Chapter Six: The Cursed People

Chapter Six: The Cursed People



End of the Rebirth

The end of The Age of Rebirth was coming, and rumors of strange events spread over the lands. These rumors were brought first from the Wood Elves, who had close contact with the Centaurs.
The Centaurs read the skies, and the constellation of Orosard revealed a vision to these natural seers. The vision, said the Centaurs, revealed the coming of a greater darkness to that of the darkest nights.
Not too long after, everyone on Medunian wondered about the meaning of this vision. Some said that it was the end of the world; others, that it announced the beginning of a dark age; the rest just ignored the situation.


The First Cataclysm

But the moment that officially marked the beginning of that new age, one of the most important in the history of this world, was the cataclysmic explosion of Mana on the northern regions of Medunian. This one destroyed many lands, turned forests into deserts, ruined several Wood Elven settlements, and affected the  Balance of Mana all over the world, leaving death and disaster behind, including the extinction of certain animal species.
The Flow of Mana changed, and for this reason, certain regions in far away lands accumulated more than the necessary magical energy, --we could say too much--, making it impossible for any mortal to penetrate the magical shields that after that incident covered these lands, which remain unexplored even now. They are known as the Wild Lands, for not even the High Spirits are able to control them. The places close to the Wild Lands are almost deserted. Not many dare to live close to them, because it would be too dangerous. Those places are either too cold, or too hot. The magical shields are formed by Mana Streams. Due to this, the force is so strong that not even the strongest magic users have enough power to bear this supernatural force.
This First Magical Cataclysm was originated in what we now know as the Kurul-Tarath Region to the North-West of the now famous Solstram Region. The Kurul-Tarath Region was by then a huge jungle of the size of a country, where several groups of Wood Elves had established small permanent villages. When the energy in that region moved, the forests began to die, slowly turning into wastelands what the Wood Elves once called home. They were forced to move to the West, where more forests awaited. Some stayed in the same continent, not too far away, in a place we now know as the Leaf Lands Region, home to many Wood Elves, Centaurs and other Forest People of Medunian. However, the rest of the Wood Elves, the major part, sought for a place in which they could live away from the danger, and so they crossed the sea in small boats to the unexplored lands of the far Western side of Medunian. There they found the long yearned paradise which would become the home to most Wood Elves and other Forest People in the present: this is the Woods Island, a huge portion of land filled with unique vegetation and life forms, and a well balanced amount of Mana to sustain them.
What nobody knew, not even the Wood Elves, was that which came along with the First Cataclysm...


The Rise of Humankind

Ironically, a group of Imps was traveling North from their land, Kistra, to explore the place where the explosion had originated. They not only found an interesting place in which to have some adventure. They also found the sign of Human life on Medunian, according to the scholars.
Ishtor's new plan was finally in march.
The Human race was one of intelligent people, very similar to the Elven. They were born almost matching the Elven knowledge of general terms, speeding up in time like no other race did, and this to take advantage of the world, starting from early stages of evolution. Indeed, this was a race of people who grew rapidly, and in a few hundreds of years, perhaps thousands, they would surpass the Elven population. This was thanks to Ishtor, who planned using this people to take over Medunian, and to eliminate the Elven kind. He was jealous, madly jealous of what his wife, Meduna, and the other gods have achieved. He wanted to either destroy it or take it, then mold it to make it his own. The first attempt in doing it was successful and the birth of the Humans was live proof of that.
Ishtor brought the First Cataclysm along with the Humans for one reason: to scare Wood Elves, Centaurs and other Forest People away from the North-East of the world and use that great portion of abandoned land to build the great Human Kingdom of Garnassia, and so to strengthen this people, preparing them to become the dominant race of Medunian.
In 600 years, the few Humans turned into many, and the young Kingdom of Garnassia grew stronger, becoming the most powerful nation on the North, surpassing even the older neighbor nation of Stonewall. At the same time, the Humans adopted a style of life of their own, similar to both Elven and Dwarven ones, combining their customs and ways, systems, architecture, even language. It was a culture filled with variety, capable of improving what others could not. They were, some would say, the perfect race.
But the Humans were not perfect. In fact, they were weak. Very weak, and often fell into some sort of temptation. Their will was not was strong as the Elves'; their bodies were not as resistant as the Dwarves'; their geniality was not as great as the Gnomes'. They were not seers as the Centaurs or naturally magical like the Forest People. However, they had ambitions and desired power, whether for good or evil. Most Humans were blind of Heart, but there were still those few who could see the truth and fought to stay away from the Darkness.
Humankind, despite of all attempts to interact with other societies in a friendly manner, were not trusted. Especially from the Elves, Humans were observed with caution and resentment. And still, Humans continued gaining allies, and power.


