Nafis - A Throne Engulfed in Flame

[Reckless Banzai Screamer 15456]

 

The diamond…

 

 

“Are you still there, old rafiqi?”

 

His ‘angel’ was silent.

 

With his right hand cupped over the metal visage he rarely took off these days, Nafis sits quietly on his throne in Ard Ghorrock. The castle he had helped build had now become his prison. And many of those he built it with were long gone, dead or missing from the dangerous line of work taken on by Hallowvale Contracting as sell swords and degeneracy purgers. Albeit alone, the Lord Protector cherished these sorts of moments in solitude however. Closing his eyelids, Nafis’ mind drifts back in reflection of his life.

 

“My vision.”

 

The constant struggle to find some peace in the world had warped the mind of the nearing middle-age Qali. One of the last from old Al-Dirahk, Nafis longed to protect those in his life from the horrors he first faced as a child having lost his kin to the infamous strykewyrms that plagued the sands. As time went on, new threats emerged. Nafis made a controversial name for himself upon his return to Khalestine through his sheer brutality in dealing with dark magi, cultists and other sorts of degenerates. The Qali did not view himself a hero though. He knew he selfishly wanted to return to his old home, his TRUE home, in the forsaken realm of Athera. While he understood location did not make the home, he often questioned what home was without those you grew up with.

 

“Uncle Siris, Ellian, Tessa, Ebram, Isra, Hammon, Ghulam…-Zahrah.”

 

The latter of which perhaps caused him the most inner turmoil for he would never know her fate. In recent years, guilt had plagued the Lord Protector for having given up on his decade long missing wife. Even the Sultaness, whom he considered in his own words ‘a jealous skank’ despite the facade he would portray when dealing with her, criticized him for moving on to the former Emiress Sahárfajhari. While a special place in the marred Lord Protector’s heart was kept special for Zahrah, it was indeed Sahárfajhari who had won his heart and helped him move on. It was sudden, in the heat of the moment when faced with what was considered certain death.

 

“They might write songs of our great escape, outrunning the Dunamian Cavalry for miles until we got to safety. God was on our side.”

 

Nafis knew his new love carried a troubled past however. Did she truly feel the same way for him? Or was she using Nafis to fill some sort of void left by the previous men in her life. Nafis felt that perhaps he even took advantage of the woman unintentionally in her fragile state. In retrospect, he wished they got to know each other back in Al-Dirahk before she was promised to Malik. Things would have been more simpler…-maybe.

 

“But what of Almas?”

 

The Qali had no regrets. While being a single father was challenging and growing up an orphan left Nafis with no example on how to be a father, he managed alright. He carried some insecurities on how the young girl viewed him.

 

“The spitting image of her mother…”

 

Nafis felt he had a duty to raise Almas up and give her a better life than he or her mother had years ago. Not only to Almas, but to Zahrah. The Qali wanted to raise Almas up successfully in defiance of the circumstances Zahrah had left him in. If she were to ever return without a good excuse for her absence, Nafis had a few choice words to say to her - if Almas did not mind him speaking his mind.

 

“You’re my precious diamond, Almas. That’s what your name means afterall. I want to give you the world - I love you so, so much. Even more than God Himself.”

 

And Nafis had a wonderful brother with an odd fascination for livestock to thank for helping look after his pride and joy. Enepay, a fellow street urchin, took Nafis under his wing and after a lucky dinner with the former Queen Ceriwyn and her son Visant they would both go back to Al-Dirahk. Overtime, Nafis considered this fellow orphan a brother which would lead to both good and bad things to come. Nafis viewed Enepay as too idealistic and the latter’s attempts at serving justice got him into trouble a few times such as when he took on the entire Mubarizun in defense of a Raevir man during the Ducal War. While Nafis would have lynched the Crow himself, he came to the defense of his brother which landed them months stuck in Khalestine’s prison. Their relationship was shakey afterwards, but all wounds heal over time. And so did theirs.

 

“How far I’ve come.”

