Novel:The Beginning
Monarch of the Lost: The Beginning
Monarch of the Lost: The Beginning is the first novel in the Monarch of the Lost series, the first series of the Zyrkthraan Chronicles. The book contains a Prologue, 25 Chapters, and an Epilogue. It amounts to 441 pages of content, with 3 pages at the start that contain the title page, table of contents, and dedication. The other 4 pages, three at the beginning and one at the end, are left blank.
Synopsis
The story centers around Rhzoreck Thrkhav, a Duuema man who has just returned from an outer realm. It follows his adventure as he aims to bring back his people, who vanished over 6,000 years prior to the setting of the story.
Summary
The story begins with Rhzoreck first returning to Zyrkthraan, coming back to a burnt wasteland that he had once called home. As he travels out from the ruined city, he is met by two Caeluvex men who take him to the wizard, Dyrro Fioth. Fioth informs him of his master's passing and tasks him with a great quest: to find out what happened to the Duuema and to return them to Zyrkthraan. With his new goal in mind, he decides to travel to the city of Shitaovriki in the hopes of teaming up with a renowned scholar, Amaeus Lorendil.
When he arrives, he is quickly brought to Chengstein Keep where he meets he court mage, Omaeris and his son Calen. Omaeris passes him off to Amaeus, who brings him into the ruined city of Vouukjng-zel while they talk. While they are occupied, Calen steps out to train in combat with Amaeus' mercenary, Caliph. Later, Omaeris tasks Calen with assisting Rhzoreck in bringing a relic from Dian's shop back to the keep, where Rhzoreck subsequently repairs it. Afterwards, Rhzoreck sets to work in constructing a lot of automalia from the spare parts around the lab.
The next day, Calen calls on Rhzoreck at home to find him repairing the heat in the house he was given. After a brief conversation, the two return to the keep in order to assist the duke. While doing the odd jobs set out for him, Rhzoreck takes control of an automalian worker and returns to the laboratory to repair it. Later, Calen also returns to the lab, and assists Rhzoreck in creating a manual for constructing an automalian chichlin. During this even, Calen builds an automalian himself and decides to keep it. In the morning, Amaeus awakes and believes that he was sent a vision from the gods, which he begins to investigate. He finds himself at Rhzoreck's house, where the two converse about various topics before Calen arrives. They decide during that time that it would be helpful to travel to the University to seek further information about the disappearance of the Duuema. They are set up with a meeting with the drekanda and later get into contact with the fence, Equae.
Equae assists Rhzoreck and Amaeus in obtaining the Harmonic Triad and Kavrenthak's journals and planbook. During this time, he uncovers a brief plot from many years prior that resulted in a group smuggling the Triad out of Vethrala. He sends a team of thieves to retrieve the artifacts, but only one returns. After he sends the Triad to Rhzoreck and Amaeus, he is still left with finding a way to obtain the journals and planbook. After a failed heist, he feels all hope may be lost. However, he is pleasantly surprised when a courier delivers the books to him. He then sends them to Shitaovriki to complete his deal with Amaeus and Rhzoreck.
With all the items in-hand, Rhzoreck sets to work repairing the Triad. Once that is completed, he travels to Vethrala in the hopes of using the Soulstar to return the Duuema to the Mortalis. When he is unable to locate the artifact, he feels as if his mission is ruined. However, he accidentally summons Ereboseth, who agrees to return the Duuema for an undisclosed price. Rhzoreck agrees to the terms quickly.
At the conclusion, Calen is reaching the end of his renovations on Vouukjng-zel and travels to the library in order to use the arcanilex that Rhzoreck left for him. Before he is able to use it, though, the Duuema return and oust him from the city.
