Once Upon a Time,
In a land not much different from our own, there lived two brothers. Each owned a kingdom on either side of a raging river. The kingdom on the left side being the Kingdom of Technology, the one on the right The Kingdom of Magic. Each kingdom had its own beauty and uniqueness. Every year they would showcase such wonders to each other’s lands, the coming year being the Kingdom of Technology’s turn.
This is where our tale begins.
In the center of The Kingdom of Technology there was a mighty iron palace, raised high in the air upon a hill, above every towering building around it. Also being the only building within the kingdom that sat above the thick smog below from the city. Within the castle in the vast throne room sat the king. The eldest of the two brothers. He sat with his head held in his hand, staring to the large windows before him that let the outside world look in. His mind wondering as he watched, eyes looking down below to the city. He thought about the upcoming festival, where he would showcase the wonders of his kingdom to his brothers. Going over each of the years before silently.
Last year his brother showed off his mage’s new spells, two years before that he showcased a sword that could move on its own. Four years before that was a flower his kingdom’s great tree produced that could never die in any harsh condition. Not cold, or fire, or drought. That tree. The King of Technology pondered on the thought of the great tree. His brother’s kingdom called it the Tree of Magic. It sat at the center of their kingdom, Infront of the castle. The people believed it created magic, it produced it, that it fueled their land and made it fruitful. Though The King of Technology could no longer remember if that fact was speculation from his own people, or fact from his brothers. What he did know though is that it was everlasting, that it was indeed magical, and it did help the people in at least a small way. It was the center of their kingdom; it was the center of their lives.
He continued to think about the Tree of Magic.
He let his mind wonder further, and further, until all that was left was a jealous thought. Why does my brother have more beauty in his land than mine?
The King of Technology wondered.
Why can he look upon a land of golden beauty why I look upon one of smog?
The king then would rise from his grey throne, walking toward the glass windows and looking downwards. It truly was a sight of gloom. The price he paid for his technological advancements was air so terrible that all the trees had almost withered and died. Mother nature was so angry with his land that when he looked above at the sky it was green and angry. It always looked as if it would storm, but no rain would ever fall, it was like the sky was teasing his home with the rumbling of thunder. The land desperately needed the rain, but it would not come.
He had everything, every other year he showed off armor that could be pierced by no magic or by any sword, he never wanted to bring powerful weapons to his brother’s home. He showed off different inventions, ones that could look up to the sky and see the stars, one that was a small brick that lit up that he called a phone. But to everything he showed and made, his brothers world just seemed vastly better even without the technology. He may be able to see the stars in full view, but his brother can see every constellation in the smog free sky. He may have knowledge at his fingertips, but his brother learned the ways of the earth, living in the moment instead of in a screen. He may have weapons and armor, but his brothers home lived in peace, such peace that they never even feared invasion.
The jealously was growing, festering inside him. He made his way back to his throne, ready to sit back down, let his mind continue to wonder. Before a knock at the door would come, he gave a verbal acknowledgement for whoever was there to enter. It was a guard, dressed in the armor as mentioned before, that no weapon or magic could pierce. The guard came to ask about the festival, urging the king to decide on what to showcase to The Kingdom of Magic. The King of Technology, in his mindset of jealously stared to the guard, and in a deep voice would give an answer that sent a chill up his spine.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“Guns.”
The following day the kings ship was loaded with the “goods” he would be showcasing to his brother’s kingdom. The soldiers looked wary and unsure about what The King of Technology was ordering them to do. Stocked full of powerful weapons as if they were going to war, all they needed to do was bring one if they were truly just showing off a new invention. But everyone also knew that The King of Magic disliked weapons, they learned this even when just showing off their armor years ago.
The King of Technology would step foot upon his ship at midday, looking around at the very few soldiers that were joining him.
“Not enough.”
The king said in a booming voice. The solders would look between each other giving puzzled looks. If it was any other land, sure it would make sense. They would need to bring more people to protect their king, but this was his brother’s home. There was no danger, there were no threats. Their lands lived peacefully, almost as if they were one, only separated by the great river. The soldiers asked him what he meant by this, why they needed more people to join on this journey. But The King of Technology said nothing more, he only walked further onto the ship and shot the men a glance. Before they would all go stumbling out of the ship to gather more of the king’s men.
The journey across the river would take until the next morning, as they sailed across the river the waves would only reflect The King of Technologies growing jealousy. Once they arrived upon the shores of the neighboring kingdom, the citizens would come in swarms surrounding the ship. The festival was a big deal in the kingdoms, and everyone wanted to get a sneaking look at whatever the Kingdom of Technology had brought with them. The king though, would quickly make his way off the ship and would once greet everyone, now instead pushed through each person. The citizens did find it strange, though they would only assume he missed his brother, and wanted to get to the castle as soon as possible.
So, the sea of bodies would part for the king, giving him his path straight towards the golden castle ahead, identical to his. The King of Technologies soldiers followed close behind carrying the heavy crates full of weapons. Onlookers would most likely believe them to be gifts for everyone, maybe they would each get a piece of whatever showcase was happening. Though only if they knew what was actually inside.
The King continued to push onward, not acknowledging anything around him. The beauty of the Kingdom of Magic was blinded to him through his jealous rage. He only focused on one thing; eyes fixed on the Tree of Magic. Once arrived at the castle he only stood for a long moment in silence. It was as if the world stopped, the men behind him carrying the crates stopped their heavy steps. The birds stopped chirping, and the people ceased their idle chatter.
In the midst of this silence is when the King of Technologies jealousy hit its peak. Staring at that golden tree, its beaty marveling anything else. Large, golden, and sprouting flowers all over it that his brother once brought to his kingdom. The flowers that never died. He stared at the everlasting flower, then gazed upon the trunk of the tree. Thick, and glowing lightly giving a soft hum against the silence. Looking further down the roots in the ground giving out pulses of light deep into the earth. The magic fueling his brothers land, keeping it alive, keeping it beautiful.
The King of Technology wanted this tree, wanted it for himself. He needed it, needed it to bring his own kingdom back to life. Clear the smog in the air, make his home green and lush. The silence was deafening at this point, and finally the King would raise a hand, a silver sword in it. Everyone watched, their eyes on that sword as it gently moved in the air with an intent of pain, pointing menacingly toward the large golden doors of the castle. The King’s lips parted, as he uttered the word that would end it all.
“Fire.”