Fast-forward beyond the multitude of the ages long since passed throughout Hareths historical and prehistorical record, passing the eras of four ancient Arbiters and the Tyrants of their time. Once, there were the formations of long-standing kingdoms and the ruling league of kings. A long-stretched era of silence passed. No Arbiters and no Tyrants rose nor fell when the Age of Kings throughout the Greater Mankind Century (GMC) lingered onwards unchallenged humanity in consequence, became stagnant until one would rise to spark the first charges of discord unexpected, this stagnation was the ideal opportunity to be seized by Lucius. This was the time his Legions had long awaited, so he metamorphosed his disguise in likeness to the image of Man. He cunningly plotted to now infiltrate directly into humanity rather than resort to past ephemeral influences within his many past human tyrants' hearts, in efforts to open the floodgates that divided the end of Evedon's Bridge from an overflow of such powers. This puts Lucius's plot into motion to build up his grand and terrible empire to rival Therah.
During the latter stages of his empire built up by the use of humans among his presence and direct consequential mandate, he rose what was formerly an underground cult of occult zealots into masking a ploy of a grand unified political coalition of pushing for independent confederacies to join together as a globalized empire to put an end to formal fudalist ruling powers and dominions previously established all about the reach of the League of Kings under the rising outreaches of the church of Theriadroxy, a competing rule of thought and law to the prevalence of his imperial federations rising philosophy and militaristic prowess to conquer such Kingdoms in their fold. Once all was done through this globalist empire won to the nations of humanity, soon a civil war would bubble up from contemptment within the ranks of his subhordinates giving rise to what he viewed as treachery and in response betrayed the formerly most loyal and promising subject who objected to this rule through fear, and brutalist control. Like a mirroring reflection of events, the Great Imperial Schysm gave rise to grand conflict of interest and a new crossroads of loyalty erecting within the ranks of this once Great Empire. But instead of the subordinates' betrayal, it came to light the treachery of their sovereign, falling into a darkened portal of void and raw chaos. Once the Great Imperial Schysm simmered down and under control with heightened oppression and disorder. This very same Imperial Sovereign, Lucius, was privately approached by a familiar face, for it was Forerunner Mykhael, demanding his fallen brother Lucius to meet their Father the Living Flame, drilling the importance of such cause for approaching him, expressing that if it were up to Mykhael, he would not bothered seeing Lucius until the hour came of his promised annihilation, even expressing his emotions of protest of such an order. Still, he clarified with the help of Prince Gabriaelyk, realizing this was beyond his concern, drilling the fact that Lucius's compliance wasn't a factor of consideration, for the Living Flame had personally summoned Lucius's audience. Knowing the implications of such a demand, Sovereign Lucius relented and followed Forerunner Mykhael, returning to the likes of Therah's celestial Kingdom of Kholmalechim for the first time since his infamous act of grievous uprising and conquest. Lucius, accepting Mykhael's proposal of summons, held such an occasion with the bold inclination of it being a "meeting between rulers." In Lucius's ignorance, soon to learn this was a grievous underestimation of such a summit.
Mykhael begrudgingly escorted Lucius to Kholmalechim for the summit. He continuously brushes away the prodding statements and probing questions Lucius asks, attempting to discern the reasoning behind summoning an enemy. "Could He come to change of mind; Has He discerned I'm worthy to return-" (etcetera). Baseless in his pompus attitude before becoming bored by Mykhael's stoicism, he silences as they continue to be escorted. However, when the time came upon him to bear the sight of Therah in all Her majesty, the monument of their past conflict, he bore the sight of Therah's hedge, a wall beyond the masterful magnitude incomparable in their mass, making the great walls of Heliodoros meek in contest. Lucius's eyes were starstruck in his awe. While stunned, Mykhael directs the spirits of the ancient Arbiters, along with Prince Gabriealyk and Liutenant Uryaelyuh, to surround Lucius for his safety as the grand mass of stewards within the fellowship.
