The Realmsic Conquest: The Hero of Legend by Demethius Jackson
A feeling of pure elation surged through Damian as he paraded across the land bridge and through the main gates of the Realmsic Castle. The smoke-filled, hazy sky shone above him like a painting commemorating his victory. Once through the entrance, he stood triumphantly within the grand foyer.
He scanned his new domain. The décor was everything he imagined it would be. Stained, abraded stone columns aligned the length of the rectangular room. Rusted iron chandeliers hung from the towering ceiling. The velvet curtains draping its four corners were hundreds of years old. Massive paintings of former Realmsic Kings and Queens were arranged upon the walls like memorials. The long carpet runner beneath his feet was the color of blood. Stretching the length of the grand foyer, it appeared to connect the entrances of other corridors. Being the first conqueror to ever set foot within this structure was a dream come true. The Warlord took it all in, savoring his victory as he walked forward. His men began filing in through the entrance.
“Find whoever remains of the staff,” Damian ordered. His men snapped into action.
He explored the hollow main structure alone, admiring architecture that detailed two millennia of history. Hand-chiseled royal symbols had been carved into every inch of its high ceiling. Upon the walls beneath it, paintings of historic battles stretched seamlessly along both sides. He glided his hand smoothly across the painting’s surface as if physically connecting to the past. A sudden scream broke his concentration. Apparently the castle’s staff had already been found.
Damian had fully expected to win the battle, but how quickly Maebus would concede the kingdom had always been an unknown factor. He gazed upon the battle painting, admiring its detail. Such incredible work.
This kingdom was worth fighting for. Had he been King, relinquishing the legacy of the Realm wouldn’t have been an option. He’d have sacrificed all, to the very last man. Perhaps that was what truly separated him from other conquerors—his lack of mercy and the propensity for extremes.
Doubt suddenly nagged him. Something failed to make sense about how the victory had transpired, though he couldn’t reason what it was at that moment. He was now fully aware of King Maebus’ unpredictability. Therefore, he had to be very careful not to underestimate Maebus’ ability, as so many had underestimated his own.
Damian turned at the sound of footfalls behind him, the shod feet of a soldier.
“My Lordship...” the Legionarie officer spoke before being granted leave to do so.
Damian glared at him.
Realizing his error in speaking first, the officer waited silently until he was acknowledged.
“Go on,” Damian growled, his voice reverberated through the empty corridor.
“My apologies for breaking your concentration, great leader. We’re scouring the castle, but not much of its staff remains. Should we kill the individuals we’ve found, or throw them in the dungeon?”
“Neither,” Damian replied. “Release them, and let the denizens of the Realm see to them accordingly.”
“Yes, my Lordship.”
“Also, send word to my eastern fortress. Alert them of our victory.”
The officer bowed before departing.
A few stragglers were not worth expending the effort it would take to eliminate them. If the entire Realmsic Army couldn’t stop him, neither would a few harmless workers. Besides, he had larger issues to deal with. Namely, locating the Realmsic Crystal. Its acquisition was critical, as his victory could not be complete without it.
Damian’s temples throbbed as he ground his teeth together. It was a habit he’d recently formed. Never could he display weakness in front of his men. Therefore, he adopted habits such as teeth grinding, and crunching his toes within his boots, to relieve stress.
The Warlord continued through the ground level of the castle’s main structure. When he reached the T-intersection located at the end of the main corridor, he found General Thane waiting. His officer’s demeanor was stormy; his fist clenched on his sword hilt as though he too was secretly coping with stress.
“Let me guess,” Damian began, “you’ve searched the entire castle and have yet to find the Realmsic Crystal?”
Thane grumbled a reply while nodding his bear-like head.
The Warlord smirked and stepped past the man-beast into the left side of the T-intersection. Thane followed.
“Your frustration is understandable since its location has been a safely guarded secret for millennia,” Damian explained. “Actually, in all my years of research, after analyzing countless records regarding the Realm, not one single reference of the crystal’s whereabouts has been mentioned.”
Together, they swept from the corridor and stomped up a steep staircase to the castle’s upper levels. Damian’s steps were sure.
“You walk these halls like a resident,” Thane said, his voice tinged with surprise.
“I’ve planned for the day I would be a resident.”
Months before initializing his military campaign, Damian had studied architectural plans for the castle and had memorized its layout. Thane quickened his pace to keep up with his long strides.
“Traditionally,” Damian continued, “the Realmsic King and Advisor are the only two people who know the crystal’s location, and none throughout history has ever disclosed this information.”
“Yet somehow, you know,” Thane said, his words sounding like a question.
