Magna Carta 2 - Part 23

1100 years ago, the continent of Lanzheim was invaded by the "Carta", monsters that drain Kan—the world's special energy—from living things and store them in their Kamonds. In the ensuing Great Carta War, the Carta nearly destroyed humanity. Among the heroes who stood against them is the first Magna Carta: Strauss (ストロス Sutorosu), a human born of mixed Carta heritage. He created the Guardians, weapons based on the Carta body structure, to destroy the invaders. However, the war left Lanzheim as a barren land, inhospitable for the remaining races. To save it, Strauss sacrificed himself to the flying warship La Strada, spreading enough Kan to turn Lanzheim into a vibrant paradise. His descendants became the royal family of Lanzheim, set in the continent's capital of Belfort.

A millenia later, in January 1149 of the Lanzheim calenda, shortly after the "Doomseeds" (災禍種 Saikasho)—a recurring phenomena that nullifies Kan wherever it falls—started to fall again, Queen Ibrin of Lanzheim was assassinated by her Prime Minister, Schuenzeit. He imprisoned Zephie, the queen's only daughter, who saw him commit the murder; and took the royal throne, putting all who opposed him to death. Zephie, with help from Rue, managed to escape the castle, fleeing south to the city of Abazet to join forces with its ruler, Count Alex. They formed the Southern Forces to liberate Lanzheim, and rose up against Schuenzeit's Northern Forces.

In 1150, the Lanzheim Civil War begins. At first, the Southern Forces fought their way to Belfort, unaware that Schuenzeit was waiting for them with an army of "living" mechanical weapons known as Sentinels. With no way to resist the Sentinels, the Southern Forces were forced to retreat to Abazet. Zephie founded the elite Counter-Sentinel Unit and took to the battlefield herself, although this brought little change to the odds. Desperate, Zephie sent Rue to Belfort to uncover information on the Sentinels. Rue succeeded, but Elgar the Regicide began to pursue her almost immediately after. Zephie herself set out to Belfort to save Rue. When Elgar intercepted them one last time, Rue tried to defend the Princess, but was quickly defeated. Elgar raised his sword to deal the finishing blow to Rue, but Zephie stepped in to protect her, taking the stab to her stomach. Somehow surviving Elgar's attack, Zephie unleashed a powerful attack on him before escaping with Rue.