 

Nafis felt credit was due to all of those he fought alongside with over the years. The infamous Lucienist Knight Ehrick Elderon was perhaps one of the first losses he experienced in regards to brothers in arms. Aisha, the twin sister of one of Nafis’ best rafiqis Adil, was long missing. Pyotr Nicodemus had apparently died at the battle Nafis was captured in and subsequently lost his left hand in. There were plenty of others from Hallowvale and Al-Wakrah. Gavin, Rodney, Lexa, Nemir, Decimus..-all dead or missing with Nafis unable to get into touch with those in the latter. Nafis was fortunate enough to have reunited with Darius de Denesle who would become his Lord Constable as he brought Vandoria back into order. The blood spilled to break the nation from the shackles put on by Harold Winter IV and Faiz Kharadeen was unfortunate and Nafis would wonder if there was anything else he could have done to achieve these goals. The young Shaheen Alame, a young Qali wishing to end the Dwarven Occupation of the Northern Bank, was viewed to as a son Nafis never had. His life - cut short by Arlen Kharadeen. For the sake of the nation, Nafis put his qualms aside. But deep down, he wanted to kill every last Kharadeen for gathering the Qalasheen like cattle and then getting so many killed for personal desires.

 

“Those elf fuckers. Race traitors, all of them.”

 

Inspired by John’s speeches of human unity, Nafis had hoped to bring the Qalasheen and Vanders into an era among others of humanity. While he never personally met the late Emperor, they would often write privately to one another discussing ideology and battle plans. While they differed in some morals, these were minor. And at least in Nafis’ opinion, he believed a friendship was fostered between him of peasantry and John of noble birth. And because of that assumed friendship, Nafis would do the late ruler one last favor despite a promise made to Lord Godfrey. who Nafis had grown fond off after finding similarities between himself and the man of Krinford. Nafis believed if John’s dreams of humanity were to see fruition, Almas could grow up in a world safely and marry into some sort of prestigious family. Sahárfajhari could find peace at mind and never again would another Qali endure the same pain she did one fateful day many years ago. Right now, he could only pray that his family would do nothing rash should the worse happen, as he told them a few days ago.

 

“All a dream though.” Nafis mumbles to himself. “What a life.” Breaking from his trance as a man in silk robes, Nafis ***** an eyebrow up.

 

“It is time, Master Nafis.”

___________________________________________________________

 

Flames engulf the Vander throne. The flesh beneath the fully armored figure that sits upon it sizzles as it broils from the alchemist fire. Over time, the flesh blackens - no longer recognizable. The mask of the Vandalore glowing a hot red begins to fuse into the melting face of who wore it, an eye popping out of one of the mask’s sockets before exploding, bits of charred flesh bursting forth on to the carpet before the throne. Upon being discovered, a declaration is made afterwards and is spread across the realm.

 

((credits to Cave_Creature))

 

A portrayal of Nafis during his time in Khalestine Prison during the Ducal War era. His back scarred from the lashings received from Morvan of Orvar alongside his brother Enepay. By those who witnessed the punishment unfold, they say an older Adunian woman by the name of Ellian and a blind woman named Isra Jharar were the only two to give comfort to the two prisoners also brothers who would become Lord Protector and Lord Chancellor respectively. Nafis having learned of the Canonist Faith during his time in Oren fighting for the Crown would come to adopt the faith in secret only to publicly announce his faith upon becoming Lord Protector of Vandoria.

 

“To the people of Vandoria,

It is with great sadness that we deliver the news of the death of the Lord Protector Nafis Yar. A victim of a proclaimed jihad in the name of “Faiz the Incompetent”. The assailant remains at large. As per the law of Vandoria, Lord Constable Darius de Denesle is summoned to Ard Ghorrock to become Lord Regent until a new ruler is picked and last minute affairs are handled. It is at the request of the late Lord Protector’s Will that within the next two Saint’s Days upon his death that Lord Godfrey de Krinford is made the next Lord Protector and the fourth Vandalore and reigning.

