The Adler Empire was rapidly fading from its former glory. The once great power that once ruled the four corners of the world was now rotting from within. The vast lands to the north were defenceless against the barbarian attacks that threatened their borders. In the harbour cities of the south, epidemics raged, the people starved, and the nobles continued to live in luxury. As if all this were not enough, defeated kingdoms and empires were gathering forces to reclaim their lost territories.

Emperor Tiberius sighed deeply as he watched the capital from the large balcony of the palace. The sky was covered in grey clouds, just like the mood he was in. His once shoulder-length golden hair was now grey and the vigour in his eyes had given way to a dull look. The heavy defeats he had suffered had opened deep wounds in his body and soul.

For a long time, a single thought had been gnawing at his mind: How could he save the Empire? The crises all over his lands did not allow him to blink for even a moment. It was not only his enemies who left him with these questions; his allies had become so dangerous that their loyalty was in doubt.

As he struggled with these thoughts, he heard a voice behind him. "Your Majesty..." said General Cassius, bowing deeply. Tiberius immediately realised that the expression on Cassius' face carried bitter news before his words. Cassius had long been the Emperor's most trusted man. The fact that this man, renowned for his bravery on the battlefield, now bowed his head only aggravated the Emperor's dark thoughts.

"General Cassius, tell me," Tiberius said, his voice weak but determined. No matter what he was about to hear, he had to stand firm.

"Your Majesty," Cassius said, despair mingled in his voice. "Our fortress on the northern border has fallen. The Barbarians are now only a week away. Our army is demoralised. We need more time and resources to regroup."

The Emperor nodded, his eyes staring into space, his face devoid of emotion. The Barbarians had been a threat the Empire had been unable to deal with for centuries, but now that they had come so close, it was a harbinger of unstoppable disaster.

"What else?" said Tiberius. He asked as if he already knew the answer.

"Your Majesty... In the southern harbour cities, pestilence continues to spread. The people have begun to revolt.There is not enough medicine and doctors are in short supply."

With each passing day, the news from across the empire got worse and worse. Epidemics, revolts, attacks by barbarians... All these problems were eating away at the empire. "So, the light is going out..." Tiberius muttered, closing his eyes. Everything was slowly slipping away. For a moment, all the sounds in the world stopped. The Emperor was overwhelmed by the enormity of the disasters he was facing, while despair filled his mind like a dark cloud.

"What about the other kingdoms and empires? What about them?" Tiberius asked, trying to hide the concern in his voice.

Cassius bowed his head. "Your Majesty, many kingdoms and empires are in as much trouble as we are. But some have already begun to take advantage of the confusion. They are strengthening their armies and approaching our borders."

The Emperor took a deep breath. Everything was slowly slipping away from him. For a moment, all the sounds in the world stopped. As the Emperor was overwhelmed by the enormity of the disasters he faced, despair filled his mind like a dark cloud. But Tiberius could not surrender to this darkness. He opened his eyes, looked at Cassius and spoke decisively:

"Cassius, declare immediate mobilisation. Send all troops to the borders and fortify the fortresses. We also need to send aid to the port cities. We must regain the confidence of the people."

Cassius bowed his head at the Emperor's command. "Yes, Your Majesty. I will begin the necessary preparations immediately."

Following Cassius, Emperor Tiberius remained on the balcony for a while longer. Dark clouds were beginning to appear on the horizon. A storm was approaching and Tiberius knew he had to brave it. Keeping the Empire alive was his greatest responsibility. But inwardly, he also felt crushed under the weight of that responsibility.

Day followed week, week followed month. The mobilisation launched by Emperor Tiberius had attracted the attention of other kingdoms and empires. Some were worried that the Adler Empire wanted to expand its borders again. Some kingdoms began preparations to take advantage of the confusion. The continent was slowly descending into chaos.

While Tiberius was doing his best to raise the morale of the army and the people, there was only one problem that was endless: Barbarian raids from the north. The barbarians could not advance deeper into the empire as before, but this came at a price. General Cassius himself went to the front line to keep the army's morale high and defend the border fortresses, and died after fighting heroically. Cassius' death was a major blow to Tiberius. The loss of his most trusted general shook him deeply.

Emperor Tiberius was walking through the wide corridors of his palace one evening as the sun set. The old paintings on the wall reminded him of lost splendour, but reality was growing darker every day. The unrest in the palace was felt at every step. Servants whispered to each other with worried looks, a silent panic was clearly taking root among the nobles and diplomats. Tiberius' mind was far removed from this quiet storm in the palace, for the impending chaos threatened the entire Empire.

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As Tiberius stepped into his great library, he realised that the dust that covered the magnificent bookshelves had only increased. Visitors who had once sought knowledge and wisdom in this library now left only emptiness and silence. At that moment, he thought about how everything that had once shone brightly had been quickly erased. After a long search, he found an old book describing the founding of his empire. Taking the book, he sat down on the floor and began to flip through the pages. Each line reminded him of the power and splendour his empire once had.

When the sun rose, Emperor Tiberius closed his eyes forever. As Emperor Tiberius breathed his last breath, there was a deep peace on his face. All his life he had fought for his empire, struggled against hardship. But now, as he answered the silent call of death, he felt the weight of the legacy he had left behind. Tiberius' death left a great void in the palace. Everyone wondered what the fate of the empire would be in the absence of this great leader.

