Chapter 15 Rurick the Conqueror

Rurick and Nalia raise Grand Prince Dion in every luxury and comfort. Alexis decides to take advantage of this economic boost and builds an inn on the outskirts of Illium. He began raising his daughter Lilia again and Amalia regularly visits the goddess. At the height of the prosperity, Rurick decided to invade a rival country across the sea. In the wee hours of the morning, reports spread like wildfire through Illium about the Blythan colony on the Island of Jaymee being attacked by raiders from Helos and the colonists being taken as slaves to the homeland of the savages. Nero their king and Vladimir the army’s commander blessed the raid and rewarded the sailors with gold for the slaves. The High Priest Hadrian barged into the palace to report the assault to Emperor Rurick. Palace guards stand outside his bed chamber whispering about the woman the emperor is with and not wanting to disturb him. Hadrian tears through the crowd of guards and storms into His Majesty’s bed chamber. A maidservant peeks from the fur blanket mortified. She grabs her clothes and rushes out the door to the leers of the guards. A disgruntled emperor asks what his mentor wants so early in the morning.
Hadrian informed his pupil of the news and gave the emperor a moment to collect his courage. Rurick deeply thought of a response for a moment, then changes subjects.
“You enjoy walking in on me with females and shaming them,” notes Rurick.
“My apologies if my timing was off. I believed the emperor should not be the last person to know very serious reports. Do you really think I care who you bed with, I am not suffering any distress?” answers Hadrian.
“My apologies for my irritation at your bad timing. Just do not mention your run ins to Nalia, it might upset her.” retorts Rurick.
“Rurick, the entire palace knows you bed with almost every woman you meet. Need I remind you of all the women claiming to be carrying your child? I do not believe all of them are lying. Now, are you planning for war while you scorn me?” asks Hadrian.
“I am beginning to resent your disrespect towards me. I am the Emperor of Blythe.” begins Rurick. Hadrian waves his hand and Rurick freezes into stone. “Now that I have your full attention, you will listen. I will disrespect you when you deserve it. You behave like an irresponsible imp instead of the reliable sovereign you are expected to be. There is more to ruling an empire than delighting yourself at the expense of other’s suffering. You are expected to command armies and make
decisions for those who have no voice, through imperial policies. Today, I see you declaring war on Helos and rescuing your subjects there. Your name will mean greatness and courage to future generations. As your devoted friend, I must warn you of this. When you sail off to combat, make sure to take a good, hard look at your son
Dion waving farewell because it will be the last time you see him, in this life or the next.” finishes Hadrian and waves his hand to release the freezing spell.
Swiftly humbled, Rurick stares at his mentor as if his heart was broken.
“I will see you later when you call upon me to fight in your war of rescue and conquest, Your Majesty.” asserts Hadrian.
He bends in a mock bow with his hands clasped and gazing at his pupil’s eyes. Emperor Rurick dresses himself since his valet is sound asleep from his drunkenness from last night’s celebration of the coming of spring. He meets his nobles in his throne room and sits to be introduced to the newest members of the court. A newly appointed commander from the city Kara approaches with the news of the attack on the Jaymee colonists. The man pleads for war to rescue the captives and increase alliances to share the burden. Messengers are sent out with notices calling for the building of an army to rescue the colonists. More will be needed to defend the empire from outside attack. Rurick hand wrote a letter to his cousins Darius and Kia to summon them to Illium. He rides out to his brother and stepfather in Ashleigh. He places flowers on his mother’s tomb and joins his family for a meal. His mother was thrown from a horse the summer before and broke her neck. His brother Xerxes begged to be his great brother’s valet on the battlefield. Rurick insisted that Xerxes marry Boudicca first to cement an alliance to Lotan, and then he may join his brother on the battlefield. A month and a half later, Prince Darius and General Princess Kia reenter the capital city of Illium. Rurick called a private meeting in his bed chamber. The only other people allowed in the room were Hadrian and Felix. Refreshments were eaten and cups of wine were drunk before Rurick laid out his urgent request. He asked Darius to take over Rurick’s emperor duties for he thought Nalia inept at such great responsibilities. She barely pays attention to meetings with officials and administrators. She tends her son and entertains herself riding around the gardens. Kia was asked to join the emperor and General Felix in the campaign to rescue the colonists. Darius appeared nervous, but said nothing of his wife’s eager response to join the war.
