Eternal
You’ve believed in the Emperor this long and this far. You and he have overcome all obstacles and enemies together. This Nicodemus is just another in a long line of them. You don’t know all the history that he and the Emperor have, but all you know is he will fall like all others. If the Emperor’s next conquest is to be this island then that is what will be done. If it is you that will be needed to help in this mission, then you will gladly serve and die if necessary.
And if…
And if the Emperor has lied to you about everything, it doesn’t matter because you have been loyal to the end and have played your role perfectly. The Emperor gave you purpose so if you are to be his new vessel of destruction to accomplish his destiny then there can be no greater honor. You are ready to make that sacrifice. You were created for it.
Nicodemus lowers his hand and stops mumbling. If he’s cast a spell it either hasn’t worked or it has no obvious effects.
“Casimir, I know what you’re trying to do and this isn’t going to work. I urge you to stop before it’s too late.”
“Yes, it is too late FOR YOU!” the Emperor shouts and finishes his spell with a laugh. He then turns to you.
“Goodbye my son, I’m sorry I lied to you, but know that your last sacrifice will help me achieve my destiny at last.”
The Emperor suddenly looks unwell again. Like he did when he was sick except now it’s happening at an accelerated rate. You see him rapidly age before your eyes.
“NO! WHAT’S HAPPENING TO ME?! THE SPELL! THE RITUAL! THE PREPARATION! I HAD THE PERFECT VESSEL! I WAS GOING TO RULE THE WORLD! I WAS GOING TO LIVE FOREVER!”
At this point the Emperor collapses to the floor as his body continues to decay. Meanwhile nothing is happening to you though you’re in a state of shock watching the Emperor die in front of you.
“Son…help….meeeee…” the Emperor says in a dying raspy tone.
“I don’t know how. I’m sorry father…I have failed you…” you reply sadly.
“I…want…to live…foreverrrrrrrrr…” the Emperor says with his last dying breath before he completely decays into a skeletal corpse, then bones, then dust.
And with that The Emperor, Casimir, your father is dead.
You just continue to stare at the dust in disbelief; meanwhile Nicodemus walks over to the pile and picks up the book your father seemed to be so happy to have before he died.
“(Sigh) I warned him it wouldn’t work. When I scanned you with my identify spell I learned all I ever had to about you. You were not a suitable vessel for a transference spell.”
“Impossible, I am an Eternal! I was born and bred for this purpose!”
“I’m well aware of what you believe, but that isn’t what is. Perhaps your breeding was incorrect or perhaps a mistake was made.”
‘No. My father doesn’t make mistakes.”
“Really? Recent events would dictate otherwise.”
You have no response you just continue to stare at the dust.
“Eternal, I can tell you are feeling a great sense of loss right now and you have my sympathies. Your life seems to be filled with nothing but pain, war and loss. And tragically one of your only stable foundations was Casimir and even he lied to you. Yet you’re so broken that you believe you’re the one that failed him. You must’ve been the perfect son.”
You begin to gather your strength and thoughts as you are starting to become annoyed with this Nicodemus.
“I still am.” You reply seriously.
"Hmm, I see even with Casimir dead, your indoctrination still holds. (Sigh) I hope for your sake that will fade in time lest you end up like he did or the power hungry ancestors of this place. This island was once lush and full of life you know. Makas as it once was called had a thriving civilization with a strong navy. Even the mighty Svelk Empire at the time didn’t dare attack us. Then this accursed book was created and changed everything. This is why Casimir was exiled.” Nicodemus says and lifts up the non-descript book while still clutching it his arm.
“Did he create it?” you ask.
“Hah. Casimir could’ve only hoped to create something so powerful. No he was just another of our kind that thought he could achieve the impossible, to become a god. This book is just an ancient mistake of our predecessors and a reminder of why we were not meant to live forever.”
“So what is it, a powerful book of necromantic spells?”
“If it were only that, it might be less dangerous. The more dangerous part is the fact that it's not just a spellbook. It’s a gateway to another dimension. Of course we didn’t really realize that or what we were doing until it was nearly too late.”
"I don't understand."
