The Book of Amascut

Chapter 6

So long years of tense peace dragged on. Trade overland though the pass of the Mehkmets was impossible, since the pass was in the control of the Dark Imperator's army. Though Zaros greatly desired the Kharid's resources, he imposed a blockade in trade with the Kharid. But the overland route was all he could stop, as the navies of Tumeken and Elidnis's peoples conspired with the the navy of Saradomin's people to keep Zaros out of the southern and eastern seas. Confined to the two great rivers bracketing the former lands of the Mehkmets and the frozen seas of the north, Zaros' long shadow did not darken the sea trade. Saradomin expanded his control over the southern shores of the continent and the islands of the south sea, which the false Lord of Light, god of the bird-like Icyene, ruled over with an iron fist. It was for the greater good of denying Zaros a port on the Southern Sea. And in this, he had the co-operation of Armadyl, false Lord of Justice and Peace, god of the man-like Aviansie. But now the Kharid was surrounded by seas heavily plied by Saradomist ships to the north-east and to the west and trade with followers of the false Lord of Light only improved, at best, from sour to bittersweet.

As darkness spread in the world above less souls arrived in the underworld deserving of the afterlife and Icthlarin began to doubt Amascut's intentions. He feared the day that no soul would be judged worthy of continued existence and all would be devoured by the Devourer. That, and the continued accidental slayings of the Mahjarrat by the Priesthood of the Lioness set the sibling Lords of Death quarreling. Still, Icthlarin had neither eyes nor ears to know what his people were doing in secret, especially the misdeeds of Sliske and his allies. And neither did Tumeken, as he could only see his children fight over trivial things. He left Elidinis's side, perhaps thinking her responsible for the flaws in their children, and set to create divine children with only his power.

The growth in skill and numbers of the Priesthood of the Lioness and of those that followed the ways of the slayer had helped push the battle temporarily beyond the Zarosian fortification of Kharid-Et which was now isolated and under siege. Yet Tumeken, on his way to survey the lands won back, passed by without assisting those laying siege to the fortress. He visited the lands of the Bedabin, who had fled south to join the rest of the Kharid. He visited Auspah, whose people had been forcibly relocated north by Zaros. And then he visited the pass of the Mehkmets, which was held by the Mehkmets once again, and there he elevated a guard to godhood to honor the Mehkmets and all who fought for the Kharid. He then passed to the west coast of the Kharid, where a verdant jungle grew, and feeling mischievous he elevated a monkey to godhood. He passed to the east coast, to Ullek, a city that had grown rich in trade with the Hallowlands, and they threw him an grand feast. In gratitude and in commemoration of the gluttonous feast, he picked a crocodile from Ullek's swamps and raised it to godhood. And finally to the southern shore, in its lonely sad dunes, Tumeken elevated a scarab beetle to godhood, just to prove his power and to bother a shy, lowly creature. He saw these new gods as his true children, wrought entirely by his own power, and he loved them more than Amascut and Icthlarin, flawed children of Tumeken and Elidinis and their flawed love.

It wasn't long until Zaros again held all the lands north of Kharid-Et, despite these new gods and the Mahjarrat and the slayers and Priesthood of the Lioness. There arose a new horror in Zaros' army, a chimera of Icyene, Aviansie, Vampyre, and Demon Slave, with frightful power and frightful intelligence. Zaros' angel of death commanded a legion of her own, and many slayers tested her strength, but their efforts resulted in naught. Darkness continued to spread within the Kharid as well, and none except Amascut knew its source but she held her tongue until she knew with certainty that she could convince her brother of the truth. Soon she had her proof. Her Priesthood uncovered a large gathering of Sliske's wights, and bringing along Icthlarin, she went to the temple that hid the wights. Towering above it, Amascut tore the ceiling of of the temple, but with difficulty, for Enakhra the temple builder had weaved foul spells to keep the the stones bound to each other and the eyes of the gods away from it. Amascut invited Icthlarin to inspect the interior, and he saw a a small army of wights, standing shoulder to shoulder, awaiting their commander. Recognizing the spellwork that both animated them and held them fast, Ictharin summoned Sliske and demanded he release the souls gathered there to the Underworld. Sliske pleaded with Ictlarin, telling him that the wight army would be the new immortal defense against Zaros, and as Zarosian forces inevitably fell, their numbers would add to those of the Kharid. Many already in Sliske's army were infact former Zarosians, slain by Sliske himself and now bound to serve him. In great anger, Icthlarin chastised Sliske, and Amascut was suprised that this wasn't the first time Sliske's nefariousness was uncovered. Icthlarin severed the wights' bonds and sent the freed souls to the underworld himself. Sliske never looked abashed or angered, but only smiled as he graciously dismissed himself.

Amascut's surprise turned to angry disbelief and she ground the temple and the buildings around it to dust. She let Icthlarin know all she knew of Sliske's secret deeds and of the shared lineage of Icthlarin's Stern Judges and Zaros, the Empty Lord himself. This Elidinis and Tumeken overheard, causing Tumeken to become troubled. Tumekel the loyal heard too, and he confessed that Sliske and many other mahjarrat had spoken to Zaros at Kharid-Et, and Zaros had claimed that the Mahjarrat were his siblings and that he would restore the power they had lost in the war.

But it was far too late to act on this, for many of the mahjarrat had grown weary of being servile to Icthlarin and were ready to betray him, conviced by Sliske's manipulation. Among these were Azzanadra the Pious, Zamorak the Ambitious, Palkeera the Shadow-Warper, Enakhra the Temple Builder, Wahisietel the Curious, and Zemouregal the Vain. At Kharid-Et they pledged loyalty to Zaros with Demon Lord Ceres as their witness. As proof of their loyalty they added their fearsome power to Zaros' legions, and once again the legions marched far into the Kharid.

Tearfully, Tumeken gathered his children, both those made with Elidinis' help and on his own, and Elidinis herself, and Tumekel and the remaining loyal mahjarrat, and the masses of humanity still willing to fight the coming tide of darkness. They were to fight, they were to sacrifice, and the Kharid would forever remember them, for the Kharid would survive. Temekel and the few loyal Mahjarrat led the massed humanity in a last desperate charge of the Light against the Dark, and Tumeken now a towering colossus of light and fire, lumbered behind them. Elidinis withdrew to the river, and slowly, all that was green became brown and dry and shriveled. Amascut, realizing the secret meaning of her father's words, started begging him and then screaming at him to stop, as his four younger creations held her. Her pleading quickly became anger at the betrayal by her father's pets and at Icthlarin standing proud, with joyful tears in his eyes and arms crossed, as his father marched into battle. Tumeken raised his luminous arms and Amascut cursed all involved in this treachery as white light and immense heat, as if the sun itself had touched the earth, blinded and reduced all to ash.