Cooper Lee

Cooper Lee is the son of Frank, and Deb Lee making him a member of House Lee through his father, and a member of House Scott through his mother. Cooper Lee has one sibling in the form of Lacey Lee of whom is a beautiful young women that is preparing to be married off by Cooper Lee. Cooper Lee would marry Rachel Nighting of whom he came to admire for her charisma and he didn't realize that she was still in deep with the memory of her destroyed family. With Rachel Lee he has one child in the form of Deb Lee II. of whom is still very young at the end of the Rise of Lucerne.

Cooper Lee was born into the wealthy House Lee, and during his youth he and his father were practically insperable as he was the future heir to House Lee.

History

Early History

Cooper Lee was born into the wealthy House Lee, and during his youth he and his father were practically insperable as he was the future heir to House Lee.

The First Battle of Tree Hill

Main Article : First Battle of Tree Hill

Fall of Tree Hill
We were trained to fight. We built walls, and we made plans for our defenses. All of this training and planning was for naught when we were ambushed by an enemy that knew everything we were.

Earl Scott leaving Tree Hill — The Summit of Castle Blastner had led to much of the Tree Hill army, and nearly all the loyalist leadership leaving for Castle Blastner, and those that remained would be shown as less then loyal.

“Everything that has happened here is a result of his actions. He doesn't get to just stand by his bible and pretend hes not responsible for all of this. Peter Scott is a monster. Peter Scott shall from this day forth be known as the Traitor of Tree Hill.”
— Daniel Scott

While the smaller Loudlon had failed at the Battle of Forks, and the Loudlon leadership being almost completely massacred at the The Hackenholtist Massacre the success of the Tree Hill part of the plan rested on the shoulders of Abdosir Zestoponnid. The larger Loudlon army continued moving towards Tree Hill controlled now solely by Abdosir Zestoponnid, and thus the army’s movement was slow as Abdosir was unable to fully stop the infighting that begin to grow among the Orc army with the deaths of the more powerful Exemptus members. As they moved through the plains of Central Tree Hill, they first lost control of the Ragechoppa Clan who moved away from the main army and begin sacking villages. As they made the final movement towards Tree Hill it was an exhausted Adbdosir that lost control of three clans in the , Bonecrusha, and Eadsplitta Clans and this forced the army to briefly stop and the Circle of Magi members still within the army made quick adjustments. Deciding that these clans getting loose was not a part of their orders by James Lovie II. they would send word to the army of Peter Scott which they knew was already moving from Forks to Tree Hill following the First Battle of Forks. Abdosir would continue to move the rest of the army the final stretch to Tree Hill which they reached successfully, and massing north of Tree Hill it was Abdosir that gave his control over to Jurden Hardaxe who now unleashed would prepare the invasion of Tree Hill. With the assistance of maps and information provided by the Circle members the Orc army moved to surround the city and attack the different hills as well as the two main Tree Hill gates with a force that would make retreat impossible.

“The insanity that leads a man to turn on his people. The madness filled him to the brim until the point came that he snapped. There was no stopping it. It was all blood and death.”
— Earl Scott

When Peter Scott was pulled away from Tree Hill with most of the army due to the Summit of Castle Blastner the vacuum of power fell to the hands of Leonard Nighting III. of whom was named the Grand Marshal of Tree Hill and thus placed in charge of its defenses. Leonard was not what Peter believed him to be in a loyal member of the rebellion but in fact was a secret member of the Circle of Magi, and thus knew that the Orcs were incoming and that the Summit of Castle Blastner was a ruse. Leonard would work for the weeks before the Orcs arrival to move troops loyal to the Circle or the Nightings out of the city, and those that remained were given time off with pay leaving the city undefended. While removing loyal troops it was Leonard that also invited many nobles who were rebel supporters to the city of which included many prominent families and planned a large feast for what he knew would be after the arrival of the Orcs. Leonard would be warned of the Orcs approach and thus when they were only two days away it was Leonard and most of his loyalists that left Tree Hill travelling westward towards Nighthold and named Daniel Scott as the new Grand Marshal of Tree Hill. Daniel had been tricked into believing that the Orcs coming was a plot to kill Peter and that following this ambush he would defeat the Orcs with the large army that Leonard and the Circle had waiting outside the city. In truth Tree Hill had been promised to House Guntbold and thus his purpose was gone for the Circle leaving him to remain in Tree Hill under a mistaken belief.