Damian paused on the stairwell and smiled. “But of course.”
Once up on the top-most level, he led Thane into a wide area that was once used to store inventory. Approaching a giant door at the far end of the open room, he pressed his full weight against the door’s massive metal handle, and entered a dimly lit alcove. Upon entering, Damian suddenly stopped. Thane halted also, straining his eyes to see through the darkness. Surrounding them were dusty suits of armor that stood as sentries around the vacant area.
“These are the armors of dead soldiers,” Damian explained. “It is believed the souls of the fallen assume these suits of armor, if called upon.”
Hearing this, the General’s eyes widened. A hearty laugh shook Damian’s thin frame as he observed Thane setting his hand on the hilt of his sword as if expecting an attack.
“Come, now,” Damian said, sauntering to the left side of the room. He placed his outstretched hand upon the wall’s jagged stone surface.
He spoke as he moved his hands along the wall. “All that the Realmsic Kingdom has become—its policies, its protocols, even the establishment of its military—was largely due to one person … King Gregor, the first Realmsic King.”
“Wasn’t he a Layman?” Thane asked.
“All Realmsic Kings and Queens are Laymen. They’re advised by Grand Wizards, and guided by a Council consisting of both Laymen and Magicals,” Damian explained. He focused closer upon the wall and slowly moved his hand from side to side. “The power-share was the first attempt to end fighting between the two communities. And years after the historic Conference of Amity that established the Realmsic Kingdom, King Gregor commissioned the construction of this castle. But most interestingly, he kept a journal.”
Thane listened as Damian continued to feel the wall.
“For centuries, that journal was kept guarded here in the castle. But not long ago, it was smuggled out for me by a staff member.”
“Really?” Thane’s tone sounded almost skeptical.
“Everyone has a price,” Damian sneered. He instantly halted his hand as it began vibrating with a tingling sensation upon the wall. His narrow lips tightened into a smile. He felt the sensation increase and decrease as he continued to moved his hands from left to right.
“It was an obscure, two-thousand-year-old comment within the journal that made me realize the crystal’s secret location. Gregor didn’t even mention the gem specifically. He simply wrote about a fire within the upper inventory of the castle, which is where we currently are.”
Damian pressed his fingers against the stones, trying to better perceive the tin
gling. “In his journal, Gregor described the occurrence of the fire as strange, and proclaimed that the room would never be used again. Therein lies the giveaway.”
Thane stood, stroking his straggly beard in contemplation. “I ... I don’t understand.”
“Think about it,” Damian snapped. “Every part of this castle performs a function. Every room serves a purpose. To have an entire section that would never be used again is preposterous. And to have it remain vacant for centuries is a clear indication that it must, in fact, be used for something... perhaps something secret.”
Damian’s hand nearly vibrated off the stones. He’d found what he’d been searching for.
“What better place to hide the Realm’s most precious gift but in plain sight, in a place so obvious, no one would ever think to look?”
“Now it makes sense to me,” Thane proclaimed.
“Yes. However, we must take this current King Maebus into consideration.”
“In what respect?” Thane crossed his arms.
“What would you do if you were entering into an unavoidable confrontation that you were certain to lose?”
Thane thought for a second. “I’d mitigate my losses.”
“How?” Damian asked.
Thane stood silently, seeming uncertain of how to answer.
With both hands upon the wall, Damian whispered the common spell, stillness departs. He then slipped through the stones into a hidden enclosure.
“Quickly, before the spell ends!” Damian shouted through the wall. A moment later, Thane also appeared within the enclosure, his eyes were wide with surprise.
“Again,” Damian said, “how would you mitigate your losses?”
Looking around the empty space, Thane sighed. “I’d mitigate my losses ... by hiding the Realmsic Crystal.”
Damian laughed, satisfied that he’d discovered the crystal’s former location. Walking around the enclosure, he could still feel trace remnants of the gem’s distinct energy.
“Indeed, the crystal was once here.” He pulled in a deep breath. It felt vibrant.
“General, I’m tasking you with your most important mission to date.”
Upon hearing the word mission, Thane snapped to attention, shoulders squared, straightening to his full height. “Anything, my Lordship.”
Damian stepped toward Thane until they were toe-to-toe. Gazing upward into the expectant gray eyes of his General, he stated his demand flatly.
“Locate King Maebus and the Realmsic Advisor. Bring me back the Realmsic Crystal. You have my authority to use whatever means you deem necessary.”
Thane nodded his grizzly head. “Your will be done,” he said.
