There was once a great empire that reigned sovereign from the Midian Ocean to the feet of the lands in the east, The Casian Empire.
Ruled by the Serpent Emperor Agrippo, an immortal and His immortal son Agnekath. The flame was their sigil and they were above gods and men in their domain.
Agrippo founded the empire after the death of the old gods, and it was built on the Continent Hel.
Founded his capital City, Agyes. Around the 7 mountains that lead to the Nether.
But alas their reign came to an end. Stephos a Kaphanite Slave, was the first to start a rebellion.
He was known as the king who wore no crown.
Thus a massive war of freedom began and the influence of the Casian empire withered until Hel Was their last stronghold.
The war ended with the death of Emperor Agrippo and Stephos.
Agnekath succeeded his father and took control of the remains of their empire and brought the war to an end.
This became known as the War of Angels
200 years later, Emperor Agnekath was Seven hundred and seventy-seven years of age when he noticed the enslaved prisoners Kaphanites from the War of Angels had procreated beyond control.
He feared a second war of angels, so he thought to kill them.
He said to his people "Look, the Kaphanites have become far too numerous. If war breaks out they are sure to betray us and join our enemies, like they did in the past"
So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labour and made them build Cities and Castles. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Casians came to dread the Kaphanites, and worked them ruthlessly. and They made their lives bitter with harsh labour in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labour.
Then Agnekath gave this order to all his people: "Every Kaphan boy that is born you must Kill, but let every girl live."
And armoured men marched to the camps of the Kaphans for 90 days and nights they slaughtered every Slave boy.
Now on the 90th day, A Young woman named Jemehiah Had hidden her newborn son for 2 months.
She had been married to Tokar, a Kaphanite Slave man before he died from overworking.
But when she could no longer hide her baby, she dared to cross the Serpent, the great river that divided the continents Hel and Duteria, and find refuge in The kingdom of Great Duteria across the river.
So it came to pass that on the 90th day she had been reported
and so she ran. Eventually she got a canoe from a man in the middle of the night to cross the river before the soldiers could come and kill her and the baby.
There were no stars that night and the clouds and winds gathered. Come morning the canoe capsized and the Jemehiah drowned.
Meer daughter of Karun Hand of the Emperor and Prime minister was strolling down the banks of the river with her handmaidens and bodyguards when the Jemehiah's corpse washed ashore.
She sent one of her female slaves to check the body.
"This one was a slave mother and child that drowned trying to escape." The slave girl said.
But amid the somber revelation, an unexpected cry pierced the air – the dead baby's wail echoed, defying the grip of mortality.
"This child is alive," the slave girl whispered, eyes wide with awe.
"One who defies death aye? A bad omen my Lady." Another said.
"No for his tenacity we ought to reward him with life, if his gods won't save him I will." Said Meer.
And so Meer ordered her maidens to dress the baby, feed him and bury the mother near the banks.
"Father, may I keep this boy? Surely he defied fate and death he deserves to live, no?" She asked her father.
Karun flew into rage when he heard what Meer had done and threatened to kill the child.
He sat in his chambers having decided the boy's fate.
He was pulled in a deep slumber and in it he saw the stars and the world.
The empire burned with an incinerating flame and a great revolting Dark monstrosity plagued the land, blotted the sky, soiled the sea and all that it set his sights on.
A great thief threatened to destroy it all.
But in the middle of all of it rose a lone figure, draped in broken chains with death lurking in his shadow and a stone face, he led the children of men to salvation against the vile thief.
They battled against the forces of the thief and from the ashes of the battle an empire a new rose again.
"Pahhh"
Karun woke up covered in sweat and panting for air.
He called in a Red priest and told him of the dream.
The Red priest was a young man and he spoke softly to Karun.
"Hand of the flame if you wish to save your people from their fated demise, spare the child and raise him as your own. Else you bring nothing but death to the empire and the realm of men shall follow"
Shaken Karun called his daughter and the boy to his chambers.
The Hand decided to adopt the boy and take him in as his ward
The Emperor was furious with him and not long after Karun was hand of the flame no more
***
"Why have you disobeyed me Karun, my child." Agnekath's voice boomed through the pristine marble hall.
Rows of lords, councilors, great lords, venerables, retainers and servant lords watched the back of the figure kneeling before the immortal Throne.
"I have no qualms with you Your Grace, but this child has beaten his fated death . When you ordered the deaths of millions of babies of miserable slaves that suffer for their ancestors transgressions I did not object, but this child is different
It was revealed to me that he would one day save the empire" Karun replied.
"I have seen it in the flames of my dreams, this child will prevent the destruction of the empire."
This drew many gasps from the crowd.
"How dare he speak of the flames."
"One without the blood of fire at that too.."
"Insanity I tell you!"
"A mere slave boy too!"
Agnekath stared down Karun.
"One who the flames have not graced with its blood dares to lecture me on prophecies.....
Fine, you might keep the child, but remember this Karun the day that child kills one of mine own, Will be the day you die. And from henceforth you are no longer prime minister and my right hand but a mere Lord of the City Mytirk. You are dismissed.``
Karun left the Capital, Agyes, and retreated with his House to the City Mytirk, where he'd rule and establish.
Seth would be adopted into the house of Gideon by Karun.
He'd be trained to become a knight for the house, where he might be given a small village to lord over should he come of age, and should war arise he will prove his loyalty to the empire and raise his banners for the cause of the empire.
If all things being equal......