crown of self-interest

In the twilight hours that bled over the continent, Zaros felt a potent and dark urgency as he dispatched Reselin, his most cunning and ruthless lieutenant, to retrieve a new artifact—a relic believed to lie within the ruins of the Stormrune Clan, a faction once renowned for their mastery over elemental storms. This clan had guarded the Windswept Sigil, an artifact said to control the storms and channel destructive energy. Despite its apparent dormant state, Zaros understood its true nature and knew it would be essential in his broader plan.

“Reselin,” Zaros commanded, his voice echoing across the shadowed hall, “the Windswept Sigil awaits you. The remnants of the Stormrune are few and scattered, but do not let sentiment delay your task. They have no protector.”

Reselin’s expression held neither warmth nor reservation, only a chilling focus. “Consider it done, my lord. I will have the Sigil for you before dawn.”

---

Raelan arrived at the boundaries of the Stormrune Clan’s lands, sensing the delicate pull of elemental energy still faintly lingering in the air. This place, long abandoned after Zaros's forces swept through it, held a tragic calm. As Raelan approached, memories of past destruction clouded his mind—the cries of a people proud and resilient, their elemental magic crashing against Zaros's forces in a desperate, final stand. He could feel the lingering essence of storms that had once been called forth in fury, now only a hushed echo in the darkening sky.

As he moved deeper into the ruins, Raelan caught sight of makeshift shelters, a sign that some survivors had returned to reclaim what remained of their heritage. These were not warriors but scattered souls trying to rebuild in the shadows of devastation, hoping to piece together what little had survived Zaros's onslaught.

Approaching cautiously, Raelan met the eyes of an elder cloaked in tattered robes, who bore the proud markings of the Stormrune, though they were faded and worn. She looked at him with a wariness born of sorrow.

“You wear no mark of our people,” she murmured, “and yet you enter our lands as if the storms are yours to command. Why do you come here?”

“I’m here to help,” Raelan replied, his voice steady. “I know the legacy you protect and the strength you once wielded. I’ve come to keep what remains of it safe and free from Zaros’s reach.”

Her gaze softened, but only just. “Help us? After what has already been taken? Our people died for what little remains. Why would you believe you can preserve it now?”

Before Raelan could answer, the sky darkened further, unnatural shadows coiling and twisting with a familiar, sinister energy. He felt it then—the unmistakable presence of Reselin. She stepped forward from the gathering storm, her form shadowed by a veil of dark magic, her eyes narrowed and unyielding as she took in the scene before her. Her cold gaze settled on Raelan with a hint of disdain.

“So, you’re the one I sensed,” she said coolly, her voice laced with an eerie calm. “I wondered why the shadows twisted with such unease. But this, Raelan, is not a task for you. The Windswept Sigil belongs to Zaros.”

Raelan held his ground, meeting her gaze. “That sigil belongs to the Stormrune, to those who safeguarded it long before Zaros had any claim to it. I won’t let it become another tool for his cruelty.”

Reselin scoffed, a bitter smile forming on her lips. “Noble words, but sentiment won’t save you. You know as well as I do that Zaros’s hold cannot be challenged by those bound to weakness.” She raised a hand, dark tendrils of magic gathering at her fingertips. “This is your last chance to leave, Raelan. This place is forfeit.”

Raelan extended his hand, light magic pooling into a soft glow that intensified as he faced her, a counterpoint to her darkness. “You underestimate what weakness truly means, Reselin. Strength does not lie in destroying the vulnerable but in protecting them.”

With no further warning, Reselin unleashed her magic, a sweeping torrent of shadows twisting into razor-edged tendrils that lashed out at him. Raelan responded swiftly, casting a shield of light that met her attack, the opposing forces colliding in a dazzling explosion of energy that illuminated the storm-darkened sky.

The ground trembled as their powers clashed, shadow and light contending in a fierce struggle. Reselin’s attacks were relentless, her movements swift and calculated, every strike meant to break through Raelan’s defenses. Her dark magic curled around his shield, attempting to crush it, but Raelan stood firm, countering with bursts of light and pulses of elemental magic that disrupted her shadows.

The elders and survivors watched from a distance, their expressions a mix of awe and dread. For them, these powers—light and darkness, shadow and illumination—were reminders of the power that had once torn through their lands. But as they watched Raelan defend them, they saw something different—a hope that had been all but extinguished.

In the midst of their battle, Reselin’s voice echoed through the air, sharp and derisive. “You truly think you can protect them? That this pathetic remnant of a people is worth your effort?”

Raelan narrowed his eyes, a hint of fury flashing in his gaze. “They’re worth far more than your twisted sense of loyalty, Reselin.”

With a surge of earth magic, Raelan summoned pillars of stone from the ground, creating a barrier that deflected her attacks and forced her to retreat slightly. He pressed forward, his voice resonant with an authority that shook even Reselin’s hardened resolve.

“I don’t fight for power. I fight because I’ve seen the cost of losing everything, the emptiness of a world built on suffering. These people deserve the chance to heal, to rebuild—”

“Rebuild?” Reselin sneered, dark tendrils coiling around her. “Your ideals are a crutch. Power alone is truth. Zaros understands this, which is why he will succeed where you fail.”

Raelan steadied himself, his eyes unwavering. “Zaros’s power comes from domination, but true strength is in lifting others. I don’t need his power to show them that.”

Reselin’s expression twisted in frustration, and she unleashed a new wave of magic, dark and consuming, spreading over the land like a plague. Raelan raised his hand, drawing upon the remnants of storm energy lingering in the air, summoning it with a precision that surprised even him. Lightning crackled, merging with his own magic to create a brilliant arc that struck Reselin’s dark wave, shattering it in a burst of blinding light.

In the aftermath, Reselin stumbled, her form wavering as she struggled to keep her composure. For the first time, there was a flicker of uncertainty in her gaze.

Raelan stepped forward, his voice calm but filled with warning. “You can tell Zaros that his claim over the world ends here. I will see to it.”

Reselin glared at him, the last of her magic coiling around her as she forced herself to stand tall. “This isn’t over, Raelan,” she spat, retreating into the shadows with a final glare. “You have only delayed the inevitable.”

As her form faded into darkness, Raelan turned back to the Stormrune survivors, who were watching him with newfound reverence and gratitude. The elder approached him, her expression softened but laced with awe.

“You came here… not to claim what is ours, but to protect it,” she murmured. “We have had no protector in years.”

Raelan nodded, his voice gentle. “You are not alone anymore. This land and your people will be safe as long as I draw breath.”

The survivors bowed their heads, their expressions shifting from sorrow to relief. For the first time since Zaros’s conquest, a light had returned to their eyes.

With a final glance at the storm-ruined land, Raelan raised his hand and cast a shimmering light over the area, strengthening the land and sealing away the remnants of Reselin’s corruption. This land would be their sanctuary, shielded from Zaros’s reach.

In the silence that followed, he spoke softly to the gathered survivors, his voice carrying a quiet resolve. “I will build something better for you and all those Zaros has hurt. This is only the beginning.”

And with that, Raelan left the Stormrune lands, his next destination set in his mind, his resolve unwavering.