Foundations of Voidhearts - Pillars of Progress

The moon casted a gentle glow over the castle grounds as Kuroi rested on his bed, his thoughts dancing in the quiet of the night. The echoes of the day's trials lingered in his mind, intertwined with reflections of his previous life. He was unable to decide what to do next. He has never known about kingcraft or politics. He realised it is not going to be easy like video games he used to play. He cannot just stroll around picking up fights like games and he has to build a country from scratch.

 In the hushed chamber, Kuroi pondered the necessity of the growth of a kingdom. His mind, full of memories and aspirations, envisioned a realm where each task had its expert, contributing to the collective prosperity just like his old world. The idea of establishing various structures to cater to the needs of his growing kingdom took root in his consciousness. However, he lacked the knowledge and experience about where to start and how to start.

He sighed "Only if there was a mentor, who can guide me."

Since he was restless, he got up and started walking back and forth in his room. He started looking at the books on the book shelf. There were many books on different subjects such as geography, history and some books about basic magic. He then moved towards a standing mirror which was oval in shape. He was looking himself in the mirror that how much he changed. Suddenly he remembered the issue which made him restless and he gazed at his eyes in the mirror. Suddenly the colour of the mirror started changing in purple. Kokugen tried to touch the mirror in curiosity and was sucked inside it. He felt like he was getting squeezed by the pressure but there was not any pain. Finally the sensation stopped and he opened his eyes.

He was astonished as he was in a closed room with no window or door. Behind him was the same mirror1. He realised that it was secret chamber of the previous king and the only way to travel here is the mirror. He stayed still and looked around the room carefully. There were many books, a wooden table and chair. Some feathers and a dried inkpot. There was an amulet with a black stone and a very old looking dairy was laying on the table. He slowly approached the table and sat on the chair. As he picked up the dairy a note fell down from it.

He picked it up and began reading it in mind. It mentioned that,

"If you are reading this, it means you are my successor. I wish I would have lived long enough to train you as the new king but fate was not kind enough. However, I have left an amulet 2on the table. Wear it, it is a legendry item which has most of the answer and helps you like a personal assistance. I have also left my journal; it will help you on the way to rebuild the fallen kingdom. Lastly make sure you do not regret any of your decision as a king, even if it was the wrong one. I know you can reclaim the glory taken from this kingdom."

As he kept the paper aside, the paper flew up and caught fire, burning it to an ash. Kokugen was taken aback from this. He then wore the amulet, the amulet started glowing and suddenly he saw his surrounding spinning and he fell to the ground and fainted. 

After an hour, he opened his eyes recalling what happened. He sat on the chair and puts his hand on the chest, the amulet was gone. He started panicking and searching the ground. Suddenly he heard a lovely but sinister voice of a lady, "Do not worry kid, you have not lost me. I have been absorbed by your soul."

He asked "Who are you?"

She laughed "Oh my! I am the Goddess of curse and destruction. Salazar3"

He inquired again, "Were you trapped inside the amulet? Can you help me in my quest to rule the whole world?"

There was a momentary silence and then she erupted into laughing "Interesting, very interesting!! After a very long time someone has aimed so high. Of course darling, but….."

Kokugen asked "But what?"

She said "Only a true fiend can achieve such feat? Are you willing to ditch your humanity??"

Kokugen remembered his days of weakness and humiliation and said "I will."

She said "Then first read out the whole journal and you have 1 hour for it."

Kokugen started reading. He learnt many things about how the world functions, different realms, and how to use Salazar. He then spent the whole night to study all the books in the castle. To his surprise it was quite easy and rapid for him to study and learn the content of the books. He then decided and discussed with Salazar about his plan of progress.

The next morning, Kuroi summoned his trusted council in the throne room – Diablo, the sins, the vampire queen, and the sage along with his followers. As they gathered around a grand table, Kuroi shared his vision. Kuroi began, his eyes reflecting a mixture of determination and foresight. "To ensure the swift and efficient growth of our kingdom, we must focus on essential development first and then we will create organized structure for each field of work."

Diablo, his ever-loyal confidant, nodded in agreement. "A well-organized kingdom is a formidable one. What structures do you envision, my lord?"

Kuroi outlined his plans, detailing the need for walls and other things to fortify their defences, houses for the citizens, good source of food supplies and good clothing to make them look more cultured.

Valeriana Eldermist, the vampire queen, intrigued by the prospect of organized structures, added her perspective. "Efficiency is the hallmark of power. We should look for those who are good at craftmanship."

The sage, accompanied by his followers, observed the discourse with a wise and thoughtful manner. "Specialization indeed breeds efficiency. These basic structures will form the backbone of our kingdom, each serving a unique purpose."

As the plans solidified, Kuroi felt a sense of unity among his council. The vision, now a shared dream, set the stage for the rapid development of their budding realm.