The Dorikkus Lineage

During this period of 600 years, a lineage had been chosen to rule Garnassia. This was the Dorikkus family. 600 years after the first generation, King Merov Dorikkus VIII reigned at the age of 34, having married with the daughter of another renown family of Garnassia. The queen had given Merov two sons. These were Marius Dorikkus, older brother, and Dharem Dorikkus, younger brother.
Kaos, King Merov's right hand, would take care of the princes' education, and specially, of the preparation of the heir, Prince Marius. Kaos was a mysterious man, everyone thought. And truth is that Kaos was not Human at all... He was the first Oni to ever exist on Medunian. Ishtor had created the Onis in order to fool the people, and watch for the Humans' actions closely. There are not many Onis in the present, for their master, Ishtor, is now gone. Kaos had taken Human appearance to blend among the Humans, and infiltrate the king's court. King Merov trusted Kaos blindly, something that would cost him his own life...
When King Merov had reached the age of 50, and the princes were no longer children, the events that would change the course of the History of the world would finally begin.
Prince Marius Dorikkus was a charming young man with a noble heart and great love for his people. He respected his father and mother, and followed them without further contemplation. But Dharem Dorikkus, the younger prince, was a different story. Dharem was arrogant and childish, and over all, he was ambitious and obsessive. Whenever he wanted something, he would do anything to obtain it. Anything...
And there was Kaos, the counselor, and the tutor. The sinister man who is to be both feared and respected. The princes trusted Kaos, but also feared him. Kaos was the second father, after all.


The Ill and the Plan

Rumors about the king's health began to spread. The people said, the good king was seriously ill. It was some strange sickness nobody knew about.  Soon, all of Garnassia knew about this, and the preoccupation for the future of the kingdom was no secret. The princes were young, perhaps with no experience in life. How could they rely on such kind of person to guide them? At least not with that counselor, Kaos... Prince Marius was 16 years old, while prince Dharem was 14. They would need guidance, and the mysterious Kaos would sure provide that guidance.
One more year passed as the king's health decayed, and as prince Dharem's ambition increased. He knew his brother would soon become the new King of Garnassia, and this troubled him. Dharem wanted to be The King. He wanted to have everything. He would not let his brother become king as long as he was alive.
Meanwhile, Kaos watched over the kingdom under the directions of Merov, as well as for the two princes.
Kaos also knew he could take advantage of the young princes. Marius was too naive and generous, while Dharem was too smart and ambitious, though blinded by it. Kaos thought it was time to perform his act in his master's plan. He would turn Garnassia's ruler into a tyrant. Of course, this was impossible if the kind hearted Human prince Marius ruled. Instead, it would be his younger brother, Dharem.
One day, Kaos approached to Dharem to establish a conversation.

"Your father's health is more preoccupant, prince Dharem," Kaos began to speak.
"Yes... Well, after all, he is old, isn't he? No wonder he is..."
"And not so old..." Kaos muttered, and then continued, "Young Dharem, pardon the question but, do you truly care about your father's health?". Kaos displayed a cold smile.
Dharem frowned, and answered, "I care about the king's situation, which is different, Kaos. The king was always too busy to be my father. You know I am not the favorite. I never was. So why would I mind that much?” Dharem felt uncomfortable, but spoke the truth. There was no need of feeling ashamed of the truth before Kaos.
"With all the respect you deserve, young prince, you are as cold hearted as smart..." Kaos chuckled.
With all the sarcasm that was possible at that moment, Dharem responded, "Well, thank you, Kaos! Impressed?"
"Just a little, prince, just a little... May I ask you...what your plan is?"
"My plan? What do you mean?"
At this point, Dharem listened more carefully to Kaos's words. He had no idea about any plan... But he guessed the meaning of those words.
"I reckon, Prince Dharem, you do not expect your brother to take the place you well deserve? The place of the next ruler of Garnassia, young prince,...is worthy of a king with attitude. Not of a prince with pathetic dreams of ‘peace and justice for all’ …" Kaos chuckled once more. "In which case, the right ruler of Garnassia would not be Marius, but you, Dharem."
"Why do you say all of this, Kaos? And what do you get from it?", Dharem thought, for a moment, that Kaos was hiding something. Perhaps it was a trap.
"Oh, young prince... I would have expected a smarter answer from such a clever young man like you," Kaos continued sarcastically.
"I see... Well, why don't you stop the hipocrecy at last and tell me, what else can I do?", Dharem started to feel anxious.
"There is the kind of king this kingdom needs!"
"Yes, yes... So, what is your plan, Kaos?"
"The first step is to take the king's soul to the Realm of the Dead sooner than expected... If you understand what I intend to say. Ishtor cannot wait any longer..."
"You want me...to kill him," Dharem felt his chest burn. Wether it was for anger, fear or excitement, he could not tell.
"Do not be so direct, Prince Dharem... You never know what vermin lies behind the walls," Kaos muttered.
With a sigh, Dharem made a final desicion.
"Fine then. Give me the details."


Death is Just the Beginning...

It is needless to say that King Merov Dorikkus's death was not natural, although that is what Kaos made everyone believe, for a long time. The king died, and a royal ceremony in his name was celebrated. Even Dwarves and Gnomes came from the nation of Stonewall came to see the Human king for the last time. The people of Garnassia fell silent for weeks. His wife, the queen, was very sad, and there was nobody who could comfort her soul, not even her sons.
It was obvious that the next ruler would be the 17 years old prince, Marius Dorikkus, who after his father's death, and knowing that soon he would have to face great responsibilities, felt disoriented, and was no longer as charming as before.
On the other side, Dharem showed no emotions, no sadness for his father's death. Yes, he was more arrogant and cold than ever before, but other than that, there was nothing. Just emptiness. Someday, the weight of his sins would be too great to bear. It was his fate.

"So... What is next, Kaos?"
"Marius Dorikkus."

Inside Dharem's mind, only a voice echoed. It was not his...
Death, Is Just the Beginning.




Re-Written by: Arwym
On: Oct 9th, 2005
All the information is copyrighted. The use and reproduction of this information for other websites without the permission of the author, or not giving corresponding credit is completely prohibited.