A toast to victory was made. Hadrian whispered to a stunned Darius that he promises to bring back his wife to him. Darius grinned with watery eyes. He quickly introduced Hadrian to his sons, daughters, and stepdaughter. Empress Nalia disagreed with General Kia joining Rurick’s forces. She threatens fierce retaliation if Kia thinks she will steal her emperor husband from her. Much like Iris to Maya, Kia calmly begs the empress not to flatter herself. One husband is enough for her. Nalia constantly watches her adversary for Rurick’s attention. During a meal where she glares at Rurick holding his daughter Tatiana, Hadrian approaches her to warn of controlling her emotions. He assures the nervous empress that Kia has the courage to take her crown and swipe off her head if she felt threatened by Nalia. Nalia kept her distance from Kia from then on.
Hadrian returned to the temple to sharpen his weapons and practice his skills.
Eurick appears the night before the soldiers set sail for Helos. He embraces his father and asks to repeat the tale of his Great-grandmother Toralyn marrying Great-grandfather Romair. Hadrian senses something was plaguing Eurick, but did not ask
questions. He recites the Tale of Toralyn:
“In the days of the roaming wolf packs and spotted panthers, before the grasslands were covered with human farms, lived an elf maiden named Toralyn. She was a beauty with long blonde hair, large ears, crooked nose, and a red cloak that shined in the sun. Her mother Lanie presented her with Toralyn’s first wooden magic wand. Every morning at dawn, the maiden walked down the mountain to fetch a bucket of water for her family. It was common knowledge not to cross the Aurora River because the land of the sprites lay beyond the border. Sprites were as mischievous as brownies and flew down from the treetops to attack any encroachers. They all bore golden swords and leather sheathes. All the mothers speak of sprites taking them away if they disobey their parents. Toralyn believed the sprites were evil until she spied one grinding his golden knife with a stone. She thought the white hair and small facial features lovely compared to elves’ large features. He spoke to her in a foreign tongue and she was bewildered at his friendly smile. She hit the winged man with a spell to hear what he said to her. He returned in kind and hit her with a spell to make her voice
speak in sprite. The creature had said ‘Good morning fair maiden, may I have the pleasure of knowing your name.’ She answered with ‘Good morning sprite, my name is Toralyn, may I have the pleasure of hearing your name.’ He responded that his name is Romair. The maiden Toralyn broke all the rules and leaped onto a rock by the falls. Romair also landed on a nearby rock and gave the maiden a starfish from his boot. He keeps it for good fortune.
The mermaids splashed at them and the couple kicked their feet to splash them back. Soaking wet from the mermaids, the couple conversed under a tree on the sprite side of the river. They talked about their villages and Toralyn spoke of the tradition of staying away from sprites. Romair understood why the prohibition of trespassing on sprite land. When Queen Aurora declared war on the griffin king Hades, the elves supported the mermaids and the sprites supported the griffins. When the griffins were cast out of the Olin Mountains, Queen Aurora forgave the sprites of their allegiance to the griffins because sprites never harmed the mermaids they captured. An escaped mermaid captive assured the queen of this. He guessed the elves never forgave the sprites of their allegiance with the griffins. Toralyn soon returned to her home on the mountainside. She explained her long departure as speaking with a mermaid and showing the lucky starfish. That day on, Toralyn and Romair met at the river falls every morning. One morning he carried his beloved up into the trees and showed her his world in the treetops. Toralyn admitted it would take some time getting used to, but she is capable of adjusting. The day came when the sprite Romair asked for marriage. He gave the elf maiden a marriage contract and a sash made from unicorn hair. She brought her beloved home to the horrified response from her family. Her father chased the lovesick sprite away and forbade his daughter to see the sprite again. No longer allowed to fetch water from the river, she wept for days.
Her mother tried to cheer her up with an outing to the hadria beach where mermaids sunbathed and dug for turtle eggs. Toralyn spotted Romair high in the treetops watching her. He continued visiting the river every morning hoping she would come. On their return to the mountains, Romair followed them bouncing from tree limb to tree limb. He dropped an eagle pendent in her path and she glanced upwards as she strung it around her neck. She claimed a mermaid must have left it here. She then visited an elf witch and inquired on how to change her father’s mind upon her marriage to a sprite. The witch told her that the pendant she wore sends a signal to the sprites that follow her. Eventually, Toralyn was allowed to fetch water from the river when she ceased to weep for her sprite. Only this time, Romair was not there. A sprite silently followed her and grabbed her when no creature was looking. He took her up to the mountains trees and explained a witch cast a spell on Romair. Now they can not find him. He took her back to the path he snatched her from. She prayed to find her love and crossed the river into sprite territory the following morning. She brought a handkerchief full of elf food. She searched all day and finished the last of her food.
