The Aeterna Empire

Chapter 16 - The Day the Old World Died

To describe every action of the year to follow would fill many books as the world changed. Laws were written and the world rapidly shifted in an unknown direction under a singular authority. The calendar changed, holidays of tradition were set up, projects were funded, and authority was established across the world. However, to fully understand the gravity and all encompassing degree of change I witnessed in this short time, it is prudent to describe a single event to which everything hinged.

It was the day the old world entered the eternal night, and the new world, and the age of the Aeterna Empire, rose with day.

It began with a simple order from Adam the Aeterna Emperor.

"Send this word to every corner of the world, from westward Ne to eastward Kes, include my loyal among the nations and my enemy that still resist. Include the Cynn-Blood tribes that hide, Valspear's friends beyond the gate, and the Ref island that have no law but that of local warlords and pirates. Include every city and village and fortress and farm and place where you can find people, and include even the travelers you find on the road and the caravans. Every person is to hear this word. At my order, in this task, you may employ anyone into your charge whether a soldier or noble or Numerenai or common man, only so that all hear. If they want payment it shall be paid to them, only that all hear. It does not matter as to their blood, as all are mine, and this is my order."

We were traveling on the road at this time heading west towards Ne. I could see the smokibg ruins of the Ire capital. He had destroyed all of it to its foundation. The walls and buildings within were rubble and the stones scattered.

The Aeterna gave his word to his order.

"For one month from today, the old world shall breath its dieing breath. The sun will wake and sleep on its normal time as it did before my war. I will not interrupt its sleep time nor waking, and i will not bring its wrath on anyone even if they reject my word and my authority in this time. During that month every man is to return home in their villages or find the nearest walled city, no one is to travel far, including my Numerenai. Everyone will take in everything they possess, with all their goods, their herds, and their crops for themselves and their herds. Everyone will take it into their storage. Everyone will then make wards against the night, for a night will come. Everyone will make more than they need for a month of nights and will share with their neighbor who lacks."

The Aeterna continued his dictation.

"After the month the sun shall sleep, and it will not wake. The sun will sleep for seven days of time. The Night-Blood will rise in such numbers as has never seen in your recorded history. Every city is to thuroughly light its paths, every wall is to be inspected, every gate is to be shut, every Numerenai is to stay within and no one shall jouney beyond the refuge of the wards. This shall last for seven days. After the seventh day the sun shall awaken, and no one is to leave their cities while the Night-Blood is banished away, but on the ninth day after the Night-Blood is returned home you may leave your refuges and see the world I give you. That day shall mark the first day of the yearly calendar, the year shall be the first year of the calendar into the years of the Aeterna and the new world."

When he was finished the scribes quickly wrote as many copies as we had paper. The Soran-Blood seemingly needed no paper and recited the order perfectly. Then the army of Soran-blood, Ne-blood, and Ire-blood scattered in every way to spread his message until there remained a total of one thousand in our company. Caius and I remained. The former Chancellor and the general of Kes left.

We continued on eastward to Ne. We passed through Tirah'Ne and Mohron'Ne on the borders of the Salted Desert, stopped for a storm, then went to the desert and met with the nomadic tribe of Tul Dakla'Ne at an oasis in sight of the iron plated volcano. We were given a rare treat of "metal snails" that live in the extreme temperature and truly have metal-like feet. The Tul Dakla challenged us to a contest in honor of the Aeterna, and he accepted. The contest was a blindfolded race and, as I would learn with Ne games, there were few rules and no limit to contestants. Seeing thousands of blindfolded men run, trip, collide, wrestle, and collapse into utter mayhem where ultimately no one could find the finish line was enough to temporarily brighten my spirits. The celebration after, despite no victor, reminded me of older times. The dancing was replaced by stories and boasts to top one another, the drinking was its own contest as bets and money was placed, and the songs devolved into who could sing the loudest or most obnoxious. We then continued on in the morning. Our destination was Turris Solis of Ne, not to be confused with the Turris Solis of Kes where I sent Fereren. The Turris Solis lied in the center of the Salted Desert.