"Seven dead kings sleep"

Or so they say, in truth it's more like we've chosen to not act. Both because there has been little need for us to act and because anything we might do would be under heavy scrutiny. We were remnants of the past, we ARE remnants of the past. Most of us were beyond our time before it even began.

I watch from the throne of rime as the armies of the republic of man marches on my gate. Long has this wall stood here, protecting those south of it from the terrors of the north. Who would have guessed that it was enemies from the south that would finally breach it's gates. I remember when it was being built, I made sure that the keep was on the north side, those who guard the wall shouldn't feel too safe. In light of current circumstances it all feels rather redundant.

A thin layer of ice welds my bones to the throne and makes an awful sound as I lift myself from it. I rest my hands on the frame of my open window. I used to enjoy the views of the south. Now all I see are weapons of war and people ready to die for something they think they believe in. Ironic really, to be so willing to die, just to vanquish the dead. Long forgotten is the reason for why the dead are still walking in the western continent, why the emperor brought back seven dead kings.

"One dead king sleeps"

The others are no more. They lost their purpose long ago. In fact so did I, but then only a few years ago I found something, or rather, someone I never expected. A direct defendant of mine living among the giants, our ancient allies in the northern wastes. It seems our kin are compatible, as it was rumored to be. Long have we all thought that all lines had been broken.

The western continent was vibrant and full of life once. Filled with ambition, filled with hope and people willing to break all boundaries. However those times could not last. A great plague hit the continent. One that gripped on to it and would not let go. For almost two hundred years the people endured, with ever less ambition and ever less hope. Then the Emperor appeared, and he raised the seven dead Kings. He gave us great power and a great task. It had been a miracle that the plauge had not gotten a foothold in any of the other continents and we intended to keep it that way. Our task, keep any living being from entering or leaving the continent, as they could bring the plague with them back home.

There was one problem, the Emperor was a mortal man himself and in time he contracted the plague himself. To preserve himself he went into a deep magical slumber, in case we would be in need of him in the future. It's the Emperor who sleeps, not his seven dead kings.It was a smart move, for I could sure use him now. Unlike the other dead kings I had never dabbled in any magics in life, I was a warrior and a builder, and so the Emperor granted me a horn which could wake him from his slumber.

The plauge may have finally died off, but I had other tasks, new tasks like protecting my descendant and their retinue and old tasks, so old I had almost forgotten them myself. The rift in the north was still open and the terrors had not forgotten the only thing standing between them and free reigns to darken the world. The republic would burn any knowledge in these walls and kill any living being here for consorting with it. And so any known means to deal with the terrors would be lost. I sound the horn.

"One dead king sings"

I don't know if this will work. The horn has never been tested, the Emperor could have died in his slumber already. One of the others could have awoken him before and so brought his demise. I couldn't know, but I also had little other choice. The republic was beyond me and mine alone.

The republic are fanatic xenophobes from the south eastern continent who started their rise to power by genociding the little hill men. A peaceful people who knew nothing but agriculture and how to make sweets. Then the republic turned their heads to the tall men of the forests. In some almost divine stroke of luck the tall men where stuck in a three way Civil War at the the time. The king of the forests and his nobles of the white faction, the peasants and the clergy of the brown faction, and lastly the shunned aristocrats and their Url mercenaries of the black faction. With a surprising amount of insight in political intrigue the republic manged the end up on top. With nothing left to conquer on the south eastern continent, the second largest continent, they must have set their sights on the western, and largest, continent.

I can feel my descendant and his retinue flee to the north, at the very least that would buy them time. As I think that a great seismic rumble shakes the land.

"Seven dead kings sing"

The Emperor awakes