The Baker Killings

Lindsay Baker Wide — Lindsay Baker saw her fathers attempt at separating herself and her beloved brother Julian Baker as a betrayal so deep that she was unwilling to accept his apology. And thus from the date of her argument with Brooke forward she planned for the eventual murder of her father. Eventually as her resentment increased she also grew to hate her mother of whom in her paranoia she came to believe was also involved in the plot against her and Julian.

“He is mine. It was clear after there failed attempt to marry him to you that they were going to keep trying. I had no options other then to kill them”
— Lindsay Baker

House Baker had through the Magi power and general lack of morality of Hanne Baker joined the Circle of Magi leaving them very much aware of the coming Orcish assault on the city of Tree Hill. Hanne Baker would return from her time in the west where she had been assisting Bill Lovie with his Orcish manipulation and fresh from her time there she would summon her entire family including her husband Haden Baker, son Julian Baker, and two daughters Lindsay Baker, and Margerette Baker and proceeded to tell them about what was about to happen in Tree Hill. The family sat with the increasingly cowardly Haden Baker immediately begin preparing to leave the city without warning anyone of what was coming and return to their seat at Bakervale. Following the departure of Julian two organize their retreat, two things happened with the first being Margerette attempted to run away from her family confronting her sister Lindsay, while Lindsay finally realized she had the moment she had been waiting for to finally kill her mother and father. When Margerette took Lindsay into the other room while her parents loaded up the carriage outside with their two dozen men at arms and servants, she would tell Lindsay that she was going to reveal what was happening to Lord Typhon of whom she knew was an honorable man.

“I loved my sister. She was a sweet girl. I stabbed her in the neck the moment she got in the way of me and Julian. What do you think I would do to you?”
— Lindsay Baker

In this moment Lindsay not wanting her chance of killing her parents to be thwarted would stab her sister through the neck killing Margerette and dragging her body into a closet. Returning to the living room she would hide her mother’s wand before tricking her mother into joining her in the bedroom where she would hit her mother with a mace knocking her out. With her mother unconscious she would bring her father and two servants in where she locked the door behind them to their confusion before she would stab the two servants before knocking out her father. With everyone either dead or unconscious she would tie her father and mother to a chair before she would walk out of the house. Appearing before the men at arms, knights, and servants covered in blood and a blood mace she told them that Julian was now in charge of the family, and shocked at what she had done they were cowed into submission. Leading these servants and soldiers out of the eastern gate it was Lindsay, and Julian that escaped the coming destruction of Tree Hill. When Hanna, and Haden woke up they attempted to get out of their bindings, but Haden was too weak, and Hanna without her wand could do little, and thus they were unable to escape and were eventually killed during the sacking of Tree Hill by the Orcs.

The Massacre of the Hill of Edrestic

“I was walking around the edges of the garden when I heard the noise. It was a sound I had never heard before in my life but it was deafening in its scope, and horrifying in its pitch. It was the sound of a city dying I just didn't know it at the time.”
— Margaery Tyrell

The Orcs would split themselves up as they moved towards Tree Hill with Clan Rabbidgutta and Clan Gorebasha attacking the Hill of Edrestic, while the remainder of the army went for the main city. House Slinde defended the Hill of Edestic and was a devoted member of the rebels meaning they were not warned or protected in any way by the Circle. House Slinde had lost most of its defenders to the Summit of Castle Blastner and thus was very undermanned when the Orcs arrived, and with all this together the Orcs moved through the damaged gatehouse and inside the walls. Once inside the walls what little defenders were able to fight back were quickly overrun and the Hill of Edrestic fell in less then hour its entire population killed or enslaved.

The Sack of Tree Hill

Tree Hill - Battle of Tree Hill - Start — The Orcs had arrived without warning and would overrun the Hill of Edestic and break inside the northern gate without any warning to the defenders.

