Kazdel

CHAPTER 5.19

A Confession

A Note to Myself, Written at the Very Beginning

June, 1086. I don't remember the exact day. I am Ray Tanka, a history teacher at the eighth and, I fear, the last traveling school in Kazdel's history. I have personally visited the grand Leithanian Academy, surrounded by flowers and music, so I cannot bring myself to call this shabby mobile platform a "bastion of education". However, after cannon fire reduced it to rubble, I knew I had to share my thoughts in writing. Among those who escaped with me are twenty children, none older than fourteen. We are likely the last surviving teachers and students of this school. I do not know which Royal Court's artillery dared to fire upon Her Highness's school, but I hope to steer clear of the war zones and find shelter for my students. Ironically, I've never told my students that I've spent much more time wielding a battle axe than holding a piece of chalk. If I were twenty years younger, I could toss all of them into the air with both hands and catch them one by one without breaking a sweat. I don't want them to pick up weapons before they reach the age to set down their books. I had thought that, under Her Highness Theresa's rule, at least one generation of Sarkaz would escape such a childhood. But now, we are forced to travel hidden paths by day and burn textbooks for warmth at night—I can't risk letting the children freeze without medicine or supplies. These books, once meant to ignite the flames of knowledge and fuel the future, now smolder in the wastelands. Our past was grand and boundless; the lights of our homeland filled the night like stars cast to the earth by the

King of Sarkaz and embedded as gems in the Crown. But now, our world is narrow, dark, and confined, where a thin piece of metal can measure death and record the only thing others strive to remember about us in this ceaselessly flowing molten river of iron: not our names, but our price. The black ore has already cursed our bloodline, dooming most of us to an early death. I refuse to let ignorance become its accomplice, further corrupting the innocent souls born into this wicked land. How else will we tell future generations that Kazdel, its people, its history, and its future are valuable? Must hatred be the Sarkaz's only legacy? Should we continue tossing blood-stained dog tags into the furnace, forging shackles that trap each new generation in the prison of war? When I throw books into the fire, am I not simply finishing what the artillery shells started? No, I say. I will not resign Kazdel to such a grim fate. At the very least, there is one thing I can do to atone for my sins. Before the shelling interrupted me, I was about to teach the children about the Kings of Sarkaz, their lives, and the shadows of the past that followed them. I have a duty to finish this history lesson—before I can no longer lift my pen or open my mouth.

IT ALL STARTS WITH KAZDEL

I know, I know, you've all been eagerly awaiting this lesson. Legendary heroes, wise leaders, cruel tyrants, and earth-shattering war epics—who wouldn't love that? But why, exactly, should we study Kazdel and learn the history of the King of Sarkaz? Answering this question isn't easy. In fact, the issue has long troubled me—why am I telling you these stories? Is it just because Her Highness pays me a salary? On the other hand, isn't it natural that we Sarkaz of Kazdel should know this history? We were born on this land, and we've lived under the rule of the King and the various Royal Courts since childhood. I hope you'll all remember this question and find your own answers during and after this lesson.

Ahem, unfortunately, I think we just burned the last history textbook. No worries, child—please pick up that bone over there for me. Ah, you've picked up a rather interesting tuskbeast rib. Notice the crisscrossing bite marks here, and here. It's clear that this poor beast was gnawed on by its own kind before it died. Cannibalism isn't uncommon in the wild, you know. Now, back to the topic of today's lesson. Let's imagine that this circle we're sitting in represents this great land. Next, I'll use this bone to help you locate Kazdel.

Here we have Kazdel—our Kazdel.

As you can see, it's not all that large—just a small circle on the map. I can't even use the city route to draw clear borders for it. Yes, this is all the territory ruled by the King of Sarkaz, held together by the Royal Court's fragile alliances. This land, our homeland, is constantly battered by Catastrophes and other turmoil. West of Kazdel, the towering spires of Leithanien rise proudly under the strains of the Güldenesgesatz. To the north, Ursine warships drag leaden gray clouds behind them. To the south, the mines of Rim Billiton sustains the lifeblood of industrial civilization. To the east are the bright lights of Yan, with its endless music and revelry. But our Kazdel, she forever wanders in the cracks between the Core region. We keep our distance from these mighty empires, whose very names shine with brilliance. We've never even been considered a nation.

No, child, Kazdel's plight is not because the Sarkaz are ignorant. When the other nations rode the industrial wave of the Crystal Age to glory, we were still struggling amidst the ashes. The expeditionary armies of Victoria, Gaul, and Leithanien left nothing but ruins in their wake. It wasn't until Her Highness Theresa ascended to the throne that the Royal Courts, by her decree, began dismantling the ruins

of old Kazdel City to build Kazdel's first and only nomadic city. According to records left by a court scribe, the Children of Soil and Stone carved the blueprints into the earth, the Goliaths built a new city where the ruins of the old once stood, and the Vampires and Banshees brought back engine parts from the far side of the wilderness. Meanwhile, the Wendigos and Nachzehrers sealed off the plains, ensuring that not even the fowlbeasts could reveal the secret of a Sarkaz nomadic city rising from the ground. Even the reclusive Liches offered their wisdom to Her Highness. They cautioned her to remember their long-lost kin, the ever-suffering Revenants, for a brand-new nomadic city would be a fitting home for them. Although the unity forged by war didn't last long, at that time, every Sarkaz in Kazdel hoped that the rise of this city would change their fate.

