Into the Light - Wilhuff

Into the Light - Wilhuff

	A long time ago, the Highlands of the Realm were ruled by seven kingdoms: The Dwarves, Flamers, Ogres, Flayers, Orcs, Dark Elves, and the most feared of all, the dreaded Night Elves. The Night Elves were a fierce, bloodthirsty people led by King Xaern and Queen Renee. For many decades, Xaern led his armies across the highlands, intent on conquering all seven kingdoms in the name of their god, Lacerta, the Great Lizard. After an eternity of bloodshed, the Night Elves had finally united all the Highlands under their banner, and for the first time in a millenia, peace reigned across the Highlands. Then one day, they, the Scum, creatures born from the darkness invaded the prosperous Kingdom. The Night Elves fought valiantly against the monstrous invaders for many years. Time and time again, the Scum would come seeking the great wealth and resources of the Highlands for themselves, only to be driven back every time. But the creatures would always return not long after, the dead seemingly returning in their hordes again, and again. And the cycle continued.
        As the days turned into years, the Night Elves had locked their enemies into a stalemate. Their superior weaponry and numbers always turned back the hideous Scum, until one day a Scum brandishing a sword and a traditional ogre shield painted gray and gold appeared. The beast was powerful, cutting through swaths of Night Elves, forcing Queen Renee to challenge it herself. The fight was furious, but in the end, the Night Elf Queen fell in battle. Saddened and filled with anger by the death of his wife, King Xaern furiously attacked the sword wielding creature, gutting it as it breathed its last cry of ‘Ppe btw lel xd’, its body falling to the ground, becoming still. Unsatisfied and enraged beyond reason, Xaern journeyed alone to the forsaken lands of the Scum, beyond the Highlands, hunting and slaughtering them like cattle, littering the land with their descreated carcasses. Unfortunately, everything has its price. After weeks of senseless carnage, Xaern returned to find his once beautiful kingdom in ruins. The Scum had attacked and destroyed it when he was gone. Xaern fell to his knees as he surveyed the destruction: the mutilated bodies of his people were strewn everywhere like the Scum he had killed, their heads mounted atop sharpened pikes; homes reduced to smoldering piles of rubble; everything was gone. Filled with shame for his failure to protect his people, Xaern exiled himself into the wilderness to forever seek redemption.
Rain poured as a storm blew across the highlands. Xaern pulled his cloak over his face as he struggled to walk across the plains, the wind and rain tearing about. Even though it had been a long time since the destruction of his kingdom at the hands of the Scum, the deposed king could think of nothing but his failure. His heart sank as he thought of all his friends, his family, everyone he had lost, all because he wasn’t there when his people had needed him most. He had been selfish, going out on his own to slaughter as many Scum as he could to avenge the loss of his wife. But in doing so, he had now lost everything. “I should’ve died alongside my people.” thought Xaern bitterly as he kicked at the grass feebly. “Lacerta. Why didn’t you protect us? What is my destiny now?” lamented Xaern as he collapsed upon the cold ground, utterly defeated. Ever since that day, he had been wishing for redemption, wishing for death.
A ray of light shone upon Xaern’s face, his eyelids fluttered as he awoke, shuddering and shivering from the cold. As his red eyes glanced upwards, he saw a silhouette standing before him. The figure extended a scaly green hand to Xaern. It was the god of his people, Lacerta, the Great Lizard. Xaern was speechless as his god lifted him up to his feet. The storm had subsided; the cold, harsh winds replaced with warm, gentle light. Lacerta himself seemed to emanate with light, his green scales shimmering like emeralds. Xaern could barely speak. “L..Lacerta.” he whispered breathlessly as the green god watched him with its yellow eyes. Xaern heard laughter. Craning his head, he saw his people, the Night Elves, were following Lacerta. The Lizard God gestured for Xaern to look, the fallen king seeing what appeared to be a settlement on the horizon, a place where his people were alive, untouched by the Scum. Tears welled up in Xaern’s eyes as he turned to Lacerta. “Thank you, my friend. For everything.” he whispered as Lacerta watched on with his yellow eyes, watching as Xaern walked away, fading into the light on the horizon.
To this day, Xaern still follows his master, the Lizard God, wherever the latter may go, forever entranced by the Lizard God’s hypnotic illusions of a renewed kingdom.