Epilogue
VITTELVARLAY, the capital of the Great West Revlon Empire, was located in the middle of its territory, which ran along the northwestern reaches of the northern continent.
Long before the empire had split in two, back in the days of a unified Revlon, Vittelvarlay had served as the capital city. Much of its ancient glamor still remained.
At the center of the capital sat the majestic Diyonborhg royal palace, so large that it could be considered a small city in its own right.
A variety of buildings had been constructed on the palace grounds to serve various functions as needed, though access was limited to the select few to whom the emperor had granted permission. In one of these buildings was a small, sparsely decorated room, a space that seemed at odds with the palace nearby.
Its walls were much thicker than those of the surrounding rooms. So thick, in fact, that nothing from the outside could be heard within. This was where the emperor conducted his most private of meetings.
Currently the sole occupants of the room were Gaulba Revlon Selziofebs, emperor of the Great West Revlon Empire, and his mayor of the palace.
The emperor’s forehead was creased with deep wrinkles below his delicately combed white hair, which matched the long beard growing from his chin. His eyes maintained a sharp intensity as he studied the man sitting with him.
Gaulba leaned back in his leather chair and let out a long, exhausted sigh as he rubbed his eyes to alleviate some of the weariness eating away at him.
Anyone who interacted with the emperor regularly would likely be taken aback to find him like this.
However, this was the only place where he could be alone—or in the company of his closest confidant—and let loose the burden of rule.
The young man with him was Salwis du Ohst. As mayor of the palace, he was charged with assisting the emperor in both his public and private affairs.
He was a handsome man with a shrewd demeanor who carried an aristocratic air.
Salwis set a cup of tea down in front of the emperor, who downed it without a second thought. Gaulba then closed his eyes and took several deep breaths.
Multiple recent events had come together to thoroughly exhaust him. The first was the loss of Tagent to a horde of the undead. The city was the Great West Revlon Empire’s oldest colony on the southern continent. The reasons behind the attack were still unclear, but it meant they were no longer able to import various rare materials that the colony had been shipping them, causing market prices to rise spectacularly. Stories of discord between merchants and nobles were growing in light of this.
The second event involved Tisheng, a city located in the southeast of the empire. According to reports, it was currently occupied by Holy East Revlon Empire troops, who were now using it as a base of operations.
The eastern empire forces had attacked using monsters to fill out their ranks, a technique no one had ever heard of before. The other cities in the southeast were falling one by one as they tried and failed to combat this new threat. Gaulba was pushing his advisers to learn all they could about these monster control techniques, but thus far, there had been little in the way of good news.
The only way he knew to fight back was to mobilize the southern imperial army, but it was still an open question as to whether that would be enough to stop the so-called Monster Corps.
He wanted to supplement their forces with the northern imperial army, but that would leave the border region of Wetrias unprotected, which was simply out of the question.
Then again, he also couldn’t dispatch the eastern imperial army and leave the capital undefended, nor could he take the western imperial army off of its defensive role in guarding the border. The Asbania Kingdom in particular needed special attention.
The third event involved the Asbania Kingdom sending their troops over the western border at almost the exact same time the Holy East Revlon Empire attacked, which suggested that they’d been provided advance knowledge of what was to come.
The Revlon Empire had annexed a part of Asbania in the past, and the smaller kingdom was always on the lookout for an opportunity to take back what had once been theirs.
Now was hardly the time to expose the empire’s back to them.
As if these events weren’t enough to cause consternation for the emperor, he’d recently been informed of yet another issue, which only added to his already-overwhelming exhaustion.
“Is what they say true?” Emperor Gaulba’s voice betrayed his weariness.
“All I can say is what my acquaintance told me. The rumor came from the southwest and ultimately from a church official. Whether it is true or not, I can’t say. But if it is , the impact on the citizenry would be immense.”
The emperor shook his head. “Could the pontiff and his Holy Hilk Kingdom truly be defeated by the likes of the Nohzan Kingdom? Granted, they were a small country, and their templar knights few in number, but they were far better trained than anything the Nohzan Kingdom should have been able to muster.”
The strength of the templar knights was so well known that even the emperor of the Great West Revlon Empire had thought twice about defying them. It seemed out of the question that they would fall to a country as small as Nohzan.
However, as unbelievable as this idea might be, the emperor couldn’t just dismiss it.
Salwis had more to share. “This is also unconfirmed, but I heard that the Nohzan Kingdom wasn’t alone in its assault. It was joined by elves, beast people, and forces from the Rhoden and Salma kingdoms. I think it would behoove us to send out spies to confirm the veracity of this claim.”
The deep-set wrinkles in Emperor Gaulba’s forehead grew even deeper.
The Nohzan and Rhoden kingdoms were bound by marriage, so it was believable that they’d join forces against the Hilk. But the elves, beast people, and the Salma Kingdom—a longtime rival to the Nohzan Kingdom—seemed preposterous. Just what exactly had happened down there?
The elves and beast people had obvious reasons to want to overthrow the Holy Hilk Kingdom, but Gaulba could think of no reason why Nohzan, Salma, or Rhoden would want to do the same.
