The Beginning of the Scouring

The murmurs died down as Aeschines raised his hand, restless whispers were muted as the grand orator spoke once more.

"Thus it was that Zenophon gathered the legions of the past and set them to scouring the land surrounding the black citadel for what he called 'the source'. Suleiman, Judge of the Fourth Circut commanded the legions and they spread across the land as a plague. Hamlets and hovels were torn and burned while the land sickened and died under that march while animals fled from the corrupting land. The echoes of hollow metal rung loud as church bells at the tide of the past and Zenophon laughed.

As Suleiman reached the borders of the land he was approached by an emmissary. A native dressed in brightly colored feathers and furs stepped nervously to the cold calm of the Judge.

"I ... I bring word from Hannibal, War Chief of the Two Tusk clan. Outsiders you are, as many before. He offers the strength of the Two Tusk clan in trade."

So it was that the native as taken by Suleiman under pain of death to the black citadel and brought before the icy halls of Zenophon. There the native spoke again his offer, though he was but a whisper in that place and Zenophon studied the man.

"You may tell your War Chief this, I will spare his village the anguish of long death if he brings his men to my call. If not, his people will suffer where he does not."

And the native trembled and fled, the cold grip of death not far behind chasing him from the land and to his War Chief.

And it came to pass that Hannibal fled the terror of my Emperor and found solace in the hands of the giantkin. Suleiman marked his judgement as death on the great scales and vowed that if ever in his grip, the War Chief would regret his choice of his skin over his people.

Thus Suleiman was sent to the native village and it was claimed and pillaged, it's blood fed to the earth and not a single soul was spared. And still the source evaded Zenophon and his ire was greatened."

[ January 20, 2004, 06:28: Message edited by: Zen ]