The Obsidian Cradle

  The strong never cry, never fall on their knees weeping like helpless weaklings.

  This was a theme strongly believed in this realm full of chaos, wars, dark sorcery, and slavery.

  The strong lead while the weak merely follow and obey.

  Are you one of them?

  “Bend your knees and kneel before the king!”

  The Royal Herald proclaimed loudly to the faces of many people who had lined up. They were visibly stricken with terror and poverty.The citizens murmuring and glancing at each other, slowly bent their knees, crumpling their rag-like, untidy, and faded clothes.

  Their clothes had been worn countless times and washed in murky waters.

  Thick layers of oily residue clung to their skin, capturing every speck of dirt and debris which were carved with their sunken cheeks and eyes that seemed too large for their skeletal frames.

  A rotten stench mixed with the odor of the haze that surrounded the land as the people here rarely bathed.

  “I, Rubeer Marbather, the 86th king of this Obsidian Cradle will grant your wish of riches and freedom!”

  The king’s bold declaration made everyone gasp in awe.

  Who would not want riches and freedom?

  King Rubeer Marbather, leader of the Nexxus Alliance, had perfectly caught the people’s attention.

  As far as the common people knew, the Nexxus was an alliance of thirteen kingdoms who had agreed to work together to vanquish evil and protect humanity at all cost.

  Today, representatives of the said kingdoms were gathered here in the capital of Marbather for a great cause they must uphold.

  “Listen! People of the Obsidian Cradle, I will offer you treasures beyond your wildest dreams.

  Mountains of gold, the finest garments from the farthest corners of the world, jewels that could blind the gods itself!”

  The King paused, letting them absorb his words

  “Whoah!!”

  The people cheered at this glimpse at a better life.

  In this poverty-stricken realm, of course, they would love to accept such things.

  “My people, raise your eyes to the leaders of the Nexxus…

  We are now on a new path to gaining one of the strongest powers of this world.

  The Seal of Gaxinar, Keeper of the Sons of the Devil.

  We only ask you to help us slay a kingdom full of sinners, The Kingdom of Livingrings.

  A kingdom that had eaten babies, massacred villagers, and made ancient pacts with the devils.

  Are you ready?” King Rubeer shouted gloriously to the multitude.

  “Whoaaa!!!! Yes!!! Hail the mighty leaders of the Nexxus!!!!!”

  Everyone yelled their support to King Rubeer and the Nexxus Alliance.

  Even many children who did not know what they were lifting their feeble hands and voices for, followed suit.

  The sound of ignorance trumpeted in the kingdom, filled with jumping and clapping of the hands, as the flags of the 13 kingdoms waved in the winds of uncertainty.

  The 13 leaders of the Nexxus stood proudly as the people rejoiced, hoping that more will be given to them when the Nexxus becomes even more powerful after taking the legendary great seal.

  They were also glad to know that the kingdom, being gossiped about as a place full of evil people — able to transform into unsightly monsters and demons and eat people, would finally be put to its end.

  The Sons of the Devil, known only in history as hideous creatures created by their father from its grotesque burning form — untouchable even to the other gods since everything that got near it perished.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  It was rumored that there were light-bearers (worshippers) of the Twin Sons of the Devil who onced lived before Livingrings even existed.

  They worshipped the twin demons who wished to be brought above ground.

  The light-bearers were said to have summoned the devils themselves and all of them got killed.

  Their fates now only reside in what history people decided to write about them.

  The ‘supreme human warriors’ of the past had made the Seal of Gaxinar by releasing all their powers and turning these into one form, all to protect the following generations.

  The Seal of Gaxinar ultimately bound the two sons of the devil to never live again.

  Many people did not believe in their existence, but they loved the idea of humans killing the devils themselves.

  This had been retold countless times, that many people believed it to be the truth.

  Hence, it was the fate of humanity, of the powerful, to take the seal back, like the Nexxus Alliance and their elite soldiers to harness its power back for all humanity to benefit.

