Rifts of War

Chapter 1 - The Vision

North Altia

Imperial palace, Great capital Elyana, Empire of Light

Yellow season, 3000 A.E. of the Imperial calendar

Emperor Canus Marius Agorix woke up from his sleep. Next to him he saw his beautiful wife Aldana Cora. After fixing her hair and gently kissing her blue cheek he got up and walked to two nearby cribs. A small child slept in each. His son Belrad and daughter Livara, twins. He kissed each their foreheads and went to the balcony to overlook his city.

Elyana. The capital of his empire, the greatest force in the world, unmatched and supreme. Spanning over three continents with millions of souls, it was the pinnacle of what a race could achieve. In turn, the capital was its crown jewel. The single most beautiful city in the world. Great towers and buildings along with statues and districts. The white season had just passed and the snow started to melt. Truly beyond words.

Canus was beyond proud. In his 527 cycles, the view from the balcony never got old. He was the youngest prince ever to be crowned emperor, at the age of 173, but in all these cycles he never failed to do his duty. Upholding the Imperial law, the faith in the spirits and relations with the vassal dwarven and rosian kingdoms are but a few of his daily responsibilities.

"Darling.", said a voice behind him, "Come back to bed please. It is still early in the morning."

"I know.", he answered, "But today is a very important day."

"Yes yes.", she said through a yawn, "But come on, the spirits are not going anywhere. We still have some time to-"

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. "Enter.", said Canus.

A soldier walked into the chamber. "Forgive my intrusion, your majesty, but the Grand preacher Salan requests your presence."

'He is early.', Canus thought, "Tell him I will arrive within the hour."

Placing a full palm on his chest and then extending a fist, the soldier saluted and left the chamber. Canus began changing his clothes.

"Must you really go?", Aldana asked.

"You know I do. It is my duty as the emperor. This will be the fourth great vision and I must see it until the end.". With his top off he walked to his wife and passionately kissed her. "Watch over our children."

---

Imperial palace halls

As Canus walked down the halls down the Grand preacher the guards and nobles all bowed to him. As they should, he is their ruler. He walked past one of the studies in which were two of his eldest children, his eldest son, Hagmar Pasos, who is tutored by the general of the first army, and his eldest daughter Lilyth Camilla, who aims to become a great imperial strategist.

Both of them noticed their father and quickly rushed to him and walked by his side. "Father. How are you feeling?", asked Lilyth.

"I am well, thank you for asking.", he answered.

"Are you going down to meet the Grand preacher?", asked Hagmar, "Today is the day of the fourth great vision."

"Yes I am. I wonder what the spirits have in store for us."

"Father you should not use such vulgar slang. That is for the commoners.", said Lilyth, to which Canus chuckled.

"I suppose so.", Canus said, chuckling.

"I hope it will not be another rebellion.", said Hagmar with a sad tone, "I have had enough traitors for a life time."

The two great vasal rebellions. The northern rebellion that occurred four hundred cycles ago when the dwarven kingdoms decided to attack the empire using their new warmachines and weapons they called cannons and boomsticks. They breathed fire and spat iron, but they were no match for the empire's magic and numbers. The second is the more recent southern rebellion which arose twenty-five cycles when the rosian kingdoms united and attacked the imperial border, but in four cycles they lost and the kings were executed, for such is the faith of traitors.