The Beginning
Harbour of Zorandor, harbour headquarters
Lanamar was watching the ship with attention as it arrived to the dock overloaded with refugees. The guard commander knew the ship well and people knew its captain Urkathe as a reliable and experienced man. On the ship, incredible amount of poeple were crowded. At least thirty boats started go towards them to transport all of the refugees to the coast. The ship was in a bad condition. It suffered for the three months long voyage.
The guard commander thought about how many ship were heading to the harbour? How many ship was swallowed by the enourmos ocean meanwhile? Recently, lots ships arrived and many of them were not planned for long voyages. Lanamar knew the refugees had to use every possibility because of the recent situation. Who was lucky he/she reached the destination. The unlucky ones died in the depths of the ocean but it was better for them than remain on the another land.
The city became a huge and overloaded beehive. Lot of people were crowded on the streets, they dwelled or slept everywhere. Fortunately, not only paupers and poor refugees arrived on the ships. Many high-ranking people, nobles, wealthy citizens arrived with them and brought their wealth in form of gold and jewels.
The most important event was the following: several experienced adventurers arrived on the ships. The town needed them more than anything. These adventures had already fighting against the hellish creatures and won because they were alive and were walking on the streets in these moments too. So they have experience and tactic againts the monsters and they will have a chance in the battles.
Lanamar hoped that it is true and they will share their experiences with every man and woman who are able to fight. Lanamar had already known what the refugees and the simple citizen did not surmize. Only some high-ranking insider and the most important people know the truth: the first demon gates were opened on this continent too!
Imperial palace, Silver Hall, military conference
Alduin’Teven, the supreme commander of the imperial armies looked on the Silver Hall and stood up to share his opinion. Perfectly elaborated armours and weapons, shields ornamented with crests, military flags and huge pictures hung on the walls. Forged iron torches granted the light in the hall. The flaming torches did not care about the tension and the gloom which reigned in the hall.
In front of the walls, facing to the center of the hall, in green and silver uniform, the emperor’s guards were watching with close attention. There were two-handed spears in their hands and long sword in their scabbards. The guards did not care about what happens in the hall. Their only task was to protect the emperor against the assasinational attempts and betrayal. They attacked on the first suspicious sign immediately. Fortunatelly, it was not needed now, the participants of the conference did not conspire.
There is a table in the centre of the hall, fifty people can sit down around it. Emperor Yal’Rahun sat at the head of the table in an ornamented, green and silver colored clothes to let every participants know he is the emperor now.
Alduin’s place was at the right side of the emperor. On the left side the sullen and old Nogata’Rasan was listening to the conference who was the most important adviser and mage of the emperor. Next to him, the leader of the DragonPriest, Tajnar’Rahun sat who was the member of the imperial family. His look was friendly and raised faith in everybody who spoke with him. But now he spoke only a little, his words did not matter in this situation. There were two more people near the emperor: Ronovoj’Solon, the young and lean treasurer who was responsible for the economic cases and Tharganir, the dwarf who was the lead mining engineer in the imperial mines and the commissioned leader of the smaller dwarf settlement in the mountains. Mainly metals and jewels were brought to the surface from the imperial mines and the mountain dwarves mined the finest quality ores from the depth of their mines to make high quality weapons and armours in the imperial main city Zorandor. Further from the emperor and his escort, many sat but Alduin did not care about them.
Only those people got invitation to the conference who were really necessary to work out the next steps in the future. The emperor, the main advisors and the most important people had already known that the first gates and holes opened on the continent Anathen too which lead to the demonic world and now it become necessary to decide how can they solve the problems and fight against the monsters successfully. It can not happen here too what destroyed Arasina!
They listened to the harbour guard commander Lanamar’s report. He was the most reliable source, he could report in detail about everything. He worked 16 hours every day for weeks, did not care about the tiredness. He worked conscientiously, he knew always what his task is. He made lists about the ships, their crew, the number of the refugees and the useable equipments. These lists were always up to date and in details. He was in charge of the smooth operating of the harbour. He could answer every question about the harbour everytime, only took a look at his notes and gave the answer.
In the last two months, lots of ships arrived with desperate and frightened refugees from Arasina. The last one was captain Urkathe’s ship. The captain was reliable and experienced man so Lanamar listened to him.