Toralyn met Romair’s mother searching for her son. She admitted that she tried many spells to find him. She peered at Toralyn’s pendant and tried another. She mixed a love potion and dipped the figure in the cauldron. The figure swirled around and stopped pointing west. The sprites held on to Toralyn as they flew westward. The pendant hummed and shined to finally drop into the forest below. The sprites landed next to a pack of wolves resting after a filling meal. Only the white wolf took notice of the creatures walking by them. Toralyn’s pendant was found hanging from a tree branch dangling in the wind. Toralyn reached to retrieve it and it stung her like a bee. She dropped the figure and Romair appeared. The spell was broken. Romair brought his bride home to his family and began building a new home, one with a rope ladder. The only problem was her father declaring war on the sprites for kidnapping his daughter. Her brothers also joined the fight and set fire to the sprite side of the mountains. Toralyn used her wand to freeze the fires. She approached her father and brothers with her new husband to announce she was bearing a child.
Her brothers returned home and forgave their sister, but her father refused to leave. Romair’s father stepped in claiming to hear how the elf chased off his son when Romair proposed marriage. He pursued the rogue into the bush where Toralyn’s father met a hungry pack of wolves to become a meal. Horrified, Toralyn retrieved what was left of her father and buried his bones in the mountainside. She sang the elf prayers she heard since childhood and lay flowers on his burial mound. Her family rejoiced at her giving birth to two daughters, Tatiana and Amalia. Tatiana grew up to marry a sprite and gave us cousin Leander. Amalia grew up to be called The Sorceress and married an elf. They had two daughters, Flax and Gilda, and a son named Alaric.”
“I love that story, father. Tell me what you think of me marrying Princess Madoni before Circe, she is still an infant while I am reaching my adult rite of passage in a few years.” inquires Eurick.
“You will have my blessing upon anyone you choose in marriage,” answers Hadrian.
“May I come to war with you. Enki wants to come too. We will do anything to come with you.” begged Eurick.
“I will consider it, my son.” replied Hadrian.
The months go by and the beginning of summer approaches. Alexis takes in Princess Boudicca and she obediently assists with the inn guests. Amalia attends the infants Lilia and Lexie as she cooks for the borders. Outside the inn, soldiers train for battle and ships are built to transport them. Nalia announces the birth of another child coming in the winter. Felix leaves his wife and two sons behind as he crosses the countryside inspecting troops. Vim arrives on a unicorn most familiar to Hadrian, Kiko. Hadrian performs his High Priest duties and councils many worried about the impending war. Kia makes arrangements for a caretaker for her three daughters. Her stepsons are
grown enough to stay at Atalissa. Rurick takes over as commander of the armies while Prince Darius assumes more responsibilities of ruling the empire. Eurick and Enki are appointed valets to Darius. Prince Xerxes devotes his capabilities to Rurick. Rurick’s son Dion plays battle with the palace guards swinging his wooden sword and projecting tiny arrows at the servants. Nalia visits temples and says her prayer for victory and the return of her husband. Kaitlyn attends court often to let her sons become Dion’s companions. A terrifying earthquake shook the grand city of Illium down to the ground. A report came a week later of a volcano exploding in the Olin Mountains and caused mudslides down the mountain villages. Medea was wiped out completely. The populace received much exercise moving rumble and rebuilding Illium. Nalia thought it was a bad omen that Rurick’s war will not succeed and her husband will not come back to love her
again. Hadrian thought it was amusing that Nalia thought Rurick loved her now. The soldiers in training gained in strength and were soon ready to depart to Helos. The day the ships are ready arrives to a bittersweet parting for all. Felix, Kia, Hadrian, Vim, and Rurick waved farewell to Illium and sailed to their destiny across the sea. Their first stop was near a mermaid island. Mermaids have gained a reputation of annihilating humans ever since a human man killed a mermaid as they were guiding his ship through the razor sharp rocks under the water. The sands of the island were stained red with blood from the common tradition among sea coast dwellers to drag dolphins, seals, whales, sharks, and any creature that bleeds to the beach with nets to be clubbed to death. If the animal is fortunate to die quickly as it suffocates on the sand, its death is celebrated over a fire. If the animal is unfortunate to die slowly after being beached and
battered, it is skinned alive and the skin is tanned in the sun. Hadrian is soon tormented by the wailing cries of the ghosts of the beasts that had been slaughtered. He pushes a boat off shore to escape the cries and heads for the mermaid island. His large nose and ears give him away to be an elf when the mermaids surround his boat. They welcome him to lodge in their primitive land dwellings ashore. The tall trees of the forest provided much shade from the grinding hot sand. He spoke of tales about the Narva mermaids and the Battle of Leesville. Soon the enchanted mermaids gave the visitor a banquet of sea lobsters, clams, and crayfish. He slept in a lodging of a mermaid who had just given birth. She endlessly talked about her husband in the ocean.