Along with the spirits of former victims of his regime, Hareth held valid emotions of contempt and frustration at witnessing the returning presence of the Tyrant of Treachery and Devil of Disdain. When crossing the borders of Therah's hedge when secured, hollering against him was heard across the mass of stewards and souls, before long silenced when the summit commenced bringing reason to his audience. Once entering the palace court, many such stewards and souls witnessed once called for order, this escort coming to an end, leaving Soveriegn Lucius subject to scruitney bestowing the true intentions such a monumentous occasion with Mykhael now opening, with a statement of his own.
"Lucius, reigning Sovereign of Hareth and fallen Prince, The Living Flame, our Father and King of Kholmalechim, has summoned you to declare a resolution and proposal in regards to the longevity of your ruling regime upon Hareth and the future of h... [https://img.wattpad.com/36f26a1a6da3c5d096657d6d091fceb82b32cf58/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f6a48754e533545786b6d626475773d3d2d313532373936393137372e313833303663623734336536653231303633383136323933333838372e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
"Lucius, reigning Sovereign of Hareth and fallen Prince, The Living Flame, our Father and King of Kholmalechim, has summoned you to declare a resolution and proposal in regards to the longevity of your ruling regime upon Hareth and the future of her representation in the grand opera of creation. Do you agree to the terms, with acknowledgement that your words will be scrutinized by our brother Prince Gabriealyk, and you will speak true to your intentions with fear and honor? For the Lamb of His flesh will hold you accountable for such words imprinted to the record of words said through the ages." "I know when I'm outnumbered, Mykhael. So I'll indulge your itching ears to hear my responses and commit to this accountability as you demand. Although, admit: I cannot discern why you are doing this or deduce your intentions in summoning me. Your opening statement goes against my expectations and, albeit, is akin to a hearing of trial. Why think all of you could beholden unto me, regarding my ruling when I have won my dominion by favor of Hareth, exalting me onto my appointed sovereignty over all Mankind under the banner and sigil of my great empire of empires!""Don't embellish this regime of yours so boldly, Lucius. You've been granted this futile regime for a season, for your hour of demise will soon come when you know the extent of my just authority under His sovereignty. His reasoning for granting you this time, though beyond my knowledge, I, unlike you, understand my place to know my perfect purpose as a still-standing Prince of Therah." "Oh please, Mykhael, you and me both know you're nothing more than His top dog and can't do a thing of your own accord unless He orders you to. Why not execute me now? All of you?! Execute me now and proclaim this great victory you all speak of so fervently!" "You have some nerve to taunt me, Devil! I, at least, wasn't so weak to fall for lies born of such stern arrogance as you have. So beligerantly ignorant to how far you've gone."Before Lucius could have the chance to lash out in a spectacle amongst the court witnesses in this audience, the Lamb spoke with a booming voice, commanding their uniform adherence to order. Once spoken with thunderous trembling, the Living Flame calmly entered and confidently sat upon His Holy Throne. The palace court following, silenced, and all had knelt 'cept for Lucius, who bore witness to this judgement of proposal directed unto him.
"All rise, and stand to witness, the audience I've summoned for, Lucius, stands amongst us as he returns to receive a proposition I have ordained within Me. Lucius, you have disparaged the loyalties and made light of the furver of your so-called protogy. In this, you have proven to betray, steal, and destroy the remnants of respect you're follower of promise as you did so against your brethren here in your midst. This follower, Jordyn, you have taken from his family, ordered for the murder of his faithful, honorable Father, Josephus, and the meaningless desecration upon his meek homestead and village. You have spurred up the wiles within his conscience to carry out disdainful acts against My reach within My brothers in body and heart. Convincing him to bring about the murder of his long-lost sister. You went so far as to poison his intentions with grievous manipulation through the vain cunning you've fostered in your former stewards turned miscreants. You Lucius, have thrown him to the wastes of the Void when he came to know the Truth of your conspiracy against him and those of which he had held dear within his heart, notably of which being that of Hilde, whom you have thrown to execution for fostering within him, his right to choose loyalty against such evils you have given rise to in your grave tyranny of disillusionment and discord. Now, a civil war brews, and your reign of terror and fear made evident to rear its head from such promises of vain grandeur. Do you admit to this, Lucius?"
