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Clash of the Incarnations

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[#5AGSIZET9]

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Chapter Eight: The Palace of Agaben


The basin was a sea of red, with Zamorakans by the thousands standing tall. Many had been working on the Palace for the entire day, but there was a big lull in the activity at this moment. It was the moment that, they were told by the higher-ups, that their god would be standing in their presence.

This area of the Wilderness was desolate, even more so than the rest of the wastelands. The basin in which the Zamorakans waited was the site of the huge battle sixty years earlier, where Agaben’s Palace fell to the Saradominists and the silver dragon. It was a fitting place for the revival of the Zamorakan order, and the first appearance of their lost god.

“Here he comes!” came the roar from the sentry keeping watch on the eastern side of the basin. The heads of thousands of people turned simultaneously to look, joy and curiosity jumping to their faces. This was the moment they had waited for their entire lives.

As they looked on, a huge mass of people began appearing over the nearby hill that formed the rim of the basin. All of them were wearing the red cloaks of the Zamorakan order, a few with Zamorakan armor underneath loose-fitting red robes. However, it was the trio that led the exodus that stood out, wearing black instead of red. It was obvious that the outer two were human, and carried themselves as subordinates. The middle leader, however, walked with inhuman power and authority. There were whispers in the crowd as they saw him, “He wears the face of Agaben!”

As Zamorak walked into the middle of the crowd, the entire group exploded in cheers, the sound of their glee reverberating throughout the Wilderness. A path was carved through the middle of the crowd, and Zamorak, flanked by Karzith and Kazla, passed through his people to the site of the new Palace, where the foundation had already been set over the old one. Zamorak gave a quick wave to the crowd, but Karzit* could tell that the god was all business.

01-Aug-2011 16:44:36

[#5AGSIZET9]

[#5AGSIZET9]

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“Who is in charge of construction?” Zamorak asked.

“A man named Dauthi,” Kazla replied.

“Find him. I want to meet with him, immediately.”

“Right away, my Lord,” Kazla said with a bow as he quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Zamorak reached the other side of the crowd, everyone still eying him with joy. “My followers!” he roared, the cheers coming back just as loudly. “My faithful followers, our day is at hand! I have some business to take care of first; however, this night, we shall have a ceremony to commemorate a new world order!”

The crowd went berserk with glee. Those who had waited for so long to begin the new fight, and destroy the silver dragon that had plagued them for so long, wept with joy at the sight of the powerful visage of Zamorak himself.

The god cracked a small smile. “These are mine,” he said to Karzit* softly. “They will help me destroy the old fool Saradomin once and for all!”

-----------

A small table had been set up inside one of the makeshift tents around the site of the castle. There, Zamorak took his seat at the head of the table. “Welcome, my friends, to the site of my future throne,” he boasted to a roar from the remainder of the guests. On Zamorak’s either side were his two generals, Karzith and Kazla. The remainder was composed of various high-ranking individuals in Zamorakan society. The construction overseer, Dauthi, was seated immediately beside Karzit*.

“What is the situation?” Zamorak asked.

Kazla cleared his throat before beginning. “As of this moment, our scouts have confirmed that the silver dragon is not in this area of the Wilderness yet. We can assume that it has either not noticed us, or has, but is still far away. I will know for sure when my distant scouts report back.”

“Excellent. I am sure that Saradomin has noticed, but we at least bought a little bit of time to prepare for his attack. Speaking of that, Dauthi, about the magical preparations I ordered you to build…”

01-Aug-2011 16:45:02

[#5AGSIZET9]

[#5AGSIZET9]

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“They have been built, my Lord, to your specifications,” Dauthi replied. “Four pillars, erected around the basin to the northeast of the Palace, that can be activated remotely by a control spell.”

Zamorak nodded. “And the rest of the building?”

“We have the new foundation laid, and we are beginning construction now. We are following the plans of the old Palace exactly, just as you requested.”

“About that… I have decided on a minor alteration to the scheme.”

“What is it, my Lord?”

“I want you to recreate the Scarlet Tower of Ak’Namozk as well.”

The men at the table were silent. “My Lord,” Dauthi finally spoke up. “You wish the tower to be built alongside the Palace?”

