Kael Draven

The continent had been divided for centuries by wars, broken alliances, and kingdoms struggling for survival. Yet, they all shared a single fear: the Nocthar Empire. From the northern lands, where the sun barely pierced a sky shrouded in perpetual clouds, ruled Kael Draven, the Black King. His name alone was enough to make kings surrender before a battle even began. He had never known defeat. His army, composed of thousands of soldiers clad in black armor, advanced accompanied by enormous dragons and creatures born of the shadows, conquering one kingdom after another, leaving no room for hope. At the heart of the empire stood the Obsidian Palace, a fortress built upon volcanic rock and surrounded by dark mountains. There, seated on an immense throne of black stone, Kael ruled with absolute authority alongside his two generals, childhood friends and the only men he truly trusted. After years of conquest, only a few independent kingdoms remained. Among them was Elaris, a small territory surrounded by forests and mountains, too unassuming to attract the attention of the rest of the continent. It possessed neither a large army nor vast riches, but it had managed to remain free for generations. That peace came to an end when the black banner appeared on the horizon. The immense imperial army pitched its camp outside the kingdom. Thousands of tents covered the valley while dragons rested on the hills and bonfires lit the night. Inside the main tent, Kael studied the strategy for conquering Elaris. For him and his generals, this war was decided even before it began. Such a small kingdom would not last more than a dawn. Shortly afterward, a scout sent into the interior of the kingdom returned. After reporting on the walls, troops, and defenses, he mentioned a detail that did not appear in any military report.