“I was walking around the edges of the garden when I heard the noise. It was a sound I had never heard before in my life but it was deafening in its scope, and horrifying in its pitch. It was the sound of a city dying I just didn't know it at the time.”
— Margaery Tyrell

With the destruction of the Hill of Edestic the main Loudlon army reached the main Tree Hill Gate. The northern entrance was the most fortified of the two entries into the city and thus was guarded by five towers, a large bridge, and three layers of portcullises leaving it a highly defensible position. In response to these defenses, it was the Circle that had placed much of its energy around the weakening of this defense. While the towers were meant to have been occupied by fifty men each the deployment schedules had been purposely weakened by Ebrimund Neuhazer who had been promoted to the Commander of the Gate by Leonard Nighting. Ebrimund would be warned of the arrival of the Orcs hours before and took what little men were left at the gatehouse and left the gate telling the defenders that another deployment was being brought to replace them and gave them the rest of the day off. With the gatehouse now undefended it was the Orc army that was able to enter the gate without being noticed or deterred. As the Orcs poured through the gatehouse the screaming of the slain and panicked that led to soldiers being warned of the attack. Of these soldiers it was Traven Goodsbrow, and the Oakheart twins Frasier, and Thomas Oakheart were in the vicinity and would also move in the direction of the fighting at the gate. Traven and the Oakheart twins would be overwhelmed alongside the rest of the guards at the gatehouse and the Orcs swelled into the city from the main gate shattering the cork that held the Orcs at bay. Once they had control of the gate the Orcs quickly destroyed any resistance that managed to form in the outer city, while they began destroying and setting buildings ablaze. The rampaging force of Orcs massacred their way through the packed market, which was located near the main gatehouse, and since Tree Hill was so far inside the borders of Lucerne no one was on their toes in preparation for an attack of this kind leaving the people and soldiers completely overwhelmed. The massacre continued unabated until southward of the main gatehouse the Orcs would come to the castle of the Typhon's in the form of Typhon's Keep.

“Typhon's Gate was the personal keep of House Typhon, and the fact that they held to the last man bought time for the rest of the city to at least get a chance to survive at the main keep.”
— Lucas Scott

The city of Tree Hill was a double walled city with the outer wall defended by five main gatehouses, while the inner was defended by two keeps. With two of the outer gatehouses either taken or about to be taken it was the next level of defenses that was coming under assault by the Orc invasion. It was House Typhon that controlled one of the entries in the form of Typhon Keep. A vassal of House Scott they would be within their estate as the city burned and the northern half was completely wiped out. As another of the rebel supporting houses they were not warned and most of their forces including House Typhon would hold off till the very last minute trying to allow more people to flee inside the keep including Lord Robett Highport and three of his men at arms. Robett had been devoted to Daniel Scott but as Daniel had been betrayed it was Robett that was also betrayed thus leaving him outside the keep when the Orcs arrived. As the Orcs overran the initial areas of Tree Hill the panic had spread quickly and thus it was Lord Athaulf Typhon that had armed and prepared his sons as well as what men at arms he could find. As the Orcs begin to reach the gatehouse the Typhon defenders did not close it immediately allowing dozens more inside the walls until finally as they risked being overwhelmed, they closed the gate of the Typhon Keep. Blocking their gates, the Orcs arrived on the scene the males took to the walls and fired upon the Orcs drawing major attention to themselves and slowing the advance as the Orcs attempted to take the Keep. As the Orcs used overturned wagons and boxes to attempt to get on the walls it was the defenders who would resist them for several minutes giving Athaulf time to get the non-fighters out of the back of the keep. Athaulf Typhon would manage to get those who had gone through Typhon’s gates through the gate and into the inner part of Tree Hill, but the family would refuse to abandon there ancestral seat and thus hid themselves inside the holdfast of the keep instead of fleeing south.

