The beginning 

Leo flipped to a random page and waited for the words to appear. Instead of words, this time, an image appeared on the page and the characters started moving. It felt like a thick screen in hand and they were watching a video. 

Date: 10th October, 1474

Lenn looked outside his window. Day appeared gloomy. Dark clouds surrounded the sunny Helenton village. 

He sighed and murmured, "Never seen Helenton in this weather."  

He walked down towards the breakfast table. 

A man in his middle age came towards the table. He had worn a white shirt and black trouser with a toque blanche over his head. He was the butler of the house. He seemed tense. 

"Why are you anxious?" Lenn asked. 

"Nothing much sir. Just some random stuff and work stress." He replied. 

"When did you begin calling work as stress, Bob? You can't lie to me." 

Bob sighed. His eyes looked upward trying to formulate some lie as he didn't want to stress his newly wedded master. 

"Don't lie to me." Lenn said. 

"Darkness is looming! Our kingdom, Magna, is in danger." These were his exact words. Lenn frowned as he couldn't get what his butler was talking about.

"Master, I heard that a Dark Lord has arrived. He is calling for the war against our King." He said nervously. 

"Was this what bothering you?" Lenn asked, to which the butler nodded. 

"Our King is wise and has the ability to protect his kingdom. No need to stress about it Bob." Lenn stated. 

"Yes master." Bob said and sighed sadly and continued, "I heard that he slit his own son's throat believing in a prophecy." 

"It can be a rumour. Trying to frighten the people before the war, making their moral down." Lenn reasoned.

"As you say master. I hope the war won't take place and he goes back." 

"Is there anything else that concerns you?" Lenn enquired. 

"No master, I'll get breakfast. What would you like to have sir?" Bob asked politely, as his stress lessened by talking to his master. 

"Prepare something that Ada likes. She will join in a while." Lenn ordered. 

Butler bowed to Lenn, smilingly and went towards the kitchen. 

'Dark Lord' Lenn murmured the name as he thought about him.

A person who can kill murder his own child, believing a stupid prophecy won't think twice before killing someone else. 

Date: 30th October, 1474

Lenn sat on the breakfast table with Adi, having his breakfast peacefully. Bob was serving them.

A man in his early 20s entered the house bowing at Lenn. He had worn a red cloak around his neck, over a white shirt and black trouser. There was a badge on his shoulder on which a Lion was engrossed, implying he was a King's servant. 

"Sorry to disturb you this early morning sir Lenn, but the matter was urgent and the King ordered me to convey a message to you." The man said bowing again.

"What's the matter?" Lenn asked. 

"Sir, Besides trying every method to avoid the war, the so-called Dark Lord didn't backoff. He kept on provoking our King for the battle. His majesty, finally agreed for the war." The man informed the people at the breakfast table.

Lenn sighed. He didn't want the peaceful environment of the kingdom to get ruined by the war. He thought the war would be called off. 

"War is unavoidable." Lenn muttered. 

"Indeed sir. Sir, the King wants to meet you." The man informed. 

"I'll be there soon." Lenn replied to the man. 

The man bowed and went out. Soon Lenn followed him, stuffing himself quickly with the breakfast. 

Inside the King's castle…

Lenn knocked on the door to the study room. He heard a deep voice addressing him.

"Come in, Lenn." 

Lenn entered the room. King stood alone facing his back to Lenn and looked outside the window. 

"Close the door behind you Lenn. I don't want any disturbance." He said. He turned around as soon as he heard the click of the door. 

"Greetings, his Majesty. You called for me?" Lenn asked, bowing at him. 

The king sighed. He thought for several moments trying to formulate the words. He looked tired. 

"You might now know about the upcoming war." He looked at Lenn who nodded. The King took another pause and continued, "This isn't going to be a normal war with weapons." 

"Isn't the Dark Lord a human, his Majesty?" Lenn asked, being bemused. 

"He was never a human Lenn, nor can be said of any creature, who doesn't have any heart. To answer your question, he is a witch. Black witch." The King replied.

"My god, this is devastating. Does that mean we are going to have war with magical creatures?" Lenn enquired. 

"I wish I could stop that." The King sighed. "It will be a deathly war. Destroying everything and leaving fear in the heart of humans behind it. Win or lose, the destruction is confirmed." The King was concerned.

"How are we going to face him, his Majesty?" Lenn asked.

"We need weapons against them. We can't survive with the existing weapons. I need you to create new weapons against these creatures." The King stated.

"You will have our support, his Majesty. I will soon create new weapons." Lenn said with a bow. 

"How much time do you need for that?" The King asked.

"Two months will do, his Majesty." Lenn answered after giving it a brief thought. 

The King sighed again. "We don't have that much time Lenn. I can push the war ahead for one more month. After that, it will be out of my hands. He has pitched his tent outside the kingdom for a month." The King said, worryingly.

"I will put all my knowledge and strength to create the weapons as soon as possible." Lenn put his word to the King. 

He bowed one last time and moved out of the study room, closing the door behind him. He became tense as the time for making weapons was reduced to one third of what he had asked. But thinking about the consequences if the Dark Lord won made his blood boil which was enough for him to stay focused on creating the weapons. 

Date: 14th  November, 1474

Room was dark. Only one lantern was lit which was enough to brighten up Lenn's face. He closed a huge trunk and sighed. He waited for someone to enter. 

Soon a King's servant entered in his red cloak around his neck. He took the trunk and followed Lenn towards the castle. 

Fifteen days had passed since he last visited the King. He created the weapons in half a month. Although he was satisfied with his work, he was still scared about how they would work. 

"Greetings, his Majesty, the weapons are created." Lenn informed, bowing to the King. 

The King turned around to see Lenn. He was surprised how fast the job was done, but he didn't show it on his face. He first wanted to see if the weapons were worth praising or not. Often the quality decreases if the time given is reduced. 

He gestured to the servant to open the trunk. His eyes were stunned at the sight of the weapons. He had never seen anything like these before.  

The weapons included, a huge round ball covered with small holes, a gun, few different coloured liquids in small transparent glass bottles, small balls of different sizes, a small metal knitted square thing and few different size knives.

"What are these?" The King asked curiously. 

Lenn demonstrated working of each and every weapon in detail. 

"Mesmerizing" He praised Lenn for the job he did. 

"I am glad that you find them worthy, his Majesty." Lenn said with a small smile. 

"I am sure we can stop the Dark Lord from entering the Kingdom by these easily. Till he gets to know the working of these weapons, he would have lost half of his army. And war with half of his army is an easy win." The King explained.

Stressful environment lightened by these words from the King. Now at least they were confident for the war. He ordered his army to prepare themselves with the new weapons and get ready for the upcoming war against the Dark Lord.