"All I will admit, is that, you drill forward a lot of good points, although, mind you by all due respect Soverign over Therah, that I the Sovereign over Hareth, acted upon what was best to preserve the regime of my reigning authority and conserve... [https://img.wattpad.com/b83d3a2e40fb3882835422cea6b680eb592c5122/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f452d4b64737043387761705731513d3d2d313532373936393137372e313833323764633631396332393134623635393834343831323631332e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
"All I will admit, is that, you drill forward a lot of good points, although, mind you by all due respect Soverign over Therah, that I the Sovereign over Hareth, acted upon what was best to preserve the regime of my reigning authority and conserve the order from meerily diluting into discord, sure many actions were made that proved problematic in this short term. However, soon will come a day where my kingdom to end all kingdoms, Natas, will rival the likes of Kholmalechim, and in its proven potential of orderly grandeur under my conserved authority, shall usher in the reign of a new age. I sought to punish Zeletzyn for his conspiracy rather against my rightful ruling and against the sanctum of my Serpent Empire. Yes, I took him under my wing as his Father and loved ones could not be trusted with what I perceived as great potential in the boy. But he was weak to emotion and ignorant to beholding the bigger picture of why I gave him such a position at my beckoned call. He was the most disillusioned, and as you so much forsaken me of my birthright, I also showed such character by your lingering example dormant within me."
"Bite your tongue, Devil!" Now scorning in response to such an insult of their Father's merit, Mykhael demanded unto Lucius, before intervened with an authoritative calm and a halting hand. The Living Flame then followed, confidently, giving His response to Lucius' retort.
"Must I remind you, Lucius, that My Lamb's record insists, however, were conceived by My Love and Passion for the divinity Life within My Creation and was passed upon you, the blessings unto you, your sentiance by choice loyalty in fellowship. So much so that even when you disparaged My heart. I gave you many chances to return to My graces, and for that, you spurned Me and conceived evil by your conquest of My Bride of Creation and Her gift back unto Me being the sanctity of My cherished seat upon Her breast. Instead, when in the position of rule over Hareth, you squandered what you falsely perceived as something you could not control. The will of another, for your gift of influence forsaken from you by your merit without utilizing the wickedness of your embellished tyranny. You had no manner of grace as I show you now, that I am willing to trade. You genuinely believe he was weak and without purpose because you could not find such in your intent to preserve your iron fist. You will allow Jordyn unto My hand, and I will take up Jordyn to prove the divine power you have not discerned. In exchange, I will grant you an extension of unrestrained longevity to your sovereinty of Hareth for an additional century."
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This proposition is the reasoning behind summoning his audience when made clear to Lucius. He felt a grudge spew from within him, shedding out of hiding. He was insulted that this was all it would take to get the granted season of time to reign in his authority. Lucius expressed his seething resentmentâa fervent bitterness exasperated by a gripping envy."Really? Are you serious?! (Lucius cackles scoffingly) You made no such proposition with Scig'nuelle when He took me? Why make one to me over him?! He's weak! Just a mortal man! I'm an extension of you, or rather, I was. But even so, he's an extension of what? Dirt: Nothing more than some dust and water?! He can't rise to your likeness of majesty as I have under Scig'nuelle. I'm dumbfounded. Why would you want him?! He conspired against my authority; what makes you think he won't just do the same to you?! He's not from any notable lineage like the four Arbiter's with you now, Arbiters of which my subjects matched in prowess against. He's no more than a selfish insurrectionist. If he failed his subjects in failing me, how do you know he won't fail you as well? Not to mention, even when he was noteworthy in his prime, he hunted kings and priests under your influence, dismantling the era you ordained upon Mankind. Why give such power to one familiar with slaying the faithful of your so-called people?! You're a fool to think the remnants of this people of yours left lingering would trust him! I was what you say, the beacon of the stars most high among this sanctimonious fellowship! Yet you seem to view him in a light you didn't bother to view me, myself a Prince, now not being worth such redemption you deem worthy in someone pitiful like him! What could you've possibly seen worthy in him?" "You are not in the position to question, Lucius!" Prince Gabriaelyk commanded. Before the Living Flame responded to such outburst.