Today, two hundred years later, the city still bears the name "Kazdel" and drifts at the center of the Core, traveling along its lone route. I walked its streets twenty years ago, expecting to see grand palaces rivaling Londinium, the imposing headquarters of the Military Commission, and monuments commemorating Kazdel's millennia-long history. But what I actually saw was its rusty steel shell. Homes were stacked one atop another, enclosed behind metal grids, piled up at the foot of the factories. The furnaces, filled with Originium and other ores, screamed day and night, spewing glowing Originium dust into the air and leaving intermittent Originium thunderstorms in their wake, as if the city itself were roaring. I wept silently by the roadside until the throbbing steel heart of Kazdel blurred before my eyes. It felt as though I had been transported back two hundred years, standing beside Her Highness Theresa as she sketched Kazdel's future with her own hands.

Children, how I wish I could take you to see that city for yourselves—it's a place I will never forget. I hope this lesson will serve as a reminder: when studying Kazdel's history, we must look beyond the Kings' dazzling swords and withcraft, and even beyond their Black Crown, to understand the era they lived in. We must grasp the true potential of the Sarkaz—their power to change the course of history.

THE FIRST KING OF SARKAZ

"The one who bore the sin of death became a king, for his words were as sweet as spring water. The one who cried out shed his mortal shell, for the King quenched the thirst of the masses." —An ancient Teekaz verse

Now, let us begin with the first King of Sarkaz.

We are far removed from our former homeland. It's no longer possible to rely on archaeological evidence to confirm his existence, nor can we rewind the Sarkaz's millennia-long history to recover lost records. Still, by piecing together fragments from history, we can begin to clear away the fog surrounding the first Teekaz King. It is believed that the first King, who initiated the rise of the Teekaz civilization and built the original Kazdel—"the place where homeland is"—was also the first recorded sinner in the Teekaz history, known as "Farchaser".

When our ancestors were born, there was no Kazdel, nor any King of Sarkaz. They lived on a land full of dangers, as members of a fragmented hunter-gatherer society. During the day, they crawled through the silver mountains buried beneath the plains, collecting fresh water and hunting each other. But when night fell, they had to return to the surface, or the exposed metal and unseen fires would kill anyone who lingered below. Look around you, children. The conditions back then were even worse than what we face today. You can easily imagine how fragile their civilization must have been, teetering on the edge of extinction.

Then, during an otherwise ordinary year of famine, one hunter committed a grave sin: he suddenly decided to stop eating his own kind. He was still willing to hunt for his fellow kin, but he would no longer consume them. Yes, that's all it was. In our early history, killing and cannibalism were as natural and necessary as breathing—they were essential for survival. Yet a conscience was a luxury that could easily get you killed. Don't believe me? Take another look at this bone. If a starving tuskbeast refused to gnaw on its own kind with the herd, would it still have the strength to hunt? And if the tuskbeast didn't join the hunt, why would the herd share their prey with it? This is the logic of beasts, and our ancestors were no differ- ent from them.

So what became of the hunter? He was subjected to a trial of sorts. I call it a "trial" because instead of devouring his body, the other Sarkaz chose to exile him. They believed he was toxic,

tainted. The hunter became the Farchaser. He slowly walked down from the plains toward the silver mountains below, under the watchful eyes of his kin. They did not allow him to return to the plains. No one believed he would survive a single night. But when the sun rose for the three thousandth time over the peaks of the mountains, the sinner reappeared on the plains, wearing a Black Crown. His body was emaciated, hunger and thirst made his steps falter, and unspeakable suffering had left his form disfigured. But we all know what his return signaled—the era of savage cannibalism was nearing its end.

The "Farchaser" visited all the hunter-gatherer tribes that preyed on each other, showing them how he survived the night unscathed and became its master. Those who had once exiled him followed him as he led them to conquer the silver mountains. Instead of halting screams, they now spoke in full sentences to soothe the wild spirits of the mountains. A new word, a new name, spread with the birth of a new language: "Teekaz", which means "those with a homeland". The brave hunter became the King of Teekaz and also the first King of Sarkaz. We cannot verify exactly how the King influenced the Teekaz, but it was as if one day they were hunting each other, and the next, they were working together to build a new homeland—the city of Kazdel. The first city, named "the place where homeland is", stood tall among the mountains. This city was the birthplace of the royal bloodlines. Its name has become deeply embedded in our history, woven into our very souls. The completion of Kazdel marked a definitive break from savagery and the start of the Teekaz golden age. The first King of Sarkaz ruled this land for generations. He built new towns, one after another, as he led his people to

It is speculated that the original Kazdel was most likely located somewhere in the southern wastelands of Columbia.

conquer more mountains beneath the plains. However, the "Farchaser" also ordered that these newly conquered lands be strictly off-limits, forbidding anyone from setting foot there. The King warned the Teekaz that not all mountains could be soothed with the words—trespassing could bring catastrophic consequences. This decree was strictly enforced during his reign, until the war... Yes, that war—the ancient war when the Teekaz fought the Elders and Ancients. That was the beginning of the Sarkaz's exile.

THE ANCIENT WARS AND THE FALL OF KAZDEL

"The overlords of the herd swallowed the stolen sunlight, Our futile fury was washed away into ash." —Inscription from an unnamed tomb

The history of this war is rich and multi-layered. Countless legends, poems, and songs describe that era—enough to occupy a lifetime of study. But we have never been able to clearly define the beginning or end of this war. There are as many fragmented versions of the story as there are stars in the sky. In today's Kazdel, expressing an opinion about this ancient war can be extremely polarizing. If someone strongly disagrees with your conclusion, it's best to quietly disappear from their view—perhaps take a job teaching at a traveling school.

I've always believed that using the term "war" to describe the thousand years between the arrival of the Elders and the Ancients (around 9000 BTC) and the fall of the first Kazdel (around 8000 BTC) oversimplifies the era's complexity. Yes, the Elders and the Ancients brought unimaginable suffering. They took away our homeland, demoted us from Teekaz to "Sarkaz", and called us "devils". These are indisputable facts. However, the full history of the conflict is more complicated. Ancient Teekaz songs refer to the leaders of the Elders as "The Hegemons" and the Ancients as their servants and soldiers. The former displayed wisdom on par with that of the Teekaz, capable of "stealing sunlight", while the latter were weak but numerous, multiplying at a rapid pace. No one knows where these invaders came from or why, after generations of ruling the land, the Teekaz suddenly discovered a new, equally combative neighbor.