He is a servant of a merman prince living near Titania in the southern seas. He is very skilled in harpoons and swords. The mermaid soon falls fast asleep with her baby. Hadrian gazes up at the stars and wonders if Iris is watching him. Before he left, she visited him in the temple and refused to help him in this war of conquest. She claimed Rurick was like Athena and is using this rescue operation as a ploy to take over a country. He squints at the land standing over the horizon, Titania. Many tales of giants called Titans live in the ice covered mountain forests. Few dared to tread past the shore into the unknown and unmapped Ice Mountains. Titans are the size of trees and compare humans to dogs. One explorer escaped to recite the tale of Titans keeping stranded humans as pets, must be like sprites keeping fairies as pets. Rurick longed to see these mythical mountains and meet a Titan before casting war on Helos. Hadrian tried to warn him of the Witch of Titania who is rumored of taking the form of a white wolf to enchant explorers into her servitude. His grandmother Toralyn spoke of the White Wolf originally coming from the Olin Mountains and later cast away by a wizard.
Felix came to retrieve Hadrian the following morning. He eats a meal with the mermaids and leaves them with rumors of the outside world. Their next rest is on the Island of Jaymee. The white crystal sands of Jaymee are full of arrows and helmets. The Kadacian natives had already buried the slaughtered victims in the colony settlement.
Rurick is pleased to hear that Queen Deborah IV sent off soldiers to help defend the islands and coast. Twenty more ships of soldiers accompany Rurick’s army of thirty ships. King Dylan also received news of the attack and warned the coastal Lotans to be on guard.
Rurick’s uncle King Rychan increased his army in the Conquered Lands. Both kings had sent Emperor Rurick ten ships of soldiers made up of centaurs, human cliff dwellers, giants, and prized unicorns. Rurick was a bit confused at the female warriors with long white hair and blue eyes.
“Do you not know who the unicorns are, Rurick?” asks Hadrian. He understood Rurick’s blank expression meant no. “They are mountain nymphs, nature goddesses, who only show themselves as beautiful women when they search for a male companion. Then they change back into unicorns.”
Rurick’s memory was refreshed. One particular nymph gazed at Rurick constantly. This sent Kia chasing the seductive woman away from Rurick’s tent when they landed upon the shores of Titania. They made camp for two days to collect supplies and trade with the human pests. A few begged for passage home. On the second day, Hadrian felt a strange presence he could not explain. Next, a white wolf
perched upon a rock overlooking the encampment.
“The Witch of Titania draws near,” announces Hadrian. “I can feel her looking at us.”
The soldiers glance at the forest to see the white wolf had disappeared. That very evening, Hadrian followed the snapping of twigs and leaves outside the tents.
“Hello Alaric, wizard from my homeland, why do you dwell here?” asks a sweet female voice coming from the darkness.
“My master wished to gaze upon the Ice Mountains of Titania before going to war.” he replies.
“Ah, I see. He will not return from his war so he must look at us now.” realizes the witch.
“Yes, Mistress of Titania. He knows he will not come back to his family, but forever be remembered. The gods are strange in forging our fates.” responds Hadrian.
“That they are. I see the strong one is pregnant with child that is not her husband’s and tries to hide her evil betrayal. She will be punished in the worse way possible.” articulates the white wolf.
“I saw that in the stars too, but have not the heart to tell her. She will know someday what she has done to her husband. She can find out when the time is right, but not tonight, witch.” retorts Hadrian.
“Whatever you say, Master Alaric.” finishes the white wolf.
“By the way, they know you are here and will find you tomorrow. I would be running away if I were you.”
The animal disappears into the darkness. A loud roar is heard from the mountains and thunderbirds jump down from the sky. Rain begins to pour, putting out the campfires. Petrie raises the sun as the downpour ceases. The visiting creatures feel tremors in the sand. Captives of the Titans tremble in fear and race to the boats. A few
guards hold them down as the rest pull down the tents and toss the supplies into the ships. Hadrian is sure to be the last to leave the beach as heads of the Titans appear. The ships are pushed away from the sand in the nick of time. Hadrian inspects the beach and picks up a few dropped items. Rurick cries out for his mentor and Hadrian swims out to the ships. The Titans reach the shore and stomp into the waves. They let out a disgruntled roar and the white wolf is seen resting on a ledge. Rurick pulls up his mentor and scolds him for frightening him.
“You are speaking to a wizard, Your Majesty.” asserts Hadrian.
