Aace stood at the front of the army, a hundred thousand men behind him. Before them lay the city of Dragonrock Castle, and Hannibal stood on the ruined tower Aace had destroyed in his escape.
The army was ready, and at Aace's signal, they charged.
The mages battered the gates with magic as the infantry rammed into them. Aace then enchanted his sword, swinging out a burst of magic that destroyed the gates. Hannibal's army quickly charged, and so did Aace's.
Aace quickly rode through the battlefield, charging for Hannibal. As soldiers and commoners got in his way, Aace killed them without hesitation or effort. Once he saw his target he shouted: "HANNIBAL!"
Hannibal met Aace at the base of the tower, but Aace was not there to dance, he was there to kill. He attacked Hannibal with a flurry of blows, each one connecting with Hannibal's blade. Aace would dance, dodge, and twirl around Hannibal's attacks. They battled up the tower until they reached the top.
The army was being overrun by Hannibal's men, but the army stood their ground. The Knights Company then made it through to the front lines, leading the battle into the streets of the city. Mages cast fire magic, burning so hot the stones of the streets exploded.
As Hannibal and Aace fought, they traded blows that would cut through the thickest steel. Then, Aace went to block Hannibal swing, but Hannibal's swing was backed with his full power. Aace was knocked back and disarmed. His blade fell to the street below, and Aace was hunched over the edge of the ruined tower, Hannibal mid-swing above him. Then, that warmth. Aace's eyes burned with fire, as did his hands, and swinging out behind him, Aace released a wave of fire knocking Hannibal into the rubble. He called down for his sword, Sir Nicholas throwing it up for him. As a grabbed his sword, Hannibal was swinging down from over head. Aace swung forward, and as their blades met, Aace perfectly slicing through Hannibal's sword, a bright wave of light washed over them as Aace's sword absorbed Hannibal's. Aace's sword now had three heads on its pommel, lion, wolf, and dragon. Aace then proceeded to sheath his blade and attack Hannibal with his bare hands. They fought, each trading blows in a knock-down, drag-out fight before Aace unsheathed his sword and side-kicked Hannibal to the edge of the tower. Aace hit with so much force every bone in Hannibal's body broke, and Hannibal could only lay there. Aace then spun around and decapitated Hannibal with so much force Hannibal's body dropped to the streets below.
As Hannibal's army saw his mangled, almost completely destroyed body, they threw down their arms and surrendered the city. As Aace walked through, he stopped, without looking, and said "kill them all."
Sir Simon tried to reason with Aace, but he still replied with "kill them all."
The Knight's Company obeyed their kings orders, killing every last soldier, man, woman, and child. Some of his men were sickened by their king's brutality, but they did not dare defie his orders. As Aace walked out of the city a great earthquake overcame the land. The looked and saw from the north, the City of the Dead, and it crashed into the Misted Lake as the keep rose from beneath the ground. The city shone with a silver brilliance, and Lord John quickly rode through the ranks and told Aace that Grand Capital had arisen again. They entered Grand Capital and marveled at the perfection of the architecture. They noted the runes were from the age of Titus, and thus were over two thousand years old. Aace went into the main trophy room chamber and found a pedestal. It was the same pedestal that he pulled the Wolf Sword from forty two years prior. He then sheathed the blade into the pedestal and was able to lay down the Feathered Dagger that he kept since he found it in the City of the Dead along with the Firestone. Aace tried to step out of the city, but the land began to die around him as he stepped out. He knew that he could not leave the city, and thus, began to rule a united Graiigreald.
-+-
In Eagle's Nest, Lord Pierre and his people felt the effects of the earthquake. The force was so great that it broke the throne of glass, allowing Lord Pierre to take for himself the Eagle Sword, the sword of freedom. But it took root in the base of his heart. His heart desires power, and the sword infected him with the will of chaos.