The Lay of King Rafn: Fifth Stanza – The Kindness of King Hrajneyl (Gifted to me by IceFireWarden)

The Lay of King Rafn: Fifth Stanza – The Kindness of King Hrajneyl

In ancient times, after the death of Good King Shorri, the land of Mungard was fractured into many kingdoms. Most of these rulers were not of royalty like Shorri and his brood, but a few of them were but they were mean and ill-spirited. King Aldjuunr was chief of these Kings, and the poor men of Meretheim were under his rule and those also of dragonkind. One of these dragons name was Paart, and he was different from the others for he was a good friend of King Rafn and well-liked the men of Meretheim.

One day, when the chief of ravens was flying overhead Paart flew to him. “King Rafn, I do not wish to follow my eldest brother Aldjuunr anymore! He uses the power of the ancient words, gifts from our father Shorri, for evil and uses it to enslave the men under his rule! What can we do?”

King Rafn, both saddened and angered by this, replied. “If he uses the ancient language for evil, than we will have to defeat him using the power of the ancient language for good!” And so the two brothers flew far to the south and east of Meretheim until they reached the land of Yneslitheim, ruled by King Hrajneyl, the creator and embodiment of language and all of its variants, including the ancient language.

King Hrajneyl was an ancient, wise, and powerful being. Like Magni Dagnjr now Mehruunjir Dagnjr it seemed like he had been around since forever. In fact, he was older than Mehruunjir Dagnjr. No matter what kingdoms shifted, moved, or changed his always seemed to remain where it was undisturbed. All of the other kingdoms never bothered him, for he was one of the three Masters of the land of Aur and that made him very dangerous. But King Hrajneyl was a loving ruler, and didn’t like to fight against anyone. His blood was of Royalty, but of a different kind of sort.

The chief of ravens and the gray dragon flew into the underground caves of Yneslitheim until they found the King’s Spire, which they alighted down inside and saw King Hrajneyl surrounded by bats, for all of their kind were his subjects.

“Oh King Hrajneyl!” King Rafn cried out to his fellow King. “Our brother, Aldjuunr, rules over Meretheim cruelly and unjustly. He uses the ancient language which you created for evil! What do you think that we should do?”

King Hrajneyl uncoiled himself, for it was a little known fact that he was also of dragonkind like he was of batkind, and looked at the raven chief kindly. He was a white, sleek dragon with beautiful words etched onto his scales.

“Greetings, King Rafn!” Every time Hrajneyl talked it felt like the whole world was talking to you too. “Yes, I have heard the voice of Aldjuunr even in my own kingdom. I fear that he has become corrupt in his station, for this cycle feels a tad bit longer than the rest. The curse Good King Shorri put on him is broken, and his hunger has driven him mad. He must be stopped, and I know a way.”

King Hrajneyl motioned for King Rafn and Paart to join him as they flew outside of the Spire and into the bat-dragon’s secret room. Every Master had a secret room, including Good King Shorri who was now gone from the world and his Mastery defunct, and inside they kept many treasures. King Hrajneyl retrieved one of these treasures and presented it to King Rafn and Paart.

“This is the breath of the ancient language, which all dragonkind possess. Long ago, I gave the soul of the ancient language as a gift to Good King Shorri and his wife Kjnur as a wedding gift, so that no matter what everyone would have to listen to what they said. But now all of his mean-spirited children possess it like you do, instead of it being spread to all like Shorri wanted. So I kept the breath hidden until now. Give it to the men of Meretheim, and they will be able to fight against Aldjuunr.”

King Rafn and Paart were overjoyed and thanked King Hrajneyl, before flying out of the secret room and back to Meretheim. But Aldjuunr, while insane, was also very wise and knew that they were plotting against him. So he sent all of dragonkind to hinder them. So King Rafn summoned every raven to stand against them while Paart summoned all of the men in the land of Mungard to the throat of the world. There he gave them the breath of the ancient language, giving all of men the ability to talk like dragonkind.

King Aldjuunr was furious. “They will not know what to do with it!” he kept shouting. Soon, he realized this was the doing of Master Hrajneyl and in his blind rage flew towards Yneslitheim to make battle. But King Hrajneyl was wise in all of his years and used love-magicks to make fine mists to hide his kingdom from the World-Eater, which is why Yneslitheim is one of the last places to be consumed by Aldjuunr when he gulps down the world.

King Rafn returned to his roost at the throat of the world, and was well pleased. The men taught the other creatures how to use the breath of the ancient language, and in turn they taught the men how to use it better. And from that day forward, all of Shorri’s benevolent children were friends of Good King Hrajneyl.