Two years after the scrolls of Destruction and Creation were returned to the Cethindol Tower, grave word comes across the river that splits two nations: Unluthio and Tharkas. It turns out The Gate is open once again, and none can tell why. Great fear has risen across the land, and Unluthio's preparing for a war. Her 5,000 soldiers are marching towards the Northern borders of their kingdom to prepare a defense against whatever may come from the bowels of the Gate.

It wouldn't be until the following month that anything of note comes from the Gate. But what did come from it was terrible. What appeared to be an army of 2,000 Orcs with a vanguard of Goblins came charging from the Dead Fields, home of the Gate. The Army of the Desert was barred down along their line and in a fight for many weeks. Every day they killed hundreds of Orcs and Goblins, and every day they lost hundreds. But it looked as if they would win. They had numbers on their side.

On the 12th day of the seige, an unfamiliar cry unlike any bird known to man echoes across the plains. Such a sound has not been heard in over 1,200 years in the realm of Hypeltheon. Four Demons circled the sky, their black bodies silhouetted against the twilight of the sky. They swooped down and wreaked havoc on Unluthio's only hope. Their numbers were dwindling fast and had no way to defend against the Demons other than flight.

The very next day a message was sent from Unluthio Castle towards Tharkas. They needed help, and Tharkas was closest, and known as the strongest nation in existence.
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In the Hall of Kings at the heart of Tharkas Castle, Krystoth - King of Tharkas - and his council met to discuss the day-to-day dealings of Tharkas, totally unaware of the War that was brewing across the River. It was this fateful day that a ragged messenger would run into the hallowed halls of the King and Council to beseech them. Two Tower Guards opened the giant wood doors ornamented with gold and iron. In staggered the gentleman, tired and weary from travel. He rode for 3 days to make it to Tharkas Castle. He was finally there.

Over the hours that were to pass, he delivered word of the Gate and its opening. He also spoke with great sorrow of the battle on their Northern Borders. How every day they were losing hundreds of soldiers to the Demons. It was projected that their army would last 10 days, 3 of which had been spent waiting for the messenger to arrive in Tharkas.

Once his message was delivered, the Messenger was sent to a cozy room in one of the Castle Towers to rest and be fed. The Council and Krystoth sat in discussion as to a plan of action. They could either fortify their own borders to prevent the demons and monsters of old from entering their land, or they could go and try to save Unluthio, and push the demons back towards the Dead Fields. Several hours these 13 men spent in debate. It finally drew to a single conclusion: Rally the White Cloud Army and send them to Unluthio. They would not see their neighbor fall once again without a proper fight.

A force of 5,000 White Cloud were rallied, only a small portion of their actual army. They had a vanguard of 800 Knights on horseback and were supported by 10 catapults in the rear. Such a force was led by Tharkas' prime Knights: Wren and Asura. Their forces: the 3rd Knighthood and 1st Knighthood were among the 5,800 Knights that were sent across the river. This force was gathered in 2 days, that left 5 to get to Unluthio.

It would be 4 days before they actually arrive in the Desert Kingdom. The idea was to strike from the side of the Orc Army and then drive through their front ranks like a spike so the Unluthians could rest and then move up to the front line. To do this the White Cloud needed to take the route through the Easulan Checkpoint.

On the 9th day they arrived, in the distance they could see the battle raging on. They saw the Orcs, and there were far more than 2,000 of them now. But it was hard to find the opposing army. It almost looked as if there was nothing left.

Wren and Asura rallied their troops, the White Cloud Army gathered into their ranks, the Vanguard strode to the front, carrying three banners: the indigo banner of Wren's 1st Knighthood, the green banner of Asura's 3rd Knighthood, and the Blue, White, and Gold banner of Tharkas's White Cloud Army. The warcry was given, and the Knights ran forward, the horses trotting so they wouldn't break away from the main body.

100 meters
80 meters
70 meters
50 meters
The Knights were rushing forward, and now the Horses broke into a gallop, rushing to their foes. The few Unluthians who weren't locked in cobat looked out to the West, the White Cloud had arrived. A massive wall of Knights broke on the Orcs and Goblins like water, and the battle ensued. The horseback knights had surprised the Orcs and Goblins so much that they almost instantly drove a wedge in their ranks, splitting the few up in the front from the many in the rear. Knights swiftly filled this void and began to drive across to make a defensive line. Catapults fired into the back ranks of the Orcs to confuse, and to keep them from reinforcing those in the fray.

At the end of the day the battle was at a standstill. The White Cloud had made a defensive line 50 meters ahead of the Unluthian line, and were pulling in the last of their supplies, waiting for the next wave. For many White Cloud this was their first battle, and for even more it was their first war.