One-Eyed Monster

The Spirit Communication Spell drastically altered the situation at the time, intimidating the unstoppable Mantai army.

The Mantai army, hardened by perennial battles, had grown accustomed to all forms of death. They were unfazed by the savage cruelty of Mountain Monsters or the cunning deceitfulness of Dwarves. However, they had never witnessed The Dead rising to their feet, much less clawing their way out from beneath the earth.

The appearance of the army of The Dead left the ferocious Mantai army frozen in place. They could brandish their scimitars at enemies, but they could not bring themselves to strike comrades who had once fought by their side.

These seasoned warriors retreated, thoroughly intimidated by the scene unfolding before them.

Fear comes from the unknown, from what used to be familiar, from the gradual distortion of the familiar into the unknown...

For a battle-hardened army to feel such fear was profoundly unnatural. This terror robbed the valiant Mantai troops of their will to fight. Consequently, with the Mantai retreat, Kayne’s already precarious defensive wall stood firm once more. The Kayne People, who had nearly lost all hope, saw it rekindled. Inspired by the spectacle before them, they rallied, their spirits soaring, their confidence growing with each passing moment.

The defensive battle was arduous. Even a demoralized Mantai army possessed formidable combat strength, and the Kayne Empire’s forces were simply no match. Had it not been for the army of The Dead summoned by the Spirit Communication Spell, the Kayne Empire would likely have faced annihilation at that very moment. Indeed, without this Spirit Communication Spell, the Kayne Empire might have ceased to exist entirely.

The Mantai army’s retreat granted the Kayne People a vital respite, during which they began to re-evaluate the Spirit Communication Spell.

This spell had helped them repel the Mantai army and momentarily secure their defenses. By any common understanding, such a spell should have been revered as a sacred edict and accorded the highest honor.

However, the third-generation King Kayne harbored his own reservations. He was neither swayed by this temporary victory nor intimidated by the Mantai formations. He steadfastly continued the defense according to the plan he and the Scholars had devised.

During the reign of the third-generation King Kayne, Wizards were not yet fully established. Those who emerged as Wizards from the ranks of Scholars held considerable status. They had uncovered principles governing Natural Force and discovered phenomena that transcended conventional understanding, terming these discoveries ”spells.”

The Spirit Communication Spell was one such discovery, and it played a massive role in Kayne’s ensuing defensive battles.

Due to its peculiar nature, the third-generation King Kayne felt little affinity for the Spirit Communication Spell. It wasn’t that he failed to recognize its immense power or utility; rather, a profound reverence for The Dead, seated deep within his heart, could not reconcile with the shock the spell induced. Those who have passed, he believed, should remain in the Eternal Tranquility Realm, undisturbed. The impact of seeing the deceased claw their way out from the earth once more was unimaginable.

The third-generation King Kayne resolved to use the Spirit Communication Spell only in the most desperate situations. He had considered it at length; even with the Mantai army pressing at their gates, he would not employ it rashly. Only as an absolute last resort would they turn to this spell.

The reign of the third-generation King Kayne was predominantly marked by defensive warfare. The Kayne People were like lambs to the slaughter on the continent, perceived as the weak ripe for elimination; any power could harass them at will.

The Kayne Realm, having just greatly defeated the Mantai army, did not enjoy peace for long. Although the Mantai army had suffered grievous losses and was unlikely to invade again soon, the Vero People to the southeast faced their own pressures. Oppressed by Tree Spirits in their lands and suffering from food shortages, they inevitably cast their covetous gaze upon the Kayne Realm.

However, the Vero People made the same mistake as the Mantai People before them: they underestimated the strength of the Kayne People. The supposedly weak had suddenly become strong, catching the Vero People completely unprepared.

Vero raiding parties were annihilated by Kayne Hunters before they could even set foot in Kayne territory. This successful ambush popularized the role of the Hunter within the Kayne Realm. Everyone harbored dreams of heroism, and in the Kayne Realm, the surest path to becoming a hero was to defend one’s homeland from invasion.

Like the Mantai People, the Vero People were astonished by Kayne’s transformation. They too mustered a large army and launched a ferocious assault on Kayne, and inevitably, the Spirit Communication Spell was once again brought into play.

The Spirit Communication Spell became an increasing point of reliance for some Scholars, to the extent that some even proposed elevating it to the status of national law.

Observing this trend, King Kayne identified a grave problem. He realized that over-reliance on this spell would undermine their well-trained reserve of Soldiers. The spirit of unity and shared determination against common enemies, once so prevalent, would undoubtedly weaken.

This sense of impending crisis compelled the third-generation king to confront his apprehensions. He gathered the Scholars to once again discuss the fundamental issue at hand. The question remained: how should Spellcraft truly be managed?

These spells granted them command over Natural Force, endowed them with abilities far exceeding those of ordinary people, and crucially, dispelled their fear of the formidable Mantai and Vero. The power derived from this Spellcraft provided them with the means to resist, making it worthy of meticulous transcription onto scrolls.

After extensive debate, most forms of Spellcraft were indeed inscribed onto scrolls, celebrated for their contributions to the defense of the land. To this day, many members of the Wizard Alliance still speak of this ancient achievement with considerable pride.

Naturally, the Spirit Communication Spell was among them. However, opinions among the Scholars diverged sharply on how this particular spell should be handled.

One faction believed this spell should be commemorated and esteemed above all others. After all, it had been employed at the Kayne Realm’s most perilous moments, saving the nation and rekindling the Kayne People’s will to fight. Therefore, they argued, such a spell should be remembered, promoted, and kept ready for future need.

Conversely, another faction contended that the spell should be forgotten entirely. They argued that it disturbed the Eternal Tranquility Realm and violated the peace of The Dead. Forcing The Dead to fight for the living was, in their view, a tragedy far too grim to be lauded.

King Kayne weighed his own considerations. He understood that during this precarious period, he lacked absolute confidence in their ability to repel the assaults of the Vero and Mantai relying solely on their existing forces. However, to depend entirely on this Spellcraft would be a profound desecration of those who have passed, he mused. Such disrespect could very well provoke disturbances within the Eternal Tranquility Realm—a realm about which we know virtually nothing. If we were to awaken more unknown entities that we then couldn’t control, the homeland we’ve fought so desperately to protect would simply descend into another kind of Hell...

King Kayne deliberated long and hard, meticulously weighing every potential consequence.

Ultimately, he decided to have the spell inscribed onto a scroll. However, he also decreed that this scroll must be sealed away. Until a time of absolute necessity, no one was to be permitted to break its seal.

This was the history of the scroll’s sealing—a compromise born from King Kayne III’s prolonged contemplation. This solution prevented the Kayne People from becoming dependent on the spell while also avoiding further disturbance to the deceased residing in the Eternal Tranquility Realm.

King Kayne entrusted this sealing task to his most capable retainers. Following ancient methods, they selected a tract of Wilderness for this purpose. This chosen Wilderness was, naturally, Guru Mountain.

Employing a variety of arcane methods, they sealed the entire scroll. Then, they too bound themselves to its fate, sealing themselves away with it.

No one, not even King Kayne III, ever learned what became of these individuals. He knew only that the spell was secured, sealed away, and that his loyal subordinates had fulfilled their formidable charge.