PROLOGUE
War.
It is something that makes two worlds alike, even in their vast differences. This world, the one almost all humans live in, was torn apart by the American Revolution that lasted almost thirty years, where America fought for her freedom — and won.
Likewise, another world, hidden from man's eyes, has had its share of wars. None were as devastating as the Great War that would last more than a hundred years.
1769 of the human calendar is the year that the Dark Lord started his war against the world of magick. He created Orcs, fearsome fighters with no mercy, to serve as his army. He built a fortress, in the fields of one of the many planes that the Other Dimension has, made it his stronghold and his palace. He mastered all spells of magic, Elven, Human, Aseyewrn and many more, becoming the all-powerful.
Nations crumbled before his army of killers; those who tried to make peace with him were only lured by false promises of security, of trust. They too were taken.
Faced with this evil, the remaining species — Elves, Affati, Aclida, Vampire, Aseyewrn and Human — were forced to declare war to stop the Dark Lord from gaining their land and their people. They formed what came to be known as the Alliance.
Of the many battles that the Alliance faced, it was at the Fields of Cal that the final, and most memorable, battle took place in 1819 of the human calendar.
There, the last remnants of the Alliance's troops faced down the largest host of orcs ever to be sent by the Dark Lord. They failed the battle, almost all slaughtered.
However, the few survivors who made it back to the great city of Terragan reported this to their leaders. There were no more soldiers in the city, and the rulers were forced to call upon the denizens of the city to defend their homes. Young men and boys were brought to arms; a ruling forbidding young women to join the army was dropped, so finally capable women were allowed to fight.
It was at the gates of Terragan City that the war was won by men and women with little or no experience in battle.