Jusqu'à ce qu'ils disparaissent.
Seulement quatre ans après la conclusion du Chapitre Scarlet, les trois héros de leur monde ont disparu sans mot d'ordre. Seul Erigan Estali et Wernthall Floran avaient laissé leurs descendants pour hériter de leurs trônes légitimes, mais pas encore venu d'âge pour gouverner, le Triumvirat tout sauf dissous sans la grandeur qui avait créé l'alliance. Sans cette union, les relations entre Estala, Anarcas et Cesadas ont commencé à se détériorer au cours des siècles, où les querelles inutiles et la petite cupidité ont perdu le potentiel d'une saine direction.
La couronne continua de passer de l'héritier à l'héritier, et à mesure que le monde grandissait avec le temps passé, les tensions ne cessaient de persister.

Pour leurs sujets ordinaires, ils voulaient seulement que ces marées rugissantes se calment, et que les promesses de paix soient tenues par leurs dirigeants. Pourtant, avec son père alité du Swarm, le peuple a monté sur l'espoir que le jeune héritier, Erigan Estali IV, serait la différence qu'ils recherchaient. Alors qu'il maniait le Cadeau sans effort comme ses ancêtres, il ne serait rien de plus que le même.
Année 600 — le tournant du siècle, et par date de calendrier, la Nouvelle Feuille. L'île—Royaume de Rozel a émis une convocation à la cour aux coins du monde pour la main de Ceiya Moro, où de nombreux lieges et chevaliers répondaient à l'appel. D'innombrables prétendants voyageaient loin et large pour la main de la dame, y compris Erigan Estali IV, mais tous seraient refusés par la belle jeune fille. C'est-à-dire jusqu'à ce que son dernier admirateur, Jaedal Floran, s'approche. Noir de cheveux et sombrement beau, le prince héritier d'Anarcas avait attiré l'attention de beaucoup dans la salle du trône. Le roi de Rozel, impressionné par le poise du noble, choisit de fidéliser sa fille à Jaedal.

Éconduite par le choix de son ennemi juré, la cour fut choquée par la marche en avant d'Erigan Estali IV, défiant à mort Jaedal Floran pour la faveur de Ceiya Moro. Le prince héritier s'est avéré être le meilleur sabre, facilement vaincre et se moquer du jeune Estali. Enragé, il a jeté l'épée de côté, menaçant de torcher Jaedal Floran vivant avec le Cadeau; dans un scénario inattendu, le Chancelier de Cesadas est intervenu, arrêtant Erigan Estali IV tout comme les braises ont marqué le visage du Prince héritier.
Avec le mariage de Jaedal et de Ceiya à venir l'année suivante, les vestiges royaux retournèrent dans leurs demeures respectives, et à l'insu d'Erigan IV, Anarcas et Cesadas formèrent secrètement une alliance, la première du genre depuis le Triumvirat pendant le Chapitre écarlate. Avec le conseil de son père de prendre ce qui était légitimement le sien avant de succomber au swarm, Estala serait pris au dépourvu par une déclaration surprise de guerre de Theodorus Floran. La règle de la nation tombant entre les mains d'Erigan Estali IV, il y avait une division entre la cour d'Estalan sur sa capacité à diriger le pays à travers les batailles à venir.

La guerre de la Nouvelle Feuille avait commencé.
Alors que l'armée d'Anarcan-Cesadan saccageait leurs terres, Estala était déjà condamné à tomber comme le dernier bastion debout avant la capitale était Fort Rigane. Erigan Estali IV avait choisi de se battre aux côtés de ses armées sur la ligne de front, bien qu'il ait été forcé à la moindre magie, car l'utilisation répétée du Cadeau s'avérerait fatale. Lorsque leurs ennemis commencèrent à assiéger le fort Rigane, il y eut peu d'espoir pour les Estaliens. Sachant qu'il n'y aurait pas d'autre option de victoire, Erigan IV puisa dans l'ancienne puissance de son âme, appelant les hymnes dormants du sol en dessous et canalisant le Don comme ses ancêtres l'avaient fait.
Presque aussi vite que l'invasion avait commencé, les Estalans ont brisé le siège du fort Rigane et chassé l'armée anarcan-cesadan de leurs terres. Récemment monté à l'arc-en-ciel, Erigan Estali IV a mené ses forces à travers l'opposition dense, malgré le nombre alarmant de victimes des deux côtés. Le Cadeau portait ses voiles à travers la mer glacée, marchant sur les rives d'Anarcas où leurs ennemis s'étaient repliés.

