A General's Biography

 THE TALE OF SREDINUS VILARI

Born in the Sredinah Capital, son of a famed tactician who, when Sredinus was 5 years old, fell from grace due to one of his tactics going very wrong. He was dishonourably discharged and shunned publicly

This made life for young Sredinus tough, as his mother died of cancer two years later and he was left with his depressed father, who was slowly giving himself to alcohol.

Sredinus didn't like when his father drank, but there was a silver lining - when he wasn't sleeping and going on his drinking spree, his father would spend his waking moments telling Sredinus stories about the military, teaching him strategy and telling him about all the different heroes of Sredinah.

This made Sredinus decide: he will become a general when he grows up and restore honour to his family name.

But they were poor, and his name was looked down upon so there was no way that he could enrol in any of the military schools, and a officer career path was almost impossible.

Until, when he was 12, Sredinus heard about an event - each 10 years, the Selmani Empire would send an entourage of military officers to visit every other country and hold a tournament. That tournament was free for anyone to enrol - from the poorest and the homeless, to the rich and famous.

The five people who win the first five spots in this tournament get a chance to go to Selman and, on a scholarship, enrol into the best Military Academy in Selman, and arguably in all of Pelaraam.

Six years. Sredinus had six years to prepare.

Every day, he would train with a weighted stick, instead of a sword. Whenever he wasn't working or trying to scrounge up something for food, he was always training. Dexterity, strength, weapon fighting.

His father's drunken deliriums were longer and longer, and in those moments of lucidity, Sredinus would always be there and very attentively listen to the stories of his father - for there was knowledge in there.

He found old books on strategy and read all of them, studied them in detail.

Since he was too poor to attend a Sword fighting school, he would hide in the shadows and peer through the fence of various schools - and he would memorize the forms. He would learn the moves. The stances.

It was his 18th birthday. The tournament was in two days, in the Capital.

His father was now very worn out, and too weak to even speak. Or drink. Sredinus had to devote most of his time to taking care of his father.

On the day of the tournament, he woke up to find his father dressed in his dirty, old uniform, worn out as time passed.

He was leaning against a cane, and Sredinus was at a loss for words.

"This is my old sword. I think it might serve you better than me." and his father gave him a blade. Sredinus used rusted, worn out, blunt swords he managed to somehow collect money for.

And this was a kingly gift.

Tears rolled down his face, and his father hugged him.

"Thank you, son."

He said.

"For everything."

His father turned to lay down back on the bed.
"I have one final lesson for you, Sredinus. When indecisive, always let the enemy make the first move. A wolf is dangerous when attacking, but the true danger lies in the prowl. The Hunt is a very fine dance. Always pay attention to your opponent’s moves, and follow through accordingly."

His father took a ragged breath.

"I won't be here when you return, son. But I am proud. I may not have been much of a father to you, but you have been the best son a man could ask for. Now wipe your tears, boy. And go out there and show them what it means to be a Vilari."

And Sredinus ran. He ran until he reached the arena, tears streaking down his face

He came there, in his ragged clothes and his father's blade. Overwhelmed by the clamour, the crowd - floored by the sheer amount of excitement concentrated in the tens of thousands of spectators and hundreds of contestants that came from all over the Empire.

"I will show them, father." Sredinus whispered

Three days later - the tournament was over. And Sredinus was standing on the top. He took the first place. His skill with the blade was that of legend! His dedicated training and discipline he had drilled into himself helped him unlock his potential. Many that day spoke of him as a Blade Savant.

His sword, while engaged - was a blur. He was restless, dashing from place to place, hounding down his opponents; never tiring, unyielding, punishing.

Sredinus and four other kids were sent on their way, to the Selman Empire where Sredinus started school in the Military Academy

There he had met a Tarbonian kid, named Zvezdan

Zvezdan was a Medveh knight in training who had won first place in Tarbonia

Sredinus meets Zvezdan, and they kick it off like buddies, but very soon they realize that they're birds of a feather. Over time, they develop this kind of a friendly rivalry. Of course, both of them wanted to win.

Everything, from strategy to strength to weapon skill - they were evenly matched.

The life in the Academy was hard, because the Academy is known to be the hardest military school in the land and not many make it to the end.

