Billowing black smoke floods the air, blocking the sun, and muddying the clouds. Rising from the tallest spire of the kingdom's castle as it shakes and cobblestone cracks under the pressure of chaos, a roar like a trumpet's horn explodes in a halo of dust from the epicenter, as more bricks and rubble slide off the spire onto the ground below, crushing any nearby. All manner of man and creature of the kingdom have turned to face the noise, unnaturally forced to their knees in servitude at the sight, while beasts lay upon their backs and wimper in fear while dust and debris mark their features.
A few miles away, overlooking the destruction stands a man with clenched fists, scarred and marred from a life of bloodshed, and in his shadow stands three figures, two of human stature and a large beast aside. As the vision fades out, the tightened hand's scar is plain and remarkable.
Hot fear and cold sweat stirs a dreaming old man from his sleep, with his brow drenched and heart tight, he lifts himself from the covers of his bed and stands to face the window. The seventh night he's had this dream, each night more vivid than the last. He takes shaky breaths as he composes himself in front of the dark panes. Unmoving he stares into the darkness outside, thoughtlessly unable to grasp what he's truly envisioned. Seconds, minutes, hours all blend together until the dawn breaks, and with it comes his duty.
Silently, the old man dawns his white robes, accented with gold and regal blue hues. His mask, white cloth mask with a burning golden eyes adorned upon it. His gloves, white, slid upon a scarred hand. With his attire dressed, he steps into the cobblestone hallways, turning winding path after winding path, before coming to the foot of a thick wooden door. He customarily knocks, met with confident, rich voice of approval, enters the room.
A middle-aged man sits alone at the head of a long, sturdy wooden table illuminated by a lit chandelier above. At his hands lay an untouched plate of food, and a chalice of water. His eyes hold a tired, restless look, one of which has missed many recent nights of sleep. Atop his head of salt-and-peppered hair rests a golden crown.
[King]: "Oracle." he simply says.
With a bow, the Oracle pays his respects to his lord, and sits upon the opposing head of the table.
[Oracle]: "Tonight, my liege, is the seventh night I've witnessed such horrors upon your kingdom."
The Kings exhales a tired and exasperated sigh.
[King]: "The seventh night... It has been 3 days since any new information has been divined as to the nature of this horror."
[Oracle]: "That is certainly true, however-" The Oracle catches his tongue, and underneath the table he rubs his gloved hands nervously. A silent, cold sweat almost imperceivable to the eyes breaks upon his skin.
Immediately leaning forward and alert, the King notices his pause, and with a raised hand
[King]: "Last night, there was more?" His raised palm faces the Oracle. An overpowering, commanding palm. The Oracle recognizes [The King's Authority].
[Oracle]: "My, lord," he quickly states before the King can subjugate his thoughts,"It is a troubling matter... What I have foreseen is the maelstrom of the tower comes from," before he finishes, he looks away from the King, knowing the consequences, he finishes,"Heretics."
Running his hands down his face, the King looks upwards.
[King]: "We are still unaware if this is a Prophecy or a Divine Revelation, aren't we?"
[Oracle]: "Yes, my lord. If it is the former..."
[King]: "If it is the former, then this is deterministic, and nothing I do shall matter. It is all ordained by the Pantheon." He says, rubbing his temples.
[Oracle]: "That is true, but on the chance it's a Divine Revelation, then there's a chance to avoid this outcome.
[King]: "And, with such a gamble, if there is even a fraction of a chance, a fraction of a fraction of a chance, I will seize it to save my people. The question is what action should I undertake?"
[Oracle]: "If you are seeking my guidance, then you have two apparent options. In all the kingdom, all of the Heretics self-segregate into a village far off to the east. The options would be to attend the village, and seize them, placing them all into a dungeon, perhaps under the guise of being blasphemers to the [Pantheon]. Alternatively, the second option is to genocide the encampment." The Oracle states calmly.
[King]: "The Heretics are an unpopular bunch with the locals, and their Pantheon Gods disavow speaking with them in fear of losing their Inheritence, but there are still those who altruism would get the better of them. With them being held in the kingdom, the visions could come to pass..." The kings states, leaning back in his chair as he looks down upon the floor at his feet beneath the table.
[Oracle]: "It's true, to leave them alive would be a noble deed, but you would possibly invite ruin into our walls. With such being neighbors, the people might turn a more sympathetic eye once they behold them. Not many, I imagine, but there's a risk that even one or two would turn traitor and free the captives."
[King]: "If we eradicate the encampment of Heretics, what are the chances a renegade Heretic would escape?"
[Oracle]: "There is of course always the possibility that one would escape, but naturally it would be much lower than prison, even though the chance will not be zero, around the encampment, they're currently being preyed upon by one of the Great Arcane Beasts, so they have not been able to leave their town under the veil of night."
[King]: "So I either jail the men and women in hopes they don't break free and destroy our city, which of course being jailed would fuel their hatred, or I send my [Royal Guard] and [Royal Generals] to slaughter them like animals? With our lack of knowledge of these events, are these really our options?"
[Oracle]: "A hard call, my lord, but keep in mind the people do not take kindly to the blasphemers. Even so if a man loses his [Inheritence] outside of the encampment, he will likely have zero sentimental ties to the slaughter of the others, as uncommon as a new lineage is."
[King]: "If your vision is true, then even the new lineages will have to be assassinated in our walls. Is that something either I or you would be willing to condone?"
[Oracle]: "If the circumstances of the assassinations are muddy and clouded, along with the sheer rareness of a new lineage being born, it should not fuel any speculation or fear among the citizens. I believe it is the safest bet."
[King]: "So the Heretics are confined to the camp due to the Great Arcance Beast prowling the area for food, and the population would be mostly neutral to their demise for the sake of their own safety... Do we know what Beast it is in the woods?" The king pauses for a moment,"And furthermore, what if we eradicate the village, but a lover disavows their [Pantheon] and attempts revenge?"
[Oracle, shaking his head]: "We're unaware of which beast it is, but it's likely one that's been gravely wounded already, lest it wouldn't seek prey on such worthless food. We can safely assume it's neither the Mirror Whale, nor, of course The Pulseless King. While it is a risk that one would seek revenge from a secondary position of the Heretics, it's yet again an unlikely gamble."
[King]: "A gamble upon a gamble upon a gamble with the hopes that it's not deterministic to begin with... If this truly is the greatest path..." The king hesitates, before raising his palm, and with a wave of [Authority], he steels his heart. "I will order the attack by my men, pillaging when dawn breaks tomorrow. I can only hope this is the wisest move. Spread word that it's a simple military practice excursion for the Royal Guard. Spread rumour that we're attempting to subjugate the Great Arcance Beast on the underground. They will, hopefully assume that the Heretics were feasted upon by the Beast as collateral."
The king waves his hand to motion the Oracle to leave, and with a deep bow, the Oracles turns and exits from the door he come from. His hands wrap around the head of the chalice, and in the reflection of the water, he stares at the dancing flames of the chandelier above.