“I want the center of the Palace to rise up into the Scarlet Tower. Make it one building.”

“What is the purpose of this addition, my Lord?”

“The Scarlet Tower is a symbol of my power. Ak’Namozk was the most feared citadel of mine during its time.”

“My Lord, this will drastically increase the construction time, not to mention the required materials!”

“I am patient, Dauthi,” Zamorak replied.

“But our people are not! They live in tents outside waiting for this Palace’s completion!”

“I shall make them want to wait. Besides, it is important that they reside outside for just a while longer. I want them in plain sight when the dragon arrives.”

Murmurs suddenly flew among the dignitaries at the table. Karzit* could tell that they were meeting the same skepticism at Zamorak’s arrogance that he and Kazla had.

“My Lord, is it not best to keep our people hidden? In the first battle at Agaben’s Palace, the dragon made sure to attack as many Zamorakans as possible.”

“Exactly. I will keep them protected, and they will act as a target that the dragon cannot refuse. Its willingness to attack will bring it directly into my clutches.”

01-Aug-2011 16:45:35

[#5AGSIZET9]

[#5AGSIZET9]

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“My Lord,” said another Zamorakan dignitary from further down the table, “any battle between you and the dragon would be catastrophic. Surely some of our people would be caught in the crossfire?”

Zamorak shook his head. “I have taken such a risk into account. My plan is foolproof; my followers will be kept safe from the dragon when it arrives.”

The rest of them fell silent. The authority with which Zamorak spoke made them believe him without fail. They could sense the power he held with his speech.

“So, Dauthi, will the addition of the Scarlet Tower be implemented as I have commanded?” Zamorak continued.

The man nodded. “I will incorporate it as soon as this meeting is adjourned. I believe that we have the blueprints for the Tower in our archives.”

“Well done. I shall reward you when the Palace is complete. As for right now, is that all the business we have?”

“That is all, My Lord,” Kazla replied.

“Good. I have promised the people a ceremony marking my return. I expect all of you to join the festivities outside as soon as your business is complete.”

The men bowed their heads, and Zamorak stood. “Meeting adjourned,” he said, and then he walked out of the room to face his people, Karzith and Kazla hurrying behind him.

-------------

There was an aura of power around the group assembled in the basin that evening. A crowd of thousands and thousands of Zamorakans, all clad in their red robes, sat around fires throughout the field. Their eyes were all turned toward the site of the future Palace, where a small stage had been set up.

On that dais, there sat a tall throne carved out of red sandstone, with three jagged peaks jutting off of the top. Lord Zamorak, clothed in a black cloak, rose up the steps to the throne and sat upon it. Generals Karzith and Kazla sat on smaller seats, one on each side of the god.

01-Aug-2011 16:46:11

[#5AGSIZET9]

[#5AGSIZET9]

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A deathly silence filled the assembly, and then, before their eyes, a new Zamorakan rose to the stage. He bowed humbly before Zamorak, who acknowledged him with a nod. The young man stepped to the front of the stage, facing the people.

“May our Lord Zamorak give strength to this lowly messenger of his victory,” the man announced to the crowd. Then, he stepped forward and began to recite a ceremonial poem:

“Lord Zamorak sits on his dark throne
Amidst the scores of his disciples
King in the world that he will own

And in this hour of glorious victory
If it please the ears of our master
I have been called to recite his glorious history

My brothers, great fortune is ours this day
For soon, by the hand of mighty Zamorak
The blight of Saradomin shall be washed away

We shall purge Gielinor of this pestilence
Brewing in Falador, lashing out at us
Fearful of our god’s eminence

Our god, who freed the land
From the evils of the false, Empty Lord
And broke the Empire with his mighty hand

Who was banished by the petty god
Fearful of his obvious superiority
Fearing dominion under chaos’ rod

But our Lord would not leave us as chattel
He returned to our midst in the Third Age
To lead us, his army, in glorious battle

We fought tooth and nail against legions of foes
Against Saradomin, Armadyl,
And the foul monsters of Bandos

And just when victory was in our sight
The foolish creator, the sleeping Guthix
Intervened and spared our foes from the fight


