The Dragon's Tome, An Original Fantasy Story Options

[Zalphon]

Prologue

They called me the Prince of All that is wrong in this world. In Mathoc. The land of magick and wonder. The frozen north known as the Frostblood Tundra. The southern deserts of Sunskar. The eastern jungles of Sythariss. The western mountains of Star-Reach. The Ocean of Souls and the Sea of Arcana... The Northeastern bogs and swamps of the Black Marsh. The Northwestern Forests of Dragonwood. The Southeastern plains of Shadow's Meadow. The Southwestern Deadlands of the Dread Plains...

They say I am all that is foul in the world... They called me a being of the Abyss itself. They called me the Lord of Unlife, the Master of Necromancy, the King of the Undead... They were right... My name is Zalphon Shadowheart Broodikus, Emperor of Mathoc... I am the Arch-Lich and the God of Necromancy and Unlife. I rule over the lands with an iron fist.

My empire is strong and built of the dead. Unlike previous liches and necromancers, those ressurected by me or students of the New Ways of Necromancy retain their intelligence if we so-choose. Mathoc is ruled by the living dead, for the living dead. Our foes are the paladins of Lightius Star, the Arch-Angel and Queen of Skyhaven, Realm of the Angels...

We constantly fight to conquer all who oppose us. The only threat to us, was the dragons... The Guardians of Mathoc, they called themselves. And their immortal followers (ageless), the Order of the Dragon. I once was a member, but after I learned the truth about what power they hid from us, it began...

If you've picked up this tome, you must be expecting a story... My story... My name is Emperor Zalphon Broodikus, and it begins thousands of years ago, during the Era of the Everlight Kingdom. My father's kingdom...

[Zalphon]

Chapter Ten: The Battle of the Temple

A loud, crashing sonic boom filled the corridors of the Temple. I sensed their presence, their foul presence. The Order had come to kill my lord and me. They came for a fight and I was ready. With great haste, I firmly gripped Nightsinger and walked out. Samantha Draconis, a high elven knight was one I had courted during my time as a squire. We were both squires. "Zalphon," she cried. "What have they done to you? Resist the feeling of the wicked and Grandmaster Myris will accept you back if you atone."

"Resist the feeling? Grandmaster Myris will accept me? What about Drakos?" I questioned. "And I'll die before I go back to the lying scum of the Order."

"Drakos died the day you threw down your sword and left. Some say it was the Dark Lord that killed him, others say he died of grief. You were his best friend," Lady Draconis glumy stated. "Please, surrender. I love you, Zalphon."

"Liar," I screamed. My mind went into Darkfallen and I fought. I could feel her anguish as my blade slid down her body and allowed the blood to escape. The agony, the terror, oh the vigor it gave me. I left Darkfallen and saw her fall to the ground.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as I knelt down by her. "For not stopping you."

I ran to the Throne-Room and saw Lord Fenix standing over Lord Vayris. Vayris was dying and Fenix gently commanded, "Come over here, Zalphon. Feel your deity's pain."

Obediently, I did. "Perform the killing blow and with it seal the Darkfallen. The dead deserve to rest," Fenix calmly explained. "You'll needn't rely on their anguish for your power, for you'll be much more powerful without it."

"Yes, Milord," I beheaded my god. I knew what Fenix said was a wise choice. He had visited me before many times and was like a father-figure to me. I began to siphon his soul and when the black beam dissipated into nothingness... Darkness filled my vision and I was unconscious...