Avec la plupart de ses armées écrasées sur le continent aralien, les restes du tandem Anarcan-Cesadan ont choisi de renforcer sa défense dans la capitale, laissant peu de résistance en dehors des murs de Blackwater. La guerre de la Nouvelle Feuille s'était transformée en massacre, car ceux qui se trouvaient sur le chemin de l'archevage seraient massacrés. Cette violence n'avait pas de frontières car même les gens ordinaires étaient traités comme des ennemis. Un commandant après un autre est tombé à cette terrible puissance, tout sauf un seul écuyer a été séparé de la campagne de l'Estalan. Erigan IV prendrait le jeune homme pour son service, avant de poser le siège à Blackwater.
Lorsque les portes du château s'ouvrirent enfin à partir du siège d'un mois, les Archsages marchèrent dans les couloirs de l'eau noire, se battant vers la salle du trône. Là, Théodore Floran, le régent ridiculisant d'Anarcas, s'assit, en sa présence, avec Jaedal Floran et Ceiya Moro. La dame s'enfuit de la mêlée qui allait s'ensuivre entre Erigan IV et Jaedal, leurs armes s'affrontant uniformément, à la grande surprise de ce dernier. Avec l'utilisation prolongée du Cadeau portant lourdement sur sa force de vie, Erigan IV a été frappé par son ennemi.

"Oubliez."
Dans leur folie de sous-estimer les Archsages, Erigan IV canalisa le dernier du Cadeau alors qu'il était en sang et mourant, conjurant une tempête de feu qui coulait l'ancien gel de la salle du trône, consumant ceux qui étaient pris dans sa fureur. Dans l'abîme de l'inconscience, le feu de Théodore et de Jaedal vit la fin mouvementée de la guerre de la Nouvelle Feuille, entraînant la victoire d'Estalan. Alors que les cicatrices coulent au fond de son être, et qu'il ne volera peut-être jamais comme l'archisage avait une fois, Erigan Estali IV se réveillerait au seul atout qui comptait vraiment; Lady Ceiya Moro.
Les flammes de la guerre avaient finalement brûlé avec la reddition d'Anarcan-Cesadan, mais seulement un petit semblant de paix est revenu au monde. Les troubles demeurèrent alors qu'Anarcas, dont la ligne de sang était en danger, avait perdu sa structure. La restauration était un long chemin pour leurs anciens ennemis, mais pour Estala, elle ne les concernait pas. Tandis que les réparations pannées et l'ordre étaient rétablis dans le monde, les rumeurs d'un héritier anarque arrivant à l'âge commençaient à se manifester. Les tensions anciennes de la Nouvelle Feuille étaient revenues, mais ce serait la prochaine génération à décider.
R E N V A L L P R O T E G O / / S E V E N T E E N
Character Theme: ginkiha — nightfall (short version)

