Kingdom of Wiltshire (The First Great War)
A thousand years before Gilfillan.
The Kingdom of Wiltshire was a peaceful and prosperous land, ruled by the wise and benevolent King Wales. He was loved by his subjects, who enjoyed a life of freedom and happiness under his reign. He was also respected by his allies, who admired his courage and generosity in times of war and peace.
One day, a messenger arrived at the royal palace with a letter from the neighbouring kingdom of Zalazar ruled by dragons. The letter was from the dragon King Zalazar himself, who had a reputation for being cruel and greedy. He demanded that King Wales surrender his kingdom to him or face his wrath. He claimed that he had amassed a large army of soldiers and mercenaries, ready to invade Wiltshire at any moment.
King Wales was shocked and outraged by this threat. He knew that Zalazar was lying about his army, and that he only wanted to take over Wiltshire for its rich resources. He also knew that he could not give up his kingdom without a fight, for the sake of his people and his honour.
He summoned his council of advisors and asked them for their opinions. Some of them suggested that he should negotiate with Zalazar, hoping to avoid a war. Others advised him to prepare for battle, trusting in his loyal knights and warriors. King Wales listened to them all, but he was still undecided.
He decided to seek the guidance of the Oracle, an ancient and mysterious being who lived in a hidden cave in the mountains. The Oracle was said to have the power to see the past, present and future, and to answer any question with the truth. King Wales had visited the Oracle once before, when he was a young prince, and he had received a prophecy that he would become a great king.
He left the palace with a small group of guards and rode to the cave where the Oracle dwelled. He entered the dark and damp cavern, following a narrow path that led to a chamber where a faint light glowed. There he saw the Oracle, sitting on a stone throne, covered with a hooded cloak. Only its eyes were visible, shining like stars in the darkness.
King Wales bowed before the Oracle and said: “O Oracle, I have come to seek your wisdom. I am faced with a grave dilemma. The king of Zalazar has threatened to invade my kingdom unless I surrender it to him. What should I do?”
The Oracle spoke in a low and raspy voice: “You have come to me again, Wales. I remember you well. You are the one who fulfilled my prophecy and became a great king.”
“Thank you for your kind words, Oracle. But I need your help now more than ever. Please tell me what to do.”
The Oracle paused for a moment, then said: “You have two choices, Wales. You can either fight or flee.”
“Fight or flee? What do you mean?”
“You can either stand your ground and defend your kingdom against Zalazar’s attack, or you can abandon your throne and escape with your life.”
“What will happen if I fight?”
“If you fight, you will face many dangers and hardships. You will lose many of your men and friends in battle. You will suffer wounds and pain. You will risk losing everything you hold dear.”
“And what will happen if I flee?”
“If you flee, you will save yourself from harm. You will avoid bloodshed and sorrow. You will preserve your life and health.”
“Then why should I fight? Why should I risk so much for nothing?”
“Because if you fight, you will also gain something that you cannot get by fleeing.”
“What is it?”
“Glory.”
“Glory?”
“Yes, glory. The glory of being a brave and noble king who fought for his people and his land. The glory of being remembered as a hero by generations to come. The glory of leaving behind a legacy that will inspire others to follow your example.”
“Is glory worth more than life?”
“That is for you to decide, Gilfillan.”
King Wales thought hard about the Oracle’s words. He realized that he had a difficult choice to make: life or glory.
He looked at the Oracle again and asked: “What would you do in my place?”
The Oracle smiled faintly and said: “I would not be in your place, Wales. I am not a king nor a warrior. I am only an Oracle.”
“Then tell me this: what will be the outcome of this war? Who will win?”
The Oracle shook its head and said: “I cannot tell you that, Wales. The future is not fixed. It depends on your actions and choices. You are the one who can shape your destiny.”
King Wales nodded and thanked the Oracle for its advice. He left the cave and returned to his palace, where he announced his decision to his council and his people.
He decided to fight.
King Wales knew he had to act quickly to save his people and his kingdom from the dragon king's wrath. He summoned his council of lords and knights and asked for their advice.
"Your Majesty, we must send our army to Dorset at once and join forces with the other kingdoms to stop Zalar," said Lord Harold, the commander of the army.
"Your Majesty, we must fortify our defences and prepare for Zalar's attack," said Lord Edwin, the master of the castle.
"Your Majesty, we must seek peace with Zalar and offer him tribute and homage," said Lord Oswald, the chancellor of the treasury.
King Wales listened to their opinions carefully and then made his decision.
"My lords, I thank you for your counsel. But I have made up my mind. We will not cower behind our walls nor bow before our enemy. We will fight for our freedom and our honour. We will march to Dorset and face Zalar in battle. We will show him that we are not afraid of him or his dragons. We will show him that we are the true kings of this land!"
The lords cheered and applauded the king's speech. They pledged their loyalty and support to him. King Wales then turned to his son, Prince Arthur, who was watching from a balcony.
"My son, you are too young to join me in battle. But you are old enough to rule in my absence. I entrust you with the care of your mother and your people. You are the future of this kingdom. Be brave, be wise, be just."
Prince Arthur nodded solemnly and bowed to his father.
"I will do my best, father. I love you."
"I love you too, son."
King Wales then kissed his wife goodbye and mounted his horse. He led his army out of the castle gates and headed towards Dorset.
The war of Wiltshire had begun.
The human armies arrived in Old Stump just in time to see Zalazar and his army approaching from the sky. They quickly formed a defensive line around the city and prepared for battle.
"Look at them," King Wales. "They are like a swarm of locusts. They will devour everything in their path."
"We must not let them," Commander Alfred said. "We must fight them with all our might. We must protect our people and our lands."
"We will," Commander Edgar said. "We have the advantage of numbers and terrain. We have archers and catapults. We can shoot them down from the sky."
"We also have courage and faith," Commander Kenneth said. "We have a righteous cause and a noble spirit. We can overcome them with our hearts."
The three commanders raised their swords and shouted a battle cry. Their armies followed suit and cheered loudly.
"Charge!" they yelled and ran towards the enemy.
The battle began.
The human soldiers fired arrows and bolts and stones at the dragons and beasts, trying to bring them down from the air. Some of them succeeded, hitting their targets and causing them to fall to the ground. Others missed, hitting nothing but empty space.
The dragons and beasts breathed fire and acid and poison at the human soldiers, trying to burn them or melt them or kill them. Some of them succeeded, hitting their targets and causing them to scream in agony. Others missed, hitting nothing but dirt or stone.
The battle was fierce and bloody. Both sides suffered heavy losses. But neither side gave up.
Zalazar watched the battle from above, looking for an opportunity to strike. He saw the three human commanders leading their armies, fighting bravely and fiercely. He recognized them as his main rivals and his greatest threats.
He decided to deal with them personally.
He flew towards them, dodging arrows and bolts and stones along the way. He roared loudly, announcing his presence and his challenge.
"Commanders of men!" he shouted. "I am Zalar, king of dragons! I am your doom! Face me if you dare!"
The three commanders heard his voice and saw him coming. They knew he was the enemy leader and the most dangerous foe.
They decided to face him together.
They gathered around each other, forming a circle of steel and courage. They raised their swords and shields, ready to defend themselves and each other.
"Zalar!" they shouted back. "We are not afraid of you! We are the guardians of this land! We are your end! Come and meet your fate!"
Zalar laughed and flew closer to them. He was confident in his power and his superiority.
He was about to make a mistake.
The war of Wiltshire was about to end.
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