Songs Before the Fall

You know these lands. You know the Deadlands, where no harvest grows and no bird dares sing. You know the Tower—once the greatest spire ever raised by mortal hands—now standing as a monument to corruption. You know the name of King Maltraxis. A king remembered by some as a savior. By others, as the architect of ruin.

You know the Champions. You know they stood against Asmodeus himself. You know how the story ends. But history is a curious thing. It remembers the ending far better than the beginning.

So let us return to a time before the ash. Before the Tower. Before the kingdom became a warning. To a time when hope still flew beside every banner. When every road led to Sunspire. When every kingdom looked to one throne.

Before the darkness claimed the sky Before the rivers all ran dry Before the scars upon the land There rose a kingdom proud to stand Its banners danced in morning light Its watchfires burned through every night From every border, every shore The greatest answered duty's call

Seven nations. One kingdom. One future. One destiny.

Raise the banners, let them fly Lift them proudly to the sky Sing of peace and brighter days Before the world was set ablaze Raise your voices, proud and strong Every heart now sings along None could see what lay ahead They only saw tomorrow.

The forge was bright, the harvest fair Hope was carried through the air The roads were safe, the fields were green A finer age had never been From distant lands they journeyed far Drawn beneath a single star Not yet legends. Not yet known. Just ordinary souls called home.

Every legend has a beginning. Every empire has a dawn. Every story has a moment before everything changes.

Raise the banners one last time Hear the bells and watch them chime Every legend starts this way One ordinary day Remember kingdoms. Remember kings. Remember heroes. Remember hope. Because no empire is born in ruins.

You know how the story ends... But do you know why?

Five years blessed the Sun King's reign Quiet fields and golden grain Every road to Sunspire ran Safe beneath one sovereign hand From every banner, oath, and throne The chosen crossed the lands they'd known Bearing gifts their kingdoms gave To stand where history was made

A blade of lineage. Jewels cut from mountain stone. A feast fit for a king. An oath already lived. Six roads. One tower.

Raise the banners, voices strong Many lands, but one great song Strangers gathered, side by side Honor standing dressed in pride None knew the darkness to come None believed this of their home Only that the light has always shown And peace sat on the throne

One stood straighter than his spear—Elric. One laughed loud when death drew near—Wilfred. One spoke thunder through his voice—Stormurinn. One heard little through the noise—Hamdik. One watched first before he'd speak—Alaryn. One found wisdom few would seek—Rish Rash. Different roads and different lands. One watch sworn by steady hands.

The tower slept. The watch was changed. A door unseen. A voice unknown. ‘Five years have passed. You have ninety-five remaining.’

Raise the banners, hold them high Morning still possessed the sky Duty bound them to the throne Six who did not stand alone Before the fires Before the fall Before the Tower broke them all History remembers kingdoms But first it remembered their oath

Five years have passed... You have ninety-five remaining.