RuneScape Forum Archive | The Empty Lord

[#5AGSIZET9]

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Zaros seethed with anger still, and he fired a blast of smoke at Zamorak, drowning out the fire around him and forming a smokescreen in one fell swoop. Zamorak got up to escape the choking smoke, but Zaros got there first. He slashed with his sword, and he drew blood. Zamorak turned, and this time he struck from point blank range. The fire blast consumed Zaros, hurling him away again. This time, he didn't get back up as quickly. His face was stained with ashes and soot from Zamorak's onslaught.
"You want more?" Zamorak taunted. "You're getting it anyway!" He formed fireballs in both hands, hurling them one by one at Zaros. Zaros dodged like a ghost, floating in his cloak to avoid each ball of fire. Then, he returned fire, only using ice. Zamorak laughed, and he melted all of Zaros's projectiles. "Brilliant move!" he scoffed.
Zaros bellowed, and he sent another wave of ice at his enemy. Zamorak doused each one with a healthy dose of fire, and the ice all melted.
What was inside the ice, however, did not.
Zamorak couldn't see it until it was too late. While the ice melted and then evaporated with the intense heat, the blood that Zaros had encased inside it continued on its path toward Zamorak. The boiling blood hit its mark, burning Zamorak in a puddle of fiery red liquid.
Zamorak writhed in the pain, and then he jumped out of the puddle of blood, his skin burning. He raised his eyes to Zaros, and his had matched the Emperor’s in hatred. Zamorak blasted a stream of fire across the arena, and Zaros dodged it with a swift sidestep. Then, he looked up just in time to see Zamorak throwing the ornate, though charred, golden throne at Zaros.

19-Nov-2009 00:16:39

[#5AGSIZET9]

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Zaros did*’t dodge this time. Before the throne reached its mark, three cords of shadow leapt up and caught it. Then, they constricted and pulled, tearing the chair to pieces as though it were made of soft wood. Zaros threw the pieces in all directions. Zamorak jumped and dodged the one thrown at him, while the other ones smashed through the windows on either side of the throne room.
The shards of glass from these windows suddenly stopped their fall. Zaros’s drops of blood floating in the air held them in place. Then, with a wave of his hand, he sent the thousands of glass shards flying up onto the dais and at Zamorak.
Zamorak responded with a brutal roar, and then he unleashed more of his fire. The flames caught the glass on either side, melting it instantly. The molten glass fell to the marble floor, coating the floor with burned muck. Zamorak turned the fire on Zaros next, who raised a shadow shield to guard against the onslaught.
They pushed back and forth with their magic, fire against darkness, for around twenty seconds. Then, Zamorak gave one final push, and tipped the scales.
Zaros’s shadow barrier shattered like the windows before, and tons of rushing fire leaked through. The Emperor was coated in flames, his final defense being the shadow cloak that he wore. Even this, however, disappeared in the wake of Zamorak’s wrath.
When the smoke cleared, Zaros was unprotected and burned, standing alone in the center of the throne room. Zamorak stood on the dais looking down on him. The General laughed. “This is how it should be,” he said bitterly. “You, alone, down there in your place! While I, the ruler, stand atop the world!”
Zaros gritted his teeth. His hatred burned still, and still he could not think of anything but his revenge.

19-Nov-2009 00:17:28

[#5AGSIZET9]