Over the next thousand years, it became increasingly difficult for the Teekaz to resist the encroachment of the Hegemons. The clans either retreated to Kazdel or began

their long journey into exile. On the surface, it certainly looked like they were losing the war. But we must recognize that while the Teekaz shared a common language, they still lived in isolated, scattered clan settlements. Continuous, full-scale war mobilization was not feasible. Furthermore, we have good reason to believe that this was not a war in the traditional sense, with two clearly defined sides. Internal conflicts over bloodlines, culture, and land occurred among both the Teekaz and the Elders and Ancients. Perhaps only the siege of Kazdel resembled conventional warfare. Even then, it involved only a few dozen Hegemons and the Teekaz clans defending their King. In my view, the Teekaz did indeed lose the war. However, it was a millennium-long struggle for survival; it was not, as some of my colleagues claim, a grand battle where the Teekaz fell with noble grace at the hands of vile enemies.

So, what did the "Farchaser" do in the face of Teekaz's widespread crisis? Why did the first king, who ushered in the golden age, fail to stop his kingdom's decline? And what was his fate when Kazdel finally fell? From this point on, the story we've pieced together becomes more fragmented. As Teekaz civilization declined, historical records were among the first things to disappear. Some accounts claim that the "Farchaser" committed yet another unforgivable sin, awakening the "suffering in the cradle", afflicting the Teekaz with an "eternal curse". Ballads tell of him using his extraordinary intellect to develop witchcraft, laying the foundation for all Sarkaz magical rituals to resist the powerful Elders. Murals suggest he broke the seal of the forbidden land and sent warriors into the silent silver mountains to explore the areas he had once sealed off. Over the course of a thousand years, the "Farchaser" made countless attempts to alter the Teekaz's fate, but the weight of history ultimately crushed the King and his kingdom.

In Kazdel's final days, the King did not leave his city. Instead, he chose to disappear in a sudden giant Catastro-phe, alongside a few dozen invading Hegemons and their armies. The Hegemons' armies blotted out the sun, and one of their sophists came before the "Farchaser", speaking in Teekaz, demanding he surrender the city. In exchange, the Hegemons promised that the Teekaz would be allowed to leave in peace. More killing was unnecessary, they claimed, because they had already captured the land. What they coveted was the secret knowledge the Teekaz had used in the war. They believed the source of this knowledge lay buried beneath Kazdel. The "Farchaser" engaged in a long conversation with this sophist. Finally, the sophist let out a long sigh, and before the war drums beat for the third time,

he left with his armies, “departing toward the eastern sky”. The earth trembled in the echoes of slaughter, but that was soon overshadowed by the vanishing of the sun. The Teekaz who fled Kazdel trekked through the unending night, their claws worn down to stubs. Only when newborns grew old enough to walk did they finally see the light of day again. When they looked back down at the city from faraway, all they could see was the sky, still shrouded in boiling darkness.

■ The Fall of Kazdel

Don’t worry, I know each of you has a whole list of questions. But as we study Sarkaz history, we must have the courage to admit that everything before us is like a veil, full of riddles, and that it has always been torn apart, leav-ing us with only scattered fragments of the truth. Some have suggested that our Teekaz ancestors believed that history should never be faithfully recorded from the start. The history of Teekaz was an epic they wrote for themselves—legends over facts, ideals over truth. So, did the first king ever leave behind his true name? Which royal bloodline did the crowned hunter belong to? What was the “suffer-ing in the cradle”? Is the “eternal curse” actually Oripathy? Or perhaps it was a degenerative factor that made us more

vulnerable to Originium? And what exactly are the “silver mountains” that run throughout the story? Where are they now? What became of the Teekaz warriors? Why did the indestructible Kazdel fall in a sudden, inexplicable disas-ter? How massive must that Catastrophe have been for the Teekaz people not to have seen the sky until “their newborns grew old enough to walk”? Or perhaps the Kazdel we sing about, and the King who built a civilization only to lose it all, are part of a collective dream—a needed symbol to carry the weight of Sarkaz’s painful history.

No, children, I’m not suggesting that our history is devoid of meaning or truth, quite the contrary. I simply want you to always question every lesson I teach—these mysteries must be unlocked. They belong to the past, but they also belong to you, the children of the present. It’s also important to understand how history has been depicted. By studying these stories—which have, admittedly, been embellished or altered countless times—we can fill the gaps in the historical record and trace the trends that still shape our future. For example, you might not expect that the title, “Farchaser” was not erased with the rise of a new King. Instead, within our fractured history, it evolved into a remarkably resilient cultural symbol, persisting through-out the generations.

■ THE AGE OF EXILE AND THE THOUSAND-YEAR MORASS

“I wish to help you, brave travelers,” said the voice in the darkness. “But I have been parched for two thousand years. You must fill my cup to the brim.” —Sarkaz Fable

Many unsolved mysteries remain from the final days of Teekaz, but one thing is certain: the fall of Kazdel left a pain-ful scar on our history. Hundreds of clans perished when Kazdel fell, though at least we have records of them. Many more vanished silently during the long exile that followed. The Teekaz did not just lose a city—they lost all of their land, all of their achievements, all of their glory. From that moment on, we were no longer the Teekaz, “those with a homeland”. We were the Sarkaz, “those without a home”.

The Age of Exile refers to the period between 8000 BTE and 6000 BTC, characterized by widespread suffer-ing among the Sarkaz, as well as drastic shifts in their population distribution. Driven from their homeland, the

The Fall of Kazdel: The heroes defeated the devils—but how many devils did they actually vanquish?

