RISE OF THE ORIGINAL

RISE OF THE ORIGINAL    EPISODE 60                   SHADOWS BEHIND THE SILK

Previously, on The Sword of Vengeance One of the royal guards rushed ahead, pulling open the door of the carriage for Princess Lirl.Lord Azril paused at the entrance, his gaze narrowing at General Bale.Cold, sharp, and probing."You seem... unwell, Bale,"He said, raising an eyebrow.Caught off guard, General Bale straightened immediately, forcing calm into his posture.The weight of their earlier silent exchange still clung to his throat."Not at all, Your Majesty. I simply swallowed wrong. A lump, nothing more."His voice was steady, but his eyes betrayed the tremor of emotion still storming beneath.

RISE OF THE ORIGINAL    EPISODE 59           CALM BEFORE THE CRIMSON 

Previously on The Sword of VengeanceLord Azril moved with quiet authority, his boots clicking softly against the obsidian-tiled floor. Crimson robes trailed behind him, the gold-stitched runes catching hints of morning light that spilt through towering stained glass.He yawned, slowly wrapping a black rope around his shoulders, the motion casual—ritualistic. A man preparing for war under the guise of ceremony.Sunlight fractured through the glass above, spilling colours across the jagged scar that marked his cheek—a wound earned, a story never told.He stopped at the baluster, overlooking the festival grounds below.Far beneath him, the heartbeat of the city pulsed. Drums. Trumpets. Footsteps. Voices. Celebration thundered up with the morning mist like smoke rising from a fire not yet seen. Streams of people marched toward the Emperor’s palace, eager, blind, joyous.He leaned forward, palms pressing into the cold stone.Watching.Waiting.Then, came hoofbeats.Faint at fir

RISE OF THE ORIGINAL    EPISODE 58                   THE AWAKENING OF GACHIN

Previously, on Sword Of Vengeance With deliberate intent, Lord Aluka stretched his hand into the void and a brilliant jade sword materialized in his grip, pulsating with ancient energy.Effortlessly, he raised the blade and brought it down upon the thick, enchanted chain.A deafening clang shattered the silence, sending shockwaves rippling through the four corners of the world. The chain ignited upon impact, glowing with intricate runes that flickered and dimmed before fading entirely.A crimson glow bled from the point of contact, and in an instant, the chain split apart.As if responding to his will, the jade sword vanished from Lord Aluka’s grasp. He took measured steps toward the bound figure of Gachin, his emerald flames flickering ominously in his palms.Wild, yet harmless, as if they were a natural extension of his being.He pressed his burning palm against Gachin’s forehead.The beast’s red, feral eyes fluttered open, hazy and sluggish, before sliding shut ag

RISE OF THE ORIGINAL    EPISODE 57                THE FALL OF THE GREAT FOUR

Previously, on Sword of VengeanceAnd thus, the heavens trembled.Not with fear.But with the weight of treachery.There were four who rose against the light.Huzx.Ygutch.Gachin.And the most dangerous of them all, the one whose existence was unlike any other.Salvatore.Born in perfection.Unlike the rest, Salvatore was sculpted to perfection, created in the exact image of mortals, embodying both masculine and feminine beauty in a seamless blend.A creature of awe. A being of worship.Salvatore’s voice was a miracle in itself—neither male nor female, but both. A sound so divine that it eclipsed the light of stars, more soothing than the softest melody of a violin. A single note could calm the raging storm and heal the wounds of the universe itself.It was a gift unlike any other.A gift that became a curse.For with beauty and power came pride. And from pride was born hunger, an insatiable thirst for more.Salvatore coveted the throne of the Supreme Triune.It began in whispers, s

RISE OF THE ORIGINAL    EPISODE 56                THE FORBIDDEN YEARNING 

RISE OF THE ORIGINAL    Episode 55                      FLEETING ECHOES OF FATE

Previously, on Sword Of Vengeance Deep within his core, Xena fought.The chains slithered from the abyss of his soul, their cold, unyielding grip tightening with every breath. He wrenched against them, every fibre of his being resisting their silent, insidious whispers. Yet, no matter how fiercely he struggled, they slipped through his defences like smoke—binding him, corrupting him, consuming him.A weight pressed against his chest, crushing, suffocating. His strength drained, his limbs turned leaden, and the last embers of resistance flickered.Then, outside, his body convulsed. Violently.A shudder rippled through him, an invisible force gripping

RISE OF THE ORIGINAL    EPISODE 54 WHISPERS OF THE ABYSS

Previously, on Sword Of Vengeance WHISPERS OF THE ABYSS viously, on Sword of VengeanceThe inferno that once consumed the hall began to wither, its wild flames surrendering to an encroaching darkness. Shadows unfurled like thick velvet curtains, swallowing the last embers of light.Then, he was gone.Lord Azril and General Bale stood motionless for a moment, their breaths steady but heavy, as if the air itself had been relieved of an unseen weight. That oppressive aura—so thick it had almost been tangible—had dissipated along with him.Without a word, they turned on their heels and left the hall, their movements hushed, almost reverent.The moment they stepped outside the palace, the night air met them like an old adversary, slicing through their dampened clothes. The cold was sharp, biting, yet oddly cleansing. As they descended the grand staircase, silence loomed between them, heavy and unspoken.Lord Azril climbed into the carriage, his expression unread

RISE OF THE ORIGINAL    Episode 53                 THE EMPEROR'S SHADOW 

Previously, on Sword Of VengeanceFor a long moment, he stood motionless.A spectre in the darkness.The firelight flickered, licking at his edges, sculpting him from the void inch by inch. First, the gleam of his eyes, cold, sharp, and merciless, reflected the inferno behind him like twin blades. Then, the angles of his face, as hard as carved stone, were smooth yet unyielding.He stepped forward, unhurried, deliberate like a god descending from the heavens, untouched by the destruction swirling around him.His hair, dark as midnight, flowed in the rising heat as if even the flames bowed in acknowledgement of his presence. Draped over his broad frame was a long pao of the deepest ebony, embroidered with golden dragons that slithered and coiled as though alive. The silk whispered with each movement, the glow of the fire making the creatures appear to writhe under his command.At his waist, a jade belt bound him, its polished surface cold, contrasting with the embers dancin

RISE OF THE ORIGINAL    EPISODE 52              THE PATH OF FIRE AND JADE

Previously, on Sword Of Vengeance General Bale stood at the foot of the grand palace of Lord Azril, his gaze sweeping over the architectural wonder before him. The palace loomed high above the mist-laden mountains, an imposing testament to power and divine rule. Towering pagoda-style roofs curved like dragon’s wings, their gilded edges reflecting the crimson hues of the setting sun. Enormous red and black columns carved with swirling motifs of serpents and celestial warriors stood in unwavering silence, bearing witness to centuries of conquest and ambition.A vast staircase of jade and granite led to the palace entrance, each step polished to a sheen, worn slightly from the passage of time. Intricate carvings of past warlords and celestial deities lined the railings, their eternal gazes seeming to judge those who ascended. At every tier, large bronze braziers flickered with fragrant incense, the curling smoke rising like ancestral spirits whispering in the wind. The sc