Relieved, Rurick passes the feeling. Helos is still a week of travel away. The next visit is to Ithaca. Kia and Rurick rejoice at gazing upon the capital again. More allies are negotiated and twenty-five more ships join the invaders. Helos is finally reached with all
eighty-five ships. The invaders move inland and takeover small villages without much of a fight. Closer they march to General Vladimir’s forces locked up in King Nero’s fortress. Rurick stops his march when he reaches an execution ground for peasants outside a forest. The butchered remains lay upon the rocky terrain. Large birds and vampire bats feast away at the bodies, except one tied down with rope and stakes. Rurick rode his unicorn to the peasant faintly breathing. No birds feasting upon the filthy man, he approached with curiosity. At casting a shadow over the peasant farmer, the man opens his eyes. He mumbled incoherently and Rurick looked up at Hadrian. Rurick’s unicorn nudged at his water bottle and Rurick the Savior fed the man from his bottle. Hadrian, Kia, Felix, and Rurick untied the man. Rurick began scoop up the victim, when Felix was alerted by a noise from the forest. Arrows sprung out from behind the trees and Hadrian lounged his shield in front of Rurick. Kia and Vim led a
charge into the forest, but did not come back. Felix, Hadrian, and Rurick soon lost patience and searched for their army. After an hour, they spotted a lone unicorn coming in their direction. The scout informed the emperor that General Kia chased the attackers all the way back to their mountain city. She is surrounding the city for His
Majesty and sent the unicorn to retrieve him. Captured Blythan slaves quickly sneaked out of the city walls into the hands of their countrymen. All desired revenge for the colony being burned and neighbors killed. General Vim proposed a scheme to prevent a lengthy seize much like Athena trying for ten years to gain Tenochtilan. Rurick listened with interest.
A messenger owl is sent to King Nero with a proposal to have the best of each army fight each other outside the city gates. If Nero’s man wins, Rurick will leave with the Blythans he found. If Rurick’s man wins, King Nero will submit to paying tribute to Rurick and no longer attack Blythan, Kadacian, Ithacan, and Lotan settlements.
Three days later, General Vladimir accepts the challenge on the king’s behalf. The king is not in the fortress. The next challenge is deciding who in Rurick’s army would fight ruthless General Vladimir. Bets and dares are cast among the soldiers on who would meet the challenge the next morning. In the campfire light, Rurick makes the announcement that he will face General Vladimir. He made a touching speech on
how he would never demand any of his soldiers to do something he would not. He names General Kia his successor if he should die in the fight tomorrow. His friends join him in his tent to wish him luck in his endeavor.
“You can not go without of proper sword,” says Hadrian.
“And an unbreakable shield,” says Vim.
“You need a sharp dagger in your boot,” says Felix.
“And do not forget shiny armor,” finishes Kia. Fully equipped, Rurick thanks his friends.
“I would feel greatly honored if you wore my helmet,” intrudes Kiko with a rare appearance as a sprite.
Rurick grins at the gift. He later asks Hadrian during the peaceful night if he will succeed in this fight. Vladimir is a general for a reason. On this one occasion, Hadrian refuses to comfort the emperor’s insecurities. He simply states that it is Rurick’s decision to make whether he lives or dies. Rurick could not sleep from all the anxiety. He watches a sunrise from Petrie and looks for a sign in the morning star he was named after. It forecasts a death, but not who will die. Hadrian taught him well. A boy rushes to the emperor to warn that General Vladimir is coming. The fortress cheers when the general raises his arms holding a sword and shield. The scarred and tattooed
man faces the intruders and demands his victim. Soldiers line up to create a wall to only stand aside to let their champion through the crowd. Rurick’s army beats their shields with their swords and cheer on their warrior. A scene never viewed before in Helos was that the shields of Blythans were held together to create a wall of wood. The opponents draw closer. Rurick hears the general laugh how this invading emperor sent a boy to fight a man. Rurick sneers and insults back how the god of war Eris is on his side. Vladimir laughs again. Rurick swings at his head and Vladimir dodges. He strikes
back hard with a vengeance until Rurick falls over. His pride damaged from being on the defensive, Rurick jumps up and projects his shield at his opponent. Surprised, Vladimir steps back to absorb the hit against his armor. Rurick’s sword comes next. Vladimir finds himself on the defensive and takes a few steps back behind his shield. Rurick chips Vladimir’s shield and gains confidence. Angered at the insult of his damaged shield, Vladimir attacks between Rurick’s hits. The warriors grow tired eventually and fear entered the invading army when Rurick dropped his sword when Vladimir cut his shoulder.