In an instant, our god was taken
All gods returned to the city, Celestos
Leaving all of Gielinor alone and shaken

We turned then to a series of Dark Lords
Who would keep our ranks alive
And would listen to our dark god’s words

And there were many, some great
Like Atharon, Mizcku, and Thainzen
Fighting the Saradominists with chaos and hate

And now, it has been over a century nigh
That a child Lord Agaben, betrayed by his brother
Was left in the Scarlet Tower to die

01-Aug-2011 16:46:56

[#5AGSIZET9]

[#5AGSIZET9]

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But our Lord was gracious and helped him survive
And when he grew to become the Dark Lord
He was the most powerful man alive

But then, as he fought the foe, he was slain
By Saren, the knight, and the Silver Dragon
That would become our people’s bane

For decades, the dragon has slaughtered
Our families and cities, robbing our Lord
Of his faithful sons and daughters

Dark Lord Koza fell before the beast
As did Dark Lords Marr and Xeda
And our hate for the monster only increased

Dark Lord Kazla arose as our guide
But the dragon was still too strong
And our proud people were forced to hide

But now, our mighty Lord Zamorak has returned
And we shall fight by his side
Until all of Gielinor lies burned!”


The speaker emphasized the final stanza, and he was greeted by raucous cheers from the crowd as he finished his recitation. The speaker bowed to the people, then bowed to Zamorak, before he scampered off the dais.

The crowd settled slightly, a tinge of anticipation surging through them as they watched their god rise from his throne. “My friends,” he began, the deep silence surrounding his voice showing just how authoritative he could be. *This noble history of ours has shown us one thing, again and again. Just when victory is ours, something comes from the abyss and spares our enemies!”

The people reacted with boos, just as Zamorak intended. “Those days are long over! My arrival marks a new time in the history of our people! There will be no intervention, no salvation for our enemies this time!”

The people roared their approval. Zamorak held out his fist before the assembly. “On this day, I shall claim my victory over Saradomin and avenge the evils that he has wrought!”

Zamorak shook his head in a show of sadness. “How many of our young, how many children have we buried because of the slaughter orchestrated by the silver dragon? How many people have we lost to this ‘savior?’ The dragon is a monster of destruction, the worst plight upon my people.

01-Aug-2011 16:48:09 - Last edited on 01-Aug-2011 16:50:04 by [#5AGSIZET9]

[#5AGSIZET9]

[#5AGSIZET9]

Posts: 3,564 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
"It shall be no more!" The people reacted again with cries of jubilation. Zamorak smiled as he felt the power contained within his assembly. Then, he spotted a speck of silver on the horizon. It was coming from the east, just to the side of the crowd. The god watched the oncoming dragon closely, but not so closely as to show the people that danger was approaching. “It will come from the northeast,” he muttered to Karzith and Kazla, who silently watched it with him.

“The injustice of Saradomin will be ended! And we shall regain control of this world for our own!”

Then, a small smile crept to Zamorak’s lips as he watched the dragon started to circle toward the northwest. It was going to make sure that it came in with the crowd between it and Zamorak.

The people were still cheering at Zamorak’s last words when the dragon arrived. The sound of joy was suddenly snuffed out by the loud roar that the dragon burst forth. The crowd all turned in unison to see the dragon hovering above. Suddenly all the joy vanished, giving way to panic.

“Activate the spell, Dauthi!” Zamorak barked, and then he leapt into the air, soaring high above the dais and over the crowd toward the dragon. His black cloak waved like smoke as he soared to meet his enemy.

The dragon saw him coming, and began to charge up a blast of silver magic. The beast looked down to the crowd of Zamorakans beneath it, and Zamorak noticed that it planned to strike directly at them.

“I don’t think so!” Zamorak roared. And, as he did so, Dauthi’s spell took effect. The four pillars that surrounded the basin where the people sat lit up with a red energy. Beams shot upward to the sky, forming four walls around the dragon. A floor and ceiling formed next, boxing the dragon into cube of red magic.

Zamorak flew into the cube and hovered in front of the dragon, who stopped its attack, knowing what Zamorak had done.

“Now, we fight,” Zamorak said with a with a smile. Then, the cube vanished from the sky.

01-Aug-2011 16:53:30

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