Faran bowed down as the new Koleth leader, Thanh, ascended up the long stone stairway up to the open-air throne of Mekaia. The crowd cheered their new leader, the vanquisher of the Mekongese leader himself!
Faran reflected upon how much everything had fallen apart, and how fast it had happened. Mekaia had never been stronger after the defeat of Mekong. Then overnight the Koleth killed Tannoth and most of his officials. Faran was a lucky exception.
Bitterly, he thought about his life up until now. He had failed his people decades ago, and joined his invaders as Tannoth's right-hand man. Then, when Tannoth was killed, he bowed down and accepted the Koleth government. Faran knew that he was not cowardly, or disloyal. He could not let his people be enslaved, and if he hadn't have surrendered to the Koleth, he would have died without a cause. Tannoth's legacy would be lost. It seemed that fate had conspired to put him into the most awkward situations possible, to observe the pathetic results.
Thanh waved to the crowd. They cheered their leader. Faran sighed. It was as if the people had totally forgotten about the success of Emperor Tannoth.
A muscular man behind Faran tapped him on the shoulder.
"It's your turn to speak."
Faran ascended up the steps up to Thanh's throne. As the highest ranking surviving member of the old government, it was his job to formally put the control of the government into Koleth hands.
The crowd went silent as he stood in front of the Koleth ruler. Thoughts raced through his mind. He could denounce Thanh now and die, but make sure that resistance to the Koleth lingered on. He could try to kill the new Emperor now, but that would not end the Koleth rule.
"I hereby cede control of Mekaia to the Emperor Thanh. May his reigh be long and successful. May his reigh further spread the glory of Mekaia."
Faran stepped down. The mass of people was silent as he walked down through the middle of them, and out of sight into the streets of Karau Thau. From then, Faran knew not where he would go. Back to his village, now a majour center of the Mekaian Empire? Into the wilds, to live out the rest of his days in isolation? Or perhaps, start a resistance movement against the Koleth.
"I have to do something." he thought, as he wandered directionlessly through the empty streets of the great capital of Mekaia.