Chapter 23: Emperor Janus Cornwall of The House Elms-Arkanus
Year 0002: The Imperium
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Of Noble Birth
The aftermath of war yields nothing but death, destruction, and suffering.
There are no true victors or vanquished, only the dead and those left to mourn them—and there were countless many. How does one who has become a bloody tyrant sleep with hands so deeply stained? This question remains beyond the comprehension of common folk; such rulers have transformed into something akin to serial murderers.
They have shed their capacity for empathy, particularly for those beneath them and those they deem mortal enemies. They justify their role as harbingers of death through supposedly righteous deeds. And for the people of Elms, these actions were indeed righteous enough to sever whatever sympathy they once harbored for outsiders.
The people of Elms had endured centuries, no eons of bondage, becoming the most enslaved group of all human bloodlines. Though of noble heritage, they had served beyond the borders of the once-mighty Empire of Arkanus; their First King descended directly from the Royal House of Arkanus itself.
But Arkanus fell during what mortals call the "Wrath of the High Heavens." At that pivotal moment, the House of Elms stood beyond Arkanus's protective sphere, having been commanded by the Emperor to return to their kingdom and fortify its borders against the encroaching Darkness.
As faithful imperial servants, they withdrew their House from the Capital of Arkanus—taking with them their soldiers and citizens—and through this single act of obedience, they survived while their brothers and sisters perished.
After Arkanus's collapse, dormant forces across the world converged like predators upon the Kingdom of Elms. These were various realms that had waited like treacherous vultures, later becoming known as the "Fresco League of Kingdoms." They allied themselves with the dark forces that roamed the outer lands of the continenet and the spiteful races that had long anticipated Arkanus's downfall.
What became of the noble Elms people thereafter? They were enslaved by the myriad races that populated Centuury. They represented the last vestiges of that Great Houses of Arkanus, and everyone hungered for a piece of the final remnant.
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The Capital of the Free: Aethelguard
But now, after eons of captivity, they had finally broken free from their shackles.
For countless generations, they had endured enslavement by empires, kingdoms, and races too numerous to count. They had waited interminably for their prophesied savior to emerge, and now that ancient prophecy had been fulfilled.
*Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong!*
Bells echoed joyously throughout the capital, celebrating the long-promised victory. The streets overflowed with grand celebration; flower petals cascaded upon the massive central avenue as their emperor and heroes proceeded along it.
Behind them followed the bodies of countless Imperial soldiers who had fought valiantly in this final, decisive battle.
This magnificent celebration honored Emperor Janus Cornwall, First of His Name, Grand Protector of the People of Elms, and The Last Son of Arkanus.
For months they had journeyed on foot, a slow march back to this magnificent capital city: "The Regalia Imperion, The Crownhold 'Aethelgard,' the Last House of Elms and Arkanus, the Keeper of Dragons."
Truly an impregnable fortress-city, constructed by Janus, his commanders, his past comrades, his friends of a bygone time, and the Council of the Grand Elders of the House Elms who have kept the records of the past and mainly its people that they jave now freed from their bondage. It befitted its lofty name, housing a noble throne for the Imperium crafted from the finest celestial materials in the land.
Deep within its hallowed halls resided the sole newborn offspring of the ancient dragons: "Chronusfyre Solumbra," both a master of time, sovereign of the undying flame, and the emissary of shadow. The beast slumbered in the deepest cavern beneath the castle keep—not merely a beast, but a Companion, Friend, and Guardian Beast to Emperor Janus himself.
'Aethelgard' sheltered billions of the formerly enslaved Elms people, now the freest citizens in all the land. The metropolis stood as a symbol of might, fury, justice, honor, freedom and nobility, supplanting the once-mighty Arkanus Empire as the undisputed ruler of this part of the world.
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Old as Time
After a grand celebration spanning nearly a year, Janus sat upon his throne within the Imperial Hall. He had not aged a day in over 5,000 years since reaching adulthood—truly immortal, a half-deity, grandson of the Heavenly God King who had cast him down into the world of Centuury, and the last true Royal Blood of the House Arlanus, son of the Wayward Prince Tiberius who had doomed their empire into extinction and in extension its people.
It was never truly his fault; he was merely collateral damage in the sinful drama between man and God—a fact that fueled his hatred for both with every fiber of his being.
He had witnessed the passing of countless generations; most of his grand advisors had long since turned to dust. Only memories remain of his comrades, immortalized in statues throughout his keep—monuments to the great men and women who had served him and his house through blood and fire.
What remained of their bloodlines passed from generation to generation, continuing the cycle of service to him until his final breath—should he ever choose to surrender himself back to the embrace of the world.
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An Emperor in a Lonely Throne
Now that most enemies who had wronged him and his people had perished, Janus found himself increasingly idle upon his imperial throne. It had become tedious watching sycophants come and go, attempting to curry favor with honeyed words.
Despite the millennias that had passed, he remained unmarried. His new circle of confidants worried that he might decide to relinquish his immortality and return to the world's embrace. Should that happen, the Empire would crumble, and with its fall, they would once again face enslavement.
So in recent days, many kings, queens, and noble houses—even those of his closest friends gouses—had paraded their daughters before him.
But Janus had grown callous, emptied of emotion. As a child, he had observed how the tribal people who rescued him from the Caldera of Arkanus were ruled by their emotions, allowing feelings to cloud logical judgment on crucial matters. Thus, he had vowed to seal away his emotions entirely.
Only once had he revealed his heart—upon the death of one of his old companions, the sole woman who had ever stirred his unbeaten heart. Since then, he had been forged anew in war, blood, tyranny, and madness, unable to find within himself any remnant of love.
Though he sometimes wished to simply behead these persistent nobles, something deep within prevented such action. Despite their transparent motivations, he recognized they sought what they believed best for the future—and perhaps to secure their own houses' positions. Slaughtering the offspring of his old comrades and friends remained unconscionable.
Was his longevity a blessing or a curse?
"A decision to love, huh?" a whispered thought echoed within him. How such a thought emerged, he could not fathom...
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Somewhere Far Away ...
Meanwhile, in Maya Village, August and his companions struggled to survive the brutal summer heat while August pushed himself to reach a new milestone—one that would unlock tremendous potential and perhaps enable him to challenge the Legendary Boss Rank Boarat...
[DING!!!]