Xana vs. Vernador X and His Army
Overview of the Forces
Xana's Forces
Leader: Xana
Total Force Size: 1 Fairy
Fighting Force Breakdown: ((1 total))
King Vernador X's Forces
Leader: King Vernador X of Cassel
Total Force Size: 95,834 soldiers and personnel
Fighting Force Breakdown: ((52,096 total))
Support Force Breakdown: ((43,738 total))
Background
In the year 1,635 I.A., There was a crisis going on in the Kingdom of Cassel. The Aethercite mines of Rosika had dried up. there was no more Aethercite from within the existing mines, and other sources of pure aethercite had run dry long ago. This caused a bit of a crisis in Cassel, as many of their machines were from the Bronze Age and required Aether to function properly. Many neighboring kingdoms had already abandoned the massive bronze age structures and moved to simpler lifestyles using much weaker Mana as an energy source to fuel their way of life, but not yet Cassel.
There was one untouched source of Aethercite in the kingdom, one that no one had yet considered. There were stories that The Sun Valley had so much Aethercite it was laying on the ground in the open. So saturated was the region in Aether that it covered the lands in a colored fog. The reason no one ever went to this region was stories of a Creature that rules these lands that wouldn't tolerate any intruders.
The Tenth King of Cassel at the time, Eldon Vernador X, decided that in order for the kingdom to survive, they needed the aethercite from the Sun Valley. He sent a small force of fifty mages and soldiers to retrieve some.
About a week later, only one of these soldiers returned, with a horrifying tale. He said that some creature had demanded they leave, and when they didn't and tried to take the aethercite, the thing turned them into statues of gold. The soldier said that he barely got away with his life, and his entire arm had been turned to gold. Vernador X wasn't sure entirely what happened. He consulted his advisors and they determined that maybe the creature was intelligent? He decided to send an envoy instead of soldiers, with instructions to not touch the aethercite.
The Sun Valley is a magical place, under the watchful eye of Xana. The aethercite crystals are so numerous, they litter the forest floor.
Through the many thousands of years, an uncountable number of people have trespassed into these lands, nearly all attempting to take these crystals from the Sun Valley. None have ever been successful.
Through the many thousands of years, an uncountable number of people have trespassed into these lands, nearly all attempting to take these crystals from the Sun Valley. None have ever been successful.
About a week later, this envoy returned. He said the creature turned out to be a harmless fairy, calling herself Xana. The Envoy produced a letter and handed it to the king:
Hi King Wernafor! Er...Vernador, the Tenth?
((Wow, there's been Ten of you already!?!))
Anyways, It has come to my attention that you desire the Aethercite crystals that are spread across my lands in the Sun Valley. Well, you can't have them! No way! Well, actually there is a way....
You must venture to my Valley, alone, and you must ask me nicely! Also, you must bring me my weight in sweets! Your land hasn't invented chocolate yet Your land has great pies and desert, er...dessert breads, and I would have them all!
If you do this, I will allow you to take one Aethercite crystal from my lands.
BUT ONLY ONE.
Don't annoy me Kingey, you will regret it if you do!
Love,
Xana, the Greatest Fairy Ever!
((but you knew that already, right?))
Xana, the Greatest Fairy Ever!
((but you knew that already, right?))
The King thought this had to be a joke. He had the envoy executed, then ordered another one to venture into the valley. To ensure this was done, he ordered two of his most trusted knights to go with the envoy.
A week later, a woman with golden hair stepped into the King's hall, with three small children walking behind her. Vernador X wasn't in the mood for any audiences, but the woman insisted. She produced an aethercite crystal and told the king she knew of where to find more. The king was interested and allowed the woman to talk to him.
The woman started by changing the three children back into adults, the two knights and the envoy, and sent them on their way. The Woman then revealed that she was Xana the fairy, and she was not pleased with the King's antics. She said she already sent him a letter...the King ordered his royal guard to capture Xana.
Xana responded with her magic, turning the guard's weapons into some sort of bendy substance, making them useless as weapons. She then turned to the king to speak to him again. She said this was his last chance.
King Vernador was to enter the valley alone, and not only must he bring Xana sweets, but he must also bend the knee and apologize. Xana then turned into her fairy form. She told the King that even if he brought an entire army to the Sun Valley, she wouldn't turn over a single piece of Aethercite and they would all die. She then left.
Vernador was insulted by Xana and her own antics and wanted a show of force to make an example of her, to show the world that nothing will disrespect him...Vernador X put out a call for soldiers to join him. He contacted neighboring kingdoms, saying it was time to invade the Sun Valley and take the Aethercite there.
"I don't use my human form very often, but admit it, you like this look, don't you?"
Force Buildup
Most lords didn't want to take Vernador seriously, it was just a single fairy, but the prospect of gaining access to more Aethercite had them interested. Three Knightly Orders answered the Call, the Phoenix, Abyss, and Leviathan Knights, as well as 30 Barons from Cassel and surrounding kingdoms. Within a few months, Vernador X had an army approaching 100,000 men.
