Gareth had long been the Commander of his chivalry in the once-glorious kingdom of Saennoston. From the tender age of seventeen, he had dedicated himself to the service of his homeland, witnessing the kingdom's slow decay under the weight of corruption and greed. The once-proud realm, now marred by its leaders' blindness and avarice, had crumbled around him, leaving scars both visible and unseen.

Over the years, most of his chivalry had fallen in brutal battles against rival kingdoms, their lives extinguished in a series of tragic conflicts. Gareth, however, had miraculously endured, though the toll on him was profound. He remained one of the few survivors, accompanied only by a mage who had been his steadfast ally through the trials of war.

Now, Gareth found himself alone in the forest, far from the remnants of his shattered kingdom. The only source of comfort in the enveloping darkness was a small fire, its flickering flames contained within a ring of stones. This humble light was a faint echo of familiarity in the vast, shadowed wilderness, offering a brief respite from the cold and isolation that surrounded him.