Posts: 3,564 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Suddenly, however, the stone walls of the throne room exploded. On either side, huge, gaping holes appeared that had been torn all the way through from the outside. On Zaros’s right stood Zemouregal, and on his left stood Hazeel.
“You’re outnumbered,” Zamorak stated. “You can still salvage your own life. Bring back the Staff, and give me the Mantle.”
Zaros laughed. “That Staff is long gone! You’ll never get what you desire.”
“Then, I’m afraid you will have to die.”
Zaros bowed his head. He looked down to the sword in his hand. It was a special sword, with a large amount of his power locked within it. However, it needed all eight of its gems to reach full power, and two of those were in hiding. At least Zayd got away with his, and Zaros had no idea what happened to the one he gave Amsca. But the sword was still a grand tribute to himself, and what better place to house him?
“My hate…” he breathed, so silently that no one could hear him, “…will live on.”
Zaros mouthed the incantation, and suddenly a sharp pain cut him in his soul. A piece of his spirit was shaved off, inhabiting the sword. The Sudosoma was complete, now all he had to do was ensure that it would remain safe.
“You’ll never take me!” Zaros shouted, and then he turned and hurled his sword at Zemouregal. The Mahjarrat dodged easily, and the sword flew out the hole in the wall, into the darkness and out of sight.
“You have no choice!” Zamorak bellowed, and then he, Zemouregal, and Hazeel all closed in on Zaros. The Emperor, with only seconds to spare, did the first thing that he could think of.
He enveloped himself in a purple light, and then, he was gone.
The attackers stopped suddenly, confused. “He teleported!” Zamorak exclaimed. Then, he screamed in rage and burned the carpet where Zaros had last stood.
“Where did he go?” asked Zemouregal, ignoring Zamorak’s anger.

19-Nov-2009 00:18:31

[#5AGSIZET9]

Posts: 3,564 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Zamorak started to calm down. “His teleport worked similarly to his obelisks. He had one set up at every one of his cities. Which of the Sons are here in Senntisten?”
“Thaolen, Aerus, and Malak, my lord.”
“Bring in Malak, he should have contact with Drakan.”
The job was done quickly, as everyone could tell just how deadly it would be to try Zamorak’s patience at this point. Barely any time at all had passed before Malak entered the throne room. “My Lord,” Malak began. “We are sacking the city and the palace, as you ordered.”
“Good work, now I need you to contact Drakan. Get me an update on the situation in the Empire.”
Malak smiled. “Already done, my Lord. Drakan informed me that nearly all the cities had fallen. Dareeyak, Paddewwa, Lassar, and Carrallangar have all fallen to us. Annakarl is under siege and close to collapse. The only place untouched as of this point is Ghorrock.”
“He must be there,” Zamorak said quickly, and Zemouregal and Hazeel agreed.
“Good work, Malak. Return to your pillaging. Zemouregal, you stay here and make sure the chaos continues. Hazeel, gather up some of the demons for an army. We’re following his lead, and we’re going to Ghorrock.”
-----------------------------------------
Zaros sat alone on the top of the central tower of Ghorrock. His inside was a grueling mix of pain, hatred, and sadness. He wanted to cry for his lost loves, but he was far too lost in hatred to do so. He would satisfy his sadness with his revenge. Zamorak knew he was here; it was only a matter of time before he showed up. Lycurgus, the leader of Ghorrock, suddenly appeared behind Zaros. “My Lord,” he reported, “we have begun the evacuation; however, it may be several hours before everyone can escape.”
Zaros did*’t answer right away. “We don’t have several hours, Lycurgus.”
“I’m sure you can hold off whoever appears until they can get away. My army is also ready to stand by you.”

19-Nov-2009 00:19:16

[#5AGSIZET9]

Posts: 3,564 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“Fine,” Zaros replied. The agitation and bitterness stunned Lycurgus, who had never heard Zaros in such a state.
Lycurgus excused himself, and then he disappeared back into the tower. Zaros examined his magic. He was at full power, and he was ready to unleash it all.
He looked off into the deep forest surrounding the city. The forests dominated the upper part of the Empire, but Zamorak’s forces were burning them all down. He shuddered to think what this area would look like not long from now.
“Here he comes,” Zaros muttered, as he saw the shapeless shadows exiting the tree line. It was a huge mass, an army of demons and Mahjarrat alike. Zamorak was at the front, leading them, Hazeel beside him.
The demons lined up against the closed gate and started smashing in unison. Each strike reverberated throughout the city, and it sounded as though a giant were pressing at the wall. The demons were strong, and Zamorak controlled them with ease.
The night seemed surreal as Zaros stood up and jumped onto the narrow battlement around the rim of the tower. His dark robes waved in the cold wind as he overlooked the invaders. Finally, the gates collapsed in a shower of dust and rubble. The army came marching through, the demons and their evil leaders spilling into the spacious lane within the city. The gates of Ghorrock opened onto a long, wide stone road that ran straight to the central tower. They made their way inside, until the army neared the tower.
Then, it came to a halt. Zamorak, now in the middle of the mass, looked up at the dark figure on top of the tower. “You only prolonged the inevitable, Zaros,” he called. “It’s over.”
Zaros bowed his head, and an insane chuckle burst from his chest. “You’re right; it is.”

