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Under the Violet Moon - Part 4a
Luthor had woken up from his vision in the early hours of the morning. He paced slowly inside his chamber waiting, Violet Sword… I’ve talked to all the swordmasters within Gaynamede… A violet Sword cannot be made.
The vision was now a part of his life, he’d often find himself waking up from it. At first, he thought it was just a figment of his imagination but now, now he began believing in them. If I’m able to get that Violet Sword… I can become the King of all Riara. he thought as he watched the sunrise and filter in through his window. He kept his window shut tight as the days in Gaynamede had turned colder marking the early arrival of winter.
“Luthor,” his wife shuffled in bed, “Did you have the vision again?”
Luthor slowly turned to his wife, God she’s beautiful even when she’s just woken up, he smiled at her amorously and said, “Yes. Lyra, If I’m able to find that Violet Sword… I’ll have the power to conquer all of Riara– Eos will finally fall under the dominion of Gaynamede.” Gaynamede has never breached Eos defense. A hundred years of siege didn’t help my forefathers, brute force didn’t help me. Now that Tamisus has an army that doesn’t feel the pain that doesn’t dwindle…
“Did you talk to the swordmasters?” Lyra asked getting off the bed. The sheet that had covered her dropped to the floor and she walked towards the window naked.
“I did,” Luthor walked up to her and hugged her from behind, “They said a violet sword cannot be forged.”
“If the Violet Sword exists,” Lyra turned planted a gentle kiss on his bearded chin, “It must be somewhere in Riara– I bet it will be hidden somewhere in the caves of Arnor Mountains.”
It is possible to comb all of Riara– except Eos– for the Violet Sword. he gently kissed Lyra’s neck, “I’ll see what can be done.”
Luthor spent the next few hours with his advisors to devise a plan to find the Violet Sword, “It must be somewhere on Riara,” he said slowly, “It must be found,” his advisors had swallowed and looked at each other.
“Your Majesty,” one of them had spoken, “An object as small as a Sword is difficult to find on a continent as large as Riara.”
Luthor smiled at the man with white-hot rage in his eyes, “I’m sorry,” he said calmly, “It cannot be done?”
“No,” another advisor interjected, “It can be done. We’ll send spies all around Riara and we’ll find it.”
As the day dwindled a messenger knocked at his study’s door, “Lord Luthor,” the man was at his knees and his head bowed, “Your Majesty I have urgent messages for you.”
“Messages?” Luthor asked. He tapped the man’s shoulder and asked him to walk in.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the shuffled in his bag and pulled out two notes from it, “One is from Lord Tynor. He says, ‘They are deployed.’ This one is from Church of Lunos.” the messenger looked at the seal and said, “It bears High Priestess’ seal and is marked Secret.” he handed the envelope to Luthor and exited.
Luthor ripped the seal to find a beige parchment folded perfectly into a square. Unfolding it, he began reading the letter written in clear script.
‘Lord Luthor, It is urgent that we meet. If all goes well, we’ll be able to get rid of King of Undead from Riara. Please send a messenger with a suitable time and place. I stress It is urgent that we meet and in total secrecy.’
She has plans to get rid of Tamisus? he quickly wrote the time and place for the meeting, sealed it with wax, and called for the messenger, I wonder what she has in mind!
The High Priestess woke up early that day, if all things go according to the plan… she thought as she cleaned herself and dressed in Violet Robes, lord Lunos will be back with us.
She tied her hair in a bun and placed the tiara of High Priestess on her head. All I have to do is convince Luthor to fund the Church. she thought as she drew a crescent moon with Violet dye on her forehead. Last time we had mages in Gaynamede it didn’t go very well for the King. she took a deep breath and calmed herself, but with this, Luthor can become the King of All Riara– a dream no other Gaynamede King has ever achieved.
She looked at herself in the mirror one last time, straightened the tiara, and ironed out some wrinkles from her robe before she spun on her heels to leave her chamber. As the High Priestess of the Church, she was given gigantic quarters in a Church property in the Upper Gaynamede. Throughout the ages, the Church of Lunos had amassed great wealth and she ripped some benefit out of it.
