Ekleipsis (5 page)

King Salvare spoke of
mighty things to come and told them to scribe his words into the
Book of Wisdom that the people may know the truth and beware of
Judarius’ delusions. He shared with them that he must depart unto
the kingdom of his father for but a short while. He pledged to come
again and destroy all that which was evil, and while away, his
Whisper (an inward voice that speaketh the things of the Book of
Wisdom, pricking the hearts of those who serve him) would remain.
He promised to return to gather his people to a new kingdom he
called New Erde.

§ § § §

Many called Judarius a
devil. No one could recall the father of Judarius, and his mother
had claimed she was taken captive in the night and given child by
one she could not see. She was as one who was possessed, a crazy
woman; therefore, placed in solitude, where she perished alone. The
mark was first seen upon her forehead, and thus was why she was
given over to solitude away from the people. These things were not
revealed till after Judarius betrayed King Salvare, for the King
had wished to keep these things secret, so as to give Judarius an
opportunity to work among the people without others continuously
charging him with the sins of his father and mother.

Judarius was later slain by
Balor, an infiltrator who claimed to be one of the last of the
Sealed. It was said that Balor infiltrated through the ranks of
Judarius’ men, though never actually taking the mark. Some say he
did take the mark, selling his soul to the Darkness, just to save
Erde from Judarius’ dark reign. Though his closest friends said
Balor never took the mark.

One may never know, for in the very
night whereby he, along with a few of his trusted fellows, took
Judarius out to be hung by his neck, Balor and his men were also
slain, dismembered, and burned. Although the Gottlos were too late
to save Judarius, they dared not let his murderers live.

At the death of Judarius,
his lone heir Galtare took power and was enraged with hate! He
burned all knowledge of King Salvare and his Book of Wisdom that he
could attain. He killed men, women, and children alike who would
not deny the King and swear allegiance to him. Being the son of a
devil child, the heir of Judarius, the claim was made that Galtare
and all of his children forever were to be noted as the heirs of
devils.

Galtare destroyed villages
only to leave the people desolate, so as to drive them into service
by fear. Years of knowledge were lost and the Land of Erde fell
into dark times.

§ § § §

But from the midst of fear arose men
and women of might and courage, with understanding and truth. They
found lost copies of King Salvare’s Book of Wisdom and made haste
to get them into the hands of the common people. They uncovered the
mining of silver, gold, metals, and precious stones of the King and
began to make themselves swords and weapons of war against the army
of Darkness.

The children began to learn
of the things which were once forbidden to speak of by Judarius and
his son Galtare. It was the Great Awakening of beaten and torn
lives, who had all but given up hope, which burst into a newness of
life. New hope sprang forth from remembrance of King Salvare.
Beacons of hope, a light in darkness, a new strength given to
hurting people, the Sealed were formed once more.

§ § § §

The final years of
Galtare’s life was spent mostly bedridden inside the castle upon
Mount Dauthus – the mountain dead center of Oscuridad – for he had
not strength enough to venture out. Some claimed he had gone out of
his mind, and thus it was why there was a decrease in violence and
attacks. Others believed he was merely preparing for another
onslaught, which never came.

At the death of Galtare, who
seemed to weaken and live sickly after slaying many people, his
sons took charge over Oscuridad. To the eldest Jagare, he gave the
central headship of Oscuridad on Mount Dauthus to rule over his ten
brothers and their kingdoms. To the north of Mount Dauthus, in
order from west to east, Galtare gave unto his sons Hatan, Baitrs,
Gniew, Pyktis, and Zolba. To the south of Mount Dauthus in order
from west to east, Galtare gave unto his sons Desgosto, Abejoti,
Himo, Ahnews, and Begeren.

§ § § §

It had been less than a
full generation since the Great Awakening, and already the people
had grown content with their simple lives and easily dismissed the
destruction of the smaller villages by servants of Darkness. With
no sign of Jagare, many did not seem to notice or care that the
Gottlos and Ubils still lived, as long as it did not hinder their
lives. Selfish contentment moved people to consider only
themselves, and if they were untouched by the servants of Darkness,
they did nothing for those who were; lest the Darkness move upon
them also.

When notices arrived of another
village or group of people having been taken captive or murdered,
blame was often placed upon the victims themselves, as if to say
they could have avoided it by doing thus and such. Some even held
the notion that if one were to leave the evil ones alone, not even
speaking of such, then it would bear reason that they would do the
same.

This type of thinking often
seemed to fail to change, lest they themselves be taken over by the
Darkness, and then their own cries heard as the ones they refused
to give ear to. Who then was left to comfort those, who had no
comfort for their brothers and sisters?

With such a mindset, it was
left to the Sealed, the soldiers and seers, along with bands, who
fought neither for King Salvare or Jagare, but self, namely
militias and the Masonisti, to defend those who were prey for the
servants of Darkness.

§ § § §

The Sealed lessened in
number over the years for there were those who said, “The King is
not returning, but has forgotten us,” “The King has left us to the
mercy of Jagare and his brothers,” and most gravely said, “It has
been too long. King Salvare is but dead.” There was nearly never a
mention of his father King Allmachtig from the lips of the people
of Erde either. It had come to almost an each man for himself
attitude of sorts. Even the Book of Wisdom was seldom read or found
being taught in school but for history’s sake. Neither did the
parents teach their children of such. They had become nothing more
than simple history to some, only folklore to many, and merely lie
to others.

Though there may have been
a Great Awakening, there were many who remained in Darkness, and
those who failed to embrace the truth or give service to the
King.