“My family died there. They thought they were doing something brave. I see now you made sure it was all in vain.”
— Jaime Typhon

The front gate was finally bashed down as the defenders on the wall begin to run out of arrows, but the defenders had created enough time that they had been able to place a barricade behind this forcing most of the Orcs to use makeshift ladders, and ropes to climb onto the walls. Getting onto the walls the Orcs would take horrible casualties, but their number were unending, and they were able to wipe out the defenders including Lord Typhon and two of his sons, and would thus gain entrance into the courtyard within. Lord Robett Highport led a brief counter assault at the main gatehouse attempting to bar the entrance but was killed alongside his men after the walls had been completely overrun. The final son of House Typhon would defend the inner hold alone trying to protect his mother, cousins, and sisters but watched as the Orcs killed the remaining guards and the rest of House Typhon were massacred in the inner hallway. Jaime Typhon would survive the destruction of Typhon Keep after he was covered by the body of his slain brother and knocked unconscious. Waking up hours after the massacre of his family he would attempt with failed results to find anyone else alive and realizing he was alone he would hide himself in the Typhon cellar where he would attempt to plan his escape. With the massacre the Orcs would move forward towards the Tree Hill Keep of which was only real place that any sort of defense could be mounted.

Last stand at the Keep of Tree Hill

“You didn't have to be told by anyone that it was bad. There was a look in people's eyes that just told you things were falling apart. No words were needed...”
— Lucas Scott

Lucas Scott was in the Keep of Tree Hill when the first Orcs begin piling into the city itself, and like everyone in the keep it was the smoke coming from the entrance that first alerted them to trouble. As the Orcs overran the city it was the keep that begin to organize its defenses, and looking to Daniel, they discovered him inside his personal chambers surrounded by many of his nobles. Attempting to get Daniel to lead them it was Daniel that refused instead placing Lucas, and Nathan in command of the defences of the city slamming the door behind them. Lucas and Nathan would mobilize every male in the keep to find weapons and armor from the armory and bring themselves to the courtyard where Hochmeister Theoderic Madritch, and Ordenmarshal Odothus Schmild would move them to the different defensive positions. While this was happening, it was Lucas that went looking for Peyton, Haley, and Brooke who he knew were at the Gardens outside the keep. Going to the armory he put on his armor alongside his friends Visimar Heffelinger, and Cunimund Brodgert and begin leaving the keep heading towards the gardens. Speaking with Theoderic that he was going to the garden to find his sister and friends Theoderic lent him three men at arms to help bring back as many people as possible and then his group ran for the bridge of Saint Reginald which was clearest move to the Gardens. Reaching the bridge there were people streaming across and as he moved in the other direction, he saw Peyton screaming his name. Peyton had been able to return to the keep before the massacre and now she was crying so much that Lucas had to hold her up, and he would learn from Peyton that Haley, and Brooke had gone to the apartment of their friend Ottilia Goedde. Rushing to the apartment it was just outside the keep and they discovered the area was already the sight of some conflict as they saw there first Orcs. Brooke, Haley, and Ottilia led her younger siblings from the apartment and into the arms of Lucas and the others but this reunion was cut short by the arrival of the Orcs. These first Orcs were rampaging through the street and Lucas, Visimar, and Cunimund fought them without much thought killing the first two, but the third killed Cunimund before they were able to slay the Orc, and seeing more coming they were forced to leave his body on the street and lead the group back to the bridge of Saint Reginald.

Success at Schild Keep

Holding the Bridges

“We will hold open the bridge of Saint Reginald as long as we can. Once its going to be overrun I will shut the gate. The problem is Naelys bridge. Someone or something damaged the mechanism. The Kellermaster Devon is working to fix it. You have to buy him time.”
— Theoderic Madritch

Massacring the population of the city the Orcs swarmed towards the next and last point of resistance in the form of the three main defenses of the Keep of Tree Hill in the two bridges and the twin gates. As Lucas and Visimar reached the Bridge of Saint Reginald with there group there was little time to say goodbye as Brooke, Haley and the others were rushed deeper into the Keep while Lucas met with Theoderic to discuss the situation. By this point the defenses of the Keep had been stiffened by the hundreds of incoming survivors who were being quickly equipped and placed into defensive positions. Alongside this the successful defense of the Schild Keep the twin gates were now heavily fortified thus leaving the two bridges as the main point of weakness for the defenders. The defenders were weakened by the fact that the drawbridge for the Bridge of Saint Reginald remained in working order but the Bridge of Naelys Targaryan had been sabotaged leaving it unable to be closed. Lucas, Visimar, and two dozen men at arms would rush to the Bridge of Naelys finding the Kellermaster Devon Davion leading the defense there but was struggling to fix the bridge mechanism and needed more time. The arrival of Hank James II. telling them of his fathers retreat led to Lucas seeing the oppurtunity to both buy time for the defenders as well as help Hank James. Now looking to buy this time for the defenders it was Lucas that led the two dozen men alongside Vismar, and several knights including Perwyn Guntbold, and Kurt Isidor, and Isidor Elric, Deert Dravion, Hank James II., and Hansal Oakheart. This group would be joined at the last minute by Deert Davion the son of Devon, and another nine men at arms and traveled across the bridge where they planned to meet with Hank James and hold the entry to the bridge for enough time to have Devon and his men repair the gate mechanism.