Sarkaz embarked on long journeys across the land, with the majority eventually settling in what is now Kazdel. This unprecedented mass migration lasted a hundred generations. Modern historical research has determined clearer start and end points for the Age of Exile. It began with the fall of ancient Kazdel and ended when Qui'lon, the Errant Sovereign, conferred titles upon the Lords of the Royal Court. Some people argue that the Sarkaz Age of Exile has not yet ended. This perspective is, unsurprisingly, popular among supporters of the Military Commission.

Children, we are still in the midst of our exile. A war is underway, and once again, Kazdel is showing its dark side. I don't know if you can imagine it, but the suffering the Sarkaz endured during the Age of Exile was a hundred times worse than what we are experiencing now.

Once—outside my role as a teacher—I traveled to Leithanien, where I encountered many Caprinae who were deeply proud of their intellect. One of them asked me, "Why are the Sarkaz so obsessed with fabricating their history of suffering, especially their so-called 'exile narrative'?" To ensure I didn't take his question as a provocation, he even cited the Nightzmora Campaign as proof: "If the Nightzmora could set the land ablaze with the flames of war from east to west within a few years, why did the self-proclaimed 'mighty Sarkaz' spend a thousand years in exile? Didn't the Nightzmora also make enemies of everyone they encountered?"

Did this questions make me angry? No, I felt relieved. He proved that ignorance knows no bounds—it can be found even in the tallest of spires. Kharanduu Khagan reportedly promoted tax collectors from among his enemies to help the Nightzmora plunder the conquered lands, providing the resources needed to sustain a massive army. Legend has it that the warriors who accompanied the Khagan on his

expeditions knew no fatigue in battle, and their only dream was to reach the ends of the land. So, what of the Sarkaz clans who barely escaped the cataclysm with their lives?

Earlier this century, a wave of archaeological discoveries in Gaul led to the unearthing of a series of ancient metal artifacts and earthen stone structures in southern Columbia and western Leithanien. These artifacts and structures clearly display the distinctive Sarkaz style and craftsmanship. Originium erosion dating reveals that the relics are from between 8000 and 6000 BTC. Furthermore, the farther west the site, the older the remains appear to be. At the same time, the majority of these ruins show clear signs of violence. Archaeologists often discover highly crystallized Sarkaz remains scattered throughout the layers of soil where these ruins are located. The Royal Historical Museum in Victoria also houses a significant piece of evidence regarding the fate of the Sarkaz during the Age of Exile. The Victorians call it "a Prayer for Pardon". It's a crystallized Sarkaz skeleton, half-kneeling on the ground, arms outstretched. It is the most well-preserved Sarkaz skeleton ever found in an Originium Zone. Originium erosion dating revealed that this skeleton dates back to the later years of the Age of Exile. Through further examination of the excavation site, archaeologists concluded that this Sarkaz likely endured forced labor and was enslaved for an extended period. The large mass of crystallized remains found alongside this skeleton is believed to belong to the same Sarkaz clan—a clan that was enslaved and eventually buried alive.

Although Originium continuously devours the secrets of the past, archaeology still provides us with ample evidence. From the ruins of ancient Kazdel to present-day Kazdel, the ill-fated Sarkaz repeatedly experienced a cycle of settlement, development, destruction, and exile over a thousand

years. It was as if this land no longer permitted our continued existence. At this point, we must ask a question—one that only the Sarkaz living in modern-day Kazdel would dare to ask: Why was this the Sarkaz's final destination? And who was it that threw a wrench into the gears of history.

"THE CITYMAKER", "THE SUNWIELDER", AND "THE WRATHFUL CERULEAN FLAME"

The "Layer of Cities", the "Infernal Rebel Lord", and the "Errant Sovereign" —Fragments of a stone tablet preserved by the Banshee Royal Court

Condemnor Clan

Unlike the "Farchaser", who left nary a trace in history, we can confirm that the second King of Sarkaz, Gul'dul, was a Child of Soil and Stone, that is, a Gargoyle. Gul'dul's ancestors built the grand Archstone Gardens of Kazdel. During the final siege, they sacrificed their lives to defend their homeland. Legend has it that before their death, the ancestors of the Children of Soil and Stone cursed the blood-soaked land with witchcraft, barring the Hegemons from the King's throne. Over the long years of exile, these artificers, once benevolent and proud of sheltering their kin from the elements, became stubborn, suspicious, and conservative as generations of migration took their toll. Instead of building homes for their fellow Sarkaz, they constructed cold, isolated fortresses, shutting out anyone not of their clan.

The King we call "the Citymaker", the "Great Plansmith", and the "The Founder of Ashen Chalk" was born in one of these clan fortresses. From the moment he could lift his own weight in stone, Gul'dul became an apprentice to the clan, dedicating himself to become a fortressmith. This was the highest honor a Child of Soil and Stone could attain in this wandering clan—a master architect of fortresses, a true leader among the Gargoyles. He grew up hearing tales of Kazdel, dreaming of building an impenetrable bastion that would shield his people from barbaric invasions and stand firm in the face of Catastrophes. But, as we know, his dream never came to fruition.

A powerful Elder Hegemon destroyed his clan's fortress, melting the stone walls reinforced by generations of master builders. Just as the flames were about to consume Gul'dul, another equally fierce fire rose to meet it, and two figures,

close in age to the apprentice, appeared before him: a proud Diablo caster, head held high, and a half-blood Sarkaz swordfighter, face smeared with ash. The Citymaker was undoubtedly fortunate—if not for the Condemnor Clan extending a hand to their kin after seeing the flames, we would have surely lost a king who changed the fate of the Sarkaz.

Or perhaps we would have lost all three of them.

