The Tragic Tale of Emperor Zin

[BlackDragonSlayer]

I've decided to write a story; maybe an adventurous tale of a hero?
Basic story outline:
Prologue
Part 1: Young Boy Zin
Part 2: Climb to the Throne

Section 1
Part 1: Our Hero
Part 2: The Battle

Section 2
Part 1: The Rising Pool
Part 2: The Fall and End

Discussion thread: Here

[BlackDragonSlayer]

Prologue Part 1, Chapter 1

Once, in a mystical land- one you might not have ever heard of- there was a kingdom, called Dunzhol. Across the vast land were mountains with high, soaring, blue waterfalls, and forests expanding far enough to baffle and trap unprepared travellers; however, the terrain is not what the point of our story is: it is a tale of the royal family, their reign and destruction, the one who takes their place as Supreme Emperor of Dunzhol, and, eventually enough, his fall.

As a young boy, this emperor-to-be, Zin, was the son of a merchant (and captain of a wonderous vessel, the Windrider) who, fitting with his trade, lived by the sea, among the bustling docks of the center of commerce in Dunzhol. Zin's mother was killed by vengeful pirates seeking to uproot the flow of business in the area; as his father was often away, Zin was raised primarily by peasants who came in and out of the city, hoping to sell the literal fruits of their labor... perhaps their idle chatter of the lax yet malevolent royals instilled into him thoughts of hatred and misery that would drive his darkest actions later in life?

Whatever the cause of his rise and fall, Zin, as a young child, lived a life some might consider uneventful or average. Although his lifestyle was comparably lavish in comparison to the slums scattered around the city's edges (and even closer its heart), he was caught between two classes: the "lowlifes" his father did not encourage him to befriend (despite his encounters with peasants, he never really tried to socialize with those native to his area), and the nobles who went to the coast with their children whenever the weather became pleasurable.

[BlackDragonSlayer]

Prologue Part 1, Chapter 2

One day, about to leave for a long, arduous trip to a continent across the ocean from Dunzhol, Zin's father was interrupted by a messenger. Young Zin overheard his message: There was a storm approaching along the main leg of his journey, and it would be foolish to depart now; perhaps in a few weeks, it might subside, and clear the path.

Zin's father rejected that notion. Any more delays would aggravate his clients on the other continent; the perishable cargo would not last through that long duration. Zin begged him to wait just a few more days: perhaps then, it would be safe enough?

No matter the risk, no matter the warnings, Zin's father departed, never to be seen again. It was not long before Zin received the message that the Windrider had gone into the storm, but failed to emerge.

The clients of Zin's father demanded payment for the lost cargo; unfortunately, the money would have to come directly out of his life's savings- the belligerent company would accept nothing else. Left with no other choice, except starvation, Zin collected what little savings were left afterward and started a flight into the countryside, away from what he saw as terrors of abandonment, terrors of their modern society, of fear itself.

In no time at all, Zin found a home among the mountain-people, and learned their skills... an important aspect of his Climb to the Throne... something to be expanded upon... in part 2.