Just outside, a palanquin– sent by the King of Gaynamede– was waiting for her to take her to the palace. The City of Gaynamede was strategically built. The expendables– the scum of the city– were forced to live in the Lower Gaynamede sandwiched between the Royal Walls of Gaynamede and the Inner Wall. To capture the City of Gaynamede the aggressor would have to breach the Royal walls, kill thousands of Lower Gaynameders, break open the Inner Wall, rampage through the Upper Gaynamede before finding Fortress of Gaynamede.
No wonder, Gaynamede has never been conquered. she thought to herself as the Palace walls– the Fortress of Gaynamede– was visible through the window of the Palanquin.
She was dropped off at the front gate where a Royal Guard waited to escort her to the King, “High Priestess,” the Royal Guard kneeled, “It is an honor to escort you.”
“Rise,” High Priestess said in a soothing voice, “May Lord Lunos push the darkness away with his light.” she placed a hand on the Guard’s temple.
She had been to the palace before having met Luthor’s father multiple times but today the Royal Guard took her through a section of the palace that she had never seen before. After snaking through the maze-like corridors of the palace she finally arrived in a small study devoid of any furniture. The room was lined with grey stones and a small fire crackled to heat them up, “His Majesty, Lord Luthor will be here soon.”
High Priestess sat on a chair placed next to the fire and waited patiently, If I can convince him… she thought, Lord Lunos give me your wisdom. She heard footsteps approaching her and a moment later the door at the opposite end of the room swung open and Luthor appeared wearing Gaynamede colors. “Your Majesty.” High Priestess stood up and bowed a little.
“High Priestess,” Luthor walked up to her, “I understand you have ideas to defeat Tamisus, I’ll be happy to discuss.”
“Lord Luthor,” High Priestess took her seat next to the fire, “It is said, the Lord Lunos after creating all of Riara went to sleep. He’ll wake up when Riara needs him the most when the dead walk amongst us.
“It is said, when he wakes up, he’ll purge all the evil– like the King of Undead– from Riara.” she turned around to see Luthor’s blank face staring at her, “If you allow us, IF Gaynamede supports the Church of Lunos in training Mages, we’ll be able to wake Him up.”
“How do you plan to do that?” Luthor asked in a flat, slow voice. What is he thinking? High Priestess thought
“A long time ago, when I ascended to become the High Priestess, I had read a book that only the High Priestess was allowed to read. In that book was a passage, ‘When the dead walk again and the Moon turns Violet, Lord Lunos the creator of Riara will wake from his sleep and cleanse Riara from all evil.’
“If we can turn the Moon Violet, Lord Lunos will wake up from his sleep. Mages will help us cast the Moon in Violet glow.”
“Hmm,” Luthor stared at the fire revealing no emotion. A few minutes passed before he spoke again, “I’ll support the Church in this endeavor, but I you’ll owe me a favor that you’ll have to fulfill– no questions asked.”
“As long as it doesn’t violate any of the Church’s principles,” the High Priestess said, “You have my word.”
Luthor rose to his feet and High Priestess followed, “We have a deal. I’ll let my treasurer know about this arrangement and the Church will receive grants whenever it needs.”
High Priestess couldn’t help but smile to herself, Lord Lunos, you’ll be amongst us, blessing our soul with your glory.
Luthor saw his generals bent over the map of Riara. He looked to his side and saw Lyra wearing robes of Red and Yellow she smiled at him and rested her hands on his shoulders, patiently watching the Generals discuss Luthor’s plans.
After meeting with High Priestess, Luthor had immediately called on a meeting with his generals and had revealed is the plan for total domination of the Eos, It is brilliant. he thought to himself as he calmly allowed his generals to ponder over his idea and to figure out the details of the plan.
“Lord Luthor,” the General of the Northern forces spoke first, “This plan is bloody brilliant. But are you sure you’ll be able to control the Mages of the Church? Last time King of Gaynamede tried to control them all hell broke loose.”
“Yes,” Luthor said with a smile, “I’ll be able to control them.”
“If that is the case,” the Northern General spoke again, “We recommend that we begin early and start deploying small troops at the border of Eos and Gaynamede and start forming alliances with the Kingdoms in the north and east and south of Eos. We’ll need a huge army to fight the Undead Horde of Eos and superior armor. I recommend we begin investing in these as well.”
“I leave the details to you,” Luthor rose to his feet, “I want Eos destroyed, I want Gaynamede to be the Last Empire on Riara. Make alliances, but crush them if you must.”
The generals simply bowed as he exited the command room holding Lyra’s hands.