DAY 2 OF THE YEAR OF EDMOND

As Orest the Wise released his final breath, King Edmond inspired his loyal friends with a rallying behest. Thus did the companions top the White Cliffs of Jover to face the tyrannical King Tothiliand.

He had betrayed me, my armies betrayed me, Edmondine betrayed me. I had lost everything. All but my three loyal friends: Braesin, Hallstein, and Orest. They came when I needed help, told me what a brave and independent man I was, and with them at my back, we would now take back what was rightfully mine!

Braesin the Barbaric dove into Tothiliand’s archers, carving into them with his battle axe like lumbermen to a forest. Hallstein the Unkillable charged after, carving a path through Tothiliand’s knights so I could follow straight to the tyrant king.

“And so we meet,” said I, “on this day of fate. You, the man who stole from me all I had, and I, armed with the one thing you could never take!”
“And what is that?” he tyrant hissed. “A blade you hid, a shield you wrought?” An evil smirk split his face. “Or perhaps you refer to your loyal champions?”

I followed the tyrant’s gaze to my friends behind. Braesin, outmatched, surrounded by fifty pikes. And Hallstein, his shield rent, his armour torn.
Tothiliand gloated. “Surrender yourself, former King Edmond, and I shall not kill your champions. Yet.”

I saw in my friends’ eyes the fear I once had. I was alone, cowardly, forgotten. But I had risen from that.

“You are wrong,” said I to Tothiliand. “Whilst you have trapped me in this eternal chamber, there is one thing you can never take. My sanity!”

I leapt like a mountain lion up to Tothiliand and held the cursed painting before his eyes. Then I spun the painting round and he disappeared. Trapped forever in an eternity of torment. He deserved it. All my suffering was because of him. Now he would suffer like me.

Toth Tothiliand was defeated. Now I was the true master of my mind kingdom.