Thane stretched a stiff hand towards the ceiling and slashed down in a quick chopping motion. Damian acknowledged the standard Legionarie salute, which symbolized striking down anything blocking triumph.
“Stillness departs,” Damian spoke towards the wall, exposing the exit. Thane pivoted and left the enclosure.
Chapter Twelve
He scanned his new domain. The décor was everything he imagined it would be. Stained, abraded stone columns aligned the length of the rectangular room. Rusted iron chandeliers hung from the towering ceiling. The velvet curtains draping its four corners were hundreds of years old. Massive paintings of former Realmsic Kings and Queens were arranged upon the walls like memorials. The long carpet runner beneath his feet was the color of blood. Stretching the length of the grand foyer, it appeared to connect the entrances of other corridors. Being the first conqueror to ever set foot within this structure was a dream come true. The Warlord took it all in, savoring his victory as he walked forward. His men began filing in through the entrance.
“Find whoever remains of the staff,” Damian ordered. His men snapped into action.
He explored the hollow main structure alone, admiring architecture that detailed two millennia of history. Hand-chiseled royal symbols had been carved into every inch of its high ceiling. Upon the walls beneath it, paintings of historic battles stretched seamlessly along both sides. He glided his hand smoothly across the painting’s surface as if physically connecting to the past. A sudden scream broke his concentration. Apparently the castle’s staff had already been found.
Damian had fully expected to win the battle, but how quickly Maebus would concede the kingdom had always been an unknown factor. He gazed upon the battle painting, admiring its detail. Such incredible work.
This kingdom was worth fighting for. Had he been King, relinquishing the legacy of the Realm wouldn’t have been an option. He’d have sacrificed all, to the very last man. Perhaps that was what truly separated him from other conquerors—his lack of mercy and the propensity for extremes.
Doubt suddenly nagged him. Something failed to make sense about how the victory had transpired, though he couldn’t reason what it was at that moment. He was now fully aware of King Maebus’ unpredictability. Therefore, he had to be very careful not to underestimate Maebus’ ability, as so many had underestimated his own.
Damian turned at the sound of footfalls behind him, the shod feet of a soldier.
“My Lordship...” the Legionarie officer spoke before being granted leave to do so.
Damian glared at him.
Realizing his error in speaking first, the officer waited silently until he was acknowledged.
“Go on,” Damian growled, his voice reverberated through the empty corridor.
“My apologies for breaking your concentration, great leader. We’re scouring the castle, but not much of its staff remains. Should we kill the individuals we’ve found, or throw them in the dungeon?”
“Neither,” Damian replied. “Release them, and let the denizens of the Realm see to them accordingly.”
“Yes, my Lordship.”
“Also, send word to my eastern fortress. Alert them of our victory.”
The officer bowed before departing.
A few stragglers were not worth expending the effort it would take to eliminate them. If the entire Realmsic Army couldn’t stop him, neither would a few harmless workers. Besides, he had larger issues to deal with. Namely, locating the Realmsic Crystal. Its acquisition was critical, as his victory could not be complete without it.
Damian’s temples throbbed as he ground his teeth together. It was a habit he’d recently formed. Never could he display weakness in front of his men. Therefore, he adopted habits such as teeth grinding, and crunching his toes within his boots, to relieve stress.
The Warlord continued through the ground level of the castle’s main structure. When he reached the T-intersection located at the end of the main corridor, he found General Thane waiting. His officer’s demeanor was stormy; his fist clenched on his sword hilt as though he too was secretly coping with stress.
“Let me guess,” Damian began, “you’ve searched the entire castle and have yet to find the Realmsic Crystal?”
Thane grumbled a reply while nodding his bear-like head.
The Warlord smirked and stepped past the man-beast into the left side of the T-intersection. Thane followed.
“Your frustration is understandable since its location has been a safely guarded secret for millennia,” Damian explained. “Actually, in all my years of research, after analyzing countless records regarding the Realm, not one single reference of the crystal’s whereabouts has been mentioned.”
Together, they swept from the corridor and stomped up a steep staircase to the castle’s upper levels. Damian’s steps were sure.
“You walk these halls like a resident,” Thane said, his voice tinged with surprise.
“I’ve planned for the day I would be a resident.”
Months before initializing his military campaign, Damian had studied architectural plans for the castle and had memorized its layout. Thane quickened his pace to keep up with his long strides.
“Traditionally,” Damian continued, “the Realmsic King and Advisor are the only two people who know the crystal’s location, and none throughout history has ever disclosed this information.”
“Yet somehow, you know,” Thane said, his words sounding like a question.
Damian paused on the stairwell and smiled. “But of course.”