After Tiberius' death, his son Octavius took the throne. From the moment he took the throne, Octavius was determined to rule the empire with an iron fist. In his eyes, his father's peaceful policies had weakened the empire. Octavius believed that the empire could only survive with a strong leadership. He was ready to do anything to expand borders, crush enemies and restore the empire to its glory days. Octavius' ruthless attitude and warrior spirit made him both a feared and respected leader.

As soon as Octavius ascended the throne, he began to intimidate neighbouring kingdoms. He created a climate of fear on the continent with border violations, threatening statements and military moves. Octavius' behaviour worsened the already tense situation.

A few months after Octavius took the throne, the continent had turned into a powder keg. Even the smallest spark was enough to trigger wars that would last for years. Those who benefited the most from this confusion were the merchants. The prospect of war revitalised the arms trade and filled the coffers of the merchants. Some greedy merchants fuelled tensions between kingdoms to keep the war going. In this dark period, money and power outweighed people's consciences.

But not every corner of the continent was full of depression. In the far south of the continent, in a small peaceful kingdom, a man named Salaz was struggling with his own troubles. Salaz had recently bought a small iron mine and had incurred huge debts for this investment. At first he was full of hope; he thought the mine would bring him great profits. However, things did not go as he had planned. The amount of iron ore coming out of the mine decreased day by day and put Salaz in a big dilemma. Moreover, the mysterious transparent stones that came out of the mine instead of iron ore turned all his plans upside down. These stones seemed too worthless to replace iron ore. Salaz did not know what these stones were and this uncertainty put him in an even more difficult situation.

Moreover, the moneylenders he had borrowed money from were after him. The moneylenders, impatient to collect their receivables, began to put pressure on Salaz. After the rainy days, Salaz set off for the mine as the sun showed its face. However, it was not the miners who were waiting for him in the mine, but the loan sharks he had lent money to. Although he tried to escape, he could not escape capture. The moneylenders took him to the warehouse where the mysterious stones extracted from the mine were stored.

When they reached the warehouse, the moneylenders cornered Salaz. "If you cannot pay your debt, we will confiscate everything, including these stones," they threatened. As Salaz was in despair, wondering what to do, the door of the warehouse suddenly opened. In walked Zephyr, the kingdom's chief counsellor. Salaz could not understand why he was here.

Zephyr examined the stones and turned to Salaz and said, "King Aldric has ordered me to investigate unusual news from every corner of the kingdom. He has heard rumours of these mysterious stones. It seems he was right." Zephyr was one of King Aldric's most trusted advisors. His keen intellect and strategic thinking guided Aldric through the kingdom's difficult times. When Zephyr examined the stones, he immediately realised the importance of this discovery.

'These are precious stones," Zephyr continued, turning to Salaz. Salaz's heart began to beat with excitement. "What properties do they have?" he asked. He had suddenly forgotten the existence of the moneylenders.

'These stones can transmit light through them," Zephyr said. "They are also incredibly hard and durable. Imagine a mineral that combines these properties! It could make window panes, precious ornaments and who knows what else..."

As Salaz tried to make sense of Zephyr's words, the moneylenders interjected impatiently. "This man owes us a large debt," said one of the moneylenders. "The stones are ours."

Zephyr gave the moneylenders a stern look. "From now on, the king will deal with Salaz's debts," he said in an authoritative tone. "As for you, you will leave this land immediately. If you disturb this man again, you will face the king's wrath."

The moneylenders were uneasy when they heard Zephyr's words. They did not want to run afoul of the kingdom. One of them stepped forward and muttered,"My lord, we were only trying to collect our debts." They could not resist Zephyr's gaze any longer, and they bowed their heads and retreated. Soon they left the warehouse.

Salaz looked at Zephyr in astonishment. "My lord, I don't know how to thank you," he said gratefully. "But why are you helping me?" Zephyr smiled. "Because, unlike you, I have the vision to realise the value of these stones," he said. "So does King Aldric. That's why we want to co-operate with you. In return, you will not only be free of your debts, but you will have a respected position in the kingdom. Of course, we will share the profits."

Salaz thought about Zephyr's offer. He evaluated the difficult situation he was in and the opportunity he faced. It was a great opportunity for him to get rid of his debts and to have a respected position in the kingdom. However, he did not know what expectations were behind this opportunity. Nevertheless, he realised that he had no choice. Finally, he nodded his head in agreement.

"Of course, my lord," Salaz said, bowing slightly. "At your service."

Zephyr smiled with satisfaction. "Excellent. Then let us take a few samples of the stones and make our way to the palace. King Aldric will want to see for himself what you have found."

Although Salaz was confused by this sudden change, Zephyr's words gave him hope. Under Zephyr's leadership, several samples of the stones were carefully selected and carefully packed. Salaz felt a new hope sprouting inside him as he thought about how his life would change. He believed that his fate depended on these mysterious stones, and now Salaz's fate was intertwined with the fate of the kingdom. As the secret of the mysterious stones was gradually revealed, Salaz was stepping into a new life.