Tyranny of Steel

Weeks had passed since the day that the Indian delegation began their long journey home. Currently, the Regent of the AnangpurEmpire Chandra Tomara stood within the confines of the Imperial Palace, in the northwestern corner of the Indian Subcontinent. While his nephew was technically the Emperor, he was, in the fact, the one who held all the power that remained within the hands of his dynasty.

In his hands was an ancient scroll which contained a prophecy as foretold by an obscure oracle whose name had been lost to history. However, one thing was certain: every word that this prophet spoke had come to pass throughout the course of history. This included the rise of the Anangpur Empire, the centuries of prosperity they had lived through, and its eventual decline.

As a fervent believer in the prophecies spoken by this oracle, Chandra was worried about one sentence in particular. Though the passage was short and rather cryptic, he believed it was only a matter of time before it became reality. As he read through the lines of the prophecy for the millionth time in his life, the Regent ’s lips quivered in trepidation.

”In an era of strife and regression, a princess will seduce a one eyed devil from the west. At her behest, this fiend shall bring his endless hordes to bear upon the Indus River Valley, deposing the shadow behind the throne while placing the offspring of their unholy union as sovereign over all of India. In doing so, the halfbreed will ensure centuries of his people ’s servitude to their foreign masters. ”

The moment Chandra read these words, he shivered. He had consulted many scholars over the years, and the wisest of them all had confirmed that they were living within the era of strife and regression, as foretold in the prophecy.

Though the Princess of the Empire was only a little girl at the moment, Chandra knew that one day she would grow into a great beauty and fulfill the prophecy, ensuring that he would ultimately lose the wealth and power he currently held.