 

As for a king, Nafis has picked LEOPOLD OF MARNA to be crowned King of Vandoria. Until he is 16 years of age when he shall be fit to rule as sole ruler of Vandoria, it is requested that Lord Godfrey de Krinford mentor the young King until said age. When Leopold is 16 years of age and has learned the Vander Ideology, he is to be made the fifth Vandalore and reigning. Should Leopold die before he is with child or at his own wish, Lord Godfrey de Krinford will be the designated heir.”

 

Spoiler

 

 

...still shines bright!

“I hope Faiz Kharadeen and the Orvars eat ****, in all honesty.” A hooded, one-eyed Qali mumbles as he leaves Ard Ghorrock with his loyal rafiqi Adil at his side. They head north to Candilan in hopes of reuniting with the "dead man's" family.

 

 

 

[GloriaPreussens 798]

Godfrey would glower at the melted throne, swearing his revenge for his friend Nafis.

[Cat Evocation 3728]

Sarrion would look over the parchment bearing the news, not truly fazed at all.

 

"People die so fast it's astonishing. Let's just hope for the best." He muttered, setting down the parchment before sending off his regards for the mourning of the death of our Lord Protector.

[colovian fur 8360]

Adil offers the one-eyed Qali a cheeky grin. Though Adil walked with a cane, he kept up the pace with one of his few rafiqis left. Staying by his side just as he did when he was a Vander of Hallowvale. He looked back towards the mountains of Hallowvale, a sadness filling inside of him as he knew this would be one of few times he saw the precious peaks ever again. He returned his gaze forward, saying to the mysterious rafiqi at his side.

 

"You think Candilan has choc-ice?"

[Stump 709]

 

"Rest in peace, I suppose."  A youthful Qalasheen girl drawls out while she sits idly by in the fields of Drusco, a patchwork blanket beneath her and a few choice food items placed in a basket. Today she brought a H ookah with her.

[Rig 17581]

Gareth Hawthorne stares on, vowing his revenge on those who stole his comrade's life. They, he thought, will suffer the full extent of his wroth, Orenian or Orvar.

[ℤ∃ʁ∅ 823]

At the docks of Aethermoor, Neero would be fishing as he takes a break from deconstructing his land. He opens the letter, reading slowly.

 

"I can still remember... the day you came to me as I was fishing.. gave me a talk.." he says, closing his eyes. 

 

A small tear would run down his eyes, allowing the fishing rod to twitch idly as a fish or something has tonged on it. 

 

"Thank you for helping choose my path in life..encouraging me to do more and better.." he nods , lifting and reeling in the fish on his hook, opening his eyes to the fish he caught.  

"Even in life.. there is death.. but everyday we can choose to do something with our lives or wait." he grabs the fish off the hook, tossing it back in the ocean. 

"Even with the freedom one can have when caught.. you can always be free.." 

 

The man continues to fish on the dock, silently mourning the passing of a dear friend.

 

 

"Rest well in the skies Nafis.."

[LPT 771]

Tobias sighs upon hearing the news "Another death... They happen so often these days. This man took the first step in becoming a true Canonist, and may GOD see his faith upon his judgement. Rest well in the seven skies"

[Imi 425]

Irsia sighs at the news, a saddened expression crossing her as she begins to mourn the death of the man she considered her dear friend, despite his views of her. 

[AlmondTree 418]

"He caused only problems..good that he is no more. He was no friend."

 

Ceto would cross her arms to simply shake her head.

 

"Traitor."

[Ambduscias 1028]

"A fitting death. While he wasn't a friend in any regard, I hope he didn't suffer too much all told. . ."

 

Vikarr glanced over a parchment regarding this information and eventually file it away under the relevant section, more then glad to see this portion of his life drawn to a cleanly-cut finish.

 

". . Even though he did oust me from my home and job for seemingly no reason. . Actually, on that matter, I hope his screams filled the valleys of Orvar from end to end."

[Heff 2460]

Lucien smiles, welcoming the man he had come to know through a few simple letters into the Skies. "So many of my time are meeting death lately."

[dm420 186]

After hearing the news, Ameen smiles. "Yay! The traitor is finally dead. .thank goodness!" he smiles widely going to run back to the palace.

[tilly 5115]

Moved to the Archive. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.