The Barford family turned into shambles in just a year after their drastic reforms. They tried to revert the changes, but the balance couldn't just restore itself.
With his vaster territory. Athánatos had plenty of mines and even an inactive volcano that held a lot of sulfur.
Future of the Barford family seemed to be compromised. Many sighed at their past of steadiness.
Soon enough, Halvar couldn't shoulder the family burden alone and they lost their first territory.
Then, something miraculous happened. A young genius showed himself in the Barford family and showcased his smarts.
Military genius that led one of the smaller battalions successfully managed to intercept and destroy the food coming to Athánatos' second army.
Due to this, the enemy army had no option but to attack the city instead of starving them out.
The Barford family general held valiantly. Nonetheless, a stray arrow took his life in one sweep motion, leaving the defending army disorganized.
Then, the genius made his appearance...
...
"Fellow soldiers, listen! Haven't you seen the waste and destruction of our land and people whenever those devils appear?! We cannot surrender!
Why? Because they will take your wives, children and your lives! They don't want you to live.
So, take your weapon and take one or two down with you! I, Ortus Barford, will fight to my last breath!" The young man said, as they could hear his piercing voice along the wall.
Some soldiers were stunned, but a select few followed. In less than 10 minutes, several ladders fell and they could see a reversal.
The moral soared and through the use of flag signals, Ortus led the battle whilst fighting on the front.
After the first wave. The enemy took a break to recuperate, and Ortus united everyone in the city.
"I, Ortus Barford, swear on my name and life! Just 3 days! In 3 days, reinforcements will arrive and they will free us from this nightmare! Be it day or night. I will stand and defend this beautiful city.
Now, who is valiant enough to be the hero? To be the one who defends children and women from those devils!" He shouted as he rallied every young able man in the city.
He himself thought of it as a pointless struggle before death. Yet, a true miracle happened.
Exactly on the 3rd day, reinforcements did arrive after a narrow victory in a nearby city.
The citizens watched as the cavalry ripped through their worst enemy. They cheered and cried.
Tears of joy and sorrow filled the streets as a certain name shook the world.
Ortus Barford. Soon enough, his information revealed itself. He, a young man from the collateral family, joined the army in hopes of rising in the ranks.
With his bright thinking. He managed to skyrocket through ranks without any help. From a commander of 50 soldiers, he turned into a general controlling thousands.
Since then, he began to rack up victories. His battle against the 3rd Life army turned into a decisive victory.
He crushed the 3rd army to the point where they lost strength to continue and almost dissolved.
Then, the fateful battle happened. Right outside their regional city, Athánatos himself stared into the eyes of the young man.
They equipped both sides with weaponry exceeding their era. Veterans holding down the frontlines and archers with musketeers waiting for their call.
Ortus gave his army a speech before his sword fell down. Sounds of muskets reverberated throughout the quiet battlefield as arrows blotted out the skies.
Athánatos and his army blocked the arrows with their shields. Because of the distance, muskets also lost quite a bit of their power, lacking the strength to penetrate the shields.
Then he commanded a volley as they charged in. A shadow of death hovered above Otus as his shield bearers blocked most of the arrows.
On his horse, he led the cavalry straight into the enemy's jaws. Athánatos in the back calmly commanded his troops as fire arrows lit up the darkening skies, commanding them.
The battle lasted whopping a day and a half. Hundreds of corpses laid dead and a thousand or so incapable of battle anymore.
Both sides held less than 600 troops ready for battle. Exhausted, Ortus and Athánatos both knew that the battle would lead either to total annihilation or retreat.
So, the battle of the Malton creek ended. Hundreds of the most elite warriors were dead and thousands of injured.
While considered a draw. The Barford family successfully defended their territory from the legendary Athánatos.
After the battle. Ortus and Athánatos both slowed down their war as it entered a passive state.
Both sides licked their wounds. Meanwhile, Athánatos absorbed some nearby territories in different direction to gain more strength.
Under his lead, farming took off and soon enough he had created a duchy. Barfords weren't far behind as they too confirmed the requirements of a Duchy.
Skirmishes happened here and there, but they had a common consensus. Athánatos turned his eyes onto the other side of the southern Sea of Life and took his conquests there.
Ortus consolidated his power. Through some research, his family branch was a part of the main line, giving him the power to contend for the head of the family.
He had a couple more tactics. This, however, made it much simpler. Halvar, through his repeated failures, lost his esteemed position.
Though his contributions were heavy enough to get away scot free. Nonetheless, no inventions nor bright ideas or research put him under a lot of pressure.
Halvar squeezed tiny pieces of knowledge left, but it soon ran out.
...
"Who would have thought that I have to bow down not because of that stupid Athánatos, but someone from the Barford family! That bastard, I'll get him." Halvar said in anger as he travelled to a place where it all began.
He was a talent. Not a prodigy and certainly not a god. So, to win against a genius without underhanded methods only one option remained.
"Morpheus, I came to bargain!" He yelled at the peak of the hill. The ever so strong connection came back, and he felt it.
Although he could feel a tiny bit of disgust coming from it, he didn't take it to heart.
"I realise my mistakes and I am not here to take your precious knowledge for nothing. A genius had been born in the Barford family and he fought off Athánatos and his army.
For the sake of people and peace. Please, I beg you. Grant me knowledge to better the lives of others. I will spread your name! Many people will try to connect with you, I promise!" Halvar said with 'remorse' at his own actions.
"Fine, however. I would like to see the genius you are talking about." Morpheus said.
Halvar gritted his teeth and said.
"That might be difficult... During the decisive battle, Ortus got heavily injured and still cannot travel. In order to not aggravate his injuries, they entrusted me with talking to you."
"Oh? And where are your escorts?" Morpheus asked.
"I... I had to travel alone in order to increase my speed. The war could start again at any moment and they are shorthanded." Halvar said as his heart began to beat.
'Dammit, why is he suddenly so cautious! It's not like I killed his family...' He thought in his heart, awaiting Morpheus' response.
Morpheus sighed to himself in disappointment, but relented. In order to gain contact with other humans, he had to bait Halvar into bringing in capable people.
"Alright, but I can only give you one third of an idea. If you bring the genius, I can give you it all. But remember, I can wait for him to recover. My time is limitless after all..." Morpheus said, empathising the word 'time' and 'limitless'.
Halvar struggled for a few minutes before he relented.
"Thank you, Morpheus..." He said and collected the information before running away.
...
"Sir, although we have gathered every intellectual in our territory. It would take at least 3 years before we can have a breakthrough.
This thing called 'Steam engine' has a lot of things I have never even heard about..." an old mathematician said.
"Useless..." Halvar said under his breath.
"I understand. No need to rush. Just keep me updated and let me know if you have any results. The earlier, the more I can fund your private researches!" He said and left.
News soon reached Ortus. He, after growing for some time, long realised that something didn't sit well with Halvar.
Halvar came out of nowhere. Created breakthrough ahead of his time and at the same time wasn't smart.
Things he presented sometimes sounded like he didn't know anything. Parts of it he said wrong and people later found mistakes thanks to the notes.
His suspicions became deeper when the so called 'steam engine' only had 1/3rd of its idea done and yet Halvar dumped everything on others.
"I will have to have some talks with Halvar. It is time to see if he's a shining pearl or a rotten fool." Ortus said to himself.
"Schedule a meeting with Halvar Balford. I wish to see him and discuss the future moving forward. Oh, and inform him that it will take place in my private villa." Ortus said to a man he called in.
The man bowed and left. Ortus returned to his paperwork as if nothing happened and continued with his job.