"It's not like I ever had a choice, anyway."
 O R I G I N
Race: Beorc
Nameday: Year 598, Feltsa the 13th
Birthplace: The Island—Kingdom of Rozel
 I N F O R M A T I O N
Class: Squire (Sword) ⇨ Gallant (Sword)
Squire — Young aspirants clung to the fleeting dream of knighthood, they are fierce swordfighters on-and-off horseback, and incur zero penalties to their fighting ability when dismounted. When mounted, they are affected by anti-armor and anti-cavalry weapons. When dismounted, they are affected by anti-armor weapons. A variation between the Sword Knight and Mercenary classes.
Gallant — Decorated knights with courage in heart and steel in hand, they are champions to none but the steed they ride, their ascension an echoing fable. When mounted, they are affected by anti-armor and anti-cavalry weapons. When dismounted, they are affected by anti-armor weapons. A variation between the Sword Paladin and Hero classes, lacking the ability to wield axes.
Height: 5'9
Weight: 170lbs
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Morning blue
Complexion: Fair
Body Composition: Lean
 P E R S O N A L I T Y
Sharp-tongued and quick-witted, Renvall is more an outsider to the grandeur that is the upper echelons of society, cynical and disillusioned with his path and the world around it. The young boy stands against the principles of tradition, loosely abiding the tenets of chivalry through his own core of beliefs as a human being. His choice of reticence, at times, may cause him to distance himself from others, where he would rather muse among his own thoughts. He is known to dislike optimism, preferring to view things from a realistic standpoint rather than cling to hope.
Where he does not pose a problem in socializing, Renvall is prone to speaking without a filter when his beliefs are thrown into the equation, preferring to be the approached when it comes to ordinary conversations. When it comes to women, he feels more open to speaking with them, where his playful side can be heard. That being said, he adheres to the common association in holding immense contempt for the Laguz, viewing them as sub-human savages and tying into his stubborn nature. While the boy may come off as impolite and disrespectful at times, his quiet demeanor speaks more of his deepest emotions; when his name is called, his heart will show.
 B I O G R A P H Y
Renvall Protego had very faint memories of his earliest childhood moments. His father, only known to him from his mother by the name of Percival, was a Rozelian Islander, bound through an illicit union that led to his parents' mutual separation. Camellia Protego, a knight-in-service to the Island—Kingdom of Rozel, was his mother. He was granted her family name, as opposed to his father's.
Only two years of age during the War of the New Leaf, Ren only recalls witnessing the arrival of the suitors from other nations, and his mother's depature to escort Lady Ceiya to Anarcas. As the Island—Kingdom of Rozel chose to remain neutral in the conflict, Camellia Protego was called to arms as Cesadas launched a surprise attack on the Cilan Quay, to which the Rozelians were forced to secede the island in exchange for their ceasefire.
Unaware of his elevation in the status quo due to his mother's title, Ren was always looked upon in a peculiar manner, the child's choice of friends being that of the common folk outside of the palace. The court officials often criticized his lack of interest in 'noble manners' and the like, leading his mother to regularly scold the child into 'proper mannerisms'.
There came a time where the court marshals regarded Renvall's disregard for debonair behavior to be dishonorable, leading to his mother's dismissal from her service to Rozel. While Camellia did not blame the eight-year old for his wish of a simpler life, she viewed his refusal to listen as a failure, and would continue to place pressure upon the boy.
Being a known name around the continent of Aralea had its advantages, and Camellia Protego soon found herself sworn into the service of Estala. Even as Ren was thrust back into the life of the upper class in addition to a newfound responsibility as an older brother, he continually mingled with the commoners throughout his years, whether they were his everyday source of mischief or his solace from an inescapable life.
Ren continued his tutelage as a page to the Estalan family, albeit with disdain. One morning, within the company of his mother and half-brother, Walden, in the busy marketplace, a thief attacked Walden to the surprise of the crowd around them. When the thief revealed itself to be a Laguz of the Tiger Tribe and the bystanders refused to arm themselves in retaliation, the twelve-year old drew his mother's sword from her own scabbard instead.
With little expertise in swordsmanship, Ren could only direct the attention of the beast towards himself, the Laguz delivering a scarring wound before retreating. While this moment would spur the Estalan court to grant him a squireship, he felt that this would only set him further down a path that he never chose to walk, and for the years to come, this remained to be true.
 F A M I L Y
Father: Percival — Unknown
Mother: Camellia Protego — Alive
Half-Brother (Younger): Walden Protego — Alive
 I N V E N T O R Y
Steel Sword, Vulnerary
 O T H E R
Goes by "Ren" for short. The name of his horse is Snowball. Growing up among the islands, Ren has a knack for fishing and enjoys being at sea, and dislikes extremely hot weather. He has a notable scar running down the right breast in the form of a tiger's claw.
M A I Z E B E N S E N / / T H I R T Y - F O U R
Character Theme: Koven — More Than You (Unplugged Version)

