Rhys Rhalasian

Synopsis
Rhys Rhalasian is the son of King Rakem Rhalasian II, and the direct descendent of the disgraced Old Lord Rhalas who founded the kingdom of Rhalasium near the start of the First Era. He is deemed by many in the series to be the most dangerous and influential man in Lumina partly because of superstition and his alignment to the mythical Dark God Zzaro, and partly due to his immoral and self serving actions. His resolves, while immoral, are largely in line with what he believes is important in the Zzarian Creed and Religion. He, like is father, is very devoted to the religion. He spent most of the series leading Princess Willa, and who could be considered his best friend in Archer towards the Era of Zzaro, which boasted absolute supremacy to his family and friends, and everlasting fealty to all who would dare to oppose him. He was provoked by those who tell him what they see of his future, some of whom wish only to goad him into doing something that would benefit them more.

Rhys wishes to prove to himself and others that he's more than capable of being a good king and an influential figure. Being a bastard, he was constantly looked at as different than the other princes in the realms, not just on account of him being from Rhalasium. Rhys was a strange case because the custom in almost all kingdoms was that bastards would not inherent the kingdom's of their father, lest their be some sticky situations involving dozens of children of the more promiscuous leaders starting wars with each other for the privilege of the succession. It was strictly enforced so that illegitimates would not get any ideas.

Rhys was different because his father made a vow to his mother that he would see to her leaving an impact on the world and not just dying as an irrelevant daughter of a mason. Rhys inherited this desire to be important from his mother. King Rakem II followed through on that promise by foregoing tradition and naming Rhys as his heir not one week after he had been born. The son of Gwendolyn Mason would be king, but this did not mean he was treated with the respect that was deserving of a prince. King Rakem II's decision would be the beginnings of people questioning his decision making and the direction he was taking the kingdom. They would look on this decision to name a bastard his heir as questionable, and treat the idea of Rhys being king as blasphemous and absurd. His chief aim in the series is to work against this belief and prove himself more than worthy of being king and being important.

Early Life
He was born a bastard, to the daughter of a mason, Gwendolyn, who died shortly following his birth, and Rakem Rhalasian II, King of Rhalasium. This came only months after he had another child, Lana Rhalasian, with his legitimate wife, Kristina Orsinia of Solitudine. There was much controversy surrounding Rhalasian in his early years, such as his legitimacy for his claim to the throne, leading to his life being a chain of events he construed as proving himself to a doubting public. He was not permitted to leave the castle without accompaniment, and wasn’t allowed to join the army, or fight for the kingdom. He spent most of his early life in the woods on the hilltops of the capital of Rhalasium, Rhalm reading and learning of the great men in history.

King Rakem's War
The first book opens with Rhys as its main character and him being greatly dissatisfied with his father's decision to go launch an attack on the kingdom of Renaria with the apparent goal of annexing it, and leaving him at home to protect the city with his baby brother Jerelle, and Kristina. He stews silently about how his father's war made no sense, and just caused problems for the kingdom. First they were only fighting Renaria with the goal of going south to conquer Praedium in the next year once regrouped. Not a half year into the war against Renaria, Praedium broke their Armistice with Rhalasium and attacked them at once, heavily shifting the scales in favor of Renaria. Rhys is immediately met with the news that his father's forces were defeated in a very lopsided battle where a Rhlasi fort near the Praedi border was taken by forces 40,000 strong. 19,000 men were either killed or captured, and 11,000 lived to fight another day.

Battle of Rhidinh
Two weeks after the defeat of Rhalasi forces at the hands of the Praedi in Fort Lissa, located along Rhalasium's south border, Rhys and his armsmob consisting of servants and imperial guards traveled straight to Fort Rhidinh to join the king.

Prince of Chaos
After receiving news of the failure at Fort Lissa, Rhys met Organa of Crylanor and Cysero the Undying, who informed him that there were more forces at work than just a his father's war. Organa is there in part because of Cysero's premonitions, which showed all royals with the blood of Draemor withering away into nothingness, and the world descending into an apocalypse headed by Rhys as King of everything. She has a vested interest in protecting the Urbish Imperials, whom she is supposed to marry into. They would not fit into the future she saw, and they would not be allowed to exist. She planned to get him to swear a blood oath that promised protection to and her sons should there be a judgement day and Zzaro wishes to wreak havoc on all who have not devoted themselves to him.

Cysero informs him that his father is withholding knowledge from him, and that there is logic behind his endeavors. He delicately explains the Procession of the Ethers, and how Lumina is reaching the end of the era of Draemor. In all of creation, there had only ever been one god. One god that was praised and all powerful, and another God that was despised, hidden, and stifled, both of which came out of the ethers together. Neither could see eye to eye with each other, so they fought for eons. Until one, Draemor reigned Triumphant over the other, and buried Zzaro deep within the earth with very little power and influence. It became his world. But the rules of nature dictate that in all things, especially in the case of celestial beings, there must be balance. No god could remained suppressed forever. Every 25,000 years, there was supposed to be a changing of the guard where the other god rules, but Cysero explains that Draemor had been putting off the transition for 50,000 years. He explains that in the coming year, 50,000 years of chaos will begin leaking into the world, much to the chagrin of all those who are not aligned with Zzaro.

Organa, Impressa of Urbs, came there in secret to ensure the protection of herself and her family once they transition into the new era. She'd seen glimpses of the Chaos and wanted no part of it. Cysero just wanted to offer his wisdom and hope it would make a difference in a decision Rhys would eventually make.