A Glance into
Darkness

Standing upon the highest
mountain in Oscuridad, Mount Dauthus, laid Jagare’s castle over his
kingdom. It was a dark massive fortress with ten-foot stone walls
and five-foot barbed fence layered atop them. No way in or out
except through the main gates, which must only be opened at the
sound of Jagare’s voice. His kingdom was surrounded by six
mountains and ten lesser kingdoms. Three mountains to either side,
along with his brothers’ five kingdoms to his north and five
kingdoms to his south, Jagare was secure almost dead center of
Oscuridad.

It was the Shadow Lands
which separated Oscuridad from Trachten and the rest of Erde. A
continuous haze from the Shadow Lands stagnated throughout
Oscuridad, leaving Jagare’s castle foggy, humid, and hot; most
uncomfortable with no real water supply, but the bitter taste of
the Kartus Ocean of which the moat surrounding Mount Dauthus was
filled. Not that it bothered a man who had survived
death.

§ § § §

Legend had it that one of
the Sealed had caught Jagare unaware in the Land of Trachten, when
he and his army were marching toward Signum, soon after the death
of Galtare. A silver arrow from amidst the open plains pierced
Jagare’s head above his right temple. His servants rushed his body
back to Oscuridad, but the people knew for sure he must have
perished. There was so much blood and confusion, yet the bowman was
never found.

Many assumed it must have
been one of the Masonisti, and therefore the reason why none had
claimed the honor; for they did many things in secret. Others
considered the soul, who had been brave enough to pierce Jagare
with an arrow, remained silent due to the fear of their own life or
possible repercussions upon their family.

Following tales told that
one named Piradad, a pale, appeared to the servants of Jagare
within the castle walls, without entrance through the gates. It was
said that he was brought by a Dragon named Rubicund from Kriminala
Pasaule, a land far south from the Land of Erde. It was further
told that Piradad held powers from the underworld, given him by the
Dragon.

Supposing it to be true,
Piradad laid hands on Jagare with power from the Dragon and Jagare
was healed, awakened from death. As with his grandfather Judarius,
there were those who swore it was but the body of Jagare possessed
by the Dragon himself. The son of a devil, from the lineage of
devils, raised in the power of the Dragon by a pale, could only
mean Jagare was now twofold the evil he once was.

§ § § §

Sitting in a room
constructed of dark marble dimly lit, a man of greying age held the
role of the king of Darkness, so named by those who opposed him.
The room was large and hollow. Windows with dark stained glass
every twenty paces were the only breaks, besides the entrance
around the square walls. To the norm it would seem cold and dry,
with the smell of staleness lingering in every molecule of
air.

Dressed in dark attire, as
if a shadow amidst the throne, slightly leaning to one side upon
his elbow, he played with his large golden ring engraved with a
dragon’s head. Thoughts of mischief and malice ran sadistically
through his depraved mind as he pondered times past, the present,
and what would come.

“Piradad, come forth,” he growled
deeply.

“Yes, master Jagare,”
claimed one, as he stepped up to the throne with a bow. Dressed to
much the same likeness as a seer of the Sealed, he wore a black
cloak (whereas theirs were mostly brown, white, or tan), and
carried a staff – which often left one to ponder did it hold any
significance or purpose as to the role of seer or pale.

Nails, as talons, protruded from his
boney, pale fingers, gripping his smoked colored staff. It
glimmered lightly by the few lit candles, as though it were covered
with a shiny glaze. His hand bore the mark, the seal of sworn
allegiance, by which once taken, the bearer’s soul was bound by
contract to the king of Darkness.

“What seest thou?” asked Jagare in a
defiant voice.

In a deep, guttural accent,
Piradad answered, “My lord, I have seen the destruction of the
Sealed. The infiltration has been most successful, and the spies
await your sign. Among the cities of the land, there are those who
silently serve you and shall raise up against your enemies at the
sound of your voice, my lord. Your patience shall pay off king
Jagare, for it has caused the people to grow confident and slack
that you shall not attack.”

“Send for the Gibborims of the ten
kingdoms (by this he meant his brothers). Have them come to Mount
Dauthus on the night of the next full moon. The time approaches for
all men everywhere to bow to their master! The hour cometh when the
Dragon shall slay the people of the dead King which doth deny us
our rightful place.”

“Yes, my lord,” answered
Piradad.

“Have the engravers finished the
image?” snapped Jagare.

“Yes, my lord, they are awaiting your
command,” Piradad answered again, stronger this time.

As if irritated for the mere fact of
having to ask the question at all, Jagare sneered, “Have the
Gottlos and Ubils been counted?”

“Yes, my lord,” Piradad replied with
confidence.

Jagare continued angrily, “Send one
third to Trachten. Inform them that one is to live for testimony
only.”

“Yes, my lord,” Piradad
replied again, knowing from experience this was the best response
to keep one from the rebuke of Jagare.

Jagare waved Piradad away.
As Piradad left the room, Jagare rubbed the side of his head where
there was only the faint hint of a small scar upon his temple, but
a reminder nevertheless. Although he knew not the name of the soul
who pierced him, all of Erde would suffer his wrath for it. And
though he fully knew it was by the hand of Piradad and the Dragon,
whereby he did yet now live, he had no desire to share his
authority or power with either.

A Goodbye to
Remember

The sunrise was beautiful.
Slowly, a spotlight rose in the sky with shades of purple, yellow,
and red flowing from it. Peeking over the mountains, large oaks and
sycamores, it gave a marvelous display of radiance. Sparkling
through the puffy clouds with colors of white and blue, a new day
dawned. A soft, crisp breeze delivered the scent of fresh flowers,
accompanied by calmness among the village. It effortlessly pushed
away the thoughts of the storm the night before.