The Land of the Lost

Chapter 17: Eliana - King Cedrick's Reign

Seventy-six days had slipped by since Louis's departure, leaving Oryn mired in ever-deepening despair. With each passing day under Cedrick's tyrannical rule, the once-vibrant kingdom sank further into ruin, its streets awash with fear and oppression.

King Cedrick, a name that once held no weight in the halls of power, now echoed with authority and dread. His iron-fisted grip tightened around the throats of those who dared to oppose him, crushing dissent with ruthless efficiency. The protests that had once filled the streets with chants of defiance now lay silenced, their voices snuffed out by the threat of swift and merciless retribution.

Under Cedrick's decree, the city streets now lay empty and desolate come nightfall, swallowed by the suffocating darkness of a mandated curfew. The mere act of lingering beyond the confines of one's home past the appointed hour carried the gravest of consequences – a punishment so severe that few dared to risk its wrath.

In his quest for absolute power, Cedrick seized control of the kingdom's information channels, silencing dissenting voices and distorting the truth to serve his own nefarious agenda. The once-diverse tapestry of news sources dwindled to a solitary mouthpiece, spewing forth propaganda designed to poison the minds of Oryn's population.

As Cedrick's insatiable greed knew no bounds, he tightened his grip on the kingdom's dwindling resources, siphoning wealth from the pockets of the impoverished masses to line his own pockets. With each passing day, the specter of famine loomed ever closer, casting a pall of desperation over those who struggled to survive.

Oryn, once hailed as a beacon of prosperity and opportunity, now stood as a stark testament to the depths of depravity that unchecked power could unleash. Even its staunchest allies, such as Arabia, recoiled in horror at the atrocities committed in the name of a false king, pledging allegiance to the rightful ruler, Princess Odette, in defiance of Cedrick's tyranny.

And amidst the chaos and despair that gripped the kingdom, whispers of Princess Odette's fate lingered like a shadow, haunting the hearts of those who refused to surrender hope. Seventy-six days had passed since her departure, and with each passing moment, the chasm of uncertainty widened, threatening to consume all semblance of faith of a brighter tomorrow.