Conatus of the Iconoclasts [Conatus Iconoclasta]

An army of 150,000 men marched in sync across the valley, their footsteps causing the very mountains to tremble and the ground to convulse. They chanted prayers of the old. Today shall be the day the wronged are vindicated, the oppressed are recompensated, and the fallen are avenged. A man clad in armor made of Xitesos-iron, mounted atop a beautiful black steed gazes over the valley, towards the fortresses of the walled city nestled between massive mountains. His mane of long, wavy raven hair tousles in the breeze, much like the bright red flags the cavalry behind him carry. Crepuscular rays penetrate the skies, looming over the massive army and the city in the distance. Listen—because today the sky is at war, and it all started with a boy's home turned pyre. One spark, unquenched: a crimson-eyed orphan, forged in ash and ambush, chasing ghosts through empire's jaws. What is conatus, if not this primal roar—the ache to shatter icons of loss, to reclaim dawn from rain that devours all? In a world of marble scars and stolen skies, one soul defies: not for glory's hollow gleam, but to kindle what the dark named impossible. -------------- Some info regarding the novel: This is a historical fantasy novel set in an expansive, living, breathing world with many different factions and diverse biomes. Conquest, finance, logistics, power systems, politics, dramaturgy, emotional growth, revenge, morality, becoming a better person and fights—such themes are prevalent in the novel. I try to make descriptions cinematic and captivating, during both grand junctures and intimate moments, making sure the text composition feels almost poetic. I am not a good writer by any means, but I have lofty ambitions, and if such a writing style appeals to you I would really recommend this novel. The characters in this novel are quite complex and almost real-like. They are written with the intention of making the cogs in your mind turn and your morality clash (that, and providing for some extremely entertaining moments). I'm inspired by works like bleach, and want the characters to be unique like Kubo Tito's, not just copy paste cliches. A lot of characters, places, weapons and other stuff will be based on real historical events and names and what not. Great conquerors, grand cities, fabled kingdoms and monolithic turning points. There isn't any magic per say (magic in its supernatural form), rather,broken abilities are a natural, imbuded part of this world in a bio-physiological aspect. Its a well balanced power system that isn't too overpowered, which would lead to stagnation and steer away from the themes of the novel. Release frequency- There is no fixed frequency, but I try to upload as often as possible. Expect some insane power scaling in later chapters (Around the end of the Dusk to destiny arc (vol 2) )