In the new environment outside the fortress, the apprentice quickly became friends with the caster and the swordfighter. These three youths happened to represent the three groups within the Condemnor Clan: the original Sarkaz exiles, the dominant Diablos, and the newly joined Gargoyles. Balor'sača was a proud, powerful Diablo. His father was the leader of the Condemnor Clan—a hardline avenger and a constant thorn in the side of many Hegemons. Balor'sača shared his father's beliefs and was even more radical. He believed that the Sarkaz could never share this land with any invaders, and that only by returning to the era before the "Arrival" could the Teekaz civilization rise again. Qui'lon, Balor'sača's swordfighter and guardian, was the youngest of the three. Though a mixed-blood Sarkaz of unknown lineage, his swordsmanship was unmatched, and his role was to keep Balor'sača safe whenever his overconfidence got the better of him. Qui'lon deeply admired the heroes and their stories, no matter which side they had fought on during the ancient wars—even the courage of the Hegemons could earn his respect.

Yes, children, Gul'dul the Citymaker, Balor'sača the Sunwielder, and Qui'lon the Wrathful Cerulean Flame—three future Sarkaz Kings—met in the Condemnor Clan

The Formation and Development of the Condemnor Clan

The Condemnor Clan took in the surviving Gargoyles. In fact, even before Kazdel fell, the Diablos had already begun absorbing their exiled kin, forming an ever powerful clan. Of course, their kindness came with a price. Any Sarkaz who wished to remain in the clan had to follow the Diablo's war traditions and become part of this vengeful army. The Diablos were once the Farchaser's most loyal followers. During the two thousand years of exile, they repeatedly built and controlled forces like the Condemnor Clan, launching their vengeance against the Elders and Ancients. In modern times, "Condemnor" has become more than just a name; it is an ideology. Its followers believe that one day, the Sarkaz will reclaim their "homeland"—reviving the glory of ancient Teekaz.

and became inseparable friends. One sought to protect his people, another swore to annihilate the enemies of the Sarkaz, and the third dreamed of becoming a hero. I know you won't like what comes next in the story, but remember this: their coexistence shaped the Kazdel we know today; their coexistence made the tragedies that followed unavoidable.

The Whitechalk Crown

Whether or not it was in the Diáblo's plans, the inclusion of the Gargoyles brought change to the Condemnor Clan. Even after their fortress was breached, the Children of Soil and Stone still held enough influence as a clan bloodline to challenge the Diablos—an influence that the numerous, yet more scattered, mixed-blood exiles could never match. Now, two voices echoed within the Condemnor Clan: One argued for continuing the war of revenge as they always had, as any change would lead to weakness. The other believed that, with the clan's growing numbers, it was time to settle down somewhere. After all, not even the Sarkaz are warriors at birth.

Just as he once mended cracks in walls, Gul'dul, the former fortressmith apprentice, became the mediator between the two sides. He agreed the clan must pursue the Hegemons who destroyed the Gargoyles' fortress but pointed out that feeding the growing population was becoming a heavy burden, and they needed at least one secure stronghold. His friends were the first to support him: Balor'sača acknowledged that the clan couldn't achieve its goals with a constantly wandering army, and Qui'lon admitted that, though they had destroyed many Hegemon settlements, their own losses were mounting while the Hegemons' lands grew more prosperous.

The three friends earned the approval of the clan leaders and formed an expedition team to head east, arriving in what is now the Kazdel region. The land seemed barren, and the further south they went, the more rugged the terrain became. However, the northern land was flat, close to water, and untouched by the Hegemons. This place was known as "Sorrow's Ground". Rumor has it that anyone who settled there would be cursed with the Originium disease. Gul'dul knew he had finally found the place where his childhood dreams could take root—where he could build a stronghold for the clan... No, even the strongest fortress could be broken. The Condemnor Clan gave him inspiration. Gul'dul resolved to revive the lost traditions of the Children of Soil and Stone and create new homes for more Sarkaz.

As he placed the massive stones and laid the first foundation of Kazdel, a Black Crown appeared between his horns—he didn't notice it at first. The Diáblo, who had served the first King of Sarkaz so loyally some two thousand years ago, now witnessed the rise of a new King of Sarkaz. Even the proud Balor'sača, once certain he himself would claim the throne, had to kneel before his friend. Qui'lon, on the other hand, was thrilled—he couldn't believe his fortune in witnessing the birth of a hero, especially one who was his friend.

The Firestarter's Betrayal

As time passed, a gray-white city rose in Sorrow's Ground, and hundreds of clans responded to Gul'dul's call, gathering within its walls. Qui'lon found satisfaction in his new role as the King's swordbearer and Messenger, enjoying his lifestyle as a wanderer. Balor'sača became the new leader of the Condemnor Clan. Although his clan chose not to settle in the city, his warriors still defended Kazdel, keeping the Hegemons at bay.

However, beneath the surface, a conflict was brewing. Balor'sača's beliefs made the Clan even more radical. They became highly frustrated with the King's reluctance to wage a real war to reclaim the Sarkaz's homeland. Gul'dul was a genius architect; the buildings he constructed in the new city reminded its residents of the Kazdel of their dreams, bringing them to tears. But each time Balor'sača looked upon the gray-white city, he was filled with anger and disappointment in his old friend. The proud Diáblo knew he should swear undying loyalty to his King, just like his ancestors, but why wasn't he the one sitting on the throne? His clan had fought for the Sarkaz for a thousand years. He had personally killed over a dozen Hegemons. Why should the King's crown rest on the head of a mere Child of Soil and Stone who had only just learned to build walls?

