` Due to how late it was when they went back, Heron did not read those books that day. He only got to start on them the next day. He took them to the library to share his find with his wizard friend. Kur was just as excited as he was to see them.
The decided to read them together, so Heron put them on the table and opened the first one, which was a big heavy book.
The first thing he noticed was that he could not read it – it was not written in the common tongue, the runes that made up the words was entirely unreadable. How disappointing. He looked at Kur wondering if he might know this language but his fellow friend just shook his head.
So with a sigh he pushed away that book. Even though he knew several languages he could not read this one. It was disappointing. And a bit disheartening as if they couldn't read this one what about the others? He pulled the second book closer, which had an author's initials on the front underneath the title. That was a bit more heartening as both the title and the initials were in regular letters.
The book's title was "A History of Nireal" and its author was S. A. S.
He flipped open the book, hoping it was illegible. On the front page there was an elaborate sketch of an elf sitting on an elaborate throne, a sword in front of him and a crown on his head. On either side of the throne were two dragons, tails curled around to the front of the throne and a claw on the top of it, with outspread wings. Under the shadow of either dragons' wings were trees and houses and temples and vineyards and farms and animals and people. There was so much detail that Heron just took a few moments to appreciate it.
There were no words explaining the picture.
After a while of admiring it, Heron flipped to the next page. The words were written in a neat handwriting, with soft strokes.
"It has been many many years since the fall of the great old kingdom that once stood on the soil I so love. A tragedy indeed that it was destroyed within a day.
But though the kingdom no longer stands, many of its monuments still do and a legend that once again a king shall rise to sit on Lucien's throne, chosen by the Protector and crowned by the Priestess. Though many disregard this as nothing more than the whimsical dreams of the few who still hold fast to the old ways, it is my strong belief that such shall come to pass – and that I will live to see it:
'For when the Eternal Maiden shall bear a seed, and pay the price of her sister's folly,
Then shall the chains be set in motion, and the coming of a new dawn shall be seen.
The Line of the Twins shall be broken and the vows at last be made again.'
A hopeful message for the future. But this is not a book for the future. But a book on the past. What happened since the beginning of the kingdom as best I can make it so far in the future from these events.
Before the seven kingdoms, of which Nireal was the greatest, the land was a fruitful place but there was much warring between the clans. It was a time of conflict and it started ravaging the land. Whole swarths of it was bathed in blood, and there were bits that were burned.
Now Xi'eli was saddened by this, for the world he created was being torn apart by his own creation and so he made guardians of nature. The lowest of these were the spirits, who protected only that to which they were assigned. Over the woodland spirits he set unicorns who guarded their forests with soft gentleness that could be aroused to a fierceness when their wards were threatened. Other creatures were also made to guard others of the spirits. But we will not get into that as other than the unicorns only one more is pertinent to this story.
The dragons. They were set as guardians of the peoples to guide them. But as the years went by, they too became corrupted. At least some of them. For like humans, dragons are creatures that are mortal and made of flesh, and they are susceptible to temptation. And so now you had wars in which dragons were a part of and the land was worse than before. The Unicorns and other guardians did not succumb – perhaps because they did not have as much of an exposure to the ugliness that the humans at the time engaged in.
So, Xi'eli was saddened, as he looked at the state of things and he looked and chose out a dragon who was utterly faithful to him. And to this dragon he gave a charge – to be his great spokesperson. His voice on earth. And this was the first High Priest. Being physically stronger than humans, and of greater magical inclinations dragons make incredibly good conduits of divine power.
But the damage to the land had been done. And though the priest did his best not all people would listen to him. So Xi'eli formed one more creature – a very special and odd dragon.
Like all dragons, this creature was blessed with immense strength and magical might. Unlike other dragons though he had all the powers of every single one of their bloodlines as well as an immense tie to nature, causing him to be beloved of the spirits.
The first Spirit Whisper. The Iridescent Dragon, first of his line. Armen Elmaras of whom the line of the Protectors descended.
In order to keep this powerful dragon from rebelling, Xi'eli placed many regulations upon Elmaras and his seed. As well as power to his High Priest to put him down if he ever got out of hand.
It was Elmaras who willfully beat down all the ones who did not listen to the High Priest. And who chose the first King, who as the other nations formed became known as the High King. Nireal was formed. The first kingdom.
And Order came upon the land. As peace was prolonged the land healed, the forests grew until it even became almost forgotten.
And so it was for many years. Prosperity, peace, and unity were the marks of the land. And this book shall give a rundown of every king of Nireal until that Peace came to an abrupt end.'
From there the book went into detail on what happened in whose reign.
Heron found it engrossing and actually wondered that he had got such a rare find so cheap. This was a work of great interest to anyone who wanted to know about the old kingdoms. And what's more it was actually in the common tongue of the merchants!
Though it did not have anything of particular use practically. Just knowledge of a dead kingdom.