The Root of Tomorrow

Chapter 2: Wonderburgh

This section was written partly by Jacob, my brother.

King Edward VII was the ruler of the Cresian Empire, and after 24 years it had only gotten worse. Everything was a disappointment. His wife slept with the lords and dukes of his courts, his eldest son was lazy and aggressive, his youngest son was frightened by the slightest sounds, and his army was poorly trained. Edward had recently discovered that his wife was pregnant, though she had not slept with him in his chambers in years. Edward saw no reason to get up in the morning anymore.

Thus Edward spent most of his time reading books and texts in the palace library. It was something that he'd always enjoyed. As a boy, his tutor let him explore the palace library, where he read books published by past rulers, scholars, and philosophers. Whenever he argued with his wife, Edward sought refuge in the library. When he was younger, he often rode a horse to Carlisle, a small town in the Tietnammen Slopes, where the wizardry school, The Academy was located. Now he was heavily obese, and he struggled to get around his large palace, called Wonderburgh.

Wonderburgh was the size of a small town, and it wasn't just a palace. It was connected to the arena, prison, and fort to form a large complex. Edward had the complex built when he became King of Cresia. The past King developed an infection and died while sleeping with the Queen's sister. The rightful ruler, the Queen killed herself out of grief, leaving their newborn son to rule over his parents' vast empire. He died 12 days after his birth when he fell off his throne and died.
     With no ruler, the kingdom of Cresia fell apart, and they were invaded by their former trade partners, the Kodarians. It took two decades before the King's brother led a rebellion against the Kodorians and reclaimed Cresia. Gregory was a noble king who led his people to wealth and prosperity. Years later, his descendant sat on a throne, alone, wearing underclothes only on his legs, exposing his horrid physique.

Alone in his palace court, the king sat on his throne and dreamt of the times when he was healthy, his wife loved him, and his children were playful. He'd lost everything and gained nothing. As he slowly dozed off, the king's crown tipped of his head and fell to the marble floor. A loud clatter startled him, and he woke up, puzzled as to why he'd awoken. He saw his crown and picked it up, and as he looked back up, a black figure with a sword in hand fell from the rafters.