Resurrection (Book 1: The Chronicles of Chaos)

RESURRECTION

  Book 1: The Chronicles of Chaos

  by

  Graham Carmichael

  *****

  Copyright 2011 Graham Carmichael

  *****

  It was a strange night, thunder cracked in the sky and forks of lightning struck the ground. I witnessed this from the window of my bed chamber. I had an uneasy feeling that something sinister was afoot…

  I was introduced to a peculiar stranger today. He went by the name of Rhyll. He was a tall and slender man with long blonde locks, his face covered in a full beard. He claimed he was a god sent down from the heavens to duel with his twin brother for the right to rule the land. The dungeon was the only place this idiot would rule…

  A tired and obviously distressed messenger boy burst into my bed chamber in the early hours of this morning. I would have had his head removed from his shoulders for such an intrusion if it were not for the horrified look on his face. He reported witnessing a group of “monsters” slaughtering one of my patrols. I would find it hard to believe this man if it were not for the look in his eyes. He obviously witnessed some atrocity. The question is what?...

  It is almost an hourly occurrence now; panicked messengers demanding to see me with news of more atrocities. I was planning to send out a legion of my best men to investigate when I received word that our crazy prisoner wished to see me regarding this matter. He informed me that the cause of these atrocities was his twin brother, Bhryll. I still think this man is crazy but I may be willing to give him a chance to prove himself…

  I have had a report that a small mining town to the North has fallen. Crowton provided us with the stone we use to build our towns. This has gone on long enough, I am going to assemble several legions and I shall put an end to this tyranny. I shall take our prisoner along too…

  On the evening of the sixth night of marching, I came across a sight that my eyes would not allow me to believe. A small army of men and monsters stood on one side of the valley. They saw us approaching and readied their weapons. From the centre of the army strode a “thing”. It took the form of a man but even from a distance I could clearly see it was no man. It wore the blackest armour. It had an aura of pure evil. In my mesmerised state, I failed to notice my prisoner run off down towards the centre of the valley. The black figure on the opposite side did the same. Both met face to face on the valley floor. It was if their voices were amplified. I could hear them clearly. They talked of a feud in heaven, a curse that brought them here in mortal form and they agreed to a war. Both had one year to raise an army. The winner of one massive battle would be free to do with the Kingdom as they choose. It was clear that my crown meant nothing…

  I cannot rightly believe a whole year has passed. It seems like yesterday that we first laid eyes on our enemy. I have spent the last year preparing for this battle, helping Rhyll. I have grown to trust him but I fear that his brother will prove too strong. We march tomorrow…

  I have no idea what really happened. I only know the final outcome. We won. It looked like an unlikely outcome at the start of the day. Ranks of Men and Living Dead lined up against us. Bhryll alone wiped out our first charge with some magical force that I dared not dream of. Rhyll engaged Bhryll soon after and their battle was as destructive to all around as it ended up being for them. I don’t know how to explain what happened but they both disintegrated in what I can only describe as a massive explosion of light. With their leader gone, the army of evil descended into chaos. They fled south. When they reached the coast they ran into the sea and continued. I know where they went. They went to the Isle of Natchera that from this day forth will be known as the Cursed Isle…

  I passed my crown to my son today as I prepare to die. I hope that I have made the Kingdom safe and secure and that my son heeds my advice. It took a long time to quell the raiding parties that assaulted our shores from Cursed Isle. As I lay here, I sense that the evil we defeated is not entirely destroyed. I hope it does not return. This is my last entry.

  - Excerpts from the diary of King Thar, First Ruler of the Kingdom of Thorntonvale.