Gav Thorpe - Shadow King: A Tale of the Sundering

This one is for the loving fathers of the world!

The most tragic tale from the Time of Legends tells of thefall of the greatest houses of the elves and the rise of three kings: Phoenix, Witch and Shadow.

There was once a time when all was order, now so distant thatno mortal creature can remember it. Since time immemorial the elves have dwelt upon the isle of Ulthuan. Here they learnt the secrets of magic from their creators, the mysterious Old Ones. Under the rule of the Everqueen they dwelt upon their idyllic island unblemished by woe.

When the coming of Chaos destroyed the civilisation of the OldOnes, the elves were left without defence. Daemons of the Chaos Cods ravaged Ulthuan and terrorised the elves.

From the darkness of this torment rose Aenarion, the first ofthe Phoenix Kings, the Defender.

Aenarions life was one of war and strife, yet through thesacrifice of Aenarion and his allies, the daemons were defeated and the elves were saved. In his wake the elves prospered for an age, but all their grand endeavours were to be for naught.

The warrior-people of Nagarythe found little solace in peaceand in time would turn upon each other and their fellow elves.

Where once there was harmony, there came discord. Where oncepeace had prevailed, now came bitter war.

Heed now the tale of the Sundering.

In the days of the first Phoenix King, Aenarion the Defender founded therealm of Nagarythe in the harsh north of Ulthuan. Under his reign the Naggarothias Aenarions people were calledstudied long the arts of war and forged aformidable army to defeat the daemons of Chaos.

At Anlec, greatest fortress of the elves, Aenarion held court with his queen, Morathi, and they brought into the world their son, Malekith. Aenarion fell at the very moment of his victory and the rule of Nagarythe passed to his son. Prince Malekith formalised the promises of his father and secured the lands and wealth of the many princes who had fought by Aenarions side. Yet, ever awarrior and a wanderer, Malekith departed for new wars in the colonies.

Second only to the great Caledor Dragontamer in Aenarions esteem was EoloranAnar, the Phoenix Kings standard bearer. To his stewardship Malekith gave thelands of eastern Nagarythe in the hills and mountains of the Annulii. In Aenarion and Malekiths name Eoloran would rule, and there was peace andprosperity for an age.

Eoloran was a wise prince and was content to raise the power and privilege of House Anar without conflict, though he sent his son Eothlir to fight in the colonies for a time so that he might know something of war. His wife having died in the war with the daemons, Eoloran became reclusive, though always ready to answer the calls of the lesser nobles of Nagarythe. Other, more ambitious princes grew in renown and the deeds of Eoloran faded from memory except within the halls of Elanardris.

With Malekith gone from Nagarythe to conquer new realms for the elves, the seed was sown for division. Jealous of the power granted to Eoloran, though he did not wield it often, Morathi wove tangled politics to isolate the Anars from the rest of Ulthuan while all the while strengthening her grip upon Anlec and Nagarythe. It was not a topic Eoloran wished to discuss with his family, who were left to wonder what the ancient elf planned to revive his familysfortunes, or if he had any plan at all. He forbade any of the Anars from visiting Anlec and instead was content to petition his fellow lords with letters reminding them of their support from the Anars in centuries past and their ancient vows to one another. Eolorans son, Eothlir, tried as best he could tomaintain the status of House Anar, but he knew that there was a change coming. He could not define what it was that alarmed him; it was a flicker in the corner of the eye, a sound on the edge of hearing, a distant scent on the wind that cautioned him.

It was the Season of Frost, in the one thousand and forty-second year of the reign of Phoenix King Bel Shanaar. At the home of the Anars, the wind had turned north and brought with it the chill of winter down from the mountains. Snow flurries drifted from the highest peaks in long, fluttering streamers of white. The furthest reaches of the pine forests were dusted with snow as the bitter weather crept down the mountainsides day by day. Maieth was wrapped in a long shawl of dark blue wool as she stood in the gardens of the Anars manse.Eothlir, her husband, placed an arm around her and smiled.

There is a warm fire within, why do you stand outside in the cold? heasked.

Listen, she said. They both stood in silence, and the only sound to beheard was the sighing of the wind. Then, faintly, there was a call, the croak of a crow.

A single crow in winter, said Eothlir. A bad omen, do you think?

Yes, she replied. Though no more an omen than a houseful of sudden guestscome here from Anlec seeking sanctuary.

It is but a temporary arrangement, said Eothlir. One day Prince Malekithwill return. He will rein in Morathis excesses. We must be patient.

Excesses? laughed Maieth, with bitterness not humour. Butchery andperversion are not excesses!

There are those who protect her, you know that, said Eothlir. But thereare as many who see her rule as tyranny and resist her.

When? demanded Maieth, pulling herself free from her husbands arms tostare at him. For many years they have done nothing; we have done nothing.

She is the mother of the Prince of Nagarythe, the bride of Aenarion; itwould be treason to move against her directly, said Eothlir. For the moment itis sufficient that we rule our lands and keep them free of her taint. If she tries to take our power overtly, she will find greater resistance than she expects.

And what of Tharion, Faerghil, Lohsteth and the others who now sleep in ourbeds, afraid of returning to Anlec? asked Maieth. Are they not also princes ofNagarythe? Do you realise that they once thought that Morathi would never be so bold as to go against them directly?

Would you have me a traitor and usurper? snapped Eothlir. Or worse, wouldyou be a widow, and your son fatherless? In Anlec, Morathi holds sway, but here in the mountains her reach is short. She may try to pick us off one-by-one, but as long as we are united, she cannot move against us. Fully a third of Nagarythes armies are abroad with Malekith. Another third owe allegiance to myfather and his allies. Morathi cannot conjure soldiers from thin air, no matter her powers of seeing and scrying.

Your father holds half of the warriors in Nagarythe, and yet what does hedo? said Maieth with scorn. He hides here and writes letters. Are we not allsons and daughters of Nagarythe? Our armies should be camped outside the gates of Anlec, demanding restitution from Morathi for the wrongs she has done our people.

And what of Malekith, Aenarions heir, our rightful ruler? said Eothlir,grabbing his wife by the shoulders. Do you think he will look kindly upon thosethat raise arms against Anlec without his consent? Would he welcome those that threaten his mother? I tell you now, my father would die of shame to be thought of as a traitor, and so he rallies support in the only way he can.