The Legend of Aldwin Daist
The Cadonian Desert. The massive, dry, and barren wasteland, which to most people was not home to anybody, daring enough to live there. Except those people exclude the Cadonians. The descendants from those of the west, who live between the Cadonian Alps to the north, and the Brendier Canyons to the southeast, all thanks to the Mezalea River. Now dried up, the river was once flourishing with life. Fish lived in it, and plants grew on its sides.
These Cadonians had great cities, but none as great as Kisa, the capital of the central state Petria. Kisa, unfortunately, was ruled by a Malicious Tyrant, Abdulah. His eyes spoke evil, and his voice was vile. He stood tall with bony hands and arms, and crooked teeth. However, there lived in a small hut, a cottar named Aldwin Daist. he lived with his wife, Aliyah, and three children. Two were seven, and one other was just under five.
He and his wife ran a small fishing business but gained little money. They, just like many others, were too poor to afford fancy items, like leggings, or luxury food. Aldwin was generous and humble. He had deft skills in the art of thievery, although he never used it.
Aldwin Daist began to intrigue a plan to get money. During the night, he was getting ready to carry out his scheme, when he was caught by Aliyah, "Where are you going?" She asked. Aldwin turned to her and lied that he was going out to buy potatoes. He tricked her, and they each said goodbye. Aldwin closed the door, and as the shadows lengthened, he journeyed to the temple.
The road was long and winding. It wended through the city and ended at the temple, where the Pharaoh Abdulah lived. Aldwin traveled through marketplaces, and by large palaces.
At last, Aldwin made it to the temple. He marveled in awe at the spectacular sight. The temple was colossal and had two wings on its left and right sides. The wings each had a tall tower, each capped with an orange dome. In the middle was a pyramid, capped with its own wider tower, that had a blue dome, covered with golden accessories.
The door itself was a striking sight. The doors had sandstone pillars, with Great sphinxes in front of each. Each with gold and lapis crowns, and ruby eyes.
Aldwin's first aim was to get inside the temple, which meant that he would have to evade the two guards in front of the door. The guards had bronze spears and helmets, the second most advanced in the land of Himphi, under the Jormans with their iron arrows and knives.
Aldwin quickly thought up a plan, and he ran up to the guards. They asked him about his doings, and he responded by attacking violently. They charged at him, with golden-colored shields, and Aldwin ran. They chased him into the undergrowth by the river, but he hid under the bushes. He threw a rock onto the street, and the guards left to investigate.
Aldwin sprinted to the door, and opened it, closing it with a loud smash. Inside the room was a long hall, lit up with torches, and decorated with statues of dunejackals and gods. The sides of the hall had columns in between each statue, and in front of the columns were long streams of water. In the middle was a long and decorated carpet that led to the end of the room, where a gem lay on an altar.
Aldwin walked to the gem, and felt it, but was greeted by an unwanted host. A giant scarab beetle, larger than Aldwin's head, speedily flew toward Aldwin, with pinching mandibles. The Beetles elytra were green, and its body was black, with red eyes. Aldwin grabbed his knife from his pocket and swung at the beetle, knocking it to the side. Unfortunately, it made a loud call with its wings, and out of the eyes and mouths of every statue flew another large scarab beetle. Each of them flew toward Aldwin.
Aldwin was grateful to see that behind him was the door to the next room, and he lunged for the room beyond the door, slamming it shut behind him. Aldwin breathed violently, and was tired, but he was greeted by a great stone statue. The statue held a spear and was wielding it threateningly toward Aldwin's face. "What is your business here, peasant?" It asked, with a low, lofty voice.
Aldwin tried to move away, but the statue's grip was too strong, so he took his knife from the floor. He could see that although the statue was made of stone, its eyes were organic. He lifted his arms and stabbed the statue in the eye.
The statue let go of Aldwin and put its hands over its face, weeping. Aldwin rushed away, into the next room. The next room was tall, and stairs lined its walls. The stairs were wooden and were stained with the finest oils in the land. He could smell the fragrance of the wooden steps. He jumped up the stairs to the next level, which led to another hall.
At the end of this hall, there was a door. This door Aldwin predicted was the Pharaoh's chamber. Aldwin slowly crept into the room and pushed the door ajar. Inside he could see the pharaoh, asleep in his room. Aldwin moved inside the room and looked at his surroundings. The pharaoh slept in a bed brimmed with gold, and piles of gold leaned upon the walls. On the floor, there was a golden staff, with the head of a snake on the end. The snake had eyes made of rubies and a golden tongue.
Aldwin picked up the staff and looked into the snake's eyes. To Aldwin's surprise, the snake hissed, and flicked its tongue at Aldwin, awakening the pharaoh.
"Who are you to come into my home, and take what is rightfully mine?" The pharaoh yelled. Guards swarmed the surrounding hall, and they were coming towards Aldwin. "Aldwin, the peasant," Aldwin said with a loud voice. I have come to free all the people of Kisa, and the whole of Petria!" Aldwin raised the staff and whacked the pharaoh's head. He dropped dead.
The guards stopped coming toward Aldwin. "The king is dead!" They cheered. Aldwin smiled. It was that day that all of Petria was liberated from the rule of the greedy tyrant, Abdulah. The people thought it was right for Aldwin to become pharaoh, and he and his family became rich. Unlike Abdulah, however, Aldwin gave his riches away to others and was generous.