THE CITY OF RULERS — RULESIA
The royal messenger had been travelling for days.
Across endless plains.
Through burning deserts.
Across violent seas.
Over mountains covered in snow.
He had crossed almost every kind of terrain the continent could offer.
And finally—
He saw it.
A city rising beyond the horizon.
Massive walls.
Golden towers.
Floating bridges.
Palaces stretching toward the sky.
At the center stood the greatest structure of them all.
RULESIA.
The City of Rulers.
The heart of the world's political power.
The messenger finally stepped through the enormous gates.
The moment he entered—
People recognized him.
CROWD:
"The Royal Messenger!"
People immediately moved aside.
Some bowed.
Others lowered their heads.
The messenger raised his hand.
MESSENGER:
"No need to stand up."
His expression was serious.
MESSENGER:
"I just need to see the King."
The crowd fell silent.
Something about the messenger's expression told them this wasn't normal.
THE COURT OF THE KING OF THE WORLD
The enormous doors opened.
The messenger stepped inside.
He stopped.
For a moment, he couldn't speak.
The royal court was almost the size of an entire town.
Golden pillars stretched toward the ceiling.
Massive paintings covered the walls.
Each one displayed one of King Jaime's victories.
Wars won.
Kingdoms conquered.
Enemies defeated.
Treaties signed.
Every brick in the palace was worth millions.
Gold covered the floors.
Ancient statues stood between the pillars.
And at the far end—
The throne.
The throne of King Jaime.
It had been forged using the ashes of the Valric and Lacod clans.
The remains of two legendary bloodlines had become the seat of the world's most powerful ruler.
The throne glowed beneath the enormous lights of the hall.
Hundreds of members of the royal council stood on both sides.
The Council of King Jaime.
The messenger walked forward.
His footsteps echoed throughout the enormous chamber.
Then—
COUNCIL MEMBER:
"He is here, M'lord."
The hall erupted.
"LONG LIVE KING JAIME!"
"LONG LIVE THE KING!"
"RULESIA!"
The chants echoed against the golden walls.
The messenger continued forward.
At the end of the hall—
King Jaime sat upon his throne.
He didn't move.
He simply watched.
The chants slowly faded.
Silence filled the court.
Then Jaime spoke.
His voice was deep.
JAIME:
"Messenger."
A pause.
JAIME:
"What message do you have for me?"
The messenger dropped to one knee.
His breathing was heavy.
MESSENGER:
"M'lord..."
He lowered his head.
MESSENGER:
"I bring important news from the outskirts of the continent."
Jaime leaned forward.
JAIME:
"Speak."
The messenger swallowed.
MESSENGER:
"M'lord..."
His voice shook.
MESSENGER:
"It's a catastrophe."
The entire council became silent.
MESSENGER:
"A plague."
A pause.
MESSENGER:
"A calamity."
He finally looked up.
MESSENGER:
"Twelve million people have died."
Silence.
The number echoed through the court.
Twelve million.
Several council members exchanged nervous glances.
The messenger continued.
MESSENGER:
"And in a few months..."
His voice became quieter.
MESSENGER:
"...the entire country could be empty."
Jaime's expression hardened.
JAIME:
"Why?"
Then—
JAIME:
"And who?"
The messenger took a deep breath.
MESSENGER:
"We believe someone is attempting to summon..."
He stopped.
Jaime's eyes narrowed.
JAIME:
"Summon what?"
The messenger slowly answered.
MESSENGER:
"The Destroyer."
The entire court froze.
No one spoke.
Then whispers began spreading.
COUNCIL MEMBERS:
"The Destroyer?"
"Impossible."
"That can't be true."
"Where?"
Jaime stood.
JAIME:
"Where?"
The messenger immediately answered.
MESSENGER:
"Bloodveil Harbour, M'lord."
Jaime's expression changed.
MESSENGER:
"Approximately one thousand kilometers from Rulesia."
A council member stepped forward.
COUNCIL MEMBER:
"One thousand kilometers?"
MESSENGER:
"Yes."
He opened the royal report.
MESSENGER:
"The destruction has already begun."
He held up the report.
MESSENGER:
"The land is splitting apart."
Another page.
MESSENGER:
"The sea is reacting to the energy."
Another.
MESSENGER:
"Thousands of people have already been affected."
The court remained silent.
This wasn't an attack on Rulesia.
It was something much worse.
Something happening far away that could eventually affect the entire world.
Jaime looked toward the enormous windows.
Rulesia remained completely calm.
The city outside was still functioning.
People were walking through the streets.
The towers still stood.
The royal banners still flew.
But roughly one thousand kilometers away—
A country was collapsing.
Jaime slowly turned back.
JAIME:
"The Destroyer..."
His expression became serious.
JAIME:
"Why?"
One council member stepped forward.
COUNCIL MEMBER:
"For Ruken?"
The messenger nodded.
MESSENGER:
"Yes."
He opened another document.