“I was moving with such purpose. I knew in that moment that I had to be the courage for everyone around me. It didn't matter that I was in complete terror. I couldn't show that to anyone.”
— Lucas Scott

By this point the other houses of the southwest Keep were finding themselves becoming under attack as the Orcs were spreading throughout the city, and although the Orcs were finding increasing resistance as they moved closer towards the Keep of Tree Hill they were still moving in a near unstopped pace. At the Apartment of House James, it was Hank James that was with his sons Hanzal James, and Hank James II. when Mary James arrived in a panic telling them that Orcs had killed Gloria at the market and were not far behind her. Mary was taken away by Hank the younger to the Tree Hill keep escaping in safety, but Hanzal and Hank the elder gathered their men at arms from the area and organized several retreating men and fought a slow retreat to the Tree Hill Keep killing several charging Orcs as they pulled back. While doing this it was Hanzal that was struck down and killed fighting leaving a distraught Hank to continue retreating tears covering his face as he left his heir dead in the street. Hank James would be rejoined by Hank the younger who had returned after safely getting Mary inside the keep and standing at the side of the Chapel of Saint Markus the group decided this was the place to make their last stand. While Hank James was preparing this, they were joined by the force of Lucas Scott who was attempting to buy the bridge more time and the Chapel of Saint Markus enjoyed good vantage points for his archers and blocked the main roadway to the bridge making it a good spot to hold.

Last Stand at the Chapel of Saint Markus

“Was jumping onto that bridge a smart move? Hard to argue it was. What other choice did I have though? Did I hide on the wall and watch as thousands died? Did I try to swim across the lake into safety? None of that would have let me live with myself. I did what I had to. I would do it again if given the option.”
— Lucas Scott

The force now at the Chapel of Saint Markus consisted of the 27 men at arms of Lucas Scott as well as the knights Perwyn Guntbold, Kurt Isidor, Isidor Elric, Deert Dravion, and Hansal Oakheart who joined the force of nine men at arms of House James and the knight Hank James. Also included in this defense would be another five men at arms who joined them during the retreat from several different houses. Placing men in the chapel spires to fire arrows at the Orcs once they came it was the rest of them that formed a defensive line across the road allowing the streaming refugees past them. The group held for a time as Lucas shouted for people to hurry up and get inside, but after fifteen minutes they started to see the first trickle of Orcs moving forward and it was in this moment that he held the road for a time stopping Orcs with carefully aimed bow shots. Perwyn Guntbold, and Hansal Oakheart were also firing arrows near him, while Deert, and Hank were directing people towards the bridge and making them hurry. He and the rest of the party were slowly pushed back by their numbers as he did not want to be cornered in the street, so he pushed himself to the first tier of the chapel steps and thus allowed the people to continue getting inside the Keep. While they were fighting this initial attack, they had lost seven of the other men at arms to the Orcs, and Deert took a horrifying blow to his arm of which when Lucas moved to him, they were both very aware that the wound might be fatal, but he refused to retreat and they covered it as best they could. His desperate fight continued as the Orcs begin swarming at him in increasing numbers, and as things became more desperate it was the arrival of an Orc ten feet tall that finally broke the defenses of the chapel.

