Warning: This fanfic is a sequel to The Alliance: Questionable Honour and Rise of the Champions.

Prologue: Shadows from the Past

13 years ago

Aesis merely looked at the scene that was laid before him as he stood on the high stone walls of Prontera, looking down below him. Most of the ground before him was black, or at the very best dull red, painted by the large amounts of men and women Rune-Midguard had lost in order to fight the Dark Legion, the large horde of evil dark creatures that had gather together and set out to destroy humanity. The war had gone over for months now, and with each passing day, more and more people became casualties in the effort to end it.

Right at the every end where the forests and trees that surrounded the capital city were located lurked many undead and dark creatures. Several zombies could be seen shuffling their feet and walking about at the distance, somehow smart enough to keep away from the high, stone walls of Prontera least an eager hunter took them down in a blink of an eye. Wraiths and Abysmal Knights could be seen walking alone once in a while, and ever so often some shrieking cry could be heard from the distance, although most of the population in Prontera had gotten used to this, and treat it as an everyday occurrence.

Aesis hated this scene. The sun never seem to shine anymore, and the sky was almost always cloudy for months now, as if the Gods of the earth was complaining to them at the amount of death that they had to absorb. The war had gone on for so long now that Prontera was running out of provisions to feed its people. If they do not defeat the Dark Legion and allow the farmers and fishermen to go back to their daily activities, within a month's time the Dark Legion would have won because they would have effectively starved the entire human population that was held up in Prontera to death.

Only some of the large cities remained until now. Juno was utterly destroyed by the initial siege, and was pretty much ruined by the war. Payon, being one of the furthest cities from Glasthelm, where the Dark Legion's army was based, was still holding up well, mainly because of Prontera guarding them, since the Dark Legion's forces would need to pass through Pronteran territory to get to Payon. The defense line between Prontera and Geffen was still holding up, but from the looks of it, probably not for long.

" It's official!" someone called out cheerfully to him. " If we do not win this war now, Geffen will fall in three days."

He turned around to look at the person who had addressed him. She was a lord knight in her late twenties, although her haggard and tired expression showed otherwise. Still, she was grinning at him despite bringing bad news, a twinkle in her eye. Aesis could not remember the last time he ever saw someone in a proper suit of armour. The woman was wearing her suit of armour, but one could see her armour had taken lots of damage and had no time to be repaired. A large chunk of the armour that was supposed to cover her left shoulder was missing, and there were large scratches on the front of her chest, courtesy of a Bahamut taking several shots at her with its sickle. She had broken so many helms she now couldn't even be bothered to wear one. In fact, the only thing that seemed new and intact was her two magically enhanced Claymores that she kept on her back, shiny despite not having being maintained by a blacksmith for some time now.

" Supplies have run out in Geffen, and if they don't go out find their resources, the first ones to die will be the ones in the hospital," the woman replied, almost happily.

" ...Is that the correct way to inform me of bad news?" Aesis sighed.

The Lord Knight started to laughed heartily, a signature laugh that she was well-known for. She laughed with such vigour and heartiness that everyone who heard it would smile. Really infectious. Aesis couldn't help but break into a smile as well.

" Bad news?! Perhaps if you see it that way, greenhorn. But, to me, it either means we win in the next three days, or we lose in the next three days, for real," the Lord Knight replied. " I am tired of living like this. If we are going to lose anyway, I want to lose now."

" Are we officially surrendering?" Aesis asked.

" Hell no! I need of make four kids before I die. A boy, and a girl, then a twin. Just perfect," she replied, laughing out loudly as she walked up to him and folded her arms while gazing at the scene that Aesis was looking at. " However, I have to admit, we are at the last straw here, so we have come up with an emergency plan. A bold, desperate plan. If we fail, so does the whole of humanity. We need you in the meeting room now."

" ...There was no need for the theatrics, you could just say that you needed me in the meeting room," Aesis replied.

" Whatever, greenhorn," she replied, before walking away. " Don't be late..."

Aesis looked at her as she walked away, before shaking her head and sighed loudly. " You never change, Tessa..." Aesis replied.

" ...So do you, dick weed..." Hades suddenly muttered.

" Hey, I forbid you to talk in public, I thought I already warned you about it!" Aesis snapped back, sounding slightly angry.

" Pah, it's not like anyone is going to know," the sentient sword replied, opening one of its eye and taking a good look around. " To think it has come to this...humanity at it's last breath. Have you considered if you have chosen the wrong side yet, boy?"

" ...Never..." Aesis answered.

" Love is such a funny thing. Come, Aesis, let's go to the meeting," Hades replied.

" You sound happy somewhat," Aesis noted, smiling slightly.

" Of course. This shall be the battle that ends all battles. For once, I wish to eventually see the sun rise on the horizon to reflect the great green fields Prontera once had," Hades answered. " ...Also, I was hoping to at least meet my counterpart. You could at least attempt to do that, right?"

" I shall try..." Aesis replied, walking down the steps of the Pronteran walls as he started to head towards the army's meeting room.