Chapter 1: The King of Isikor
The kingdom of Isikor lay nestled among rolling hills, vast forests, and jagged mountains. Its people were strong and resilient, farmers and warriors alike, bound by ancient traditions passed down through generations. At the heart of this mighty realm sat Zodd, a king ordained by fate itself. From birth, it had been foretold that Zodd would rise to power and rule with an iron fist, preserving the laws and ways of the ancients.Zodd had always been a man of discipline, revered and feared by his subjects. His rule was absolute, his decrees law. But as time went on, he began to distance himself from the teachings of the ancients, driven by his own ambitions and an insatiable hunger for immortality. He believed that the path of the old gods was outdated, and that he, the chosen king, could carve a new destiny for Isikor. This would be the foundation of a new era, one where his name would echo throughout the annals of history as the eternal king.Yet, Zodd's dreams of immortality were not met without opposition. Among his council stood Neel, an elderly seer, and one of the last of the true believers of the old ways. Neel, hunched and with eyes clouded by age, had served Zodd's father before him. Though Zodd dismissed the old man's constant mutterings about fate and destiny, he tolerated him for his wisdom. That is, until the prophecy.One fateful evening, Neel stood before the throne, his voice raspy but filled with conviction. "A great change is coming, Zodd. The gods have shown me a vision. A woman shall rise, one who bears the mark of the celestial wolf. She will bear a child, a chosen one destined to restore balance to Isikor. He will command the forces of nature itself."Zodd's rage had been immediate and explosive. He dismissed the prophecy as the rantings of an old fool. Yet, the seed of fear had been planted deep within his heart. A child destined to overthrow him? A boy who would command nature itself? Zodd would not allow it.From that day, Zodd began a campaign of terror. Every woman born with a natural mark, no matter how innocent, was hunted down and executed. He searched for the sign of the celestial wolf, determined to crush the prophecy before it could take root.But little did he know, the mark was not something given at birth. It was a mark bestowed by fate, and fate had its own plans.