So, when a group of Caprinae disguised as Sarkaz was captured trying to infiltrate the city, Balor'sača was ecstatic. He personally brought the captives into the city, convinced that this would force Gul'dul to finally wage war. However, the King patiently listened to the Caprinae captives' pleas. They claimed that because their horns resembled those of the Sarkaz, they had been exiled from their homeland and, in desperation, had come to Sorrow's Ground. Though Gul'dul ordered the captives' execution, he made it clear to Balor'sača that the war he sought would not happen. The Sarkaz had just found a new home, and Gul'dul would not risk it all for a war, refusing to let Balor'sača gamble with their hard-won safety.

We cannot pinpoint exactly when the flames of Balor'sača's fury finally consumed his reason. After Qui'lon received an urgent report and rushed back to Kazdel, he found the Sarkaz's new city ablaze. In front of the collapsed palace, the sword-wielding wanderer was ambushed by Balor'sača's forces. They told Qui'lon that his worst fear had come true: The King of Sarkaz was dead. The Diablo had severed the Citymaker's arms and drowned him. The most reliable records we have state that, when the King died, many of the city's buildings collapsed into white chalk dust. The Condemnor Clan stormed into the city along a path of flames; many clans heeded Balor'sača's call to war, joining the ranks of the traitors.

Qui'lon knew that Balor'sača's ruthless betrayal demanded retribution. What he didn't know was that this same cycle of betrayal and regicide would repeat itself many times throughout Sarkaz history. Legend has it that Qui'lon felled all the ambushers and saved countless Sarkaz lives within the city. He then entrusted the city to the surviving Children of Soil and Stone. At dawn, he set out along the fiery path left by the Condemnor Clan, beginning his hunt for Balor'sača. As Qui'lon saw it, his former friend had killed another one of his friends, and for this, he would pay with his life.

■ "THE ERRANT SOVEREIGN"

Qui'lon's journey of vengeance has been sung in ballads, adapted into novels, and turned into plays. Its influence has reached far beyond the borders of Kazdel. In Leithanien, playwrights reimagined Qui'lon's story as the revenge tale of a Kurfürst's son, adding layers of tragic emotion and introspective monologues to the protagonist. It became a hit in Zwillingstürme. I've heard that Columbia plans to adapt this play into a television series—who knows if the audience will realize they're watching an ancient Sarkaz tragedy?

At the end of his journey of vengeance, Qui'lon stood before Balor'sača, once his close friend, now his mortal enemy, with a blood-stained longsword in hand. The moment of their final confrontation had arrived. It's said their final battle took place near the original Kazdel, where no trace of the Hegemons' victory remained—only the towering Originium crystal clusters, standing for two thousand years since the great Catastrophe, crackled with lightning into the clouds. The clan leaders—the Sarkaz who had sworn to follow the Diablo's vengeful path—had all fallen to the wanderer's blood-soaked sword. Qui'lon knew who his final opponent would be, but as Balor'sača approached, he nearly lost his grip on the hilt. He saw the

Black Crown floating above Balor'sača's head—something that only true kings had the right to wear.

The "Sunwielder", "the King Reforged by Fire", "the Hornsmelter", "the Featherscorcher",—Balor'sača spread terror wherever he went, becoming the first King of Sarkaz to wield his power for destruction. After slaughtering his former friend Gul'dul—the first king post-exile—Balor'sača finally achieved his ambition, returning to the ruins of Kazdel with the lamentations of countless souls trailing behind him. The Diablo King ended the Hegemons' unchecked oppression of the Sarkaz, carving fear and hatred of the Sarkaz into the collective memory of the Elders and Ancients. He knew his other old friend had been following the path of scorched destruction he left behind and that one day, he and his blade would come to quench the flames. There are no precise records of their final duel, but we know that it was very intense.

Legend has it that Balor'sača shattered Qui'lon's blade with just one blow. However, the wanderer still managed to drive the broken blade through the Diablo's throat. Unmoved by the Diablo's undying curses, Qui'lon ended his life without hesitation, and the regicide was complete. When the surviving members of the Condemnor Clan fell to their knees before him, Qui'lon raised Balor'sača's severed head, declaring the conflict over. But Qui'lon soon realized their submission wasn't for his victory—they knelt because the Black Crown had appeared above his head.

We weren't there to witness what happened. We can only wonder if Qui'lon missed the days when the three of them shared their dreams, or if he thought of his own ambition of becoming a hero. Perhaps the journey of revenge had already stripped him of nostalgia, transforming the wanderer into the new Sarkaz King. If the records are true, it's clear why Qui'lon was filled with doubt, why he never reforged his beloved sword, and why history views him with contradiction—sometimes as the "enlightened despot", and other times as violent and ruthless. Qui'lon exiled the Condemnor Clan, forbidding them from ever returning to the city, though he allowed them to take Balor'sača's body. He pardoned the clans that had joined the rebellion, acknowledging that while they had followed a traitor, they were also serving their king.

Thus, Qui'lon, "the Errant Sovereign", the first mixed-blood ruler in Sarkaz history, descended upon the ruins of Kazdel. For the rest of his life, he worked tirelessly to heal the scars of the rebellion. He began with allied clans like the Gargoyles, laying the foundations of the Royal Courts, establishing the principles of royal succession, ruthlessly

OUR KINGS, THE TWINS OF THE HEROIC AGE

Qui'lon's Reign and His Successors

We're all taught, at a very young age, that the King is the rightful ruler of all Kazdel and sole protector of the Sarkaz, and that all the Royal Courts must kneel before him. When the Errant Sovereign established his authority over the clans, preventing another rebellion, he sought to consolidate his rule over all of Kazdel.

To do so, he weakened the power of the nomadic clans, stopping them before they got out of control, as the Condemnor Clan had. The Errant Sovereign focused on the rifts between bloodlines, weakening the clans' powers by conferring the nobility title "High Lord of the Blood" to key figures, particularly in the large mixed-blood clans. In doing so, Qui'lon personally shaped the Royal Court as we know it today. The Errant Sovereign let the struggle for power spread from the city to the countryside. The once-dominant clans were eventually replaced by the Royal Courts, and the High Lords of the Blood rose to become the Sovereigns of the Court.

