The thyranian troops now spread across the world, uniting a great part of it on the grasp of the Ruzsell Dinasty, the emperors of Thyrana and its colonies, and it was this invasion that brought civilization to many backward lands.

It was in this period of change that the future lords of soul and steel were born, and achieved great power and fame, fighting dragons, demons and powerful enemies across the world, their story carried and told everywhere by bards.

They were now nearly retired from adventuring, for most of them had been bestowed with titles and more gold than they could spend in a lifetime. One day they all parted their different ways, thinking they would never see each other again.

But fate had an ordeal for them far greater than any of their previous battles.

Omem (a plainsman) , the barbaric lord of steel; renowned fighter and protector of his tribe, was the first one to see the work of one of the most terrifying beings ever to step in the world of man. He was sent to investigate the sudden vanishing of another nomad warrior's tribe.

As he arrived to the tribe's hunting grounds, he found nothing but abandoned tents and utensils, it seemed as if they had left but taken nothing with them, not even their food and clothes, as he prepared to leave, many undead appeared from the plains, wearing the usual plainsman's hunting clothes, attacking and nearly overpowering him.

Once he had destroyed them, he hurried back to his tribe and informed his elders of the situation. Several other similar incidents ocurred within the next two months...

South from there, in the great nation of Nypoh, a concerned Masarito Kurogamo (political leader of Nypoh) sent one of his ninja spies (Sonhi, another lord of soul and steel) to the northern coasts to investigate the disappearance of several fishing and agricultural towns' population, for rumors spoke of a spectral pagoda filled with demons.

But there were no witnesses left, no goods stolen, no signs of struggle, as if they had just gone without looking back. But yet, there was a pattern, whatever it was, it was moving through the border and now along the coastline, heading south.

Sonhi and Omem stumbled upon one another near a small fishing town, and fearing great magic at work, they sent for Darwynn and Du Mont, thinking they might need more raw power to battle whatever was causing this. In less than two months, the four warriors looked down from a mountain into a small coast town. Using magic, they had established that a dark force was heading this way.

It had been two weeks and nothing had happened, and the lords of soul and steel left town with the full moon shining above them, as they rode away, a blinding light engulfed the town. They hurried back, only to find the populace turned into undead creatures, and a man standing in top of a hill, watching them.

As Du Mont was falling unconscious, the last thing he saw was the dark silouette of a pagoda against the full moon. When they woke up, they found themselves inside of what appeared to be a luxurious palace, and they were led to a big dining hall, where their host (Sao) wanted to issue a warning, which they were to take to Masarito. The warning was simple; "do not interfere".

They were released on a deserted plain, and they saw a black pagoda resting on a floating rock flying away into the darkness of the night.

While walking in search of some city or town, a dark figure materialized before them. He claimed to be Arkus, the keeper of the earth. The figure told them all the disasters that would come should Sao Diasonori be fulfill his dreams, he told of the destruction and death that Oyabun (respectful nypohnese title, meaning "lord") Sao desired.

The four warriors now parted, both Du Mont and Darwynn going in search for all the others, and Omem and Sonhi staying in Nypoh to observe Sao's movements and warn the local Oyabuns of the inminent danger.

Three months later, all of the lords of Soul and Steel (even Ordwyn) were prepared to fight this new enemy, after many battles with the messengers of the dark Oyabun, his plan was now clear; it seemed that he wanted to open several portals to the plane of chaos for some reason, probably to draw energy from them.

Keeping up with Diasonori's troops proved to be a hard task, for the Pagoda moved swiftly, and the warriors spread through several nations and continents, each one with their plans and strategies.

The following months were truly nighmarish, many men losing their lives under the wrath of the dark Oyabun Sao. It was then that the Masters of Iron and darkness (named so by bards) appeared, twisted parodies of the great warriors from which they were created, and guided by a powerful newcomer, dressed in a black full plate armor, with an upside down red cross as his symbol, engraved in his chest (Actually, this was Lawrence Du Lac, considered by many to be the greatest of warriors).

Once the lords of Soul and Steel destroyed their copies (Excluding Du Lac, of course), the battle culminated on the frozen elven plains of Shanaphria on Astar, as the lords stormed a castle where a massive portal was being opened, together with powerful emmanations of summoning magic.

When they reached the roof, Sao Diasonori himself was there, an a gigantic portal was opening before their eyes. The battle with Sao didn't last long, after all, he was just buying time while the magic took hold. And then, a creature of chaos came through the portal.

