For thus was it seen on that day in the court of the city of Malkarn on the day that Tebron returned to us from the north, victor and supreme general. All had been laid and prepared for the Warlord and as he approached the city children cast down the petals of poppies, so that wherever he rode a blanket of red would remain. Behind him rode the dark armoured and green-cloaked generals, ageless and fearsome. The first of the august and reverend generals was the stark figure of Hasim of the black fist. Master of the first legion. To his right rode the figure of general Marcus the hawk. He whom Tebron had named Aquillus after his beak-like nose. As he rode past he looked over the crowd silently watching. Next came the dark face and bright eyes of Talath Vaar the master of the fourth legion. He still carried the strange sword that had been made from the tooth of the dragon Ashlar Baslane, that fell to the ground at the battle of Belethir, a gift to him from Hasim. He smiled as he rode by enjoying the cheering of the masses around him. Next to Talath Vaar rode a female kender, at first she looked out of place, with her pale skin and the topknot of dark hair atop her head. She openly waved to the crowd smiling. But as she raised her arm, we could see the Carrabar dagger in a wrist sheath shown for all. She was Shoyen Shulen the master of the fifth legion hero of Carabar and slayer of the Highlords. But last came th………Armour still battered from the battles in the north. He lead a grey Stallion, riderless. A shield hung from the cantle of the saddle and a blood-stained cloak of green hung over the horse’s flanks. This they did in remembrance of the general Tyr wolfslayer hero of the battle of The Grey River. They proceeded along the palace way, the cheering of the crowd almost deafening, there to be greeted by the figures of the Eight masters of the collegiat, and on the highest step was the figure of Ollathir the Preserver general, master of enforcers and oldest of the generals. Stave in hand he looked down with distain on all the pomp and ceremony laid at the feet of the Warlord. As they came to the steps of the palace, Tebron dismounted and walked up the steps to be greeted by the Warlocks and the Preserver. And the generals followed him up the steps in a small crowd talking among themselves.
The Warlord stood as the generals all looked on – he raised his hand and the crowd went silent. He looked down at General Marcus and spoke to him. The man nodded, and then a clear tone rang out as the enforcer generals sang out a single note of magical sound. The world seemed to quiver under the power of the centuries old heroes and ancient leaders of our peoples. Then it was as if the Warlord stood before us, his voice was so clear. My people, hear the proclamation of my voice! Hear the words of my heart. Long we have wandered and long we have fought, we shall raise in this blessed land a pattern of peace for the rest of eternity. We shall call on the strength that has seen us through this long and bloody age of war and we shall build a society that will shine until Erdreja rises in destruction and birth. Here in the city of hills we shall begin the greatest test our people have ever faced. From this place we, the generals of the hosts, shall rule and build until there is not a place upon the face of the world where peace does not reign, we shall build a world where our children can live and grow without the threat of war. Stand with us and we shall never suffer the yoke of slavery again and we shall never see whole generations of our young going to war. If you will stand with me and fight to build a dream, we will again succeed and defeat fear itself. Then a single voice of the crowd began the chant, Tebron! Tebron! Tebron!...The crowd carried the chant until every voice was raised in a clamour that could wake the dead, the warlord waved and entered the palace, the generals following close behind.
Three days passed and little had changed in the city of Malkarn but with the rising of the dawn and the beginning of the working day rumours began to spread and soon the heralds were on every street. “Let all come who will to the great palace square to hear the proclamation of the ruling of the warlord and the council of generals” The heralds soon gained a following and as we walked the stream of people grew into a crowd until the great palace square was teeming with thousands of citizens. Then out onto the steps came Talath Vaar. “Citizens of the lands of Malkarn I declare myself retired and do hereby pass all of my power of rulership until the warlord, Tebron.” He walked into the crowd and walked slowly away the crowd parting as he walked no one dared yet to close to one of the generals. Then came Marcus Aquillus Barus, the hawk. His voice carried like a bell as he spoke. “ I do declare myself retired and that all my temporal power, granted by the state shall pass unto the warlord Tebron”. And so they came, each and every one. The great hope of our people the four, casting down power in favour of Tebron the crowd murmured and some were heard to cry “How can we win without them” and “We shall surely fail”. But after the last of them had left the palace Ollathir strode out and bowed with reverence to the crowd. “Good people, I call on you again to heed my words. Let it be known that I, Ollathir of Rellan, do hereby proclaim Tebron Issarn, son of Halan Issarn, as Emperor of the lands captured during the war against the Elder Races. In nine days the mages shall begin the ceremonies of founding and our dream of peace shall begin thusly. I, Ollathir, do proclaim Myself and all my Brethren, as vassals to the Emperor and thus shall it be unto his descendants also. Ever shall we ageless ones advise and teach. But we shall not rule. We shall carry the word, we shall correct and unify, Hail the Emperor”.
Nine days later we lined the streets again and looked on as Tebron was carried through the streets on the shoulders of his own legion, to the Eye of Anaris, the great ritual circle that stood in a park in the east of the city. There we saw the mages begin the rites that would bind our people forever to the emperor. First came the right of fire a gift from the people of the Celti, a rite they called the Tan-An-Righ, or King By Fire. Then the rite of water, gifted by the men of the north, then the rite of earth, from the Orrkha of the east. Finally came the rite of air, and on its ending we sang the oaths to the heavens forever binding all of our people into a nation.
