It is the year 1304, in the realm of Zvyozdy.
The Tlavrednav clan was destroyed. Garr Van der Ego, the greatest magic user in the realm, had passed away after unknown circumstances befell him.
All ten countries of the north-western continent, were feeling the cold atmosphere of war on the horizon.
With the great magic user now dead and on no one's side, political tension was high.
In the north, on both the east and west side, split by the gigantic region known as the "wilderness", the countries of Yajisaki and Drakeheim, announced their decision to close their borders. No one heard anything from them shortly after.
Along the east and towards the south, Odinford, Teadmorden, Blau Goud, Pays des vins, and Dornenland, announced the Union of Trade Neutrality.
Not wanting to be dragged into another big war, like the Dragon War in 1280, the five countries decided that culture and trade would be the future. Not too long after the Union was formed, the leaders of each country all publicly denounced the thought of war.
In the south and south-west, Tlavigrad, the smallest country on the continent, kept its silence, as a scandal south west of its borders occured, between the Kingdom of Fouche, and the most powerful country in the realm, Vocia.
It's the year 1307.
Three years of investigating, and no results. The Fouchen monarchy, failed to uncover the mystery behind the murder of a beloved Vocian duchess. Kings clashed, riots and fresh streams of blood filled the streets. All Fouchens were demons, and all Vocians were devils.
After three years the countries of Yajisaki and Drakeheim were still silent. The Union of Trade Neutrality however, was prospering, and moral was high in the east.
In the south, Tlavigrad, caught between two giants, stupidly agreed to supply both countries with military aid in exchange to stay out of their neighbours war. The Tsar had no choice, as an old wound had opened, causing the Tlavian people to take up arms.
At the year's end, Vocia and the Kingdom of Fouche, were officially at war.
It's the year 1310.
The Fouchens were struggling against the might of the Vocians. Three years of constant war, and yet with certain regions in both countries, horribly destroyed and burned down, both sides were still armed to the teeth, and defending well. However, offensive manoeuvrers were starting to become unpopular.
Soldiers started to disappear, folk tales from wives and beggars started spreading through the war-ridden towns and cities. The tales described monsters, hidden beasts in caves, strange footprints, and supernatural events.
Later that year, The Union was getting pressured by the Fouchens, to send some sort of military support, or risk getting raided by the war damaged, yet still more powerful, kingdom.
Tlavigrad in the meantime, had gone through a crisis. The people were on a hunt for the remaining Tlavrednav clan members, who had been in hiding for the last six years.
The Tsar, who earlier had to start supplying both Vocia and Fouche with military supplies in order to remain neutral, was between a rock and a hard place. Dealing with foreign wars was much simpler, than dealing with uprisings.
The year is 1313.
After six years of war, the footsoldiers of both sides had stopped advancing completely. A new period of guerilla warfare developed due to a lack of man power.
Citizens of both sides, refused to send their children to fight. No matter what was asked, ordered, or threatened by their governments. Eventually, the barons and nobles, fed up with their sacrifices leading to nothing, sent their sons, wives, and daughters to live elsewhere. Taking matters into their own hands.
After a long journey, jumping from one city or town to another, multiple families found refuge, in the enormous and empty grasslands of a country-sized region known as the Flatlands.
This region sat south of the wilderness, completely surrounded by the other countries.
Happy and content with their new lands, the families, who had fled their countries, started new settlements across the Flatland region.
The settlement became popular with travelling merchants, who when they went through Union countries, told local fed up citizens of the freedom and prosperity they had found in the Flatlands.
Many people from all across the east migrated there, starting their own settlements further developing the economy.
The year is 1317.
The Union of Trade Neutrality, had caved in. After, long discussions and lot's of planning, the union volunteered, the Country of Odinford, to send troops to the Kingdom of Fouche.
After ten years of fighting, or what seemed like fighting, both Fouche and Vocia, had reached a stalemate. Small skirmishes were a rare occurance, and both sides had resorted to sending in spies to keep track of each other.
Vocia was on its own. Feeling the pressure from it's opponent, the Vocians asked the Tlavian Tsar for help.
In 1315 the Tsar had stopped the big hunt for the Tlavrednav clan by killing off the remaining men.
He then left their women with the shame and responsibility of restoring their names by themselves.
He then gave out a warning that if something were to happen to the women, that there would be severe consequences, to keep the other clans in check.
But then, in 1316 when the Tsar turned his attention to the Vocians, he was surprised when they threatened to invade. Even after years of support from the Tlavians, the Vocians turned on them in an instant.
This sudden turn of events caused the Tsar to turn to his advisor, Orup Noxov, who suggested the Tsar create a special platoon, to infiltrate and destroy a massive storage camp on the edge of the Vocia-tlav border.
MacCetae Tlavrednav, who just became a legal adult at the age of 13, sat in the back of the wagon. He handed the history report paper back to the boy sitting next to him.
"Well? What do you think? Do you think if we survive this, that I'll be a good news collector someday?" the boy asked him.
MacCetae looked at the boy and sighed before answering.
"I think so, your writing needs work but it seems good" MacCetae told him.
"Oh I see, thanks for the advice. But tell me, why do you think the Tsar wanted to draft young people instead of forming a proper platoon with the military?" the boy asked.
"Oi! Shut your mouths! It's a long journey to the border. We'd all appreciate some piece and quiet" General Orup Noxov yelled from the front of the wagon.
MacCetae and seven other boys went silent and wondered what would happen to them, as the sound of the wagon's bumping and grinding on the dirt road continued, on its way to the border.