In that era, the noble bloodlines that formed the foundation of the Royal Court were just a few drops of water in the vast ocean. Each noble of the courts earned their peerage from our suffering. Qui'lon once hoped that the nobles would understand this, and agree to share the burden of protecting Kazdel's destiny.

During Qui'lon's 300-year reign, the source of his authority shifted from the respect of his subjects to the divine right of kings. However, after the Errant Sovereign's disappearance during his final eastern venture, joyful hope quickly gave way to disappointment, and the order Qui'lon had built in Kazdel rapidly dissolved into chaos.

For the next six thousand years, Kazdel was ravaged by constant war and turmoil. The "Toppled Blood Prince" drowned Kazdel in the wails of his suffering people, only to fall to the wicked schemes of his own offspring. The "Choir-master Elegiac" attempted to secretly manipulate the Royal

Depending on one's perspective, Qui'lon either became a hero in that moment or a prisoner of history.

suppressing Balor'sača's remaining sycophants, and starting the reconstruction of the city. In Qui'lon's later years, the Western Hegemons, who had been brutally driven out by Balor'sača, returned. But the King of the Sarkaz chose a different path. The aging wanderer personally led a group of Sarkaz clans eastward, leaving Kazdel in an attempt to open new frontiers and seek peaceful coexistence with the Hegemons who had yet to attack Kazdel. From then on, his whereabouts are unknown. Based on existing records, historians generally agree that this battle-hardened wanderer did not meet a peaceful end.

And so concludes the story of the three Kings of Sarkaz. Two eras, two murders, three friends, and three Kings. Their fates formed a turbulent chapter of history which left a lasting impact on future generations. No, children, I won't expand on this part of our history as I have for the "Farchaser". Instead, I want you to think for yourselves—why is our history littered with betrayals and tragedies?

Courts, but in the end, she composed her own elegy. The "One of Great Decay" was kind and merciful, yet his insatiable hunger and bulging girth sent him to an early grave. The "Promulgator" was ever so wise, but after her assassination, one Cyclops after another left Kazdel. The "Whisperbound Shadow" ushered in another strange era. We do not really know whether the Damazti Cluster ever became kings. The "One Who Knocks on the Door" summoned the Confessarii, whose flowing robes concealed their deeds in the shadows... From the "Farchaser" to the chaotic post-Qui'lon era, every King of Sarkaz embodied the fate of his subjects, the rise and fall of history. The Black Crown has appeared upon the heads of Royal Court sovereigns, mixed-blood Sarkaz, scholars, and even those with nary a penny to their names. Finally, nearly two centuries ago, we arrived at the Heroic Age; a pair of mixed-blood Sarkaz twins were about to step onto the stage.

The Clothesmaker and the Swordsman

In 898, the continuous military skirmishes between Kazdel and the Core nations finally escalated into a full-scale expedition of the latter. A hastily assembled coalition army, made up of several Victoria Dukes, a Kurfürst of Leithanien, and some Gaulish sword-bearing nobles, marched eastward from Leithanien and invaded Kazdel. Over thousands of years, these empires' views of Kazdel had shifted—from "mortal enemy" to "troublesome border dispute" to "nary a threat". To many nobles, the "devils" there remained savage and bloodthirsty. However, they had neither a nomadic city nor a steel-clad warship. How could they have survived so long in a wasteland plagued by Catastrophes? They placed very little value on Kazdel's land, and even less on its people. The only thing of any significance was the "devil" mercenaries, known for their combat prowess.

This hastily assembled coalition showed little unity, but their shared military objective was clear—they were there to hunt a King. The King, Yliš, was nothing more than a puppet controlled by the Royal Court—a mediocre, harmless ruler. Yet, he was far more acutely aware than most of the unusual nature of this war. He could see it surging toward him like an unstoppable tide. Did someone hope to control the King of Sarkaz and shackle the rebellious Kazdel with unbreakable chains? Since when did the other nations care about the court politics of "devils"? Who could have devised such a

Her Highness and the General.

strategy? Before Yliš could come to any conclusions, the Royal Courts sent him to the battlefield, hoping he could serve as a weapon to defeat the coalition forces.

Yliš had lived a mundane life as a king, passively playing puppet to the Royal Courts. In his final battle, he failed to die a hero's death. Gaulish artillery, Leithanian spire casters, and Victoria's steam armor—all the technological advances of the Crystal Age trampled upon the Sarkaz at that moment.

Nearly.

Among the six Sarkaz generals later to be known as the "Six Heroes", Her Highness Theresa and General Theresis were not the first to rise and attempt to turn the tide of the war. It's likely no one noticed the unremarkable pair of mixed-blood Sarkaz siblings in the King's entourage—a court clothesmaker, skilled in weaving and cutting fabric, and her brother, who served as her sword-bearing protector. However, they soon made names for themselves in the great war. They rallied the remaining royal guards and convinced them to hold the line. When some of the soldiers sneered at the notion of a seamstress giving orders, the General severed their horns. Her Highness, the General, and the other four heroes of Kazdel—a Banshee, a Goliath, a Nachzehrer, and an elderly Lich—formed six lines of defense, standing shoulder to shoulder to stop the coalition's advance. The mixed-blood twins' seamless partnership and extraordinary talent won over the proud leaders of the Royal Courts, convincing them to temporarily set aside their differences and build a united defense under the command of the "Six Heroes". Did they understand the twins true, limitless potential at that time? We may never know for sure.