And overthrowing the pontiff without the Great West Revlon Empire receiving even a single report of these countries mustering their forces? It strained belief.
In any case, Salwis was correct. They needed to know what was going on down in the south.
The emperor sighed heavily. “Organize three groups of spies and have them enter the Holy Hilk Kingdom from separate points to see what they can learn. I want to know as much as possible about what’s going on down there.
Salwis bowed his head obediently. “As you wish.”
Just as the mayor of the palace was about to leave the room, Gaulba held up a hand to stop him.
“Is there something else, my liege?”
The look of exhaustion had faded from Gaulba’s face like a morning mist under a swift sunrise, only to be replaced by his usual piercing gaze.
“Notify the ministry to resume manufacturing the imperial inception formula. If we don’t have enough people for the task, then we’ll make the people we do have stronger. We must begin work on this at once, but in the utmost secrecy.”
Salwis bowed again, though he hesitated in embarrassment as he looked back up.
“Your Highness, I will carry out your orders at once, but would you mind telling me what this ‘imperial inception formula’ is? I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve never heard of it before.”
Gaulba quickly realized his mistake and laughed. “Ah, right. I haven’t mentioned it to you yet. I suppose this is a good opportunity, then. Let me tell you a long-forgotten story about the founding of the original Revlon Empire. It also explains why our empire is the rightful heir to the Revlon legacy.”
Emperor Gaulba beamed with confidence, his earlier exhaustion nothing but a memory.
***
Salwis du Ohst owned a private residence built in a suburb near the Diyonborhg palace where many nobles lived. Though he spent the majority of his evenings in his room in the palace, from time to time, he enjoyed returning to his manor to take care of his personal affairs or simply to relax.
In the master bedroom, the elaborately decorated bed that found itself empty most nights was now filled with not one but two occupants.
One of the figures was Salwis himself, while the other was a beautiful woman with long, blonde hair, an exquisite face, and deep burgundy eyes like tiny enchanted pools.
In stark contrast with Salwis’s formal attire, the woman was wearing a loose-fitting dress that emphasized her ample bosom.
The two seemed to relish this private moment together.
“I told the emperor what you told me about the Holy Hilk Kingdom, Liz, but are you sure that was the right move? It seems like it’s still so secret that even the church isn’t entirely certain what happened.”
A look of concern washed over Salwis’s face. It seemed risky for her, a deacon in the Hilk church, to be sharing these types of secrets. If what they discussed got out, she could be in very real danger.
Liz simply smiled and shook her head. “You’ve nothing to be concerned about, Salwis. My role is to be of use to you. That’s what makes me happiest. Besides, I can only imagine that the fate that befell the Hilk will have at least some impact on the empire, which would mean that you and I would no longer be able to meet like this. I’d hate to see that happen.”
She rested her head against his chest. Salwis pulled her close and leaned down to kiss her forehead, running a hand through her silky, golden hair. Light glimmered off each of the strands as they poured through his fingers. He could smell the faintest scent of flowers.
Everything was so perfect that he was beginning to fear it was all a dream.
“I hate to even imagine it. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure the emperor promptly addresses the situation.”
Salwis took Liz’s hand. She smiled, bringing her lips close to his ear.
“I’ve heard that the invasion from the east is getting worse. I’m worried about the future of the empire, and what might happen to you. The thought keeps me up at night.”
Salwis’s expression softened. “That little incursion is about to be put to a swift end. The emperor has decided to use the imperial inception formula to strengthen our troops.”
Liz raised a carefully sculpted eyebrow at this. “What is this imperial inception formula?”
She ran a long, slender finger across his chest. The sensation, combined with the enticing scent emanating from her, sent his heart racing.
“Ah, yes. I only recently heard of it from the emperor myself. Apparently, it was created by the very first emperor. Only the Great West Revlon Empire knows the manufacturing process, proving once and for all that we are the true successors to the Revlon legacy.”
Liz looked up curiously. “And is it powerful enough to expel the eastern forces?”
Salwis responded with a firm nod. “Absolutely. As the name implies, this formula was used by the forces who conquered this continent to found the Revlon Empire. Even the beast people would be unable to stand against our forces once they take it.”
Liz’s burgundy eyes glimmered in the dim light. “Well, that certainly sounds intriguing. I never would have imagined that the empire had access to such a thing. So once they put this formula to work, the east will be driven back in short order?”
She ran the tip of her finger across Salwis’s lip.
He smiled sheepishly. “Without a doubt. However, this isn’t something we can get into the field right away. The emperor believes it will still take some time to perfect the process. But once that’s done and we’ve unlocked this ancient strength within our soldiers… I’m excited by the mere prospect.”
He pressed his lips against hers. Silence fell over the room, interrupted only by panting breaths as their tongues intertwined.
When they finally parted, Liz smiled seductively, her eyes flashing. “Well, I’m certainly looking forward to it.”
Salwis felt as if he could lose himself gazing into those sparkling pools of burgundy.