  After all, many researchers and wizards from other kingdoms, especially the Nexxus, had published it officially that the Kingdom of Livingrings wanted to use the Seal of Gaxinar only for themselves.

  It was said that the Kingdom of Livingrings wanted to conquer the surrounding kingdoms, and they had prepared all these centuries.

  Then, unleash their true forms in other lands and make the people sacrifices to their gods.

  Due to this, people believed the Kingdom of Livingrings was a place of evil.

  Even the children believed that everyone in Livingrings were like ordinary beasts. Thus, they deserved being hunted by the soldiers like the huntsmen do in the wild.

  Hatred of Livingrings spread so much that a mention of its name boiled the blood of everyone who heard it.

  Many would not even dare go near its waters or see it for themselves, afraid of their curses, and the belief that the demons may consume them and their children.

  After his public speech was well received, King Rubeer smiled at the representatives of the Nexxus Alliance, who smiled back at him.

  He glanced back at the crowd of people.

  ‘You, miserable filthy creatures! Do you think you seek freedom? Do you think your hearts long for liberation? Foolish!’

  King Rubeer had darker thoughts while smiling towards the crowd.

  Rubeer did not even want to get near these peasants, for fear their foulness would give him diseases.

  The old men struggling to walk, the blind, the deaf, the poor, the weak, he secretly abhorred them.

  But for now, he needed their support and approval to move for the sake of his grand plans for the future.

  He needed them to work at the mines, at the armory, all kinds of labor for the kingdom for all their years of existence.

  This tactic had been practiced by these leaders to let the soldiers trample on anyone who was against them.

  For all their citizens to even give up their riches, their children, their all, for one cause, provide everything for the wars the Nexxus supported and created.

  “My king, preparations are ready,” Commander Onarath approached King Rubeer once they had moved into the palace, out of sight from the commoners.

  Commander Onarath was the leader of the Obsidian Vipers, the Obsidian Cradle’s elite squad.

  “Make sure most of your squad returns safely. I don’t want the Obsidian Vipers to lose against their forces.”

  King Rubeer slightly gestured at the side with his eyes, where the other leaders were talking with their elite squads.

  As the leader of the alliance, Rubeer must ensure their forces remain the strongest and most enduring.

  After all, their plans were set and ready to be implemented.

  There were already many spies in the Kingdom of Livingrings who provided valuable information.

  The said spies were highly trained combatants and had magical powers granted by sorcery to be used for their safety.

  They were people from different kingdoms of the Nexxus who gave their loyalty in exchange for safety and benefits.

  They served as the spear and shield of the Nexxus and were valuable assets.

  On the Livingrings part, they had great wizards and the mysterious Auroras, a transparent sphere-shaped multi-layered barrier of magic that protected them for centuries.

  The wizards often assisted the people of Livingrings during trade and peace negotiations.

  Even with their few numbers, the wizards were able to hold back many attacks from different enemies who were there to conquer, or simply curious how to enter the great Auroras to hunt the said devils inside.

  After much effort and careful observation, the spies of the Nexxus had learned when the wizards of Livingrings would be going out or when they would return.

  Even if they were not able to calculate exactly, their estimates were near the actual periods.

  These were nuisance and the greatest hindrance to their plans, they needed them to die. But, their plans for these creatures took centuries to bear fruit.

  They had also used many sorcery rituals done under the guidance of a strong wizard in the Nexxus.

  King Rubeer looked around the hall while a trusted servant wiped black liquids at a sacred altar, which was at the farther end with an unwiped halberd, still blood-drenched with the number of sacrifices it chopped today.

  *Rubeer Marbather - King of The Obsidian Cradle

  *Nexxus - an alliance of 13 kingdoms

  *Seal of Gaxinar - a mysterious power said to have sealed the twin sons of the devil

  *Light-bearers - worshippers of the sons of the devil

  *Kingdom of Livingrings - “a land filled with ‘sinners’ who could transform into monsters and demons”

  *Commander Onarath - leader of the Obsidian Vipers

  *Obsidian Vipers - Obsidian Cradle’s elite squad