“Our civilization couldn’t leave well enough alone. We had everything, but we still couldn’t stop the ravages of time and ultimately death. So we did the logical thing of exploring the necromantic arts. It was an exciting time to be sure; I was actually a young and eager researcher myself back then. It took decades, but eventually we managed to unlock everything we could about the art of necromancy. We could’ve very well taken over the world I believe with our power, but our goals were bigger. We wanted immortality. To be as gods. Nothing less would do. In this book lies the combined knowledge of every forbidden, obscure and even common necromantic arts. We planned on using it to cast off these fragile mortal shells and ascend to a new plane of existence.”
“So…what happened?”
“This. The ritual that was to give us immortality destroyed our civilization as we knew it and created what you see today. I was actually not involved in the ritual as at the time I was not as skilled of a wizard, but I saw the devastation that occurred. A black void opened up above the entire island and its very presence killed many weaker individuals instantly. It didn’t take long for the arch mages performing this ritual to realize that they weren’t being imbued with eternal life, they were opening a portal to death itself. Fortunately some of the mages weren’t quite so obsessed with immortality and realized that this was a bad idea and so managed to close the gate before it engulfed the entire island…possibly even the world.”
“That can’t be the end of it.”
“Oh no, it most certainly was not. The entire island had been infused with negative energy and necromantic magic to a point where it was oddly keeping those that lived a much increased life span. However it also made many mad with power. Some of the more obsessed mages were furious about the gate being closed. They desired that the gate remain open, still believing it would lead to immortality. Others settled for the lesser immortality, but desired more power. Thus began the war of the necromancers who marched armies of the dead to wage endless battles with each other and destroying the rest of the island in the process.”
“It was only when every inch of this place was cursed and forever tainted that the survivors finally stopped to recognize the folly of their ways. The folly that someone can have total control over death, let alone cheat it forever."
“My father obviously disagreed.” You say.
“Yes, though he wasn't the first and sadly he probably won't be the last. Every once in awhile one of our number gets a little power hungry. Usually it’s a phase and we exile them as we did with Casimir. Most soon learn that their powers gradually weaken and beg to come back, others vainly try to make it on their own and usually die expending all their energy as soon as they try to raise an army of the dead to conquer whatever it is they've set their eyes on. I have to admit though, Casimir proved to be a little more determined than most. He was smart to stop using his necromancy and rely on more traditional means to run a nation. Even his way of attempting to cheat death was rather clever. A shame he didn't focus his energy on something more worthwhile."
"He did." You answer defiantly.
Nicodemus seems slightly exasperated now.
"And again you defend a man who cared nothing for you and would've devoured your life force just to extend his life span a little longer. What did he do that was so worthwhile? Create his Empire? Lesser men than him have done similar things and with a lot less resources, he wasn't really special in that regard. Live for centuries? He could've stayed here and lived for a lot longer than that if he'd just abandoned his mad plans. Power is fleeting Eternal. LIFE is fleeting. No one lives forever and no one rules forever. Not on this world anyway. Even necromancers die. Just takes us a little longer than most and trust me, we aren't ruling anything so much as we’re doomed to act as guardians to this world’s life. Most of us know or learn that lesson, because after it's all said and done, this book teaches that important message."
"Message? You’ve been going on about how dangerous the book is. And if the book is so dangerous, why not just destroy or get rid of it?" you say.
"You don’t believe that’s been tried? Trust me, it has by every known ability to us and then some. Getting rid of it would be unwise for it could just fall into the hands of someone who does not know its true power and they may unleash its awfulness. Better we should remain its guardians and make sure nobody else ever has to suffer the same fate we do. So if one good thing comes from the book, then it is that lesson. A reminder of what hubris does. Sadly some just fail to learn the lesson. Not everything is black and white, contrary to your worldview of things Eternal. I hope that will fade in time as well. Speaking of time, I believe yours here should be coming to an end. Your master is dead and you have no further business here."
Nicodemus mutters a small incantation and a portal opens up near you.
"This will take you back to your Empire. Goodbye Eternal, and I hope for your sake you find your own way, you'll find yourself a lot better off."