19-Nov-2009 00:20:12

[#5AGSIZET9]

Posts: 3,564 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

At that moment, Zaros opened all his power. He released whatever seals he had in place for his and others’ protection, and he felt the sheer might of Thaduka’s magic tearing through him. He glowed with red fury, a cloud of crimson hanging in the air around him. It was time to end it all.
“Lord Zaros!” yelled a voice from behind him. He turned, and he saw Lycurgus standing there, in shock. “You can** use that much power! What, are you trying to destroy the city?”
Zaros did*’t answer. He only focused his power further.
“We haven’t finished evacuating yet! You’ll kill all the people still here! Why would you do such a thing?”
Zaros clenched his fist. “To kill him,” he spoke silently, and then he jumped over the side of the tower.
The Emperor plummeted down toward the massive army beneath him. The demons readied, preparing to receive him. However, he never reached them. Halfway down the tower, Zaros exploded in a massive release of magic. The energy rose sharply from him, tearing a rift in the sky with its might. The dark sky opened into a white storm, and a maelstrom of ice fell to the earth and tore through the city. Ghorrock’s majestic buildings stood no chance against the pure force. The ice decimated the central tower, and then it spread out to annihilate the rest of the city. Zamorak’s army tried to escape, but there was no chance. The mass of demons was consumed by Zaros’s final attack, and nothing else could be heard over the screams of pain and the harsh cry of the icy torrent.
The chaos lasted for several moments, and then the scene was deathly quiet. All remnants of a city had vanished, leaving nothing behind but a barren field of ice and snow. Lycurgus and most of his people had been destroyed as well, casualties of Zaros’s last ditch effort to kill Zamorak.

19-Nov-2009 00:21:06

[#5AGSIZET9]

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Then, the snow stirred. Then, something burst out of it. It was a red frame of a person, but it was slowly reviving itself. All the organs and internal structures returned, and then the dark Mahjarrat skin recomposed. Finally, Hazeel was there, alive. The man he held was alive as well.
“Lord Zamorak!” he barked, shaking the man. The dark-haired man finally awoke. “You’re alive!”
“Barely,” Zamorak replied. “Is Zaros dead?”
“I saw his body torn to pieces by his own attack. I don’t think he intended to survive that.”
“The fool…he failed once again.”
“I don’t think any of the demons survived, though.”
Zamorak scowled. “There are always more of them. Come, let’s go back to Senntisten. We have some last minute work to do.”
Hazeel carried Zamorak, and they departed the barren scene, snow still falling from the recently split sky. In the millennia that have passed since this fateful night, the ice storm remnant of Zaros’s last breath has never stopped on the barren plain of Ghorrock.
----------------------------------
The city of Senntisten had seen better days. It lay mostly in ruins, its people either fled to the countryside or slaughtered by Zamorak’s forces. Chaos ruled, and it did even more so when Zamorak returned to claim the throne.
Malak, Drakan, and Zemouregal were waiting for Zamorak and Hazeel when they returned.
“Is it done?” asked Drakan.
Zamorak nodded. “He is no more.”
They all roared in laughter. “Now, there will be nothing to stop us!* cried Hazeel. “This whole world is ours for the taking!”
“We must be careful,” Zamorak replied quickly. “Humans though they are, they can still fight back. In large numbers, and especially with the aid of Saradomin or Armadyl, they could be worrisome.”
“Humans?”
“I won’t rest until Zaros’s sword is ours. Azzanadra did some work on it…it supposedly has huge stores of magic sealed inside.”
They all looked down awkwardly. “It is not ours?” Zamorak asked.