Once up on the top-most level, he led Thane into a wide area that was once used to store inventory. Approaching a giant door at the far end of the open room, he pressed his full weight against the door’s massive metal handle, and entered a dimly lit alcove. Upon entering, Damian suddenly stopped. Thane halted also, straining his eyes to see through the darkness. Surrounding them were dusty suits of armor that stood as sentries around the vacant area.
“These are the armors of dead soldiers,” Damian explained. “It is believed the souls of the fallen assume these suits of armor, if called upon.”
Hearing this, the General’s eyes widened. A hearty laugh shook Damian’s thin frame as he observed Thane setting his hand on the hilt of his sword as if expecting an attack.
“Come, now,” Damian said, sauntering to the left side of the room. He placed his outstretched hand upon the wall’s jagged stone surface.
He spoke as he moved his hands along the wall. “All that the Realmsic Kingdom has become—its policies, its protocols, even the establishment of its military—was largely due to one person … King Gregor, the first Realmsic King.”
“Wasn’t he a Layman?” Thane asked.
“All Realmsic Kings and Queens are Laymen. They’re advised by Grand Wizards, and guided by a Council consisting of both Laymen and Magicals,” Damian explained. He focused closer upon the wall and slowly moved his hand from side to side. “The power-share was the first attempt to end fighting between the two communities. And years after the historic Conference of Amity that established the Realmsic Kingdom, King Gregor commissioned the construction of this castle. But most interestingly, he kept a journal.”
Thane listened as Damian continued to feel the wall.
“For centuries, that journal was kept guarded here in the castle. But not long ago, it was smuggled out for me by a staff member.”
“Really?” Thane’s tone sounded almost skeptical.
“Everyone has a price,” Damian sneered. He instantly halted his hand as it began vibrating with a tingling sensation upon the wall. His narrow lips tightened into a smile. He felt the sensation increase and decrease as he continued to moved his hands from left to right.
“It was an obscure, two-thousand-year-old comment within the journal that made me realize the crystal’s secret location. Gregor didn’t even mention the gem specifically. He simply wrote about a fire within the upper inventory of the castle, which is where we currently are.”
Damian pressed his fingers against the stones, trying to better perceive the tin
Thane stood, stroking his straggly beard in contemplation. “I ... I don’t understand.”
“Think about it,” Damian snapped. “Every part of this castle performs a function. Every room serves a purpose. To have an entire section that would never be used again is preposterous. And to have it remain vacant for centuries is a clear indication that it must, in fact, be used for something... perhaps something secret.”
Damian’s hand nearly vibrated off the stones. He’d found what he’d been searching for.
“What better place to hide the Realm’s most precious gift but in plain sight, in a place so obvious, no one would ever think to look?”
“Now it makes sense to me,” Thane proclaimed.
“Yes. However, we must take this current King Maebus into consideration.”
“In what respect?” Thane crossed his arms.
“What would you do if you were entering into an unavoidable confrontation that you were certain to lose?”
Thane thought for a second. “I’d mitigate my losses.”
“How?” Damian asked.
Thane stood silently, seeming uncertain of how to answer.
With both hands upon the wall, Damian whispered the common spell, stillness departs. He then slipped through the stones into a hidden enclosure.
“Quickly, before the spell ends!” Damian shouted through the wall. A moment later, Thane also appeared within the enclosure, his eyes were wide with surprise.
“Again,” Damian said, “how would you mitigate your losses?”
Looking around the empty space, Thane sighed. “I’d mitigate my losses ... by hiding the Realmsic Crystal.”
Damian laughed, satisfied that he’d discovered the crystal’s former location. Walking around the enclosure, he could still feel trace remnants of the gem’s distinct energy.
“Indeed, the crystal was once here.” He pulled in a deep breath. It felt vibrant.
“General, I’m tasking you with your most important mission to date.”
Upon hearing the word mission, Thane snapped to attention, shoulders squared, straightening to his full height. “Anything, my Lordship.”
Damian stepped toward Thane until they were toe-to-toe. Gazing upward into the expectant gray eyes of his General, he stated his demand flatly.
“Locate King Maebus and the Realmsic Advisor. Bring me back the Realmsic Crystal. You have my authority to use whatever means you deem necessary.”
Thane nodded his grizzly head. “Your will be done,” he said.
Thane stretched a stiff hand towards the ceiling and slashed down in a quick chopping motion. Damian acknowledged the standard Legionarie salute, which symbolized striking down anything blocking triumph.
“Stillness departs,” Damian spoke towards the wall, exposing the exit. Thane pivoted and left the enclosure.
Chapter Twelve