered by snow and ice all year round. Standing on the top of the mountain, the splendid Aurora can be seen. However, ordinary people can never set foot on Queen of Scourge.
Martyr Hall
Situated at the center of Northern Vale, Iceland Golems, the ancestors of the Northern Valers, built this giant hall to worship the dead and rally. As the Iceland Golems extinguished, this hall was abandoned, until one day, the Northern Valers found this place and called it as the Martyr Hall. They regarded this place as the link of their faith and where souls ascend to the heaven.
Folk Customs Ocean Dominator
Due to the geographical reasons, the crops here are extremely in shortage. However, the jewels and beasts’ fur of the Northern Vale are extremely famous in the Land of Dawn. And that’s how the sea trade of the Northern Valers becomes prosperous. Therefore, many Northern Valers become either fishermen or pirates. Obviously these two occupations are totally different. Those who choose to become fishermen can only drive their rugged fishing boats, either with their families or with their partners, to catch fish. Then, they sell them to the businessmen. Every day, the fish they can catch are so few and they ca barely depend on them for a livingly. On the contrary, the pirates are there to plunder ships passing by to get brilliant profits. Meanwhile, those pirate bold enough will try to catch those giant and strong sea beasts, which can be sold for numerous money.
The pirates are usually well-organized. They act together and can go very far away with their giant ships. Besides plundering business ships, they will hunt for giant sea beasts, because the profits a beast brings exceed far more than plundering business ships. However, high profits always go alongside huge danger. Those beasts are not only huge in figure, but very cruel. They can do every kinds of horrible things.
Compared with ordinary fishermen, the ships of those pirates are so much bigger. The ships are tall, wide and heavy. Even in the most thunderous ocean, they can sail steadily. Moreover, the pirates installed giant horns at the front of the ships and put numerous cannons at the side, to attack other ships.
Besides ships, the pirates of Northern Vale have developed various delicate instruments to hunt sea monsters. To those pirates, experienced and hard-working sailer skillful in using harpoon and diving make the perfect candidate for captain.
The time-honored culture stimulates the development of Northern Valers, who make a living by the side of sea. Under such circumstances, famous navigators come into existence this way. They sail fearlessly in the board ocean and search for the broader world unknown.
Creatures in Northern Vale
Bears
As the aboriginal inhabitant in Northern Vale, he strong and tall Bears are the aboriginal and were the best predators in this land. They were furious with strong sense of territory. However, they will not attack people voluntarily. The Northern Valers also make peace with the bears and will never set foot on their borders nor their territory. For thousands of years, the bears and Northern Valers co-exist with each other harmoniously.
Wolves
Wolves are the most dangerous predators in the Northern Vale. They invade in groups, leaving no trace behind. They show no mercy to whatever they are after, either their prey or enemies. They have already attacked human for multiple times.