Covered in sweat, Vladimir chuckles as Rurick dives for his weapon. Much like Andos trying to defeat Alaric long ago, the frustrated general kicks dirt at the young warrior’s face. Rurick determined not to back down, remains still on the ground as the general comes closer. He then suddenly springs up, leaving his shield on the grass, hit’s the general’s armor with his sword, nicks his exposed elbow to make him lower his shield, and stabs him with his dagger right through the general’s neck. He picks up his shield off the ground and raises his dagger in victory. Both sides shout and a few young men come out from the city gates to collect their hero. Rurick faced his adversary and takes off his helmet. The dead man is carried back to the city and the gates remain open for the conquerors. A son of King Nero welcomes the victor under a canopy
positioned along the wall. He asks who the conqueror of General Vladimir is. Rurick answered that he is Emperor Rurick of Blythe. The mountains encircling the occupied city are later named after General Vladimir. Emperor Rurick the Conqueror continues in pursuit of the rest of the Blythan slaves. Cities fell and King Nero was defeated in battle. His sons unable to overpower the invaders fled when their time of domination ended. Rurick continued his war into the neighboring Anaki after two years. Resistors to Rurick’s authority were challenging to defeat. The peasant Rurick saved outside the
forest returned to health and loyally served Rurick as a valet. After a while, the peasant tried to murder Rurick in his sleep. Rurick was faking sleep as he saw a flicker of metal and a shadow of a knife coming towards him. He found the rage to stab him numerous times until Felix pulled him off the man. When he calmed down, he thanked the moon goddess Dora for her full moonlight shining into his tent.
Soon after General Kia watches Rurick crush the Vladimir Mountain inhabitants, it became known that she was pregnant. She refused to leave Rurick’s side and they often held meetings at night to plan the next strategy. Hadrian helped Kia bring her son into the world. After Prince Dion, he would be next in line to the thrown. Kia refused to allow the infant prince to travel to Illium. She feared Nalia would harm him more than Rurick’s enemies could. News spread of the victories in Helos and more troops arrived to relieve wounded soldiers. News came of Empress Nalia miscarrying her child and now indulges herself with young palace guards. Rurick was furious at these
allegations of his wife’s behavior. Hadrian made sure to remind his pupil of all the affairs with women he had. What goes around comes around as many priests believe. After three years of Rurick’s war, Eurick, Enki, and Prince Xerxes came with supplies to help defeat Anaki. Xerxes announces his marriage to Boudicca and believed she was with child. He also includes that his father Lagash had died of fever the year before. Eurick and Enki had little to say other than Hadrian’s family misses him. Iris made a rare appearance to Hadrian after a battle in Anaki. She came as an old woman with withered wings. Hadrian was shocked at seeing her with snow white hair and crinkled transparent skin. She humbly explains that she arranged a betrothal between their
daughter Amalia and Gilda’s son Max after his sister Toralyn poisoned his beloved. Her father Andos was so infuriated that he took her goddess crystal as she slept. She is now a mortal.
“Immortal?” Hadrian asks.
“No, a mortal. That is why I look 10,000 years old, Alaric. I shall die soon and had to see you one more time.” asserts Iris.
“You are about to die and you enter a war zone to see me. Besides, who will be the goddess of rainbows and help mothers in childbirth?” questions Hadrian.
“Amalia is the new marriage, childbirth, and rainbow goddess. My time ends here.” explains Iris. Hadrian removes his magic crystal and slips the string over her head.
“You have my crystal. It does not have godly powers, but will keep you immortal. I wish my mother never made me immortal. I hate feeling so much sorrow that it pains me to love again because I know eventually I have to say good-bye. Please send me to my beloved Nix.” expresses Hadrian the Great.
Touched by his gift, Iris promises golden apples of Idun that will return her youthful appearance and Alaric shall be sent to Nix soon. She flutters away over the mountains. The next morning, Rurick’s encampment is attacked by Anaki warriors. Hadrian is wounded by a sword penetrating his shoulder. Eurick helps him to his
steed Kiko and leaves the battle to tend his father. Hadrian passes out several times to hear laughter coming from a distant world. Hadrian feels himself leaving his body behind and embraces the spirit of Nix.
“It is not your time to go, Alaric.” a soft whisper delivers before Nix disappears.
A demon appears and Hadrian finds himself walking into a dark tunnel with a small light in the distance. He reaches the afterlife river Styx and is guided across it by another creature. He petted Hato’s three-headed dog guarding the afterlife to stop souls from escaping back into the living world. The dog sleeps two days a year to allow souls to return to the surface. He enters Roanoke Castle and stands in line for his judgment. Many are surprised to see him here and convey their condolences before being led to the Scale of Hato. The phoenix lays a feather upon the scale to weigh the heart of each slain warrior and decides where in the afterlife they shall go. Each soul is given a candle and disappears into the darkness. Isis suddenly declares Hadrian shall be judged last as he makes his way to the scale. An immortal losing his mortality deserves careful consideration. After a day of waiting and eating meals with demons, Hadrian is ordered to sit on the scale by Isis. Hato meekly lays a feather of truth upon the other side of the scale and declares a good deed towards a god ended his immortality, perhaps the hero should be given another chance to live. Hadrian failed to comprehend
all this, he gave his crystal to Iris. Isis called upon any holy being to speak on Hadrian’s behalf before her judgment.
