Judgment of Malice Card
After winning the first hand with the ‘Curse of the Saint’ card, King Horan became unstoppable. This new power coursing through his iron-like frame, blazing and endless, fuels his rampage on the battleground, with his skilled and ruthless army by his side. He seizes control of every kingdom in his path, collecting the heads of kings as his trophies. Their skulls are cleaned with the delicacy of a newborn child and presented with the pride of a father. The king-turned-emperor watches the ceremony from his throne, honoring the conquered and savoring his bloody victories.
Death, a shadow by the emperor’s side, whispers secrets of man and ambition, haunting him on the battlefield. As the crown is placed upon his head, Death reminds him of the card’s only clause: When the ‘Curse of the Saint’ card is in play, so too is the ‘Judgment of Malice.’ A question of balance, this card weighs the emperor’s heart against the crown. The heart, for humanity and compassion; the crown, for power and conquest. Emperor Horan knows that once one outweighs the other, the payment of life and eternal soul will be reaped by the very voice in his ear. For this reason, the emperor treads carefully, spending much time in self-reflection, torn between an obligation to benevolence and a lust for blood.