The Emperor is dead and while this man may not have caused it directly, you still feel he is somehow responsible. Part of you wants to attack Nicodemus, but you also know that may not be wise as it is obvious the man wields great power. Then there is the book he holds. You almost feel drawn to it…
And if…
And if the Emperor has lied to you about everything, it doesn’t matter because you have been loyal to the end and have played your role perfectly. The Emperor gave you purpose so if you are to be his new vessel of destruction to accomplish his destiny then there can be no greater honor. You are ready to make that sacrifice. You were created for it.
Nicodemus lowers his hand and stops mumbling. If he’s cast a spell it either hasn’t worked or it has no obvious effects.
“Casimir, I know what you’re trying to do and this isn’t going to work. I urge you to stop before it’s too late.”
“Yes, it is too late FOR YOU!” the Emperor shouts and finishes his spell with a laugh. He then turns to you.
“Goodbye my son, I’m sorry I lied to you, but know that your last sacrifice will help me achieve my destiny at last.”
The Emperor suddenly looks unwell again. Like he did when he was sick except now it’s happening at an accelerated rate. You see him rapidly age before your eyes.
“NO! WHAT’S HAPPENING TO ME?! THE SPELL! THE RITUAL! THE PREPARATION! I HAD THE PERFECT VESSEL! I WAS GOING TO RULE THE WORLD! I WAS GOING TO LIVE FOREVER!”
At this point the Emperor collapses to the floor as his body continues to decay. Meanwhile nothing is happening to you though you’re in a state of shock watching the Emperor die in front of you.
“Son…help….meeeee…” the Emperor says in a dying raspy tone.
“I don’t know how. I’m sorry father…I have failed you…” you reply sadly.
“I…want…to live…foreverrrrrrrrr…” the Emperor says with his last dying breath before he completely decays into a skeletal corpse, then bones, then dust.
And with that The Emperor, Casimir, your father is dead.
You just continue to stare at the dust in disbelief; meanwhile Nicodemus walks over to the pile and picks up the book your father seemed to be so happy to have before he died.
“(Sigh) I warned him it wouldn’t work. When I scanned you with my identify spell I learned all I ever had to about you. You were not a suitable vessel for a transference spell.”
“Impossible, I am an Eternal! I was born and bred for this purpose!”
“I’m well aware of what you believe, but that isn’t what is. Perhaps your breeding was incorrect or perhaps a mistake was made.”
‘No. My father doesn’t make mistakes.”
“Really? Recent events would dictate otherwise.”
You have no response you just continue to stare at the dust.
“Eternal, I can tell you are feeling a great sense of loss right now and you have my sympathies. Your life seems to be filled with nothing but pain, war and loss. And tragically one of your only stable foundations was Casimir and even he lied to you. Yet you’re so broken that you believe you’re the one that failed him. You must’ve been the perfect son.”
You begin to gather your strength and thoughts as you are starting to become annoyed with this Nicodemus.
“I still am.” You reply seriously.
"Hmm, I see even with Casimir dead, your indoctrination still holds. (Sigh) I hope for your sake that will fade in time lest you end up like he did or the power hungry ancestors of this place. This island was once lush and full of life you know. Makas as it once was called had a thriving civilization with a strong navy. Even the mighty Svelk Empire at the time didn’t dare attack us. Then this accursed book was created and changed everything. This is why Casimir was exiled.” Nicodemus says and lifts up the non-descript book while still clutching it his arm.
“Did he create it?” you ask.
“Hah. Casimir could’ve only hoped to create something so powerful. No he was just another of our kind that thought he could achieve the impossible, to become a god. This book is just an ancient mistake of our predecessors and a reminder of why we were not meant to live forever.”
“So what is it, a powerful book of necromantic spells?”
“If it were only that, it might be less dangerous. The more dangerous part is the fact that it's not just a spellbook. It’s a gateway to another dimension. Of course we didn’t really realize that or what we were doing until it was nearly too late.”
"I don't understand."