Defeating Lugdush

“His skin was bright red, and he was so large that he obscured everything around him. He pushed two of his own men off the bridge in his desperation to get at us, and I raised my shield knowing this was not going to be an easy fight.”
— Lucas Scott

As the defenders were slowly retreating the Orcs stopped their attacks and made several steps back smashing there axes together. As the defenders watched this it was Lucas’s group that reached the edge of the bridge having been pushed all the way back to the bridge. As the orcs continued there chanting it was a giant that knocked several away allowing him through. The giant orc was Lugdush Grimbones the clan leader of the Grimbones Clan. His skin was a dull orange, and his size was such that he obscured everything around him. In terms of the Orc hierarchy, he was one of the largest orcs in the Loudlon army and was a trusted Grand Chief of Jurden Hardaxe the overall High Chief. Without warning Lugdush raised his giant axe and with that a group of white painted Orcs charge forward at the defenders who were now supported by archers on the walls of the bridge. While many of the Orcs were felled by the arrow fire many got through and reached the line of defenders. Fighting against this group Lucas showed himself the exceptional swordsmen cutting down two of the three Orcs that reached him while the third was killed by Perwyn. Lugdush let out a giant laugh, and the other orcs (hundreds strong now) returned to smashing their axes against each other. Finishing laughing Lugdush begin walking towards the defenders and as he moved forward arrows struck him, but he continued walking forward ignoring them like they were nothing. Moving through the arrows Lugdush reached the defenders in front of the bridge and smashing his sword down he sent Lucas, and Perwyn flying to the ground and knocking Perwyn unconscious against the ground. Lucas called out for the other men to retreat, but they refused to leave him, and his party stood side by side with him as Lugdush attacked again. Deert would be the first to fall as Lugdush ignored a slash across his chest from Lucas and cleaved Deert Davion in two and followed by this Lucas ducked underneath another slash from Lugdush and slid over the side of the bridge and into the moat but just managed to grab ahold of the side. While Lucas fought to pull himself up Hansal was slashed across the face by Lugdush and killed, while Lugdush struck down the three remaining men at arms one after another leaving just Kurt Isidor, and Isidor Elric standing between Lugdush and the bridge as Lucas finally pulled himself up.

“The thing stood as high as a building it seemed. It was a monster of the demons themselves, and it made you understand clearly what was happening. Watching Deet, and Hansal, and James and then all those poor men I just hated the thing. I let that hate overcome me, and I'm glad it did.”
— Lucas Scott

Dodging blow after blow Kurt Isidor was joined by Oliver Slinde of whom ran across the bridge attempting to support the defense. The bridge mechanism was fixed at this point, and they were preparing to close it but were waiting for Lucas, and his men to get inside. Kurt, Oliver, and Lucas attacked Lugdush together, and Kurt was able to slash him across the leg dropping him to his knees. As Kirt went for a killing blow it was Lugdush that grabbed him by the beck as he had gotten too close and broke his neck before throwing him into the moat. As Lugdush got up he pushed Lucas to the ground and then as Oliver stabbed him through the back his sword became stuck inside the Orc. Lugdush now gravely wounded turned around and grabbed Oliver throwing him down the bridge. As Lugdush cornered Oliver against the side of the bridge and prepared to kill him Lucas jumped on his back and was able to stab him through the less armored back part of his neck killing the massive Orc. Now exhausted from that fight Lucas attempted to crawl across the bridge but was struck by an arrow from the Orcs that were now charging at him. Standing up with what little strength he had left he took another arrow and realizing that the time it would take him to cross the bridge would allow the Orcs to enter the keep, and thus decided to save his family and threw himself into the moat. Oliver was able to get inside the gate but those on the wall had watched Lucas plunge into the moat and as he had full plate armor on, he would have drowned, and thus they closed the bridge just as the Orcs reached it.

Morrigan Enters the City

Morrigan finds Lucas — Nathan would be the one that brought Lucas's survival to everyone's attention but Morrigan was the one that healed him of his fatal wounds and found him first.