"Nonesense, Gabriaelyk. I will answer with firm certainty. Lucius, what I see in him, in Jordyn, is none of your concern, other than for you to heed My warning upon you, that all will be made clear when time allows upon you to behold what I see in him. Qualities that are mysterious to you, the fellowship in our midst, and the lingering people of My spirit. It will rise in due time where you fail to reconcile within your conscience why you were forsaken, the Truth, however, being that you have forsaken Me. No matter how many opportunities you were blessed with seizing in returning repentant in exuberanting passionate humility. You've chosen pride. A pride in dismissing and disregarding the qualities descended from Me within your first brothers, Mykhael's Valor and Gabriaelyk's Wisdom; you mocked and disparaged their charge. Instead, in such bold attempts to poison their fellowship in sewing contempt with plotting to concede against Me, you've insulted My Lamb's blessing upon them and squandered the very gifted charge I deemed worthy of you, Lucius. Making ever more evident you wish not to seek passion but rather lust. A wretched lust for power utilizing disdain rather than honor. Holding to your pride, rather than beseeching humility. That very reason is your answer for when you conceived chaos within My Creation by accepting the lies Scig'nuelle bestowed upon you rather than the Wisdom I have made evident to you. This is why I deemed you no longer worthy and is why, in opposition to such qualities, I considered him worthy of such graces. He will prove to be your mirror, a reflection of what could've been had you chosen loyalty to Me, and in such vigor of valient loyalty, shall make evident what majesty can be achieved in a man than a fallen son of Therah, for I will make the one who hunted down my brothers and sisters in heart to near extinction into the only one worthy to be their Arbiter of destined prophecy and by his blessed excalipur will be this such chosen messiah to thwart the beast he brought into being by your deceitful twisting of his will. For this, it will be evident to what his will in freedom from subjugation will convey, a freedom spread to seize the changing of Hareth's heart, to forsake the chains your reign of vainity had thrust upon her and her seed, extending to not just Man but the remnant beastial beings unknown to them. His passion will rise to the occasion to right the wrongs he had once enacted in false loyalty to you. This I proclaim, and if you genuinely wish for evidence of such sure promise I see in him to be beheld, you will only accept My proposal, Lucius."
"That isn't so much a proposition but a challenge of gamble. What will you do if I'm proven right in his will being fickle and unworthy, set to betray you as you say I have when the opportunity of weakness and folly rises within him? Then what will you proclaim if such becomes certain?"An audible moment of tense silence rang out about the court as anticipation, spurred by uncertainty amongst the fellowship, rose with angst. So much so that Mykhael and Gabriaelyk's faces showed visible hesitation as they awaited what price of reciprocation their Father would relinquish in exchange.
"Then I will posthumously relinquish this very mercy seat unto you."
"What?!" Mykhael and Gabriaelyk exclaimed with concern and awestruck shock at hearing the implications of such stakes in this challenge between their Father, the Holy Living Flame, and Lucius. A fiery uproar pleading for reconsideration echoed amidst the fellowship of stewards, Lucius choking and coughing at the prospect of such a high bargain made regarding the fate of Jordyn's legacy as this Arbiter of promised prophecy, thereafter. Before the commotion is broken, the Living Flame continues, booming His commandment unto Lucius.
"However! With such a high price is this, so too shalt it be your relinquishing of essence, in facing complete and total annihilation by the ceasing erasure of your existence upon the Universe, joining in the just destruction and desecration left behind of your wicked empire. Do you yield to these conditions by the covenant held in accountability under yours and My Lamb's pact under blood?"
