Elements of Glory: The Princess of Nothing

’We Mugwamps do wat we’s do, and serven whose we serven, and that’s bein what’s bein, and I’m the one whom’s leadin, so I’m him whose sayin whom we’s serven!’

-Tall Turum, to his Mugwamp followers, one cycle ago

THE FOREST OF EVERDARK

In the middle of a deep, dark, swampy forest stood a massive gnarled tree. The tree itself was so large that smaller trees had started to grow on its mossy, twisted, roots, the way a forest grows up on hills, for the roots were as big as hills, and they dug deep into the mucky ground. Great smelly lakes of water surrounded the tree, and gathered at its base; and further, they spread out through the whole forest.

The tree was great and ugly and horrible. It looked dead, but it wasn’t. In fact, great leaves grew from its branches, but they were different somehow… dark and thorny. They looked evil, and had poison in their thorns. High, high in the lofty branches of the ugly tree, was a structure that looked almost like a castle, and it was even built from stone, black as night, grafted into the branches of the trees, and built up, up, with walls, and great spear-like towers.

Anyone who ventured this far into this swampy forest would marvel and tremble at the sight before them. Though with all the awful Mugwamps that infested the forest, they wouldn’t tremble long. And Mugwamps were only part of the problem.

There was much evil in this forest.

The Forest of Everdark.

High above, in the sky, black, churning, clouds, which never fled, stirred angrily. Now and again thunder would rumble, or lightning flash. The Forest of Everdark was a fearsome and loathed place, and as much as the Weral Kingdom was feared by the people in the Seven Kingdoms, the Forest of Everdark, which lay north of the Weral Kingdom, was feared even more. People would pass through the Weral Kingdom during they day.

No one, unless they were a very foolish being, or a creature of darkness themselves, would even enter the Forest of Everdark!

Once Ratikgurr had ruled there, and the Mugwamps and other evil had served him.

Now there was a new ruler, a new master as King in the highest tower of the Dark Castle.

Servantt the Master sat in a tall, spiky, black throne. He wore black armour and a hooded cloak over his large body. His face was hidden in darkness. Only his glowing, yellow, eyes shone out. He wore no crown, and had no weapons on his person.

He needed neither.

People could feel his power when they were near him, and, if anyone was foolish enough to challenge that power… they would be destroyed.

The walls of the dark throne room were filled with stone figures, frozen in time, all fools, Human and other races, who’d dared to challenge Servantt and all the Dark Masters before him.

But none were more powerful than Servantt.

Standing on the left hand of Servantt was the Demoness – the one that Ratikgurr had thought was working for him. He’d been a fool. Like so many fools before him. None would have ever suspected Servantt. No one would believe he was the force of such darkness in the world today, if they had any clue who he really was.

Who he’d been.

It mattered not, soon he would rule everything!

The tall and black steel doors of the throne room creaked open, and Servantt stared across the chamber, his yellow eyes glowing as Tall Turum – the High Chief of the Mugwamps – strode inside, bearing a tall staff with a glowing end. Tall Turum was followed by shorter, ugly, grey-skinned Mugwamps.

Mugwamps came in all shapes and sizes – thin, short, fat, tall. Their faces had exaggerated features – large noses, sagging cheeks, wide chins. There was almost every variation, and some even grew horns out of their heads – like the long-faced, bearded, High Chief did.

Tall Turum knelt before Servantt, laying his staff on the floor. His minions prostrated themselves behind him.

‘What word from the Dead Man?’ Servantt asked Tall Turum.

‘His Voglons and Trolls failed him. The Element of Glory was stolen away,’ Turum said in a low, croaking, voice.

Servantt clenched his big hands into tight fists. ’How is he dealing with this turn of events?’ The Dark Master’s voice was a low growl.

‘Them minions who failed was killed in blood and guts an all that!’ Tall Turum said, smirking, his long, hideous, face looking even more so when she showed his stubby, rotting, yellow teeth.

Servantt sneered in the shadows of his hood. ’And why has he sent you slime to me?’

‘He’s be askin’ for more Mugwamp warriors. He says my peoples will get the jobs done!’ Tall Turum’s face filled with pride. ‘And we will, I’m telling you, that’s not a lie, for sure!’

’The Mugwamps have been hidden in the Forest of Everdark for decades… You are myth and stories to most. You want me to send you into the world now?’ Servantt asked.

‘What I’m askin’ is why not?’ Tall Turum offered. ‘And we are ready, too!’ the Mugwamp Chief announced boldly, slapping his narrow chest. ‘Let us Mugwamps spread fear and destruction again! Let us slash and burn and kill!’

The Mugwamps behind Tall Turum stirred and cackled in pleasure.

‘Why else is it that you would have grown our armies so much? I’m thinkin’ this is the reason. Trolls and Hools and Voglons, they be useful, but they be not Mugwamps! We were the first evil minions, created by the First Dark Master. Let us be doin’ that thing what we be doin’ better’n all the best.’ Tall Turum bowed his head low. ‘Let us do our job, this I beg.’

Servantt smiled. ’I believe you can… but let me tell you this. I want the Elements of Glory killed, and all of their allies. Leave no survivors… leave nothing…’ He held up a finger. ’Though, and listen carefully because this is most important… you will not harm the Element called... Samantha… she is mine!’

‘I thought there be only two Elements left,’ Tall Turum commented.

‘No,’ Servantt responded darkly, ’there are six… all but one, must die. Is that clear? Find them all. Kill the five males, leave the woman for me. Leave Samantha for me!’

Tall Turum bowed his head to the floor. ‘Yes, Dark Master, of course Dark Master. We will do your order, and we will do well.’

‘Then be about it,’ Servantt growled, waving his hand, dismissing the smelly swamp dwelling Mugwamps.

They chattered to themselves excitedly as they hurried away. Servantt watched them go, and stroked his hairy chin. He turned and looked at the Demoness beside him.

’Make sure they do their job, my dear. Report to me often,’ Servantt commanded.

The Demoness bowed her head. ’It will be done, Dark Master.’

Servantt smiled again as she strode out of the throne room too. They would all serve him, and they would not fail. He was most sure of that. He had worked long and hard toward this point. His long road was almost over, and when all the Elements of Glory were destroyed – save Samantha – and when all of their allies were laid to waste too, Servantt… and Samantha… would take over the world!

No one would see it coming.

No one.