Square of Blades
Introduction
In the eastern quarter of the capital city of Thandor, where the morning light breaks against stone and steel, lies the Square of Blades; a narrow, austere, and unwavering plaza, much like the Empire it was carved to honor. Stretching like a drawn sword through the military district of Fort Stone, this ceremonial square serves not only as a civic space but as a crucible of memory, power, and sacrifice.
At its far end, seated like a sentinel before the gates of the old fort-turned-academy, rises a towering replica of Eos, the legendary Sunblade of Novirath, god of light, war, and valor. The plaza is the heart of imperial might, where pageants of conquest unfold, the dead are remembered in silence, and emperors, both past and future, are reminded of the cost of their dominion.
Eos: Blade of the Dawn
“They had told me the sword would speak at dawn. I thought they meant a sermon, but then the names began to glow. I’ve never stood so still in my life.”
Forged of blackened iron alloyed with star-metal, the replica of Eos stands twenty meters tall, five meters wide at the base, and rises like a monolith cleaved from some celestial forge. Built to mirror the legendary blade of the Sun God, it serves as a sanctified symbol of Novirath’s covenant with The Condore Dynasty, rulers of the Keraian Empire since Thandor's founding.
At dawn, as the sun rises in the east, its light strikes the blade’s surface. Only then do the names of the High Generals - those bearing the title Blade of the Empire - appear, revealed in a spiraling script that winds down the sword’s full height. Glowing faintly gold, the names trace nearly a millennium of martial lineage: each High General born of imperial blood, etched into memory not with chisel or flame, but with the sun’s first light.
By mid-morning, the names vanish; retreating into iron until the next dawn. At dusk, as the sun sets behind the city, the sword casts a long shadow that stretches to the academy gates, symbolizing the reach of the Empire’s sword across time and the burden it leaves behind.
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Sword-Fence of the Fallen
Flanking the square along all sides is a low ceremonial fence, stretching hundreds of meters and fashioned to resemble thousands of swords locked in eternal clash. But this is no mere sculpture.
Embedded at irregular intervals throughout the fence are real blades; weathered, broken, and scorched. Each once belonged to a fallen soldier of the Empire. These weapons are not offered in mourning, but retrieved from battlefields and returned to Thandor by comrades or by decree of imperial ritesmen.
Before a blade takes its place in the fence, it is engraved with the soldier’s name, rank, legion, and the battle in which they perished. Some hilts are wrapped in the frayed ribbons of forgotten regiments. Others still gleam, untouched by time, said to retain echoes of the enchantments once bound to their wielder. A few are warped or bloodstained, their iron twisted by the final surge of dying will.
The Sword-Fence was commissioned by Emperor Kendor Condore nearly eight centuries ago. Its architect, Lucius Bartolomeu, inspired by the endless rhythm of war, designed a monument that would never be complete. As long as the Empire marches, the fence grows; sword by sword, a creeping testament to the human cost behind banners and borders.
Ceremony and Stone
Despite its solemnity, the Square of Blades is not a place of silence alone. It is a living space of martial pomp and imperial ritual. Parades of Ascension, Oaths of Fealty, and the induction of young officers are all held beneath the shadow of Eos. When the Emperor passes through, he dismounts to walk the square on foot as a gesture of humility and respect.
Each year, on the Day of Reckoning, a sacred flame is lit at the foot of Eos and carried through the city. Veterans gather to touch the sword-fence, seeking the names of their fallen, to feel close to them once more. To the citizens of Thandor, the Square is an everyday presence. To those who serve, it is sacred ground. To critics and conquered peoples beyond the Empire’s heartland, it is a monument to war eternal; a place where even peace is paraded in armor.
But all who enter its bounds feel it:
The weight of generations.
The hum of swords sleeping in stone
And the towering shadow of a god’s promise.
The Square of Blades is not a reminder of war.
It is war: remembered, honored, and commemorated in iron.
“You don’t earn your place on Eos. You inherit it. But that fence... that’s where the real heroes are.”
All written content is original, drawn from myth, memory, and madness.
All images are generated via Midjourney using custom prompts by the author, unless otherwise stated.
The sword fence is such a beautiful idea. It feels important. I love the contrast with Eos, too, the names lighting up at dawn and the shadow reaching out at dusk.
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Thank so much! The contrast on Eos was a last minute addition, but I think it works well :)