Taking all their dialogue into account, Lucius along with the mass surrounding him within the court, witness as the Lamb of His flesh, licks the blade of His tongue upon the palm of His hoof before stamping His divine and fearfully shed blood pressed onto this recorded covenant before then, a Cherub, passed onto Lucius with a dagger, the covenant and the means to gash his palm to stamp upon such contractual agreement. This challenging gamble rising from such a fateful proposition. Held under scrutiny and made concrete onto deciding the destiny of Hareth regarding the now scrutinized legacy of the Arbiter to come as her messiah promised to thwart this very beast of his conception. This empire of empires he was misused into conceiving, and once commitment was judged into eternity, time and space trembled, following the covenant between these two sovereigns, with the fate of Jordyn's rise to redemption or fall to disheartened futility hanging in the balance. Such a contest of this magnitude began henceforth into being. What followed this exchange, and once all was set into motion when judgement was adjourned. Soveriegn Lucius, when escorted back by his brother Mykhael back to Hareth, carried forward without wasting any such hesitation in reigning in the true vision of his imperial upheaval post schism. The people now all those across Hareth through the century of civil war, the Serpent Empire's reaching grip now unrestrained stretched it's influence and the effects of such unchecked and unchallenged tyranny under Soveriegn Lucius and his subhordinates propping up puppet states and holding firm their grip on the former safehavens of the Living Flames' believers, now bound to the yolk of their toiling subjugation and fearful oppression, awaiting their Arbiter of promise for an additional century weighing down their hope of deliverance. The wicked prospered in ushering the monolithic construction of enslaved Theradites and POW's a grand megalopolis holding firm the most fruitful of regions, that being Hareth's sprawling valley at the epicenter of civilization, it's natural wonder desecraded and built upon it a wicked political and economic capital city riveling the the granduer of the crowned jewel of the Western region in it's subjugation, Heleodoros. When completed, this grand capital of Lucius's throne, named Natas, proved to be an eyesore for the people not amongst the privileged elite in the graces of this unchallenged and highly advanced Imperium. Fringe spurts of warring upheaval would sprout up in the outskirts before being quickly quashed. For the ordinary people in society's middle and working classes, however, those not in noteworthy positions within the society of Lucius or the rulers under him gave up any semblance of hope.
However, when the time came for this century's passing onto the next upon humanity, believers of the faith in prophecies of old Heleodoros's day fell to existential crisis [https://img.wattpad.com/9fa426c587bb20beacc496290f990ebf6798658f/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f5a4f4344685274796470776767673d3d2d313532373936393137372e313833326165633535643037386135383737323839313133363537372e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
However, when the time came for this century's passing onto the next upon humanity, believers of the faith in prophecies of old Heleodoros's day fell to existential crisis. Before long, their Arbiter was chosen, and for Zeletzyn, after drifting within the throes of the Void. His reclamation was made possible as the spirit of the Living Flame cut open a wormhole. Thus falling unto the blindening entropy of a light he once thought false. He plummets towards his unknown destiny with a newfound purpose and redeemed legacy. For a promised prophecy is to be made true through him. His story and the journey of such feats with those amongst his following set to free this downtrodden world of a tyranny that manipulated and betrayed him follows in the presipace of such a fall onto the soil of Therah, and a return to Hareth.
As Forerunner Mykhael left to escort Lucius then, however, their Father, the Holy Living Flame, made His decree upon the fellowship, Gabriaelyk, the Lamb of His flesh and the Arbiters of old, being "The one that will be betrayed by darkness, shall... [https://img.wattpad.com/8fc7841f5739228d466bc8c45ef91110a03fe7f1/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f68395a51657036556f36396b4f773d3d2d313532373936393137372e3138333261656431363733363564613738363739373332303938332e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
As Forerunner Mykhael left to escort Lucius then, however, their Father, the Holy Living Flame, made His decree upon the fellowship, Gabriaelyk, the Lamb of His flesh and the Arbiters of old, being "The one that will be betrayed by darkness, shall fall upon the realm of My grace.. and in light, he shalt be made new, as the one to ignite hope throughout this dark age upon Hareth and her people, although by exuding the prowess I shall gift unto him by My Blaze of Life, he shalt hold in his purpose, the power of his Excalipur. Therefore, making true my prophecy that he who once served the Grand Serpent Beast, shalt be born again in his redemption as the greatest of all the Arbiters before him as he shalt bring the Tyrant of Treachory whom betrayed us and him, to his knees once and for all."
This promise gave rise to the newfound Legacy of the Arbiter, Jordyn [https://img.wattpad.com/bdb702e4121b22da6b9587203931447f5233b5c3/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f3648484977326d473846697a6e773d3d2d313532373936393137372e313833326166386633663366343733663839343533393533303535342e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
This promise gave rise to the newfound Legacy of the Arbiter, Jordyn.
[THE END]