"For what it's worth, I felt sorry knowing that you didn't have a chance against me."
 O R I G I N
Title(s): Sir, The Dauntless
Race: Beorc
Nameday: Year 581, Kreille the 20th
Birthplace: Blackwater, Anarcas
 I N F O R M A T I O N
Class: Hero
Height: 6'1
Weight: 202lbs
Hair Color: Dark brown
Eye Color: Brown
Complexion: Fair
Body Composition: Muscular
 P E R S O N A L I T Y
As dauntless as his nickname may suggest, Maize can actually appear to be quite the opposite; in the warmth of his home and the halls of his kingdom, he is a loving husband and father to his wife and children, and a frequent jester to those who call him friend. He does have a casual swagger to his tone through the accomplishments that he has claimed, although he himself does not wish to reminisce of those times, showing a stout opposition to killing without a worthy purpose.
While Maize does enjoy fighting of all sorts, he judges the strength of the individual through their own morals and their actions beyond fighting. Like most knights, he holds himself to the code of chivalry, and respects honor and loyalty out of others. He will only use violence if it is to combat violence, not wishing to spill unnecessary blood over any matter. The knight has a habit for attempting to instill these principles and lessons on others, showing an immense care for younger children.
 B I O G R A P H Y
Life was not all that difficult for Maize Bensen and his family; despite the inclement weather conditions, his father, Mael Bensen, was able to cover the expenses of their livelihood through his mercenary work, possessing many ties to the crown in Blackwater, Anarcas. He was the younger twin to Hassan Bensen, which would later lead to many feuds over who was superior over the other in whatever regard.
By the time the twin brothers were strong enough to hold a blade in their hands, Mael intended on grooming his sons to serve in the Anarcasi Army, putting them through questionably intense training throughout the tundras of Anarcas. They would accompany their father on their first mercenary work at the age of fourteen, and later that year, they were sent into the recruitment drive for the military.
Despite all of his father's emphasis on fighting as a career, Maize himself was not keen on the profession as a killer, and went through the process with many reservations. While he decided to go into the servitude as a squire towards knighthood, his brother would drift from his life momentarily after their separation. Wishing to uphold the law instead of committing what he considered to be barbaric, he sought to hone his swordsmanship ahead, becoming quite the skilled fighter and duelist by the time he turned nineteen years of age.
Watching the fever rise to a pitch between the warring kingdoms concerned Maize greatly, who had been known as a vocal conscientious objector to the war. He would later recount this conflict as 'nothing but a cesspool of selfish murder, the lives of countless people lost over some man's lust.' He holds a grudge towards all of the involved parties to the present day, including his own King Erigan.
As a protector to the realm of Anarcas, Maize was called upon to fight against the Estalans, though their efforts were crushed under the mystical might of the Archsage. While his liege lord fell in the melee that ensued at their castle's gates, he was but the sole survivor of this battle, forced to surrender his service to Anarcas. Within the palace, he would also be among the few to bear witness to the burning of Theodorus and Jaedal.
As shell-shocked and disturbed as he could be, the conflict would only take a greater toll on Maize as he attempted to search for his family, only to find that his mother and younger brother were missing, and his twin brother, Hassan, had slain their father, who had intended on surrendering to the Estalans. This caused the young man to cut down his twin brother, only to bask at his own hands; the hands of a kinslayer. With his dying breath, Hassan Bensen revealed that their mother intended to return to her tribe in Ibion.
While Maize was forced under the servitude of Estala for the remainder of his years to come, he would lighten to the once-hostile kingdom over the times of reparation, though he would remain a squire until his mission to Ibion in search of his mother. The journey would turn for the worst as they were ambushed by a raiding party of tribesman, crippling Sir Lunis, the knight that he was serving under.
In their captivity, Maize was thrown into an arena of sorts, forced into a pit fighting routine for others' entertainment at the expense of his and Sir Lunis' own survival. By the grace of the goddess, the swordfighter survived through the countless rounds of duels to the death, which would grant him his freedom. They rode back to the Estalan capital where Sir Lunis preached to the council of the young man's actions, his speech spawning the nickname, The Dauntless.
In addition, Maize was anointed as a knight of Estala at the age of twenty-three, becoming one of the youngest to ever be knighted in Estalan history. Since then, he has served the crown well, and has been appointed as the guide to Crown Prince Eli Estali in their mission to Rozel.
 F A M I L Y
Wife: Miranda Bensen (nee Leylal) — Alive
Son (Older): Maize Bensen II — Alive
Daughter (Younger): Amaranta Bensen — Alive
Father: Mael Bensen — Deceased
Mother: Su'lon — Unknown
Brother (Older Twin): Hassan Bensen — Deceased
Brother (Younger): Mendes Bensen — Unknown
 I N V E N T O R Y
Iron Blade, Hand Axe, Elixir
 O T H E R
His nickname is a not-so-safeguarded secret, and on occasion, he is formally addressed in futility as The Dauntless Sir Maize. Loves to eat corn, and dislikes storms. He has many scars along his arms and body, scattered slashes and cuts from battles long past.