“Our civilization couldn’t leave well enough alone. We had everything, but we still couldn’t stop the ravages of time and ultimately death. So we did the logical thing of exploring the necromantic arts. It was an exciting time to be sure; I was actually a young and eager researcher myself back then. It took decades, but eventually we managed to unlock everything we could about the art of necromancy. We could’ve very well taken over the world I believe with our power, but our goals were bigger. We wanted immortality. To be as gods. Nothing less would do. In this book lies the combined knowledge of every forbidden, obscure and even common necromantic arts. We planned on using it to cast off these fragile mortal shells and ascend to a new plane of existence.”
“So…what happened?”
“This. The ritual that was to give us immortality destroyed our civilization as we knew it and created what you see today. I was actually not involved in the ritual as at the time I was not as skilled of a wizard, but I saw the devastation that occurred. A black void opened up above the entire island and its very presence killed many weaker individuals instantly. It didn’t take long for the arch mages performing this ritual to realize that they weren’t being imbued with eternal life, they were opening a portal to death itself. Fortunately some of the mages weren’t quite so obsessed with immortality and realized that this was a bad idea and so managed to close the gate before it engulfed the entire island…possibly even the world.”
“That can’t be the end of it.”
“Oh no, it most certainly was not. The entire island had been infused with negative energy and necromantic magic to a point where it was oddly keeping those that lived a much increased life span. However it also made many mad with power. Some of the more obsessed mages were furious about the gate being closed. They desired that the gate remain open, still believing it would lead to immortality. Others settled for the lesser immortality, but desired more power. Thus began the war of the necromancers who marched armies of the dead to wage endless battles with each other and destroying the rest of the island in the process.”
“It was only when every inch of this place was cursed and forever tainted that the survivors finally stopped to recognize the folly of their ways. The folly that someone can have total control over death, let alone cheat it forever."
“My father obviously disagreed.” You say.
“Yes, though he wasn't the first and sadly he probably won't be the last. Every once in awhile one of our number gets a little power hungry. Usually it’s a phase and we exile them as we did with Casimir. Most soon learn that their powers gradually weaken and beg to come back, others vainly try to make it on their own and usually die expending all their energy as soon as they try to raise an army of the dead to conquer whatever it is they've set their eyes on. I have to admit though, Casimir proved to be a little more determined than most. He was smart to stop using his necromancy and rely on more traditional means to run a nation. Even his way of attempting to cheat death was rather clever. A shame he didn't focus his energy on something more worthwhile."
"He did." You answer defiantly.
Nicodemus seems slightly exasperated now.
"And again you defend a man who cared nothing for you and would've devoured your life force just to extend his life span a little longer. What did he do that was so worthwhile? Create his Empire? Lesser men than him have done similar things and with a lot less resources, he wasn't really special in that regard. Live for centuries? He could've stayed here and lived for a lot longer than that if he'd just abandoned his mad plans. Power is fleeting Eternal. LIFE is fleeting. No one lives forever and no one rules forever. Not on this world anyway. Even necromancers die. Just takes us a little longer than most and trust me, we aren't ruling anything so much as we’re doomed to act as guardians to this world’s life. Most of us know or learn that lesson, because after it's all said and done, this book teaches that important message."
"Message? You’ve been going on about how dangerous the book is. And if the book is so dangerous, why not just destroy or get rid of it?" you say.
"You don’t believe that’s been tried? Trust me, it has by every known ability to us and then some. Getting rid of it would be unwise for it could just fall into the hands of someone who does not know its true power and they may unleash its awfulness. Better we should remain its guardians and make sure nobody else ever has to suffer the same fate we do. So if one good thing comes from the book, then it is that lesson. A reminder of what hubris does. Sadly some just fail to learn the lesson. Not everything is black and white, contrary to your worldview of things Eternal. I hope that will fade in time as well. Speaking of time, I believe yours here should be coming to an end. Your master is dead and you have no further business here."
Nicodemus mutters a small incantation and a portal opens up near you.
"This will take you back to your Empire. Goodbye Eternal, and I hope for your sake you find your own way, you'll find yourself a lot better off."
The Emperor is dead and while this man may not have caused it directly, you still feel he is somehow responsible. Part of you wants to attack Nicodemus, but you also know that may not be wise as it is obvious the man wields great power. Then there is the book he holds. You almost feel drawn to it…