Story

The War of the Lions

Prologue

Ivalice, the medieval-inspired kingdom of war, the kingdom is divided into different class lines: Great Noble families such as the House Beoulve, who rule over masses of peasants. This aristocratic class holds most of the real power of the country, with lords ruling directly over provinces of Ivalice, as their personal fiefs, while the monarchy is weakened by intrigue.

The real power in Ivalice is the Church Of Glabados, based around the divinity of the Christlike Saint Ajora Glabados, with its military arm the Knights Templar. Using Manipulation and plotting, the Church is pulling the strings to create disorder in Ivalice and to defeat the secular powers. However, the church’s plot is just a cover for a far more sinister plan that threatens the very existence of Ivalice itself! – The novel takes place, following the nations defeat in the Fifty Year’s War.

Two independent armies, the Order of the Northern Sky led by Duke Bestrald Larg, the brother of Queen Louveria, and the Order of the Southern Sky led by Duke Druksmald Goltanna, are rival forces. They fight for control of the monarchy, hoping to take control of King Ondoria Atkascha III’s child successor and use them as a puppet to rule Ivalice. The king has two children, his teenage adopted half-sister Princess Ovelia, and the child Prince Orinus. The Princess, sheltered in the Orbonne Monastery, is targeted by forces of the Northern Sky.

Ramza Beoulve, a sellsword under the greedy Goffard Gaffgarion, is hired to protect Ovelia, working with Ovelia’s bodyguards, led by Agrias Oaks. The mercenaries and the bodyguards defeat the forces sent by the Northern Sky, though the Princess is captured by Delita Heiral, Ramza’s former friend. When Ramza sees Delita again, he has a long flashback upon what became of their friendship and how the bond between them had been broken…

 

Chapter 1

Two years before the events at Orbonne, Ramza a young boy of 18, with long blonde hair tied into a loose ponytail, so innocent seeming, but so deadly and Delita, the wise for his youth, 17 year old boy with slicked back brown hair giving him more of a masculine look than Ramza, were both childhood friends and allies in the Order of the Northern Sky. Ramza is the third son of the House Beoulve, while Delita is a commoner working in the house along with his sister, Tietra Heiral, being Delita’s younger sister she has always had Delita looking out for her and has never had any problems within her life, Her and Delita, are children of a young farmer who lived and worked on land owned by House Beoulve, Lord Barbaneth Beoulve (former lord commander of the Northern Sky, who was brutally killed at malady in War’s End) assumed custody of both Tietra and Delita soon after their parents were taken by the Black Death. She attended the Eagrose Preparatory Akademy with Ramza’s younger sister Alma. But her peers would not accept her due to her roots. It is uncommon to find people of such status as Ramza to be comrades let alone friends with commoners such as the Herials, but that didn’t stop them having a close bond. The two studied at the Akademy in the Magick City of Gariland, studying for 2 years together, in the same class of weapon ability, they are both symmetrical when it comes to swordplay, and are as equals in sword fighting, alas Delita does win over Ramza in hand to hand combat, which Ramza had always secretly hated.

Following Ivalice’s defeat in the Fifty Year’s War, soldiers returning home could not get their pay, starved and craving anything they can get their hands on, this created vast dissatisfaction with the nobility and charged revolts across Ivalice, like the Corpse Brigade’s uprising in Ramza’s home duchy of Gallionne. Ramza and Delita, had both been escorted with the other apprentices into the Royal Military Akademy At Gariland, without any explanation, the apprentices start out in huddled bunches, whispering to each other what each individual thought was happening, when a few moments later everyone was just in a ruckus over what was happening, Ramza overheard two Squires chatting, the Male Squire saying ‘Another wain was struck last night on its way to Eagrose.’ The Female Squire responded ‘The corpse brigade again?’, after hearing this confused by what he thinks could have been Brigade troops prowling the streets again turns to Delita, and questions him, ‘I wonder where all this leads… Delita, what do you make of this?’, Delita, giving a small grin, like he was expecting Ramza to have said these exact words, says ‘I have my guesses, but….’ He knows that Ramza would have to ask him about this he prepares himself for his answer Ramza follows ‘I’m Listening’ Delita replies promptly with ‘I Think Duke Larg is coming to Gariland.’ Ramza puzzled by this says ‘Duke Larg? Why?’ Not Just Duke Larg, But The Marquis Elmdore de Limberry too’ Delita added, Ramza looks baffled, ‘That’s the first I’ve heard of it, This has not the sound of a state visit’ ‘All of Ivalice is in turmoil. The Orders supposed to be keeping things under control, but the fact it, they number too few’ Delita explains. ‘And they mean to bolster their numbers with us?’ Ramza adds, just as he finishes the sentence the whole goes deeply silent. As a man’s voice echoes in from the doorway heading to the street, ‘All right everybody form up!’ as the man appears from the doorway people notice his attire, a night from the Northern Sky, people notice this and abruptly get into rows, of even numbers, Ramza and Delita do the same for people of the Northern Sky are appreciative of discipline. The knight walks from the doorway across to the front stage of the Akademy, on higher ground then everyone so his voice is clearly heard by everyone I the room, even the servants cowering in the corners of the room. His muscular build makes him look very intimidating, and the fact he is now taller than anyone in the room, nobody dares make a sound.

 Still with silence in the room he begins with instructions ‘The Order of The Northern Sky has an assignment for its knights apprentice, as I’m sure you’re aware, the number of brigands roaming Gallionne is on the rise. Among them the Corpse Brigade… a seditious lot with a grudge against the crown. Rogues such as they must be dealt with. The order has been commanded to undertake an operation to eliminate the brigade- an operation of a grand scale. We will not be acting alone, the order will be joined by, among others, His Excellency Duke Larg’s royal guard, stationed at Eagrose. This will leave Eagrose castle undermanned your task will be to proceed there, and support us from the rear by bolstering its defences.’ As he finishes the main part of the speech everyone looks determined and ready to fight, the knight just about to speak again gets cut off, from another person entering the room, the group look around to see now a female Knight following the first Knight’s footsteps to the stage, and begins to whisper into the male knights ear. So silently none of the apprentices can hear, the woman then scurries out quicker than you would expect someone lugging around such heavy armour to be able to. The Male knight then with a determined look in his eye and a small grin starts again with more instructions ‘The time is upon you young apprentices! I’ve just received word that a band of thieves routed by our knights flees here to Gariland, seeking refuge. We will move to stop them, and finish the task of our brothers, you young apprentices will accompany us. This is but a squall before the storm of battle, prepare yourselves at once, Dismissed!’ as soon as the word Dismissed was released from his lips, the whole group disperses, going from shop to shop getting all supplies they can purchase with whatever gil they can find within their pockets. Delita, and Ramza being under wealth have everything they need, although they take a quick detour to the item shop, to be safe, and purchase half a dozen potions for the mission, and get a few phoenix downs, which are rare to come by now, as they hold great power or resurrection, as the label says, when used upon an ally they can be resurrected with little amounts of life, which then is where the potions would come in, as they would restore life to the allies also. As the saying goes better to be safe than sorry.