“"The Orcs flooded the city, and I made my way into the tunnels where I used Magi to literately burrow a hole through the tunnels and into the inner sanctum of Tree Hill. Entering in such a way had its dangers but at that point no one feared other humans very much."”
— Morrigan

As the Orcish army swarmed into Tree Hill Morrigan would leave her Circle post at the Hill of Edestic and make her way to a local farm where she had ordered her men for months to burrow a tunnel beneath Tree Hill that would connect into the Keep of Tree Hill. Morrigan for her part had played the role of a loyal member of the Circle but her affection for Lucas Scott led her to turn against them and making the decision to save Lucas despite the personal cost to herself she would use the tunnel to enter the Keep of Tree Hill. Moving her way through the tunnels she would eventually arrive at the entrance which was inside her home in the keep where she was living under the guise of Lady Morrigan Sylne of House Slyne. Leaving her house she heard the screams and could smell all the death around her but she was looking for Lucas Scott and using her Magi she passed through the wall and into the Saint Markus Pond. Finding Lucas he had managed to take off his chest armor thus saving him from drowning, but the two arrows in him were going to be fatal injuries. Holding his head up she would use her Magi to heal him, and as he was healed and she removed the arrows leaving him unconscious but no longer fatally wounded.

“I woke up in a ditch on the outskirts of the wall. My survival rested upon the simple fact that the Orcs had killed everyone and thus they didn't believe it was possible for anyone to be alive outside of the wall. A more determined force might have checked my body, but I lay there awake in the water for nearly two hours before I finally was alone enough to make a dash for the keep.”
— Lucas Scott

Back in the City

Peyton Sawyer Small3 — Lucas's return was a great moment for Peyton.

“In truth I'm not the hero everyone makes me out as. I didn't think I'd ever make it back from that. I thought my body would lie broken on the bridge or in the moat. I thought that my death would somehow save the city, but when I survived I realized I had accomplished nothing. I was supposed to have saved their lives, but all I ended up doing was leaving them in a state of terror for eight years. And the entire time I returned I felt an overwhelming feeling of loss. Was this the life I wanted to be remembered for saving? Was this chaos and darkness worth living amongst? What was the point of being alive if your entire world was dead.”
— Lucas Scott

The moment Lucas was pulled back into the keep was the moment that most point to as the moment that the Battle ended for the city itself, and following this the situation was one of a siege except for the incoming relief force. Nathan called out for men to come help him carry Lucas inside, and they carried him into the locked tower overlooking the city, and then called for a doctor. Miraculously Lucas was unhurt, and only had cuts, and bruises to show for the act that saved the city from immediate death. It was in this moment that the first stems of jealously begin from Lucas's brother Nathan. While Nathan had led the defenders in their retreat back to the keep and had maintained order during the battle, all of this was forgotten as the people lot their minds over the return of a living god to them in Lucas Scott.

Nathan Scott Small1 — Nathan and Lucas were never close but that lack of relationship quickly spiraled into hatred.

“He wasn't supposed to survive out there. I heard him say it with my own ears. He was supposed to die and then I would be the heir of House Scott. His return brought back nothing but ruin.”
— Nathan Scott

Nathan Scott would storm out of the room as in his eyes everyone was ignoring him, and as he did he silently walked over to the wall and watched the people stem from the keep, and make their way to see Lucas Scott. As he watched this he saw for the first time that day Haley, and she was running around with a desperate look in her eyes. When he saw this he thought for a moment that she was coming for him and he felt hope, but as he walked towards her, she saw him and for the briefest moment she looked as if she would go to him, but instead she kept moving and pushed her way through the crowds and into the tower where Lucas was.

Lucernian Civil War

Main Article : Lucerne Civil War

House Nighting Rebellion
Did you think you could change the world and there would be no push back?

House Nighting Rebellion

“This was a world they had lived in for generations. Everyone knew. Everyone took a share. You destroyed it in an instant without a thought for the consequences.”
— Rachel Nighting

With William Lovie III. now the king of Lucerne the leadership of House Nighting begin to fear for the fate of their businesses which relied heavily on the use of workers in near slave like conditions, but even more dangerous for them was the fact that they sold Lucernians at the slave markets of Paris. House Nighting watched as the regime took control of businesses all around Lucerne and turned them into Kingdom businesses, and when William came to Tree Hill no one in House Nighting had any doubts what was going to happen, and they were not proven wrong. When William arrived one of the first businesses that was told to him was the racket that was run by House Nighting, and thus he met with the leaders of House Nighting and asked them to explain themselves, but House Nighting didn't believe they did anything wrong and as such William became very aggravated with them, and was harsher on their business then most he had dealt with. The members of House Nighting were beyond shocked at what had happened to them, and in this moment they attempted to meet with all the members of their customer base, but they discovered that House Scott had been working behind the scenes and had infiltrated this network, and was now dismantling the criminal enterprise from within. House Nighting would offer William Lovie III. huge segments of their profit base, and they hoped this would assuage him, but instead he sent in the Order of the Red Dragon led by Sawyer Shephard, of whom started a large investigation that finished basically the entire criminal organization.

