Published 720 ME
For use as a historical book within the Acerium College in the Velim Empire
Written By Ashex Ciparo, Grand Historian of The Magic College Of Acerium.
In my years of study, never has a project taken longer than the one I embark on now. Though the book is long and told, its history is rich and gold. In this time of peace, which is so rare, I have taken scrolls and books from distant lands and have pulled them all together to create a history of our land. Not just a history, but an accurate depiction of the legends of our lands. Two of whom, I believe fulfilled beyond a reason of doubt, fulfilled the prophecy set by the Astari.
The Prophecy Of Two. There will come a time when two shall arise to bring the lands together in peace and unity. They will come in society''s darkest moment to pull us all from extinction.
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Our lands have been riddled with turmoil since their beginning. It is believed that the Astari, makers of our realm, were killed by their ambition. They believed themselves and their creation to be immortal… so much so, they dared to create life - and they succeeded. However, they challenged nature and her laws, and nature challenged them back. Astari has not been seen or heard from. Their only proof of existence is the relics and artifacts they left behind. But despite this, history moves on.
After the Astari, humanity began to flourish as life moved out from a central area, separating across all the known lands of our world. An Age Of Migration swept our lands as cities began to build and villages grew.
Shortly after, the Age of Migration began to quiet, empires began to build. It is believed the first Empire was built on what would become Seriak. Located in a desert, and built on the coastline, its ports were massive and supported thousands of ships each day. Across the realm, other empires soon sprung to life and the cycle of governments rising, staying, and falling continues throughout time. It was during this time on the island of Novahoshi, just off the coast of the Velim Empire, that scholars discovered the first instance of magic. It was discovered the formation of the stars, and the rarity of the phenomenon that occurred in our astral bodies determined the intensity of one’s abilities. Those born under the rarest of events were given an abundance of potential for their knowledge and use of magic. However, the ability of magic only goes so far as to heighten one’s senses and their abilities.
That brings us to an Empire of primary importance across our world’s history. Having existed for over a thousand years, the Velim Empire has always been called the Northern Passage of Alonieth their home. A tundra of snowy mountains, forests, and icy lakes, the land is not for the faint of hearts. It was in fact, never meant for any. It was originally home to King Noiavalathen, the first ruler of the land; however, his rule was not by want. Exiled from his home in Novahoshi, he and his followers amassed on the island to seek a new way of life, and that, they found. On the new land, he built up what would become the Velim Empire.
Before I continue, it would be difficult to ignore the chaos in our lives. The Curse of Avatikus. What began as a legend, has become a concrete belief to many. It is believed that the curse, attributed to a prophet of death, brings no hope of peace. With each year that bears peace in our realm, a decade of tragedy and misfortune strikes. Though I believe it not to be true, it can not be ignored that the Fourth Realm has rarely ever experienced peace, and when it had, it seemed we as a society paid for it in the coming years.
Focusing back on the Velim Empire, it existed then as the Ryekshaw Kingdom. The kingdom experienced slow growth; however, without any other civilization that dared face the cold of the land, the kingdom slowly expanded across thousands of miles of land, eventually consuming much of the Ryek continent, named after the kingdom that claimed it. Once the Ryekshaw Kingdom solidified its borders, an evil manifested itself in reality. An army of warriors, seemingly put together by darkness itself, breached the most northern regions of Ryekshaw’s border. The attack was sudden, with many unaware of it happening. The army spread through Ryekshaw, burning down villages and towns… and before they could stop the movement, the capital of Ryekshaw was brought ablaze.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
With no kingdom to protect them, the warriors took control of the Ryek Continent and her people. It was only then that Emperor Avaki revealed himself as the mastermind of the takeover. Seemingly the real-life equivalent of Avatikus’s curse. Emperor Avaki ruled over his new Empire with a fist of iron and saw the land become a soulless and dangerous land. Emperor Avaki then forced all within to begin constructing massive cities, of which they are still unknown to us.
The people of Ryeksahw suffered under the reign of this Empire as slavery and death was the option in Ryekshaw. Shortly after his conquest, Emperor Avaki saw the possibility of this magic that was discovered in Novahoshi. He ordered the construction of a college to study it. This college would later become our Acerium College; however, its beginnings were rooted in darkness.
Emperor Avaki grew curious about their research and wanted to taste it himself. He commanded his legions to find the whereabouts of anyone who possessed such power. Emperor Avaki quickly discovered the mage, Elyna Avoril. Forcing her to pledge her allegiance to him or face eternal death, Elyna was forced to show him the ways of magic. After several years of teaching, Emperor Avaki mastered the ways; however, he was left annoyed by its kind limitations, he wanted power, not peace.
Forcing Elyna to discover what he wanted to know, she discovered dark magic by use of researching Avakitus’s Curse. Horrified of what it was capable of, Elyna attempted to use Dark Magic to kill Emperor Avaki; however, he was far too strong for Elyna. In a matter of moments, she was subdued by Emperor Avaki and was placed in chains inside the top room of the Acerium College. There, she was forced to show him the ways of Dark Magic.
Emperor Avaki grew in strength and power. Years passed, then decades, a century passed as Emperor Avaki continued to rule by keeping those who lived in Ryekshaw enslaved and under his command through loyalty to what he hoped would be forever.
Late into his 103rd year of rule, Emperor Avaki saw no end in sight for the pain and suffering he brought people as he saw it as a form of entertainment; however, he knew deep down that something was going to happen soon that he would be unable to stop. Emperor Avaki awoke to the news that one of his own Military Generals had betrayed the Empire. Emperor Avaki was angered at the news and sent his soldiers to the City of Kilieth to apprehend this man.
Soon, Emperor Avaki was given word that his soldiers were slaughtered within minutes of arriving in the city. Furious by their insolence, he traveled to Kilieth to deal with the traitor himself.
It is here where he met face-to-face Victor Velim, the traitor of the Empire. Emperor Araki began to summon his dark magic so that he could deal with the traitor quickly but was halted as a flurry of lightning erupted from Victor’s hands and rammed into Emperor Avaki. Emperor Avaki regained himself quickly as an army of supporters for Victor now surrounded Emperor Avaki in a large circle. All of whom were enslaved by his regime. With nowhere to go, Emperor Avaki attempted to use the magic of speed to leave without a trace but as soon as he began to use it, Victor used an ability that left all in shock.
Teleporting from where he stood, he appeared beside Emperor Avaki and plunged a blade into his throat without another word. The sword plunged deep into Avaki’s throat, Avaki fell to the ground and he was not seen since.
Victor watched as the guards who attempted to come to Emperor Avaki’s aid disappeared into the air as across the land of Ryekshaw, those who supported Emperor Avaki disappeared into the air without another trace.
After Emperor Avaki’s supposed death, Victor led a rebellion to retake the land, which succeeded due to the news of what he accomplished reaching all within days of Emperor Avaki’s fall.
In a few months, the whole of Ryekshaw came to Victor’s support as he established the Empire of Velim.
To look passed our beginnings as a society would be difficult. Our lands were built upon strife and war, and continue to be built from it. And now, with the Velim Empire in control, their power has grown enormously as they have become a key kingdom in The Fourth Realm. The Velim Empire went through many Emperors after Victor’s death; however, all have come from the same dynasty of Velim. After centuries of the Velim Empire rule, she has never been stronger or more advanced than now as Emperor Vincent takes the throne over the Velim Empire. He leads a powerful nation, but this is only where our story begins.
This isn’t a story of bloodied wars. This isn’t a story of peace. This is a story of life and the protection of one’s right to live it. All these words are true and what you will read in the coming pages are accounts based on those who watched it all unfold.