19-Nov-2009 00:22:46

[#5AGSIZET9]

Posts: 3,564 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“We searched the grounds, in the area Zaros would have thrown it,” Drakan replied. “It is gone; someone else took it.”
“Was it one of yours?”
“I asked them, and they denied it. It was probably one of the Palace Staff.”
Zamorak punched the nearby wall. “I must have that! In the wrong hands, it would be just like fighting another Zaros!” Zamorak paced around, fuming, but then he calmed himself down.
“Well, we have a small reprieve. The magic is locked inside; and it can only be released when all eight gems are in place around its hilt. Six were there, and Zaros had sent the other two into hiding for this purpose. Now, we must wonder where Zaros hid them.”
Suddenly, Zemouregal smiled. “I think I have something that can help on that front,” he said. Then, he pulled out a letter from his pocket. “We apprehended a messenger from Khaseph not long ago. He was bringing this to Zaros.”
Zemouregal passed Zamorak the letter. It was quickly scrawled, and it read, "Zaros, Enakhra turned on me. I'm still alive, though I'm sure she'll make you think I'm dead. The stone you gave me is safe; I take it with me across the sea. I will settle in the West, and I hope to see you again. Amsca."
Zamorak clutched the letter. "There's one," he said. "So, he's going across the sea to the west...He'll come out either on an island or on the other side, past Ikov."
"He was the King of Khaseph," Malak replied. "He would have access to sailors that would know to avoid the islands. No, he's going to get as far away as possible."
"I agree," Drakan added.
Zamorak nodded. "Hazeel, go to the West. Hunt down Amsca, and bring the gem back to me."
Hazeel grinned. "I shall. Right after I kill him."
"That's the plan."
"Zemouregal, try to track down the sword. Malak and Drakan, spread the word among the Sons. We must find that sword."
"Right," they replied in unison, and then the council departed, ending their first and last meeting as the new rulers of the Empire.

19-Nov-2009 00:23:37

[#5AGSIZET9]

Posts: 3,564 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

As they turned to walk out of the throne room, suddenly, a loud explosion rocked the palace. Zamorak bolted for the balcony, followed closely by the rest. As they reached the platform, they cast their eyes off over the city.
From their vantage point, they could see the army approaching the city. It was a coalition that rose up against the new regime; the army was made up of desert dwellers, goblins, and Saradominists. Mages in the front line hurled magical spells at the city, obliterating what lay in their path for the Palace. Zamorak gritted his teeth as he watched them. In front of the army, leading them onward, was the old General Yrota, waving the purple Staff of Zaros's magic.
"Those pesky humans," Drakan spat. "We'll put them down."
Then, as Zamorak looked out into the approaching mass, the dark night sky was cut in two by a beam of light. Standing above the army, in an array of sunlight, was a powerful figure: an old man with long white hair, white and blue robes, a field of light behind him. His face was obscured by the brightness, but Zamorak knew instinctively who it was.
"It's Saradomin!" he cursed. Then, he turned to the rest solemnly. "We have to leave."
"Leave?" demanded Drakan.
"I'm weakened, and so are all of you. This is a strong alliance, and one with a god on their side." None had an answer, they all listened only to Zamorak. "I will go into exile for the moment, until I can find another way to become a god. Hazeel, go to the West and seek out Amsca; have the gem ready for me when I return. Drakan, Malak, you two go to Kharyll. Team up with Lucien and retain control of those lands."
"Understood." And the group split up from there, their destinies thrown to the wind and scattered.

19-Nov-2009 00:24:22

[#5AGSIZET9]

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The army of Yrota stormed the city of Senntisten, but Zamorak and his conspirators were long gone by the time they knocked down the castle doors. Saradomin had succeeded; the new god Zamorak had left Gielinor for the time being, his reign cut short by the humans' last stand. However, even as he left, his vision came true as the curtain of chaos fell over the old Empire. Saradomin's forces became the only power in the region, and Khaseph fell into disrepair after Yrota's death. The Empire, however, was buried immediately, gone forever with the loss of its Empty Lord.

19-Nov-2009 00:24:38

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