According to the captain, his ship was the last which left Arasina before the demons defeated it. Everything and everybody were lost who remained there. The captain was an experienced sailor so he was able to perform his duty with small amount of sleeping or rest: he brought several refugees to city Zorandor. During the voyage, he could see sevaral desolate ships. On several ships there were some survivors but they were weak and close to the mental madness. The captain ignored these ships by way of precaution. Probably the most of these ships sank meanwhile.
Urkathe estimated his ship is the last which reached the imperial harbour successfully. The vehicles which he left behind probably never arrive anywhere. Maybe the survivors’ tide ended, the overpopulated city can have a sigh of relief. Now Alduin began to speak:
‘I do not care about the refugees, the ships and the crowdedness of the city. We are here to solve the danger which comes from the demons. If I get the necessary equipment, me and my soldiers will defeat the demons’ hordes,’ he said it with deep and sharp voice, his soldiers always completed these commands without opposition.
‘I am afraid it will not be enough. It is difficult to wound the creatures of the underworld, but destroying them is more difficult. They will defeat our armies without any effort. It happened on the Dragon Field too however experienced adventures fought there,’ he said it firmly, all participant were listening to him with attention. He was Vorodur, a tall warrior who sat at a simple wooden bench with his friend Alsadir, the battle mage. They were neither the most important people nor have any considerable rank. They had already fought against the demons successfully, that is why they could take part on this session.
‘My companion refered to the number of the imperial soldiers is not enough to destroy the demons so the empire can be in danger easily,’ Alsadir, the middle aged mage stood up to give the respect to the other people in the hall. He seemed as a beggar because of his simple clothes. But still Nogata, the personal mage of the emperor admitted his magical skills.
‘The soldiers of the noble families can join to the imperial armies. It may be enough, or not?’ Namaron’Solon, the current leader of the Solon Dynasty asked from Alsadir. Namaron wore yellow clothes which was the color of his dinasty. Harsan, the warlord of the Solon Dynasty who sat next to him wore the same yellow clothes. Behind them, bodyguard with also yellow-patterned armor was standing without batting an eyelid, holding the flag of the dynasty. Vorodor only grumpled one to express his opinion. He spoke only if it was necessary.
‘I think it is still not enough, we need more soldiers to be able to defeat the demons,’ the honest answer sounded. The people in the hall were overcome by dissatisfaction. The present members of the three noble dynasties – Solon, Rasan and Teven – showed their disapproval as one man. The answer was hurtful for them because a middle-ranking person questioned their soldiers’ abilities.
The bodyguard behind the emperor knocked with his lance on the tile floor twice. The noise stopped, everybody turned toward the emperor. Only the emperor had the right to speak so he stood up. Emperor Yal’Rahun looked around the present people to gain some time to make a decision.
‘We have to be prepared for the worst. Remember what happened in Arasina. They did not have chance, the attack came as a surprise and they could not avoid their destiny. We have time, we can prepare for it. Do we have enough raw material and will our weapon and armour smiths be able to statisfy the needs for every adventures who are in the city?’ the emperor asked the city messengers who was here on behalf of the guilds. Four people took part on the conference: Vonatur, the leader of the weapon smiths’ guild, Gorlan on behalf of the amor smiths, Yasitur, the leader of the merchants’ guild and Olonamar who represented the other not too important guilds. Carpenters, stonemasons, looksmiths, bakers, jewelers, butchers and other professions which were not too important now, but they were also necessary. Olamar will inform them about the decision and plans. Gordan stood up to answer the emperor’s questions:
‘If we have enough raw material, mainly metals and leathers, then we will able to statisfy the claims. As we know at the moment, the ore transportation from the mines to the city by the dwarves is still undisturbed. If we need something else then we will ask for Yasitur’s help,’ Gorlan said and Yasitur nodded to show the merchants will do everything to provide the missing materials.
‘I guaranteed that the ores and metals will be alright. Until the depth of mountains hides ores, the smith will have raw materials,’ Tharganir, the dwarf said it with deep voice.
‘So be it,’ the emperor said. ‘Replace the imperial and the noble soldiers’ missing equipments. Be the soldiers prepared and if it is needed, start the training to prepare for the battles. Support the guilds that they have enough amount of weapon and armor. If it is needed then demand loan from the emperial treasury and I order that the tax collectors not to disturb them now,’ the emperor turned to Ronovoj.
‘The most important that the masters can work continuously and undisturbed. Start to announce that the empire needs adventurers. We trust them that they will be able to defeat the hellish creatures and protect the civilization.’
