Chapter Twenty: The Skull-Bearer and the Eye
Within the continent of Rynstad lay a small empire in the north, where the mountainous lands were ruled by the Skartan King and his Skull-Bearer, who ruled this kingdom named Skart.
Ryo'Alegal, the Skull-Bearer, Commander of Skartan Defence Forces, enemy of Salendor and founder of the Eye of Skuadi.
The only thing that stood in his way were the Embassy of Salendor, his mortal enemies, and Ryo had learned of a new technique that would devastate their recently outclassed magic.
It was well-known that Salendorians were excellent healers and rather ineffective when it came to using offensive magic.
The only reason that Ryo'Alegal had not yet destroyed them, was that they were particularly good at keeping their defenses up and they had learned how to create shields that couldn't be touched by even the greatest Skartan Mage.
But Ryo had found a way to channel link-magic so it could destroy itself, by unleashing the chaotic energy within the link-magic and completely overwhelming the orderly links within the link-magic; this would be what would destroy the greatest Salendorian of all, Lord Makron of the Embassy.
Lord Makron was the appointed ruler for Salendor for the time being, but Ryo had plans to invade and become the new ruler of Salendor and defeat all of the Hai'Ynl, bar anyone with great ambitions that would be swayed by the power that Ryo held, and the Salendorian people would hail him as their ruler.
His intentions were to completely destroy the Salendorians, then rule over what was left of them. Ryo did not intend on becoming a tyrant and he was anxious to leave the rest of Corath to its own devices, besides, he gained nothing from interfering with other parts of Corath and especially not from something that could bring the wrath of the Stardust Dragon down on him.
Once he had pondered all of this, Ryo decided to finally test the powers of the Eye. “Malerion, you will fetch me the Eye at once; it is time to test their persuading powers and time for me to learn the Eye's secrets” Ryo demanded of his nearest man-servant.
“At once your Majesty” Malerion bowed mockingly and scurried off, like the beetle he was. Ryo sat for a few moments, waiting for Malerion to return with the Eye. At last the man-servant barged his way back into the ante-chamber, where Ryo would sit in his throne awaiting news about Salendor.
“Your Lordship” Malerion bowed and held the Eye with his out-stretched arms towards his king.
“Thank you, Malerion, you may go now” Ryo spoke pleasantly, and Malerion left the ante-chamber and disappeared to wherever he was needed the most.
Ryo cradled the Eye in his arms for some time.
Finally Ryo'Alegal decided to use the Eye.
His other man-servant, Rendal, waited patiently before Ryo. “It is time for us to go test the powers of the Eye of Skuadi; you will go and find my second-in-command, the Bone Lord, and have him assemble the Elite Legion of Bone-Bearers” Ryo told Rendal, then waved his hand dismissively.
“At once your Majesty” Rendal replied nervously and took his leave.
Ryo activated the magic within the Eye.
“Eye of Skuadi, ignite your magic for all of Skart to see, bring down the fabled empire of Salendor.”
The orb finally began to grow hot and glowed a ruby-red colour, more brilliant than the flames of Skrath Peak. After a moment, Ryo was roughly thrown into a vision depicting the fall of the empire of Salendor and the Embassy.
This vision showed a terrific battle between the Skartan and Salendorian forces, but it also showed Ryo's forces winning and the opposing Salendorians losing their, previously thought, iron-hard nerve.
Finally the Eye had shown enough and Ryo was brought back to his ante-chamber, where his other man-servant, Malerion, was waiting patiently for him.
“Your Majesty, I thought you might want to know that the Salendorian forces are marching upon us as we speak.”
Ryo grinned un-nervingly.
“Yes, it is as I had thought. The Salendorians come to their death.” Then Ryo grinned with satisfaction, for his ambitions had finally come into play.
Ryo left the ante-chamber and headed out of the Palantine Palace.
The staircase to the lowest floor of the Palantine Palace swirled wildly, metal poles connecting the fibres of the woods making up the layers of stair.
Ryo glanced around the Palace stairway with admiration, in himself and for the man who spent much of his life building this wonder of Corath.
Sargonath the Artisan.
Another wonder of Corath.
Ryo left the palace, which automatically opened out onto the Congregation Square.
This square was huge in area and took up almost half of Fyodor*; it was also the place where Ryo's troops would gather before a battle or invasion.
This day, Sexeday, there were thousands of troops, the fabled Elite Legion and they were lined gloriously, showing off their crisp, clean uniforms.
Soldiers saluted their officers, who ultimately looked up to their God, the only one that the Skartans believed in, Trimytuz.
Once Ryo arrived in front of them, every person inhabiting the Congregation Square looked up mechanically, more silent than night-time on the Forbidden Plains of Tirgroth.
Ryo addressed the gathered army of Skartans.
“Today we make history. Today the Salendorians will attack and we will win. The Eye of Skuadi has shown our victory, our efforts will pay off for the work that all of you have put in. Today we will show those Salendorians that we are the better people and they will bow down to us. Go with glory and honour, and remember this, I will be in front ready to destroy Makron, Lord of the Embassy.”
The people cheered clamorously.
“It is time for me to show the power of the Eye. I will determine the manner in which the Salendorian people will lose and I will show the pride of our glorious King.
