It was prophesied that, at the Plain of Codardia, the legendary Knight of the Kingdoms would do battle with the Lord of All Evil, finally ending his reign of horror. The armies of the Six Kingdoms had assembled. Their commanders made their plans in a great tent, over a map of the land where the ancient mage Codardia had, long ago, sealed away the armies of the Lord of All Evil. Those same armies poured forth from where the Sealing Mountain had once stood. Even across the miles-long field, the soldiers heard the bloodthirsty growling of ferocious demons.
According to the prophecy, the Knight of the Kingdoms would emerge at sunrise on the second day of fighting. The Knight’s identity was unknown to all but the Duke of Ducato, the smallest of the Six Kingdoms, and the kingdom whence the Knight was believed to originate.
At dawn, the two armies charged. Within an hour, the first clashes began. Archers brought down demon-bats, wizards bypassed barricades and ambushed demonic artificers, and the six commanders themselves took the field, each engaging one of the larger demons who served as that army’s commanders.
Soon, the sun fell, and, illuminated by the flames of a distant volcano, the demons advanced. Like the sun had, three of the six commanders fell, but so did three of the demonic commanders. The stalemate continued until sunrise, when the Knight of the Kingdoms was supposed to emerge in a beam of light and turn the battle’s tide.
The Knight of the Kingdoms did not emerge in a beam of light and turn the battle’s tide.
Panic spread throughout the kingdoms’ forces. Had they been lied to? Was the Knight slain, or a traitor? Were they just a coward?
The Prince of Principato approached the Duke of Ducato. “Where is the Knight? Have you lied to us?”
“I have done no such thing, I assure you. If there is any liar here, it is the Knight themself.”
Hope was all but lost.
Unbeknownst to the Six Kingdoms, the demons had a prophecy of their own. It said that, just after sunrise on the third day of fighting, the volcano would erupt, the Plains of Codardia would fill with smoke, and, once it faded, the Lord of All Evil would appear to strike down the Knight of the Kingdoms and destroy the opposing army.
Just after sunrise, the volcano erupted. The Plains of Codardia filled with smoke. And, once it faded, the Lord of All Evil did not appear to strike down the Knight of the Kingdoms and destroy the opposing army.
At first, the soldiers of Ducato fled. Then, all the armies of the Six Kingdoms joined them. At the same time, the demons retreated, back into where the Sealing Mountain once stood.
When they reached the village nearest the Plains of Codardia, the soldiers found the Knight of the Kingdoms cowering in a barn, having not even donned their armor.
When they reached the volcano nearest the Plains of Codardia, the demons found the disembodied spirit of the Lord of All Evil cowering in a cave, having not even manifested in the physical world.