“He didn't understand that what we did was a necessary part of a Kingdom. He didn't understand that without us someone else would simply just rise up to do the exact same thing that we were doing. I see us as a necessary part of the Kingdom of Lucerne, not the monsters he portrayed us as.”
— James Nighting

With their businesses in shambles and the slave trade over, House Nighting became poor very quickly, and all the friends that they once had disappeared overnight it seemed. This caused a lot of resentment and as such there resentment became public knowledge and as such they were met by members of House Jestife who were members of the True Sons of Lucerne. After this communication House Nighting turned to service in the True Sons in order to hopefully regain their authority over the slave trade. During this time of shifting alliegences it would be Rachel Nighting that begin to stray from her family somewhat as she begin to have an emotional affair with Raginald Frightling of whom was the young heir to House Frightling and while married he showed her something that she had never found with Cooper. At first they were silent in their support of the True Sons of Lucerne, as they didn't want further attention, but it would be a single piece of mail sent by a raven that would send the members of House Nighting into a fierce debate of which would decide the future of House NIghting.

Discovery of Betrayal

“I saw you once Your Grace. It was at the Battle of Minus Ithil. You were slashing and stabbing at the monsters and for a moment I stopped. Just stopped and watched you. All the fighting surrounding me and there I was watching you move like a god. I knew then that you were my king.”
— Edric Nighting

It was at this point that Edric Nighting would arrive in Forks where he had made the decision to turn against his family and reveal the plans of his family. Edric Nighting had several weeks before this begin hearing talk from his father and older brother that they planned to rise against House Scott and murder the Scotts in the city before taking control of Tree Hill itself. He would watch his brother in secret as his brother James Nighting II. followed Brooke Scott watching her movements, and watching her himself he discovered that she was the mistress of William Lovie III. through listening in on a conversation between Brooke and Haley James. Learning of this relationship between William and Brooke the loyal Edric Nighting would depart Tree Hill by horse with his friend Hanzal Grightling heading towards Forks where they had heard William Lovie III. was meeting with his wife and the leadership of Forks. Arriving at Forks the two would quickly gain an audience with the king of whom was surrounded at the time by Charlie Swan, Leven Martell, and Bella Swan, and seeing how influential the group was Edric would immediately tell the king what he knew which horrified the group of whom had already rallied their forces and was planning to move out the next day to Berne. Realizing the main forces still needed to go to Berne he would command Jasper Hale to lead a secondary force to Tree Hill in order to defend the Scott's once the Nighting's moved against them, and after discussing it was decided that Jasper would move south through the province of Rosten where he would summon a force from that province's lord in House Elric alongside Northern Tree Hill's lordn in House Guntbold and then lead them southward to Tree Hill.

“Tell me Jasper how it is fair that your love for him is more valuable then my own. He doesn't love you any more then he loves me. So tell me the truth why you must always stand by his side?”
— Leven Martell

Following the breaking up of the meeting Jasper, Leven, and Bella would follow William back to his tent where Jasper would convinse William to take him with him to Berne and instead send Leven to Tree Hill. Making up excuses about why she needed to go instead of him Leven was left shocked by what Jasper did and thus limply accepted this change of plans, and with a kiss to her forward she and William would say goodnight and following this Jasper and Leven left the tent. Leaving the tent Leven would follow Jasper trying to get him to explain himself, but he refused until she became quite agitated leading to an argument between the long time friends. Fighting loudly forced Jasper to take the argument into his tent where he would reveal that he did not trust her abilities to protect William considering how in love with him she was, and following this she would punch him in the face before returning to her own tent. The next day William, Jasper and the larger force from Forks would leave the city leaving Leven and a few hundred men at arms and knights to move south towards Castle Elric where she would go to defend the mistress of her beloved.