Jinta and the High Ruler
By
Master Ippi
Prologue
For thousands of years, peace has ruled over the vast Realm of Dunabar, covering the entire history since the discovery and use of the Supreme Sorcerers Orb of Peace. The Supreme Sorcerers being the beings that created the Orbs of Power at the beginning of the age, and dying out just as mysteriously as they came into being. Unfortunately, the Orb shattered into thousands of pieces when the spell had been cast, and scattered across the entire land. This was the Highest Orb ever created, large enough that the pieces didn't disappear as a normal Orb would if destroyed, as normal Orbs are very small and extremely fragile against weapons, yet strong enough to sustain a lot of magical damage.
These pieces of the Peace Orb could be found and held and be recreated. Over the thousands of years, almost all of the pieces have been recovered, but one still remains to be lost to the ages. Without this vital piece, peace will not come back if the Orb is needed to be used again.
However, the High Ruler and High Knight, also known as the Eternal Twins and several versions of this name, some not suitable for proper conversation, protect the peace with a heavy hand, but they are not chastised, because it is understood that without their wisdom and battle prowess, chaos will ensue again. With the birth of every twin, which happens always when the old High Ruler and High Knight are near their deathbed for a natural death, are taken from their parents and trained in the ways of the Ancient Practices. The Elders train the new High Twins daily, one in the ways of the Mind, the other in the ways of the Sword. The ways of the Mind are the things associated with negotiations and planning. The ways of the Sword, are battle tactics and techniques.
Nobody seems to recall why the Supreme Sorcerers created the Orbs in the first place, or what materials were used in the Orbs. All anyone ever seems to know is that the Orbs can be found in the wild, and ancient texts have been found and translated. The work that the Supreme Sorcerers have started can be continued, creating new Orbs with the ancient spells. A very elite few have found ways to bottle new magics and create entirely new Orbs, albeit not nearly as strong as the Ancient Ones, and of a highly inferior quality, sometimes backfiring on the one that activated the Orb, making these Orbs cheap enough for the masses to purchase, if one wishes to take the risk that they shall survive. A very few deaths have been noticed. One very bizarre case had their insides on the outside, and their outsides, on the inside.
There are hundreds of types of spells, from Battle, Healing, Stealth, Elemental, Movement, and several industrial classifications. Once invoked, the spell takes a full night and day to recharge, to refill with the mystical energies to be recast, although you may have several of the same type of spell. If, however, a spell Orb shatters, every Orb within a ten mile radius with the same spell contained within is depleted for the next thirty hours.
Lately, however, chaos seems to be coming back into the Perfect Realm, and the search for the Final Piece for the Orb of Peace hastens. A war will soon break out, for the Magic of the Orbs is selective, seeking to be used by a precious few. There are people that believe that the power should be shared with all, and that the Users, people that the Orbs of Power have chosen to work for, manipulate the mystical forces and horde the Power for themselves, choosing a select few amongst the higher ranks of the people to fill the positions left behind by Users that retired or passed away. The armies that are allied against the Users, consisting of people who want the Power, but are denied by the Orbs, are known as the Devoids. They are led secretly by a User himself, ostracized by society, for he manipulates the dead. The Orbs chose him for that power he claims, but the fear of what he can do led to his being an outcast. He seeks the Final Piece himself, for his idea of peace means death to those that kicked him out.
