Franz Van Burace
The familiar, paved streets of the city had given way to wide, open fields and wet, humid marshlands. He missed the sound that hooves made on the cobblestone. It had always calmed the lad and made him feel more confident, like a true knight should. He couldn't hear anything now aside from the dull thud that the horses made on this unfamiliar dirt. It was just another reason why he hated the Ata'hua Tribelands.
Wiping a thin layer of sweat from his brow, Franz turned to look at the soldiers behind him. Sure enough, he was being closely followed by fifty other men. All were clad in silver armor and all looked about as miserable as he did. Turning back to the front, the young man's brow furrowed as he recalled the startling news that had led to him being here now...
It had been two days prior. Franz had just finished up a patrol in the southern district of Valexia. It was actually his preferred post. Rarely boring, as the southern side of the Iron City was probably the least desirable place a Valexian could find themselves. It was a well-known fact that thieves, harlots, and conmen were always lurking the streets there, waiting for some miserable fool to come along with more money than brains. But more ruffians meant more action, and Franz was all too happy to put as many of them as he could in the dungeons.
He had just finished his patrol near the Rusty Timepiece tavern when a fellow knight came jogging up to meet him.
'Commandant Silverberg? Wants to see me?'
It was an unexpected summons. Unsure of what the Commandant could want, Franz soon found himself standing in the man's office.
'A peace treaty? With the Ata'hua?'
Further explanation was limited. Valexia apparently felt it best to come to terms with the Ata'hua and issued a request for a peace treaty, of which the tribal leaders accepted.
Franz was elated to have been chosen to act as ambassador for this venture, but he couldn't shake the feeling of bewilderment. Why now, of all times? Sure, relations between the two nations had grown steadily worse in recent years. Several skirmishes had already been fought between the Valexian Knights and the Ata'hua warriors. But still, no declarations of war had been made. Perhaps sensing the boy's unrest, Silverberg told him of the circumstances surrounding this decision...
'The Mirror of Akyel is missing!?'
Of course he knew about it. Everyone did. The Mirror of Akyel was a holy object. A relic said to have the power to eliminate an army in the blink of an eye. Did the Ata'hua have such a thing? Was the mirror truly in their possession? Valexia sure seemed to think so. For as long as anyone could remember, the mirror was enshrined in Harlemont. The Holy City acted as a sort of neutral ground between the two nations, enjoying peaceful relations with both sides and ensuring the power of the mirror wasn't abused. But if the Ata'hua had turned on Harlemont and stolen the mirror... Franz's stomach lurched at the thought of what could happen.
So naturally, Valexia would fear the use of this power, hence, the peace treaty. It all seemed a bit too simple to him. As if there were a page missing from a story. But knights aren't paid to ask why. It wasn't thrilling, but it seemed he had no other choice. Within the hour, Franz was packed and en route to the Ata'hua Tribelands, a troop of fifty soldiers at his command. Clearly he should be honored - and he was. But venturing into the unknown territory of heathens and being in charge of fifty lives to boot? The young man prayed the trek would be a successful one...
Up ahead he saw it. The circle of tall rock formations that marked the summit where he was supposed to meet with the tribe chiefs. Swallowing back the lump in his throat, a stern look washed over Franz's face.
"Look alive, men!" He called out, his voice authoritative, hoping his fellow knights would believe it. "We represent the good nation of Valexia today! May the Goddess' blessings be with us!"
The Mirror of Akyel was missing and suspected to be in the hands of a savage, untrustworthy people on the brink of war. Was a peace treaty truly possible?