But these two stuck together and they made it.

Their graduation battle, where they were competing for the Golden Accolade.

The award for the best student in the Academy...it was three days of intense wargaming, and strategizing and leading a mock battle against one another with real soldiers.

In the end, Sredinus won and he became the Golden Student of the Academy. Zvezdan was the Silver Student.

They returned homes, each to their own country - knowing that this wasn't the end of their rivalry.

For the next ten years, Sredinus served as an Officer and due to his extreme skill, he quickly rose through the ranks. But, due to him being a Vilari, his superiors didn't take kindly to him, especially because he ended up in the army of the General who had lost his previous army due to his father's blunder.

So Sredinus got all the dirty jobs, impossible for some.

He became known as the Hero of Astoria some four years in his career, when he broke a very intense siege by the Konquestian invading force and saved the city. In that battle, he saved the life of his General, despite being shunned and called "Sultan Sredinus" as derogatory due to him wearing a Selmani-style moustache. But after the Astorian War, he became known as The Sultan. The name carried with it respect, for many soldiers owed his life to him and his brave actions.

A few years later, Sredinus, who was now a Lieutenant General, led an expeditionary force due to rumours of another Konquestian force on the borders of the Empire. Turns out, the rumours were true.

Sredinus was stuck in a very difficult predicament, fighting a losing battle. His army was ten thousand strong, as opposed to the Konquestian Host of fifty thousand.

The Wolves of Konquestia and the Konquestian Death Riders threw themselves at the Sredinah Army with relentless abandon.

Sredinus was losing his footing.

But, by using his mind and wit, and by being a tactical genius - he managed to hold out for an entire week. His forces whittled to a mere six thousand, but he was somehow holding the cards.

He had the advantage of terrain, and a very intense battle was fought at the Gates of Mortha, which was a canyon entrance. The Konquestians fell for Sredinus's trap and got themselves stuck in a bottleneck.

The carnage was unbelievable.

Sredinus held out at the Gates for two more days, as the Konquestians were throwing themselves at him, and even having an advantageous position - the Konquestians broke his army down.

Four thousand of his men remained.

Sredinus was preparing to make a last charge, knowing that if he lets that Konquestian horde into Sredinah, hundreds of thousands will die, cities will burn. So much will be lost.

Dawn broke, and Sredinus led the charge into the enemy personally.

Before they were about to collide with the enemy, a horn was sounded!

REINFORCEMENTS!

The 3rd Imperial Army of Sredinah appeared on the horizon. Heavy mounted knights thundered across the landscape, barrelling towards the Konquestian horde.

The three armies collided.

The Sredinah soldiers led by Sredinus, spirits reinvigorated and morale boosted descended upon the Warriors of the Steppe with insane bloodlust.

The battle, and subsequently - the war was over there and then.

The Horde was broken, and Sredinus lived.

This fearsome achievement earned him a rank of High General of the Fourth Army of Sredinah, and his family name was personally reinstated by the Emperor himself.

Sultan Vilari, they called him.

The three thousand men that survived with him that battle at the Door became his most elite warriors. His Iron Hammer.

From then on, it was easy sailing for Sredinus. He proved himself as one of the greats. His tactical skill and wit unmatched. His quick thinking ability and adaptability...no other General could match him.

Except one.

Zvezdan.

Who had now become a Tarbonian Knight of the Medveh Order, and a General, himself.

Zvezdan Medveh is a man who could not only match Sredinus, but sometimes even outmatch him.

They clashed for the first time and they duelled each other, before the battle.

Sredinus said to him, when they met out in the field: "To First contact. Winner makes the first move."

Zvezdan says: "It's only fair"

And they duel each other, in the middle of a field.

Their armies standing at the ready, observant.

Tarbonian Host of Knights, and the Sredinah Host of the Sultan's Finest

Their first duel - Zvezdan gets tapped on his helmet with Sredinus's sword

Zvezdan: "Oh for fuck's sake. You know, you won in the Academy due to sheer luck you bastard. You had stronger soldiers."

Sredinus: "Not everything is in the strength of your soldiers. A well placed arrow will stop even the biggest of targets, Zvezdan. You know this."