Vernador X marched his forced north from the city of Wrethilin, he marched up into the County of Azure within a few weeks, where the Sun Valley was located. He stayed in the city of Esurian for several days waiting for the rest of his forces to arrive. He asked the local ruler there Countess Locaya to provide him with additional soldiers, but Locaya only offered support personel, warning Vernador X that Xana is not an ordinary fairy. Vernador begrudgingly took the offer of support personel and left, saying that if Locaya is lucky and he gets his aethercite, he won't turn his soldiers on Esurian next.
Xana's Capture
After all his forces were gathered, Vernador X led his army east. They camped along the shores of the Azure sea. They could see the Ridge holding the sun valley from here. There was a giant barrier surrounding the entire valley. Xana flew out of the valley, and was in front of the King, demanding that he leave. The king refused. Xana said that it means death then. She raised her hands to cast a powerful spell, but nothing happened. Vernador revealed he was holding a Paracite crystal, draining the fairy's power. Xana then passed out and Vernador put her in a jar.
The barrier around the Sun Valley was still up however. They would need the deactivation spell from Xana in order to get in. This started two weeks of failed attempts to get the information out of Xana. They tried asking nicely at first, then they tried many different methods of torture.
Saya
"Oh yeah, I remember this part of the story. They tried drowning you, then came the crushing, burning, freezing, ripping your wings off, filling your jar with acid and poison...and you slept peacefully through it all!"
Xana
"What? We're the only ones here..."
Xana wakes up
Xana woke up and yawned, thanking the king for giving her two weeks of peaceful nap time. She then phased through the glass of the jar and sat on the table. The king was confused as to how the fairy casted magic? Vernador X reached for the paracite crystal and held it up to Xana. Xana touched the crystal, turning it into a flower.
Xana revealed that she was messing with the King this whole time. The negative Aethercite never worked! The King ran out of his tent and ordered his knights and soldiers to protect him. Within a minute, thousands of soldiers were surrounding the tent. Xana then flew up into the air, pleased that so many soldiers would gather just for her!
"You think my power comes from Mana and Aether, Kingey!?!
Ha! You have so very little idea just who you're dealing with!"
Ha! You have so very little idea just who you're dealing with!"
"That was a lot of arrows and magic! Too bad it has no effect on me! Seriously, do you men want to keep throwing your lives away? This is literally your last chance!"
"No? Well, okay then. Let me show you what real power is!"
"No? Well, okay then. Let me show you what real power is!"
What she wasn't happy with were all the noncombatants everywhere in the camp. She made them disappear so the fighting could commence without any unecessary distractions! She asked the soldiers to lay down their arms, or they will die. Most of the soldiers were confused about why many thousands of them were here over a fairy and how she was so threatening to the king. Xana told them they had one more chance.
The King ordered an arrow volley at Xana, and within seconds many thousands of arrows, fireballs, ice spikes, and all manner of projectile and magic spell was going in Xana's direction. Units below had raised magic shields so they wouldn't be caught in the crossfire. Xana was unharmed. She let out a deep breath, and started to cast a magic spell...
The Bear Slaying
What happened next could only be described as a scene of horror. Many knights and soldiers started to feel uneasy, then sickened. They dropped their weapons as they fell to the ground. Pressure started building in their bodies and they started to change. What followed was terror and chaos as tens of thousands of men started changing into bears, tearing through the ranks of those not yet changed. Even after everyone had turned into bears, there was still pandemonium on the battlefield as they fought each other, ripping each other to shreds. No one escaped being changed, not even the king.
High above the battlefield was Xana, cackling with delight at the chaos she caused. She floated there until the next day, watching as the corpses piled up. The blood ran so thick that the Sea of Azure became the Crimson Sea for a time. Xana waited until there was only a few hundred bears remaining, including the King. She cast one more spell, causing all of the bears to vanish along with her, leaving the carnage behind.
"The moral of the story? DON'T STEAL FROM ME!...Oh wait, there's also this part too..."
The Aciam Fulgriff and the Bear Slayer
King Vernador X was equipped with a legendary weapon at the time, the Aciam Fulgriff, the sword of Kings. Xana took that sword away and said the Vernadors don't deserve such a weapon yet. She said she would hold onto the sword until she found a worthy heir to the kingdom, but that wouldn't be for quite some time.
Vernador X's son, Vernador XI, was one of the noncombatants Xana made disappear. She actually teleported him into the Sun Valley, and all the non-combatants were teleported to the edge of the city of Esurian. Xana did not tell the son what she did to the armies yet. She had a test for him.
She gave the Eleventh Vernador a small Aethercite crystal, with strict instructions to take it, and only it out of the valley with him. The young prince followed the order exactly, refusing to even drink any water while he was in the valley. He came across many larger crystals and thought several times about swapping the one he had, but he didn't do it.
When he got to the edge of the valley, the aethercite crystal had transformed into a sword. Xana then appeared next to the kid, impressed that he followed her orders. She told the young Prince that he was king now. The father was now "dead", and so was his whole army. The Sun valley is off limits for all time.
She then told the Eleventh Vernador that the sword is called the Bear Slayer, the sword of the unworthy. It will become Cassel's new legendary sword to pass from king to king.
"I wanted to call the sword the Wolf Slayer, but that name was already taken. Also that would have required me to turn the army into wolves..."
This was a very funny article in to read I love Xana personality and wit. As I also love the letter she wrote to The King thanks for the last and it is a very good story and warning not mess with her