Bloodblaze Crown

A blood-sworn oath, a blazing crown. Where banners fly, the hero follows.
Legends say the ancient kingdom was once besieged by legions overnight. Just when the walls were about to breached, the defending captain sliced open his palm and, with blood flowing into the sanctum's eternal hearth, swore his last oath to the god of war. In a blink the earth rumbled, its molten core awakening and overflowing from the stone steps, until a majestic crown of blazing flames lit up the sky. The garrison's shields brightened against the shadows of the raging fire, along with the spirits of the final remaining warriors. When dawn broke, the enemies had long scattered, but the captain was already nowhere to be found.
While the imperial city's flames would sometimes flicker in the eras that followed, warriors of stone still stood with spears at the ready, forever waiting for the return of the crown-less king. The scorching flames that swallowed the sky were testament to an enduring vow, and a crown only a true hero could bear.