***
The Great Canada Forest stretched across the eastern border of the Rhoden Kingdom and served as home to the majority of the elves living on the northern continent. The forest was dotted with villages both large and small that served as protection against the monsters that roamed the woods and kept out any humans who dared to enter its depths.
Maple, the elven capital created by the founding elder, lay deep within the forest. While it resembled human cities in some respects, it also boasted unique features, like apartments built inside massive tree-like structures. Were humans ever allowed to set their eyes on it, they’d find it a peculiar sight indeed.
For anyone with knowledge of the modern world, however, it bore a strong resemblance to the massive high-rises that lined the biggest cities.
Moving out from the residential area, one could find the brick workshops operated by elven and dwarven artisans. As soon as the sun began to rise, these shops came alive with sounds ranging from axes chopping wood to hammers ringing against steel.
Among these shops stood one operated by a dwarven artisan renowned for his blacksmithing skills, particularly with creating weapons and armor. In front of him, on his work bench, sat a staff that was longer than he was tall.
The staff had belonged to the pontiff and had been brought to Maple after he was killed in the assault on the Holy Hilk Kingdom. Briahn had requested that the dwarven artisan inspect it and prepare a report.
The staff was decorated with elaborate carvings and had the symbol of the Hilk church engraved on its tip. It was such a work of beauty that it was hard to believe it’d been used to summon swarms of undead.
The dwarf stroked his long glorious beard as he moved slowly around the work bench, inspecting the staff from all angles, before finally picking up a wooden mallet and giving it a couple of whacks. The resulting clangs reverberated throughout the workshop. He listened closely to the sounds.
“Well, it’s certainly an amazing piece of work, but whatever it’s made of, I’ve never encountered it before. I think it’s some kind of alloy, but I can’t say more.”
He picked up the staff and inspected it closely. Though mostly silver in color, it gave off a bluish-purple sheen when held at an angle. It was also much lighter than its appearance would suggest. Judging by the decorative work, it wasn’t intended to be used as a weapon.
The artisan pulled out a magnifying glass from his apron pocket and began carefully inspecting each of the engravings, stopping occasionally to look even closer at several spots.
“Are these…words?”
Tiny characters had been etched into the staff. However, the script resembled nothing he’d ever encountered. Another expert would need to be called in to decipher them.
“You know, I think I’ve seen this somewhere before. But where?”
He slammed a large fist into the palm of his hand, as if suddenly realizing something he’d overlooked.
Early the next morning, the dwarf was joined by a colleague of his, a slender elven man dressed in traditional robes and wearing glasses.
At first glance, he looked the part of a scholar…and in fact, he was. He was an expert in linguistics and history and also a longtime friend of the dwarf who’d called him here this morning.
The elven scholar was struggling to keep his eyes open. “You got me up saying you were going to show me something interesting. If it turns out to be another fake artifact, you’re buying me dinner.”
He fought back a yawn as he ran a hand through his bedheaded hair.
“Just take a look at this. Isn’t this the same as that thing you’ve spent all these years researching?”
The artisan shoved the pontiff’s staff into the scholar’s hands.
The elf narrowed his eyes. “Wait…what is this? You know I’ve no interest in blacksmithing.”
“Wake up, you fool! Here! Right here! This is your specialty, isn’t it?!”
The scholar leaned in for a closer look at the gorgeously decorated staff. His pale green eyes went wide.
“Wh-what?! Is this Ei writing?”
He could hardly contain his surprise. After all, he’d spent years of his career attempting to interpret this script.
“These are the same characters as the ones left for us in the founding elder’s notes. What is this thing? Did it belong to the founder?”
The dwarf shook his head. “No, this was recovered from the pontiff when he was killed. Briahn wanted someone to look at it, and the job fell to me.”
The scholar knew little about the situation, other than that something had caused the humans and elves to join forces against the Hilk. But why would someone in such a far-flung country be in possession of a staff with these rare characters engraved on it?
“These are without a doubt the same characters as the ones written in the founder’s notes. But why? How?”
The dwarf ignored the elf’s musings. “Never mind why or how. What does it say?”
The elven scholar could only shake his head. The notes left by the founding elder were numerous and detailed, containing information on how to create magical items, instructions for building villages and houses, rules for citizens to abide by, sketches of flora and fauna, and much more.
The vast majority of the notes were written in the common dialect, but a small number of them used a unique writing style known as Ei.
“Unfortunately, I cannot say. We haven’t figured out how to translate it yet. In fact, it’s believed that the founding elder purposefully obfuscated the text to make it difficult to decipher. But now that we’ve found another example of the script in a completely different location, it suggests that these characters aren’t unique to the founder. This changes everything!”
For the artisan, however, all that mattered was that the words were undecipherable. He shrugged his shoulders and sighed. “So…you still haven’t figured out what the founder’s notes say?”
This elicited an annoyed glare from the scholar. “Mark my words, I’ll interpret his writings before I die! Just you watch!”
With that, the scholar stormed out of the workshop.
“And by the time you do, I’ll probably already be dead.”
The dwarf muttered under his breath as he turned his gaze back to the staff on his work bench.
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