The tournament was a longer ordeal than we had originally bargained for.
What we thought we could win in weeks of fights, turned out to be far from the truth.
A ladder of ranks, promotion fights, and press conferences riddled the journey of becoming champions.
Saying my goodbyes to Shelly, wishing her luck, and even sharing with her some breathing techniques I had learned in the village, I left the Colosseum for what I thought would be my last time.
So, the three of us picked up and continued our journey North, towards the pull of the world.
"Tell us, Ronald, since you're the only one that's been. How's the grand city…how's Regalis?"
Ronald smiled…
"If I start, you can't interrupt."
This was mostly aimed toward Robert, but we both shook our heads
With the gentle snowfall and a beaten trail, we laid open the landscape for his lecture.
Regalis was once two competing city-states: Regaland and Ceralis
How did not one, but two powerful cities appear in such close vicinity, you may be asking yourself.
Well, it has to do with the weather: more specifically it has to do with rainfall.
For normal farming, the plow and mule kind that is.
In order for farmers, which makes up most of the lower class to even be able to do that which makes them... well, them...
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You need water… 30 inches of rainfall a year, to be exact.
Now, these two massive city-states rested on the 98th meridian, meaning that any more West and they wouldn't receive the water necessary for growth.
So, they, like the land they inhabited, flourished, on pure location alone.
Anyone with tools, knowledge of the trade, and a little land could do good for themselves.
In most other cities Westward, you would hire wizards to supply the water, which was exorbitant and ate at much of the little profits the farmers had to work with.
Now, we are left with two bustling cities where money is only an issue when compared to those with more.
Food, work, and the "soul" of the people are all prospering.
All is good.
Really, the problem lies with those in charge.
They were greedy men who wanted what the other possessed, as most men in power often do.
If asked for gold
If asked for fame
If asked for influence
If asked for power…
The ubiquitous answer is always…
MORE THAN THE OTHER
Eventually, faction wars between the two city-states were waged.
Thousands upon thousands died for not.
A tale we've heard all before
A tale as old as man itself.
A tale that will repeat as long as man stays itself.
But here is where the story takes a turn, instead of one of the two men coming out on top.
A wandering wizard, named SOLOMON, is pulled towards the strife by a group of pixies, or so the legend goes.
He entered the battle, and with a force that could topple mountains and cement himself as a legend, ended the year-long strife that plagued the once-blossoming city-states.
He became a Philosopher King, uniting both City States into the Divine city we now call, Regalis.
"So you like the place because it's ruled by wizards." Interrupted Robert...
No, I like the place because it's ruled by competent leaders s who treat its people right, that just so happen….to be wizards.
Solomon…the name rang a familiar tone…
Someone had once said something about that man at the time at the village, something about a Solomon who borrowed power and was never allowed to return….
Could that be the same man?
How's this Solomon doing?
I asked to gather more information.
Well, not much, seeing as he died 200 years ago, and now Solomon the Fourth is at the council's head…
Oh, I had forgotten, this was history.
Yet, why had the people of the village spoken as if it was a recent event?