New World - A New Beginning

DIANA IMANIA'S POV:

Here it comes.

The war that we have all been running from for the past two years is finally upon us. I could immediately tell what the message behind Selena's ultimatum was. There wasn't even room for hesitation.

To ask the dwarves to return their prisoner of war and face subsequent punishment was something that their pride would never allow them to do. This was all a game, and the ones controlling it all were Selena and Jay.

I looked outside my window, seeing the silver shine of armor as thousands of soldiers mobilized around the city walls. We weren't even waiting for an answer anymore, we were simply waiting for the official declaration of war that would commence the conflict.

I could see fathers kissing their children goodbye before joining their respective battalions, all of them realizing how brutal this war would be. Smaller-scaled tensions and battles between cities were something that wasn't extremely rare, but this wasn't the same thing.

This was a war that would rupture the entire continent of Auroria, shattering all relationships and forcing all nations to build from the ground up upon its completion.

The war to end all wars.

This was what was coming.

JAY CADMIUM'S POV:

After a few hours of silence following the ultimatum, the rumbling sound of footsteps overhead shook the ceiling of the dungeon. Thousands of civilians were gathering in one place, all of them awaiting the decision of their king.

I focused on my surroundings, feeling the movement of the battle-hardened warriors as the Dwarven armies began heading south.

So they were already mobilizing? This meant that the only possible thing that could come out of this speech was nothing other than a declaration of war.

The entrance to the dark room swung open as Ares descended the stairs once again, his face masked with neutrality. He sat down on the bench right in front of my cell, saying nothing. We both simply listened to the outside world, our ears equally awaiting the King's speech.

I felt elements surging above me, the combined usage of wind and water to transmit messages throughout the continent arising.

Here it comes.

So did this mean Ares was sent here to watch over me while the speech was given? Did they suspect something?

The chances of them even considering me a threat was extremely slim, and because Ares couldn't possibly know that I was able to use six elements, he was probably only sent here as a precaution.

A deep voice suddenly boomed across the continent, the response to the ultimatum beginning.

"People of Auroria. I am King Glad, leader of the Dwarves and ruler of Schild."

Cheers erupted above me, the dwarven audience cheering for their king, and their honor that was indirectly attacked by Selena. The ultimatum targetted the undeniable pride that the Dwarves felt, meaning that there was really only one option: war.

And it was exactly what we wanted.

"As all of you have heard, we are faced with a crucial decision, and I am here today to deliver our response to the two options given to us by the Dragonkin. 100 years ago, a brutal war pitting the triple alliance against the fearsome Dragonkin came to an end. Decades of bloodshed finally coming to a close as we forced the enemy to retreat into hiding," continued King Glad.

Was he trying to win over the people of Eloria by recounting the brutalities of war? There was very little chance it would be effective on a larger scale, but I could already anticipate certain individuals and families within Eloria turning on the Dragons.

The Dwarves and the Fei weren't the only ones who felt hatred towards the Dragons for past conflict. Even until now, I was unaware as to why King Roy was so adamant about building a friendly relationship with the dragons, even at the cost of his previous alliance.

"However!" roared King Glad, catching my attention once more, "The alliance that saved Auroria from such an awful war has been broken. A century of peace has been ruptured, and the root of it all is none other than the resurgence of the Dragonkin. We must mend broken wounds at all costs, we must end all bloodshed on this continent, we must strive for peace and ensure the safety of our future generations!"

People across the continent cheered simultaneously, their wills strengthening with the words of King Glad. Soldiers across the continent knew what had to be done. Massacre one civilization to save three. They would scar themselves with the sins of genocide if it meant their children could live peacefully.

That was the angle King Glad was taking to convince the masses, to fuel the spark that would lead to the ignition of war.

"And so I stand here today, as representative of the new alliance between Dwarves and Fei, to announce our response to this ultimatum!"

Silence followed, King Glad allowing everyone to soak up the information and await the final bit of his speech.

"As of this moment, the Dwarven kingdom of Schild and the Fei kingdom of Nethnore officially declare war on the treacherous kingdom of Imania and the kingdom of the Dragons!!" roared King Glad, the entire city booming with cheers as the people's spirit burned with rage and passion.

I stood up, looking at Ares right in the eyes. He simply shared my gaze, emotions nonexistent on his expression. Bind suddenly swirled around me, alarming the man as he shot up from his bench.

"What are you doing?" he asked, clearly threatening me to stand down.

With only a few words, our relationship had gone from friendly acquaintances to enemies of war, only conflict awaiting us.

"I'm sorry, Ares. It seems like war has already begun," I responded, energy roaring in my eyes as lightning crackled at my fingertips.

BOOOOMM

The cell around me burst open as the ground above came crumbling down, a massive lightning bolt striking me as my body burned with raw power.

I leaped into the air, feeling the cool breeze once more as I landed on the roof of a large building.

The endless shrieks of the civilians pierced the air as my eyes already identified a few casualties from the sudden eruption of power, their lifeless bodies being swarmed by fleeing dwarves.

"A lightning binder?" muttered Ares as he drove his hand into the rift created from his space bracelet, pulling out a shining spear.

Numerous cloaked figures suddenly appeared around the area on various rooftops, all of them radiating with power similar to that of a top AA-ranked adventurer.

"What the fuck!" cursed Ares as he launched himself right at me. His head turned towards the royal Dwarven guards, his mind racing amidst the sudden outburst of conflict.

"Protect the King at all costs!" he yelled, the guards nodding quickly as they escorted the king back into the fortress.

I raised my left arm, midnight already held tight in my other hand.

"Begin the attack," I said, my message being transmitted to the nearby Dragon soldiers.

War had begun.