Chronicles of the Kingdom

Cylor: The Power Wielder, King of the North

Yes, this story starts with me.

It starts years ago, when I was young, carefree, and absolutely obsessed with stories and legends.

Night and day, I watched and listened for the tales told by travelers and merchants; tales that told the histories of other nations, lands, and yes, even other worlds. And when I grew older, I explored.

Some people wonder why I chose such a strange endeavor for life. Most were content with where they were. They didn't care what was beyond Layrucia's borders.

But I did.

What was I after? They would ask me this constantly. Was I after monetary gain such as fame or fortune? Was I searching for rich, foreign lands or rare creatures that existed only in the imagination? Or was I, perhaps, in pursuit of love, trying to impress a woman I fell for?

For the record, I did become rich, and I was so famous, everyone knew my name, and I worked for the Royals themselves. I gained rich and beautiful lands for the kingdom. And those creatures only present in the mind? I found them; mystic, mysterious, powerful beings that lurked only in the darkest corners of the forest and in the deepest caverns. And yes I, even I, fell in love, and I made her my queen.

But is this what I was after?

No.

I was after the answer to the question that haunts every man, woman and child that ever roamed the earth.

Purpose.

Meaning.

I knew deep within my soul that I was not made to simply live. I was made for so much more.

And when I heard the legend of the Crystal of Power, my fate was sealed.

I spent years secretly searching for the Crystal of Power. I found a great many things for Varus, king of Layrucia. But I was hungry - power hungry, if you will.

And one day, I was satisfied.

In the deepest caverns to the North, I found it - a crystal colored the deepest purple, and infused with the power that should never be coveted by any human being.

But I craved it with a passion. It even called me by name.

Cylor....

For posterity's sake, I know I must mention; for a moment, I knew I shouldn't take it. I knew something terrible would happen if such a weapon was brought into the light, where it may wreak havoc. The last thing humanity needed was havoc. I knew everything in Layrucia would change forever.

But these doubts only lasted a moment.

I reached out and touched it. Then I seized it.

The Crystal filled my mind with revolutionary ideas, thoughts, even dreams I knew could become a reality. Most think I am a monster, yes, a monster, for doing the things I did to create that reality. But I alone knew it was inevitable.

I knew Layrucia could no longer be one unified kingdom.

And I acted accordingly.

I tore the land in two, taking the North for myself. But I left all of south to King Varus.

Generous, I know.

But the Crystal of Power soon revealed to me that I wasn't truly complete. I needed to find the Elemental Crystals. I set out to find them. It wasn't too hard, really, as they called to me the moment I found the Power Crystal.

But I had lingered.

Oh, I had lingered in my search for the Crystals, and it proved to be my gravest mistake.

For the Crystals had chosen their wielders.

I did, however, succeed in finding the Crystal of Fire, and using its power with mine, I created a beast to terrorize the sky. I sent it to destroy Layrucia.

But it was defeated. Defeated by those cursed wielders of the elements.

No matter.

They were not strong enough to destroy my creature. They could only conceal it in the mountains.

I knew I needed to find the other Crystals. But I was old. The wielders found the other three Crystals, but I held on to the Crystal of Fire.

Stalemate.

When I was sure the wielders had given up searching for it, I hid the Crystal of Fire in the mountains of Kronos. I knew it would be safe there.

For everyone knows, there is nothing special there.

I went back to my kingdom, the great Northern Kingdom, that I had created, and hid the Crystal of Power.

I had lost the battle.

But I hadn't lost the war.

The Crystal would choose its new wielder after I passed. Until then, I had the upper hand. Layrucia trembled at the thought of my kingdom. They posed no threat. And Varus? He was pathetic. Weak. He could hardly gain the respect of his people after what I had done, let alone the wielders. They were bound to fall. And they would, when the time was right.

The Crystal of Power would prevail.

As for my creature, my great, majestic dragon - I knew it would be back.

Someday.