Zvezdan: "Stop quoting text at me. You had better units."

Sredinus: "Some units I had certainly did help."

Zvezdan: "THERE IT IS! I knew it."

Sredinus: "And of course, not having a lump of brass for a brain like you - also helps"

Zvezdan starts to cuss as he heads back to his army, as Sredinus chuckles heartily

They fight that battle and it was a draw. The thing about these two is that they carry with them the Selmani ways. The Old Ways. They let the wounded pass, they do not kill civilians, they value life over victory, mercy is a thing they use and honour is the one ideal above all.

Minimal casualties is their end goal, which isn't a case with their kinsmen. Sredinah is notorious for its war crimes, and Tarbonia never shows mercy. They stop at nothing.

So they were sticking out of their respective armies like a sore thumb

Tarbonians would throw men in the meat grinder, and Zvezdan was laughed at for trying to save as much men as he could.

Sredinus was never interested in being a villain. He was here to lead men into honourable battle and he wanted no part in whatever the rest were doing.

Time passed, and they grew old. During those years they clashed many times and every time, they’d start with a duel.

Their armies fought to the point where one of them would be about to announce victory, but due to orders from the mainland, they'd always have to tactically retreat – leaving the battle unfinished.

Tarbonians used Zvezdan to counter Sredinus, and to keep him busy, for Sredinus was a force to be reckoned with and no one could match him save for Zvezdan.

Until...the Great War came.

Both Zvezdan and Sredinus were trying to retire, for they have had enough - alas, Pelaraam descended into madness when a Siewerski envoy was killed in Sredinah, as open provocation that soiled the already hostile relationship between the two Empires.

The Great Khan and the Prophet Greymane unified Konquestia into a single Horde - and began invading everywhere.

Tarbonia and Perrunia were in open war now.

Sredinah and Siewersk clashed.

Konquestia and Selman, Konquestia and Sredinah, Elderhearth and Sredinah, Sredinah and Siewersk, Tarbonia and Perrunia.

Soon, all of Pelaraam was embroiled into war.

But this war was different.

Siewersk marched onto the field with gigantic gun batteries that would announce the end of fielding soldiers and honourable duels. They would sow death and destruction, as iron shells fell from the skies like a rain of death – destroying file and rank.

Trench warfare began. Artillery bombings. Regularly fielded mage soldiers who were in their own league.

There was death and suffering and destruction everywhere.

Zvezdan disobeyed direct orders from the Queen, trying not to sacrifice as much men and that got him demoted. He was back in the lines, fighting in bloody melee, where action was thickest.

Sredinus got promoted, against his good will, into the Grand Marshal of Sredinah.

He commanded all of the Sredinah Armies, and was somehow holding back the carnage, keeping Sredinah afloat, as it was hounded by enemies from multiple sides.

Zvezdan got disembowelled from a stray artillery shot that ripped through him and his unit, decimating them.

He died on a hospital bed, his body spent and utterly broken.

Sredinus was notorious for countering the Senate and the Emperor in the War Meetings, and he had become a problem in their eyes.

The titular news on a dark day, at the end of the first year of war, read:

"Grand Marshal Sredinus Vilari, the Hero of Astoria, Defender of the Gates of Mortha and beloved husband, father and friend was assassinated by the vile Selmani Assassins! Paid for by the Siewerski villains!"

His procession was truly a spectacle, as tens of thousands of soldiers and people gathered in the Capital to mourn the loss of a true hero.

A hero who was murdered in cold blood by the men who now held death vigils for him, in the grandest temple of the Capital. A hero, betrayed by his own country he so diligently and loyally served - only because he was of the Old Ways. He valued human life over victory. He always tried to win without much conflict. He was unmatched in the field, and yet, he died - stabbed in the street like a dog - because he dared to counter stupid decisions of arrogant, ignorant men

The loss of Grand Marshal Vilari was so severe that the Sredinah Empire didn't even realize it, until they started losing on every front. And that’s when it was too late.

They were holding the upper hand, and now - under the direction of a new Grand Marshal, their ship began to sink, as the Great War was entering its final stages.

So ends the tale of Sredinus Vilari.