An evil laughter echoed through the hall and the sky god Andos appeared in a haze of mist with two crystals swinging from his hand. Isis demanded to know the meaning of all this. Andos proudly boasted imprisoning his daughter inside her castle after he stole her crystal. Then disguised as Iris, he tricked Hadrian into giving up his
own to save her. Then a flash of light struck Andos to cause him to drop the crystals. Hadrian looked up to see the mischief god Ryan pointing his golden sword at his great-uncle Andos. Ryan’s wife Echo snatched the crystals to be blown to dust by Andos. The gods fought on, to the amazement of the demons. Ryan shouted how Hadrian deserves his immortality back because he showed great love for Iris. He rejected his father squealing to Andos of Amalia’s engagement and helping imprison Iris. Andos defends how much trouble this elf has caused in his family. He also condemns Amalia being Hadrian’s daughter. Spells of lightening, fire, and wind were cast by the foes many times hitting other targets. Hadrian eventually found himself hiding behind Isis’s thrown as the spells were swatted aside by their godly weapons. Isis gaped at her demolished great hall and ended the fight with a stone blow to both gods. Still as statues the gods stood in astonishment as Isis guides Hadrian to the scales.
“Since Ryan believes you deserve your life back because of your humble deed towards my niece Iris, I am obliged to send you back to the surface.” speaks Isis. Hadrian sits upon the scale again and Hato drops another feather on the other side.
“Your heart is full of pain and full of love. You painfully wish Nix back in life, but other friendships bound you to the surface.” Hadrian slips off the scale to face Isis.
“Here is your crystal brave one. I promise to hand back my niece her crystal. Now go be with your son.” Isis blows faerie dust onto Hadrian.
Our hero wakes up to feel agony in his shoulder. He coughs in a hospital cot and Eurick grabs his father’s hands. Hadrian opens his eyes to see Iris and Eurick above him. He is given a cup of water by Iris as Eurick relays his worries over his father’s missing crystal. Iris shushes Eurick by saying his father needs rest. Hadrian confides to
them of going to the afterlife and seeing Nix telling him it was not his time to go. Iris consoles Hadrian into believing it was all a bad dream. They leave Hadrian to sleep the rest of the night and next day. A unicorn feeds Hadrian and rubs oil onto his wounds. Days later, Hadrian begins walking around with his staff. Rurick honors Hadrian with a new shield Eurick rubbed a potion on. Hadrian humbly accepts the honor and seeks out Iris. He finds her alone in his tent. They eat a meal beside a campfire. Hadrian tries to tell Iris he is unsure his dream into the afterlife was all his imagination. Iris persuades it was all a dream and she came to visit him, even though she had not in years. Nonetheless, Hadrian kisses her and lays his head on her lap. She taps her love with her wings and wraps her arm across his chest. Hadrian then sits ups to kiss Iris again and holds her more tightly. After making a spectacle of himself, he falls asleep in her arms. He awakes to see her gazing up at the stars before daybreak.
“It is nice to see you again,” he comments. “Were those kisses last night a dream too?”
“I must leave you now. I am sorry for staying away for so long.”
They watch the sun come up out of the horizon and say goodbye before the soldiers stir around the camp.
“I shall visit again someday, Alaric.” speaks Iris and spreads her wings.
After many years of war, Helos, Anaki, and culture groups inland pay tribute to Emperor Rurick and it is divided between Blythe, Lotan, Kadacia, and Ithaca. Prince Xerxes becomes Rurick’s valet and later serves under Felix. Enki fell in love with one of the unicorns and served her. He also was Rurick’s personal messenger going back and
forth with messages being sent with the tribute. Eurick gained fighting experience and was appointed to protect Kia, who he is quite fond of. In the following seven years, the latter armies withdrew partially back home. Soldiers recited tales of conquest to the next generation coming to take over the task of guarding conquered cities. Reports came to
Rurick proclaiming King Rychan’s death. Prince Darius found himself in a sticky predicament on succession of the post. His wife Kia was the rightful heir to Rychan’s crown. Alas, Kia was occupied in Helos and Darius had to run Blythe. Darius’s sons were capable, but he worried over a power struggle between the two. The next heir
would be Tatiana, but she would require a regent. Xerxes would be next in line, but he is also in Helos. In the end, Darius decided on Boudicca becoming Queen Regent for her son Rodric. Darius sent them to Isis to take over the thrown of the Conquered Lands. He provided his sons as advisors and watch over Atalissa for Darius. Darius believed this was the only right choice to calm down the peasant riots plaguing King Rychan’s reign, after all Boudicca is a Lotan princess. Princess Boudicca moved to Isis with Rodric. She was crowned Queen with Rodric as Grand Prince. An empty throne stood beside them with Rychan’s golden crown, this represented the new King Xerxes.