MESSENGER:
"Our intelligence strongly suggests that their objective is to open Ruken."
Jaime stared at him.
JAIME:
"Impossible."
He stepped down from his throne.
JAIME:
"This can't be happening."
His voice echoed across the court.
JAIME:
"We cannot let that happen."
The messenger immediately bowed.
MESSENGER:
"M'lord..."
He looked up.
MESSENGER:
"I ask for aid."
Jaime stared at him.
JAIME:
"Aid?"
His expression became cold.
JAIME:
"For who?"
The messenger hesitated.
Jaime's voice grew louder.
JAIME:
"Those imbecile humans?"
The court went silent.
JAIME:
"I want the entire Golden Faction marching toward Bloodveil Harbour."
He pointed toward the map.
JAIME:
"And I want the death of everyone involved."
The messenger's eyes widened.
MESSENGER:
"M'lord..."
JAIME:
"What?"
MESSENGER:
"The humans will die."
Jaime didn't hesitate.
JAIME:
"Let them die."
A wave of shock moved through the council.
Jaime continued.
JAIME:
"We have a bigger problem."
He pointed toward the location of Bloodveil Harbour.
JAIME:
"If Ruken opens..."
He paused.
JAIME:
"...the consequences won't stop at Bloodveil."
His voice became colder.
JAIME:
"They could reach the entire world."
The messenger stared at him.
MESSENGER:
"You are really choosing Ruken..."
He looked around the court.
MESSENGER:
"...over fifty-one million people?"
Jaime's eyes hardened.
JAIME:
"No."
A pause.
JAIME:
"I'm choosing the world above them."
The messenger couldn't believe it.
Jaime continued.
JAIME:
"We cannot send the army and aid them at the same time."
He raised his hand.
JAIME:
"Only one can be done."
Silence.
Then—
JAIME:
"And I choose the army."
He returned to his throne.
JAIME:
"My word is final."
The council lowered their heads.
Then—
A voice came from the shadows.
UNKNOWN VOICE:
"You want aid."
Everyone turned.
UNKNOWN VOICE:
"I will lend you aid."
Jaime looked toward the shadows.
JAIME:
"Who are you?"
A figure stepped forward.
QCULLA:
"I am Qculla."
He stopped in the center of the court.
QCULLA:
"Leader of the N.I.Y.U.E Forces."
Whispers spread throughout the hall.
Jaime's expression changed.
JAIME:
"What are you doing here, Qculla?"
Qculla looked directly at him.
QCULLA:
"Jaime."
His voice was firm.
QCULLA:
"Never forget who you are."
One of the royal guards stepped forward.
GUARD:
"RESPECT THE KING!"
Qculla didn't even look at him.
QCULLA:
"My kings are the rulers."
He pointed toward Jaime.
QCULLA:
"Not this public figure."
The entire council erupted.
COUNCIL:
"WHAT?!"
"How dare you!"
"Silence!"
Jaime slowly stood.
But Qculla continued.
QCULLA:
"Remember."
His voice echoed through the court.
QCULLA:
"We all came together."
He looked toward Jaime.
QCULLA:
"You."
Then toward the other leaders.
QCULLA:
"Me."
QCULLA:
"The Rulers."
QCULLA:
"Bellini."
His expression became serious.
QCULLA:
"We all came together for one mission."
Jaime stared at him.
Qculla's voice lowered.
QCULLA:
"And there is a chance..."
He paused.
QCULLA:
"...of him returning."
The entire court became silent.
QCULLA:
"And if he returns..."
His eyes narrowed.
QCULLA:
"We don't live."
A council member shouted:
COUNCIL MEMBER:
"WHO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"
Another voice followed.
COUNCIL MEMBER:
"WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?!"
The crowd began shouting.
"WHO?!"
"WHO ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT?!"
"WHO IS COMING BACK?!"
The royal court descended into chaos.
Near the edge of the hall, the son of one of the royal scholars looked at his father.
SON:
"Father..."
He pointed toward the center of the hall.
SON:
"Who are they talking about?"
His father stared forward.
His expression was filled with fear.
FATHER:
"They're talking about the War of Liberation."
The boy frowned.
SON:
"War of Liberation?"
His father nodded.
FATHER:
"The war led by them."
SON:
"Against who?"
His father didn't answer immediately.
The entire court seemed to hold its breath.
Then—
FATHER:
"Against the monster."
The boy looked confused.
SON:
"Who?"
His father finally said the name.
The name that had once terrified an entire generation.
The name buried beneath history.
The name the rulers had spent decades trying to erase.
LACOD DARMEN.
Silence.
Even King Jaime stopped moving.
Qculla stared toward the throne.
Jaime's fists tightened.
And somewhere, one thousand kilometers away...
Bloodveil Harbour continued to collapse.
The Destroyer was coming.
And Rulesia had just remembered the name of the monster who had once threatened the entire world.
LACOD DARMEN.