Okin of the Twilight Kingdom (Part One)

There once lived a man name Memnoch in the Kingdom of Twilight. He was a living legend. From a skinny fifteen year old that could barely hold a sword above his waist, he quickly became one of the Twilight Kingdom's greatest legend. When he was thirty five years of age, so many fell to his sword, shield and bow that even the king's most accurate scribes had given up counting his kills. There was perhaps one thing sharper than Memnoch's sword and that was his relentlessly and formidably curious mind. Kalketh Karoth, the king's wizard, dreaded by even the mightiest knights of the king, deferred to Memnoch when arguments inevitably came to an end. Though many in the kingdom wondered what would happen if there was a battle of wizardy between the two, equally as many believed Memnoch would triumph. There was rumour that even Kalketh feared him though no one dared utter this beneath the brooding murmuring sky.

Memnoch was given a special title because of his abilities and achievement: Okin, which meant 'The One of the King'. This title was so rare because both king and kingdom has to agree to the candidate who was then tasked with stealing a scale from a Black Eustrach, a huge and heavily scaled beast that resided in the Eastern Mist Mountains. Memnoch brought back its heart. An Okin was equal to the king in terms of authority. He could exercise all and any functions of the king and all his actions would be valid. As for Memnoch, as the first Okin of the Twilight King in two thousand years and its most powerful he was a virtual god. The people adored him, the king loved him as a favourite son, he had three beautiful beloved wives with seven children between them all who grew up happy and wanting for nothing.

One day, a farmer from Thurak, the colder and darker northern eastern parts of the twilight kingdom, reported a strange sighting to his Majesty's office after puzzling about it for several days. At the far end of his field stood a strange thin bright glowing line that rose from the ground up to about thirteen feet high. He was brave enough to attempt to touch the line several times but reported no ill effect to himself although there was a warm feeling when his hand passed through the line. After almost a year of being passed by word of mouth, word finally arrived to Memnoch. Immediately upon being told of the phenomena, he set forth for Thurak.

After two months of travelling under strongly adverse weather conditions, he had found the strange glowing line, kept it for himself within a massive white sturdy tent with several compartments for him and his retinue to study. His week turned to months which turned to years. In his sixth year of trying to understand and engage the mysterious line he made a breakthrough, although it was unintended. Out of a lark and also frustration, he cast several of his deadliest spells upon the line which seemed to affect the line because suddenly it flashed several colours in rapid succession. Instead of standing back, Memnoch stepped closer to the line and reached out to it. This time his hand passed through the line but did not come out the other side. He felt a gentle tug from within that warm that sliver of warmth and suddenly felt drowsy. As his eyes closed in a fit of slumber, he felt a gentle warmth envelope his entire body.