Though our forces did not completely collapse, the coalition steadily burned our homeland to the ground. Before long, Kazdel found itself surrounded once again, as the armies of Gaul, Victoria, and Leithanien aimed their cannons at the "heart of the devils". Every battle-ready Sarkaz took to the battlefield, prepared to fight for the fate of the city in a desperate struggle. Meanwhile, the "Six Heroes" began to uncover clues that could end the war. They believed that there was a mysterious figure orchestrating the conflict from behind the scenes, someone with enough influence to convince the nobles to dispatch their armies in a coordinated siege. The General reasoned that, in order to better manage the war, this person would eventually have to reveal themselves on the battlefield, which would provide them with a crucial opportunity to defeat the coalition. Thus, Her Highness Theresa personally wove a trap: hastily drafted soldiers would be deliberately deployed

to the coalition's front line as bait. While the mysterious leader might not be fooled, his nobles, tempted by the spoils within reach, might not heed his warnings. Kazdel would then be completely abandoned. Theresa helped the Lich turn Kazdel City into a massive witchcraft altar, a death trap for the coalition. Finally, the General personally gathered a strike force of Banshees and Vampires.

They ambushed the leadership and the coalition's main force as they entered the city. Much like the beads of blood that slowly trickled down the threads woven by her Highness, everything proceeded, slowly but surely, according to plan. In this single battle, the coalition lost nearly a third of its men—more than in all previous engagements combined. At the same time, the General engaged the coalition's leader in a legendary sword fight, ultimately severing his head. Thousands of coalition soldiers were devoured by witchcraft the moment they charged into the city, their stripped bones serving as grim monuments to the city's final collapse.

The coalition began withdrawing from Kazdel. Our city was destroyed once again, yet we still stood firm.

Legend has it that at one point, the Black Crown chose both Theresa and the Theresis as the new King, but the General gave up his claim to power. He chose to guard the throne rather than sit on it. Her Highness became the new sovereign, and she still rules to this day. After the war, the General and Her Highness established the War Council, hoping it would serve as a forum to address both internal and external conflicts, preserving the unity of the Royal Court. At the same time, the city of Kazdel entered another phase of reconstruction. As I mentioned at the start of this lesson, over the following two hundred years, Sarkaz's first nomadic city would go on to become the industrial heart of our land. During Her Highness's two century rule over Kazdel, despite the continued turmoil and frequent Catastrophes, nomadic hospitals, nomadic agricultural platforms, and traveling schools began to appear in our lives. When I was young, I didn't know what a professional teacher was. I had never heard of Sarkaz in Kazdel making a living through such work.

In 1031, the fall of the Gaulish Empire, and the destruction of Lingones, the "Capital of the World", shook the continent. Her Highness and the General in Kazdel received the news through Messengers. That same year, the War Council, which had been in existence for over a century, was officially reorganized into the Military Commission of

Kazdel, and General Theresis, who had earned a formidable reputation in many wars, became its unquestioned leader. From that point on, Her Highness focused on infrastructure development, education, and healthcare, while the General devoted all his energy to modernizing Kazdel's military. After securing a nomadic city, we now also have cannons and modern communication equipment. I sincerely hope to live long enough to see Sarkaz warships sailing across this barren land. By that point, I believe the rumors about a rift between Her Highness and the General will have dissolved on their own.

A Narration

"In 1086, years of division finally bore bitter fruit as the Military Commission launched a coup. Theresis's military takeover of Kazdel City marked the beginning of yet another full-scale civil war. Over the next eight years, Theresa's independent military organization, Babel, stood in opposition to Theresis's Military Commission. The King of Sarkaz set her palace on the landship named Rhodes Island. With the help of her two outblood advisors, she waged a military campaign against Theresis. In 1094, Theresa was assassinated. The details of the assassination remain unknown, but every Sarkaz knew that Theresis was the winner of the civil war. To the surprise of many Sarkaz, Theresis did not become the new King, nor did he seek out the next King. Instead, he assumed the role of Regent, reorganizing Kazdel and uniting the Royal Courts that had been divided by the war. Afterwards, the Regent, along with the Military Commission and several Royal Court forces, embarked on a campaign to Victoria."

A Narration

Written at the end, for whoever finds this.

The teacher couldn't finish the lesson. I saw him get hit by mortar shrapnel. A few days after we left the school, he started running a fever and began rambling in his sleep. We, the older kids, had to carry him. But he never stopped writing. During his lessons, he had us read his writings out loud, and he would correct us when we made mistakes. That's how our teacher kept giving us lessons at night. He told the story of the Kings of Sarkaz over several nights, in pieces. Then, he started writing on paper. When the paper ran out, he wrote on clothes, then on bandages—it's like he needed to pour out all the knowledge he had inside. He wouldn't let us help clean his wound; I think it's because he didn't want us to see the ID tag he always kept hidden on his chest. I took it from him, and I wear it every day. Berz wanted it, but I didn't give it to him—he can't beat me in a fight. Actually... we've been hiding something from our teacher too. One day, when Berz and I went looking for water, we ran into soldiers—soldiers with the Military Commission's insignia. Their casters were firing cannons with flares attached. I've seen flares before, but none of us could tell what they were trying to light up. At first, the soldiers were wary. The caster wanted to use force, but the others quickly gave us some food and told us that the General was fighting Her Highness. But how could the General be fighting Her Highness? Because she was tricked by bad people who were pretending to be her friends. Will the twins ever make up? "We don't know," replied the soldiers. We buried our teacher here. Berz said we should take the things he wrote on—papers and clothes—since they're his legacy. But I still buried them with him. We're going to war now, and we can't carry anything too valuable. Those soldiers told us some mercenaries need "slimmer" children to help clear mines, and that the pay will be enough to feed the rest of us. I'm wearing the teacher's ID tag. Maybe they'll think I'm a veteran and give us extra food. If you've read this far, that means you can read, so dig. We couldn't take the teacher's "legacy" with us, so now it's all yours.