This creature was pure, savage, raw chaos, and as such destroyed anything it touched. A battle ensued, and the great warriors would have been destroyed if not for the fact that they lured the creature into making contact with Sao. All the two powerful forces collided, an enormous explosion of magic ensued, nearly killing all of them and leaving the castle in ruins. Oyabun Diasonori barely managed to escape, very weakened.

The world rested at peace for a while, except for Thyrana, nearly exploding in a civil war after the death of Emperor Gotfried Ruzsell and several battles involving dragons and the lords of soul and steel in the capital city (Desdrek). After which Hans Ruzsell the third was crowned emperor.

The year of the death began a few months after those events took place.

It began when Sao Diasonori tempted Ordwyn the black priest, promising him power beyond his wildest dreams, and without much hesitation, he agreed. Sao took him to a forgotten cave in the jungles of northern Thyrana, to the resting place of Nimbac's soul. Ordwyn was infused with a part of the dark king's power and mastery over chaos.

Ordwyn was commanded to steal the black pearl, a religious artifact of Athesh, known in ancient times as the eye of Rao, held as the symbol of man's union with god. To accomplish it, Ordwyn paid his old associate Sargaso and his guild.

The day after the robbery had been committed, the Sultan of Athesh declared that hired mercenaries from Alis were responsible for the sacrilege, in an attemp to undermine their power. Without warning, the armies of Athesh, and their mighty naval forces stormed the eastern coast of Alis, under the command of Naram Sun (pronounced "soon"). The defenders were led by high knight Fernando Du Mont.

As the battle raged, Sao used the powers of the pearl and Ordwyn's new powers to open a great vortex in the black priest's fortress. In the battlefield, Alis' forces were retreating after Du Mont had been defeated in battle and taken prisoner.

Then, on a full moon night, Sao Diasonori culminated his most powerful spell; he used the powers of Chaos to create a magical rune, one that he inscribed in the surface of the moon, carrying his evil spell wherever the moon shined, carrying his symbol, the symbol of death.

That very night, everywhere a full moon covered the sky, undead rised from every graveyard and battlefield all over the planet, all of them bent on the destruction of every living thing they encountered. The undead were not very powerful, but their strenght resided in their numbers. The first battles were easily won, but the next full moon, the undead armies would rise again, increasing their number with the fallen defenders.

Ordwyn watched all the battles from his throne, and found it pleasant, but someone in the shadows was watching as well. Sargaso had decided that this wasn't such a good idea after all, this had gone too far already. The thief had butchered more men than anyone could count, but a dead world ruled by undead was not an idea that appealed to him.

He escaped Ordwyn's fortress and told the others what he knew about Sao's plan, then disappeared with his right hand man Perceval the dark elf. The other lords of Soul and Steel began a trecherous journey to the fortress of the dark priest.

On the way to the battle with their former comrade, they met with Lawrence Du Lac, but contrary to what anyone would think, Du Lac was there to help them destroy Ordwyn before the world was nothing but a big graveyard.

Together, they struggled for several weeks, fighting with several beasts and monsters, fighting their way through lands infested with undead. But in the end they all stood before Ordwyn, ready to give him battle. The black priest's power was enormous, but not enough to withstand an attack from all of them.

Once Ordwyn was defeated, Arkus appeared before them, urging them to destroy the true evil behind it all before an eternal night fell over the land to bring Sao's ultimate victory. The keeper of the earth spirited them away, and they now were before The Black Pagoda.

Lawrence didn't enter, and some others had stayed in Ordwyn's fortress covering their retreat, and all in all, only nine of them went inside. Surprisingly, they found no resistance on their way to the main hall, only a few traps. On the main hall, Sao awaited, standing between them and the black pearl, which was feeding him through a vortex to the plane of chaos.

A battle ensued, a long, hard one, Sao was indeed powerful. In the end, only a battered Omem stood before a greatly wounded Sao, the final blow would decide the fate of the entire planet . Sao moved first, he raised his hand and fired a spell at the warrior, but Omem ducked and rolled on the floor, then slashing him in the gut.

Arkus appeared, and taking advantage of Sao's weakness, used the black pearl to turn him material, making him flesh and bone again. Omem wasted no time, running his blade through his chest and legs, Sao fell to the ground as Omem raised his Soul blade and let it down with all his might.

As he died, Arkus retrieved his soul and sealed it in the black pearl, fearing he might survive his death. He then threw the black pearl into the vortex, closing it.

The entire Pagoda trembled as it fell, crashing into the plain below it. The lords watched the source of all the terror crumble into dust, leaving nothing but rubble and bad memories. They had teleported away in the nick of time.

They sighed, just sitting there, tending to their wounds. They stayed there for several hours, gazing at the most beautiful full moon they had ever seen.