The Fall of Keltrayu

"The Fall of Keltrayu" was a heroic poem in Orhyo by Osibom of Wemod, a struggling artist, scribe, and author, published and first performed in 114 ABY. It depicted, in glorious and moving verse, the self-sacrificing death of the Centurion Keltrayu at the Battle of Tizgo V. Osibom himself had been present at the battle, though only at the rear lines; most of the information he gleaned was derived from conversation with fellow soldiers after the fact or holorecordings of the fight.

Some seven hundred lines long, the poem was received with great acclaim by the Royal Court, and attained instant popularity throughout the Golden Empire as a result.

Overview
"The Fall of Keltrayu" began in media res at the Battle of Tizgo V, though it made later reference to the Great Liberation and the Golden Empire's expansion. Most of the action of the poem centered around Keltrayu, Rin Sakaros and the shock tank Keltrayu sacrificed his life to destroy, though mention was also made of Tariun Sakaros, the 11th Massassi Cohort, and the commander of the enemy forces.

Written alternating quatrains and sestets, the poem employed Orhyo's extremely complex vocabulary for many rhymes. Thematically, it addressed the courage and personal sacrifice needed to oppose evil and bring about the ultimate triumph of good; these virtues are concentrated in the character of Keltrayu, though Rin Sakaros and the Golden Empire as a whole are used as archetypes of "good".

Conception and development
After Wemod was liberated from the Tetrarchy of Mezlagob during the Great Liberation, Osibom (at the time only twenty and living in poverty) volunteered for service in the army of the Golden Empire, both as a means of escaping his family's and his own financial woes and as a way of repaying Rin Sakaros for the freedom of his world. He was a rather poor soldier, however, and relegated to combat service support roles that kept him far-removed from the front lines. However, the Battle of Tizgo V was massive in scale, and required the presence of thousands of soldiers in support positions.

Witnessing the aftereffects of Keltrayu's death at that battle from a distance, Osibom interviewed many of his comrades after the battle and was deeply impressed by Keltrayu's sacrifice, especially because it had likely saved Rin's life (and possibly Osibom's own). After spending his military savings on a formal literary education on Telacia after the war, Osibom attempted many times to compose something befitting the subject, but found himself constantly delayed and diverted by writing smaller pieces to pay his bills. When he finally began work on what would become "The Fall of Keltrayu" in 111 ABY, it was two years before the piece was finally finished, due to constant revisions and delays.

Reception and legacy
Refusing to debut the piece to anyone but Rin Sakaros herself, Osibom spent another year trying to find a chance to do so. Most viewed this desire as audacious and arrogant, and his repeated attempts were thwarted. Finally, however, he got his chance in 114 ABY at an art show on Tyras, which had recently been acquired by the Empire. Spending his remaining savings on the ticket to Tyras, Osibom managed to sneak into the gallery and approach Rin. He was detained by the Royal Guard, but persuaded Rin to let him recite the poem to the shocked audience and Rin's entourage.

Recitation of the poem took close to twenty minutes, but the result was overwhelming. Tariun Sakaros and many of the Royal Guards were deeply moved, especially those who had actually fought at Tizgo V. Rin herself actually wept upon hearing the poem, and was so touched that she actually drew off her veil to kiss Osibom's cheek. Even removing her veil in public was an unprecedented action from the Queen, and left the audience and the Royal Guards stunned.

After the reading, "The Fall of Keltrayu" was made required reading among the Novices of the Order of Keltrayu, and became a literary classic in Orhyo on many member worlds, the subject of frequent analysis in secondary schools and universities. Osibom offered Rin the rights to the poem as a gift, and she had it inscribed on the monument of Keltrayu on Keliso.

Osibom himself was installed as the first Poet Laureate of the Golden Empire, with a huge annual stipend, and was constantly in demand for in-person recitations of the poem throughout the various worlds of the Golden Empire.

Other notable appearances
Badly outnumbered and expecting to die, the Centurion and Legate Breek Zagrev quoted lines from the poem to herself before leading her men in a suicidal charge that wound up reversing the tide of the Battle of Shest Minor.