Within the continent of Rynstad lay a small empire in the north, where the mountainous lands were ruled by the Skartan King and his Skull-Bearer, who ruled this kingdom named Skart.
Ryo'Alegal, the Skull-Bearer, Commander of Skartan Defence Forces, enemy of Salendor and founder of the Eye of Skuadi.
The only thing that stood in his way were the Embassy of Salendor, his mortal enemies, and Ryo had learned of a new technique that would devastate their recently outclassed magic.
It was well-known that Salendorians were excellent healers and rather ineffective when it came to using offensive magic.
The only reason that Ryo'Alegal had not yet destroyed them, was that they were particularly good at keeping their defenses up and they had learned how to create shields that couldn't be touched by even the greatest Skartan Mage.
But Ryo had found a way to channel link-magic so it could destroy itself, by unleashing the chaotic energy within the link-magic and completely overwhelming the orderly links within the link-magic; this would be what would destroy the greatest Salendorian of all, Lord Makron of the Embassy.
Lord Makron was the appointed ruler for Salendor for the time being, but Ryo had plans to invade and become the new ruler of Salendor and defeat all of the Hai'Ynl, bar anyone with great ambitions that would be swayed by the power that Ryo held, and the Salendorian people would hail him as their ruler.
His intentions were to completely destroy the Salendorians, then rule over what was left of them. Ryo did not intend on becoming a tyrant and he was anxious to leave the rest of Corath to its own devices, besides, he gained nothing from interfering with other parts of Corath and especially not from something that could bring the wrath of the Stardust Dragon down on him.
Once he had pondered all of this, Ryo decided to finally test the powers of the Eye. “Malerion, you will fetch me the Eye at once; it is time to test their persuading powers and time for me to learn the Eye's secrets” Ryo demanded of his nearest man-servant.
“At once your Majesty” Malerion bowed mockingly and scurried off, like the beetle he was. Ryo sat for a few moments, waiting for Malerion to return with the Eye. At last the man-servant barged his way back into the ante-chamber, where Ryo would sit in his throne awaiting news about Salendor.
“Your Lordship” Malerion bowed and held the Eye with his out-stretched arms towards his king.
“Thank you, Malerion, you may go now” Ryo spoke pleasantly, and Malerion left the ante-chamber and disappeared to wherever he was needed the most.
Ryo cradled the Eye in his arms for some time.
Finally Ryo'Alegal decided to use the Eye.
His other man-servant, Rendal, waited patiently before Ryo. “It is time for us to go test the powers of the Eye of Skuadi; you will go and find my second-in-command, the Bone Lord, and have him assemble the Elite Legion of Bone-Bearers” Ryo told Rendal, then waved his hand dismissively.
“At once your Majesty” Rendal replied nervously and took his leave.
Ryo activated the magic within the Eye.
“Eye of Skuadi, ignite your magic for all of Skart to see, bring down the fabled empire of Salendor.”
The orb finally began to grow hot and glowed a ruby-red colour, more brilliant than the flames of Skrath Peak. After a moment, Ryo was roughly thrown into a vision depicting the fall of the empire of Salendor and the Embassy.
This vision showed a terrific battle between the Skartan and Salendorian forces, but it also showed Ryo's forces winning and the opposing Salendorians losing their, previously thought, iron-hard nerve.
Finally the Eye had shown enough and Ryo was brought back to his ante-chamber, where his other man-servant, Malerion, was waiting patiently for him.
“Your Majesty, I thought you might want to know that the Salendorian forces are marching upon us as we speak.”
Ryo grinned un-nervingly.
“Yes, it is as I had thought. The Salendorians come to their death.” Then Ryo grinned with satisfaction, for his ambitions had finally come into play.
Ryo left the ante-chamber and headed out of the Palantine Palace.
The staircase to the lowest floor of the Palantine Palace swirled wildly, metal poles connecting the fibres of the woods making up the layers of stair.
Ryo glanced around the Palace stairway with admiration, in himself and for the man who spent much of his life building this wonder of Corath.
Sargonath the Artisan.
Another wonder of Corath.
Ryo left the palace, which automatically opened out onto the Congregation Square.
This square was huge in area and took up almost half of Fyodor*; it was also the place where Ryo's troops would gather before a battle or invasion.
This day, Sexeday, there were thousands of troops, the fabled Elite Legion and they were lined gloriously, showing off their crisp, clean uniforms.
Soldiers saluted their officers, who ultimately looked up to their God, the only one that the Skartans believed in, Trimytuz.
Once Ryo arrived in front of them, every person inhabiting the Congregation Square looked up mechanically, more silent than night-time on the Forbidden Plains of Tirgroth.
Ryo addressed the gathered army of Skartans.
“Today we make history. Today the Salendorians will attack and we will win. The Eye of Skuadi has shown our victory, our efforts will pay off for the work that all of you have put in. Today we will show those Salendorians that we are the better people and they will bow down to us. Go with glory and honour, and remember this, I will be in front ready to destroy Makron, Lord of the Embassy.”
The people cheered clamorously.
“It is time for me to show the power of the Eye. I will determine the manner in which the Salendorian people will lose and I will show the pride of our glorious King.
