The+Curse;+Jin+Kwon

Before the dawn of time, there existed different galactic empires which constantly battled for control and possession of the universe and were controlled by galactic beings called ‘Radens.’ In each galactic empire, civilizations consisted of complex social systems that weren’t very different from that of human history. However, every galactic empire had a Lord who controlled and ruled. Many galaxies failed to prosper and were therefore swallowed by more powerful galactic empires. These Radens looked at galaxies from above in their observatories. Deceased or retired Raden lords had their hearts taken out and put into planets as the cores of these planets, which led to these planets movements and orbits. Depending on the quality of the planet, Raden lords lived their after lives in different environments. However one galactic empire never ceased to exist.
 * __ The Curse __**

The Rothem Empire prospered after defeating all the opposing galaxies and retained full control of the universe. However every Lord aged and eventually had to give up his throne to their eldest son. The last ruler of Rothem Empire, Lord Goldam married an extremely sly and cunning wife, Capricia, due to his young age and lack of experience. He was seduced by her and eventually carried out all of her wishes, until finally Capricia became the very first Queen to rule the universe. However her greed and ambition were too much as she lacked self discipline and decisiveness. After a long line of Raden lords, this was the beginning of the Rothem Empire’s demise. After a brief period of anarchy, a wise and ambitious Raden named Gren soon became Lord Gren. He showed all the Radens that he was fit to be Lord with his leadership and military tactics. After a successful restoration of what used to be the Rothem Empire, he declared his Empire as the new Galactico Empire, because he felt it was fitting to mark a new period of life in the history of the Radens. However, as Lord Gren began to age, his eldest son, Fantom took his place. Eventually Lord Fantom got old as well and when it came to choose the next heir to the throne, he faced a dilemma. Normally Raden lords chose their eldest son to rule after they died. However Lord Fantom gave birth to twin Radens, Lantern and Zalem. Lord Fantom knew he had to choose an heir before it was his time to join the long line of Raden lords and their hearts.

Although Zalem and Lantern were twins physically, they had very different personalities. Lantern was a bright, wise, and optimistic Raden who always managed his time and utilized it wisely. On the other hand, Zalem was a dark, sinister, and an overly ambitious Raden who was very selfish. Lantern was obviously Lord Fantom’s first choice, but Lord Fantom wanted to be fair to his twins because equality and fairness were important Raden virtues.

Lord Fantom came to the conclusion that he would held a competition that would decide who the next Raden lord would be. Lantern and Zalem listened carefully as their father explained, “My beloved sons, it is time for one of you to show who you truly are and how you have matured over the extent of your lives. It is only a matter of time before I join our great ancestors in the Milky Way, our preferred retirement home. Our ancestors during the Rothem Empire and even my father, Lord Gren have all had their hearts taken to the Milky Way, for it is tradition for all Radens of our empire.” Lantern and Zalem knew that despite they were brothers, only one would succeed and one would become ruler. To the Raden twins, this was their real test of manhood. Lord Fantom continued to explain the competition after stating more history about their ancestors, “Only one of you will take my throne, only one will succeed.”

Zalem impatiently exclaimed, “Father, tell us what you want from me, and I will duly deliver!” Lord Fantom could sense that Zalem was already planning on defeating his brother Lantern.

“Very well,” Lord Fantom continued to explain, “Many of our ancestors currently suffer enjoyable after lives, and horrible after lives. This means my after life will also depend on the type of planet my heart retires to. I feel that it is only fair that I live an after life full of joy and peace, for I have given this empire every remaining portion of my will and heart. Your task, my sons, is to create a planet that will be suitable for me in my after life. Whoever creates the better planet will take my throne.”

Zalem and Lantern were both baffled with the competition, but both of them knew that it would decide their future. Zalem and Lantern both accepted this challenge and quickly departed to commence on their father’s tomb.

Both began to outline what their planet would look like. Lantern, being the brighter one, already structured the planet geographically. Zalem on the other hand, struggled to find an idea for his planet. Lantern used his one drop of his Raden blood to create a fluid that could easily sustain life. This became the Earth’s first water. In addition, Lantern formed Earth’s landscapes by punching the bottom of the deepest ocean. This created earthquakes that changed the shape of the rock that the Earth’s land was mainly composed of. Next, Lantern added a current by blowing wind at the planet and added noise by whistling one simple tune. He then added different animals and plants in their specific environments. Lantern seemed to be on the right track and was more than satisfied with his work so far. Meanwhile, Zalem was struggling.