Lotans in the Conquered Lands welcome Boudicca like a long lost daughter. She received much support from her father King Dylan. Many Blythans questioned Boudicca’s loyalties, but tribute from the Conquered Lands came to Prince Darius so the rumors were put to rest. Rurick wrote back to Prince Darius that most of the victorious battles were fought with the inland people resistant Rurick’s authority. When victory seemed near, at a river full of spawning fish Rurick drove his chariot across a wooden bridge placed at the base of a waterfall. The bridge suddenly buckled and fell apart as Rurick’s companions retreated back to the riverbank. Vim believed it was
sabotaged by the Anaki resistors because only the emperor fell in the river. His loyal troops search down the river for his chariot, dodging snipers slinging arrows at them. Rurick’s body is found the next day crushed under his chariot the way Prince Jonathan died before him. Hadrian mourned his pupil like no other. Bonfires blaze into the night to honor the fallen hero. A casket is nailed together to carry the emperor back home. Upon Rurick’s wishes once, Hadrian conducts an elf funeral for his student and recites the whole homage in elf language. Lilac petals were spread over his armored body.
Mourners walk by the casket to salute their champion. Hadrian approaches the wooden box with Kia’s son Linos at his side. The tenyear-old child appointed to be Rurick’s valet looked up at Hadrian and asks if the emperor is his father. It was hard not the notice cousin Rurick’s love for his mother. That and the fact of Linos remained abroad instead of the safety of his father’s palace. Being chosen to be the emperor’s valet is never based on merit. Hadrian answers the lad gently not to repeat these observations to his established father Darius when he meets him. Linos jumps for joy of seeing his family for the first time.
General Kia chose Hadrian for the task of escorting Rurick back to Illium. Linos, Enki, Enki’s unicorn wife, Eurick, and Kiko would also accompany His Majesty. Ten other soldiers who fit into the boat with all the food supplies and chests of tribute accompany the emperor too. In a few weeks time with a good wind blowing into the sail, the ship entered Illium’s harbor. News of the ten-year-long war is recited by the soldiers standing on the docks. Hadrian personally delivers messages to Grand Prince Dion, now fourteen years of age. Prince Darius welcomes his son and mourned his cousin Rurick. Linos’s sisters embrace their brother at last. Felix’s wife Kaitlyn rushes to the palace with her sons to hear word on her husband. Hadrian reads Felix’s letter to her inside his guest house. She weeps in relief knowing he is alright. Empress Nalia took Rurick’s death the hardest and paced through his funeral procession in a daze a month later. As night befalls, Hadrian walks by Emperor Rurick’s stone crypt and lays
flowers upon Rurick’s warrior image carved into the lid.
“I knew you would be here,” speaks the ghost of Rurick.
“I am relieved to see you. I mourn you as much as your grandmother Athena.” responds Hadrian.
“It must be grand to never die. I was terribly scared in that river and struggled to breathe air again. Now I will never experience the cool morning breezes before sunrises again. You must feel privileged knowing you experience a world I can not touch anymore.” continues Rurick.
“I do not feel privileged grieving you. I also experienced a wonderful world before you were ever born.” finishes Hadrian.
Rurick salutes his teacher and vanishes into the night. Hadrian weeps alone in his bed chamber inside the guest house. Grand Prince Dion is crowned emperor by Prince Darius the next day. Hadrian remained in a corner of the temple during the ceremony. Soon, Emperor Dion is expected to wed Kazaria Persephone arriving next
summer. As emperor, Dion voids his father’s contract with Kadacia and declares he will marry his mistress Minerva next summer. Outraged at this disrespect of his father, Empress Nalia quickly betroths the princess to Queen Boudicca’s son Rodric, only eight years old. A marriage contract is written with a change in names. The new Queen Anamosa of Kadacia rebukes the change and demands to see this Grand Prince Rodric. Her administrator arrives in Isis to inspect this heir. He is introduced to Darius’s son, who often reports to Queen Boudicca, instead. Little Prince Rodric is hidden in Atalissa to keep the marriage contract valid. The tricked administrator returns to Kadacia with approval of the change. Emperor Dion marries his beloved Minerva in great pageantry and she is crowned empress. Kazaria Persephone arrives on schedule to marry Rodric. The disappointed princess weeps at her introduction to future husband as he celebrates his ninth birthday. She is named Grand Princess of Conquered Lands and is comforted in Atalissa by Darius’s sons. Messages are deliberately sent to Queen Anamosa on her daughter’s wonderful experiences with pregnancy and of sad miscarriages. When Grand Prince Rodric reaches maturity, she does finally have her long awaited child.