Synthetic Survivor: Machine Age

On the harsh deserts of Anhua, two armies were engaged in close-quarters combat. The sounds of spears and swords clanking and men screaming as they were stabbed and sliced filled the desert. The army of the Kingdom of Herlion, composed of 100,000 foot soldiers crossed the borders of the Kingdom of Yuhin, and thus sparked another war between the two rival countries.

The Kingdom of Yuhin had only 50,000 foot soldiers to defend itself, they were being beaten back. Their men fell in droves, their King could see it. As he stared from the safety of a sand dune a kilometer away from the fighting, he watched as his army was on the verge of being defeated. Standing beside him was an old man whom the King trusts as an advisor. The Grand Mage of Yuhin, Haselborn.

"My King, won't it be wise if I intervened?"

The king smiled.

"No, our men are fighting valiantly on the sands, not until the last man falls, you won't do anything"

But the Grand Mage wasn't content.

"But, your majesty, your daughter is there in the fighting! what would happen of the crown princess was to die in the hands of the enemy? even worse, captured!"

The king maintained his smile and composure and looked at the old man.

"Haselborn, you didn't quite understand me, I said, when the last MAN was to fall, not the last soldier"

Hearing this, the grand mage was relieved, he did not question further and proceeded to spectate the battle through his ball of magic.

The battle continued to rage, in the midst of it all, a fierce duel was about to commence.

The princess of Yuhin, wearing her signature golden-plated armour and wielding her father's sword, was about to duel with the crown prince of the Kingdom Of Herlion, crown prince Lion The 6th.

They faced against each other as the battle raged around them, the prince was handsome, golden hair and a beautiful face. The princess was also beautiful, one would see them being a nice couple together, but they had other things in mind.

"Your sword carries the blood of my brothers"

The princess knew what the prince had done prior to the war.

"Oh ho, so you know dear princess?"

"I am no fool to see through your lies, Lion"

Before she was crown princess, there were two princes, her older brothers who she loved dearly. A few weeks before, the princes visited Herlion to negotiate peace concerning the border conflicts between the two nations, a messenger came to the palace and told the King and the princess, that the brothers were killed by the crown prince.

"Alright, I'm giving you a chance, Princess, your beauty is quite unrivaled among the women in the land, become my concubine and I'll spare you and your father"

The princess frowned.

"I will never, be the wife, of a disgusting person, such as yourself"

The prince smiled.

"So be it then"

The crown prince charged at the princess with incredible speed, the princess was surprised and barely blocked the prince's sword as he swung it to decapitate her. The two exchanged swings and punches, the princess was having trouble.

'This is the power of enhancement magic, it's got to be it!' she thought.

The prince's strength and skill were too inhuman for her, the princess struggled as the prince's attack became more and more powerful. The prince then swung his sword towards her head again, the princess raised her sword to block it. The two swords met and the prince's sword shattered the sword of her father.

She managed to dodge the attack, but her sword was no more.

'No! father's sword!' she cried in her heart.

The pain of losing another thing loved by her family crossed her heart. The pain was almost unbearable for her. She collapsed into tears.

The prince walked towards the princess, grimacing.

"Oh poor girl, If only you accepted my offer, such a waste to cut your head off"

The prince raised his sword and prepared to cut the princess' head off. The princess suddenly lunged at him, her face was horrifying in the prince's eyes, the once beautiful look that the princess once sported was replaced by a menacing stare comparable to a savage beast. The prince panicked and swung his sword, the princess caught it mid-swing with her right hand. Using only her hand, she crushed the prince's sword.

The prince stumbled to the ground, fearful for his life. The enhancement magic that the princess suspected faded along with the prince's confidence. She stared down on him, her eyes glowed red, replacing the beautiful golden irises she had.

"P-please, spa-"

Before the prince could finish, the princess swung her hand against his head and it flew.

The prince was decapitated, his head fell right beside him. The princess' look dampened and she got her knees, her eyes returned to normal as she collapsed into tears once more.

'Brothers.. I have done it.. I've avenged you' she thought in her heart, no longer in pain.

The princess was losing consciousness, she could feel her head becoming light, and her body numbing. She tried to stand up but alas, she fell to the ground.

The King saw everything from the magic ball held by the Grand Mage. He gave out a sigh.

"Do it"

The Grand Mage bowed, he looked towards the battlefield, seeing that only the princess and the enemy remained, he didn't hesitate.

He clasped his hands and closed his eyes.

"Enchanteus Wirls Descend on the desert, feel the might of the sovereign Url"

Dark clouds suddenly formed over the battlefield, the men on the ground looked in confusion, until..

"Come down! Url of Yuhina!"

A vile ugly projection of a beast suddenly descended from the clouds, the men on the ground were immediately struck with fear upon gazing at the creature.

The beast came down on the ground, striking it with immense force. The entire army of Herlion was crushed under the beast's weight.

"Hmp"

The king was pleased.

The Grand Mage looked at his king and bowed.

"I cast a protective barrier around the princess to protect her"

The king smiled.

"You have never failed me, I expected nothing less"

The Grand Mage bowed once again in honour.

"Shall I call on the Cavalry to retrieve the princess?"

The king nodded.

"It's time for Princess Erin to rest"

---

Erin slowly opened her eyes, she was in a room, her room. She was lying on her silk sheet bed, her room was magnificent, laced with gold and silver, painted in yellow. Her furniture was also spectacular to see.

"I'm home huh" she whispered.

"You're finally awake" A crude voice echoed from the corner of her room.

"You don't have to hide, Hereld"

She replied as she rubbed her eyes.

"Haha"

A man in a suit of armour came out of the dim-lit corner, Hereld, the princess' personal bodyguard.

He was an honourable man, had a wife and three kids, with two years in-between them.

"You look quite cheerful today, Hereld"

"Oh well, it was quite a pain to be held back by the king's orders"

"You were an experienced cavalryman, you had no reason to waste your energy on the sub-par army of Herlion"

"Haha, you credit me too much, your highness"

"I'm only speaking the truth," she said as she smiled.

"Are you feeling better, your majesty?"

The princess assessed her body.

"It seems so, my heart has been calmed, I have avenged my brothers and chopped the head of the prince who took them away from me"

"Indeed, we saw his head next to his body and you"

Although fulfilled, she was still thinking of the magic that was cast on the prince, she was able to sense it, and she knew it was enhancement magic.

"Where is my father right now?" She asked.

"Your father is having a meeting with the lowland senators, something about ceding a bit of land to the Herlion Kingdom as an assurance of peace"

She gave out a deep breath.

"My father is ever so kind"

The princess and knight both smiled.

"Would you like to visit your mage friend? to cheer you up"

The princess' face lightened up a bit.

"Sure, it's been a while, she was sent to the Fortress city near the Freetan Border right?"

"Yes, your highness, she was sent to look after the city since the garrison was temporarily relocated to the border with Herlion"

"Right then," she said as she stood up.

"Let's go, Hereld"

As the two were about to exit, a maid opened the door.

"Your Highness, the king requests your attendance"