Zalem selected what we now know as Mars as his planet. However, Zalem lacked creativity and was finding it difficult to create his own unique planet which would serve to be his father’s tomb. After struggling for days, Zalem retired to his bedroom located in the Palace of Lord Fantom. Before going to bed, Zalem emphasized his desire to succeed but knew that he didn’t have enough brain power to beat his brother. Zalem didn’t lose his will and kept himself together, he devised a cunning plan. He decided to create a diversion for Lantern, sneak into his bedroom and steal his blueprints.

Zalem entered Lantern’s bedroom and told him that father wanted to see him, “Lantern, father wants to see you; he says it’s something important.” After giving Zalem a hard stare, Lantern departed towards his father’s room. Zalem quickly locked the door, stole his blue prints and returned back to his room. Zalem knew he had a very limited time to copy his brother’s blue prints, so he did so in a very hesitant fashion. Zalem quickly copied the Earth’s structure, types of organisms and plants but forgot to see any specific notes Lantern jotted down. Zalem successfully returned the blue prints to Lantern’s room and quickly began to create his own Earth in the form of Mars.

Lantern, unaware that Zalem copied his idea, was taking his time looking for ways to improve Earth because he knew that Zalem could not compete with him in terms of intelligence. However, before even finishing Mars, Zalem reported that Lantern was copying him. Outraged, Lord Fantom, a Raden who believed in the virtue of honesty and fair play, quickly called for Lantern. Confused and afraid, Lantern didn’t know what to expect. After hearing his father’s outrages, Lantern’s face turned into one of bewilderment and shock, “Father, I am completely honest, I have never copied anything of Zalem’s, unless…” After a brief pause, Lantern realized that the day Zalem told him to see father, father replied by saying he never called for him. He also noticed when he came back, his blueprints were not in the same order as they were before he left to see father. “Zalem! Father! It is Zalem! He copied off my blueprints!”

Lord Fantom, confused, replied “I question your claim, prove it to me young Lantern.” Lantern did so with pleasure and showed him all of his notes he jotted down while creating planet Earth. Lantern explained that the color of the water governing all the bodies of water was blue because his father’s favorite color was also blue. Impressed and touched by this minor detail, Lord Fantom knew that Lantern was probably his only son who cared for him sincerely. Completely convinced, Lord Fantom called for Zalem with his loud and thundering voice, “Zalem!” Zalem arrived in a split-second, “Yes father? Have you seen the injustice of it all now? Lantern has been cheati…”

Lord Fantom abruptly interrupted “Zalem, what is my favorite color?”

“Your favorite color father? Why do you ask such a question?” Zalem chuckled.

“Answer now or I will give my throne to Lantern.” Zalem was terrified and knew Lantern had done something to ruin his evil plan.

“Why father, of course I know, it is…it is…” Lord Fantom could sense some trembling in his voice. “Father, it is red.” Lord Fantom’s face flushed bright red with anguish. Incredulous and flabbergasted, he declared Lantern winner of the competition without hesitation. Zalem couldn’t believe it, he did everything right, until he realized he had rushed his copying of Lantern’s blueprints. In a last gasp effort to take revenge on his brother, he quickly retreated to observatory where he unleashed the human race onto Lantern’s planet Earth as he could hear Lantern chasing after him.

“I will not go to prison in vain, for I will engrave my name in Raden history!” Zalem seemed completely mad although he succeeded in spreading the human race onto planet Earth. “Lantern, you may have defeated me, but your planet and father will suffer a fate worse than any of our previous ancestors, for I have unleashed the ultimate evil on your planet.”

Confused and annoyed, Lantern grabbed him and sent him to the empire’s prison, where he never escaped until his death. After all the chaos and turmoil, Lord Fantom and Lantern came together and embraced. Lord Fantom stated that he was more than happy and relieved that he won, “Lantern, from the day you and Zalem were born, I knew that your brother was evil, but you were the only real son I would have.” Touched, Lantern embraced his father, knowing that it would be one of his father’s days as Lord Fantom. The night before his father’s departure to earth and his after life, Lantern felt pain knowing that he would never see his father again until he joined the ranks of his ancestors. However, Lantern began to sob knowing that his father’s afterlife could’ve truly been a heaven if it weren’t for the success of Zalem’s revenge.