SkekSo the Emperor had been one exceptional Skeksis to have maintained his leadership as long as he had. It meant that he had to have a funeral. Aside from the ones that had died in the battle and at the beginning, and Sil and So's firstborn baby, no Skeksis had died for some time. And they didn't have any real ritual for So's funeral. They were just going to have to come up with one.

The Scroll Keeper was the one who collected the emperor's remains from his bed and he and his son wrapped them in special silks, then they placed them in a special casket.

After the Emperor, Zok, Ung, and Sil were the ones highest in power, aside from Rel and Anax.

Rel knew that his mother was high ranking but he himself had no inclination to be the next leader. He was no fighter like his brother was. He knew that Anax would be fighting hard for his father's position.

The three highest ranking adult Skeksis kept on arguing over what would happen for their 'beloved' leader. Anax then stepped up and gave the orders.

"SkekZok, as Ritual Master, you take the lead behind me as we make the arrangements for my father's funeral. SkekUng, you and my mother will also help carry the special casket that carries SkekSo's remains, what's left of him." Anax proclaimed.

"And what makes you think that we have to take orders from you, young one?" Ung demanded forcefully.

"I am the Emperor's chief heir. That's why I am giving the orders right now, General." Anax glared and snarled angrily. "Someone has to be in charge of all this chaos of an empire. My father taught me what I needed to know."

"That still remains to be seen." Ung declared.

"All Skeksis have right to show off qualities to make new emperor, SkekAnax." Sil told his son.

"I know that Mother. But I'm not backing off. This is my right to be the new leader of this empire after my father was." Anax was making it clear, even standing up to his own mother.

Sil wasn't liking that his own son was willing to fight him for the leadership of the clan. He felt that he should have been leader after being in the emperor's shadow for so long, and it was his role as chamberlain as the secretary of the office.

"Mother, you'll still hold a rank as Chamberlain as you did for Father." Anax declared.

The funeral arrangements were soon finished up and all. Anax led the procession. Zok, Sil, and Ung carried the casket to the throne room. Rel was right behind Sil. The others all followed in slow moves. The other young ones walked behind the older adults. Podling slaves brought forth the burning cups and they were thrown onto the casket to burn the emperor's remains.

The Ritual Master had given a proclamation about that their departed emperor was always going to be with them. Once the remains were cremated down, the clan all shouted together, "Long live the Emperor!"

The next morning would begin the real task of Anax taking charge or one of the other older adults taking over. It was going to be a busy day tomorrow.

…..

The Skeksis had all gone to their sleeping quarters for the night but it was hard for any of them to sleep. Even though Skeksis didn't typically dream, but there was too much excitement in the air for a few of them to get any sleep.

In his room, the Chamberlain was thinking about this was his absolute best chance to be able to become the new emperor. He knew he would have to show his son who was boss if he had any chance at all. He also thought back to the times of when Anax was a baby and Sil would be protective of him and his brother. But Anax was a grown Skeksis now, no longer in need of his protection.

But if Sil could win the challenge, he would make sure that some new measures were put in place that not everything had to be a bruteful force.

Skeksis were a fighting race, simply put. They would wait and see what fate had in store for them in the morning.

Ung didn't want to give his most hated rival the chance to become the emperor, or his kin. Anax was a lot like their former leader in both looks and fighting ability, but did he really have what it took to run this clan?

Rel was going to stay out of this competition tomorrow. But he knew his mom would give anything to try for it.

….

Come morning, all the Skeksis, young and old alike, gathered in the throne room to see what would happen in the choosing of a new leader.

All the older adults were with their specific groups. The younger ones were staying off near the stairs rather except for Anax. He went up to the throne but just watched what the others were doing. His mother was watching him intently, but so was Zok and Ung.

Ut and Mu were not taking part in the decision of fighting either for the throne because they had challenged Anax already and lost in their games many a time in the past.

Sil was ready to take power, even ready to challenge his son if he had to. He couldn't wait anymore. He walked right up to the throne to take the scepter. Another Skeksis saw what he was doing and followed up there too.

Anax growled. "What do you think you are doing, Mother?" he demanded.

"I am chamberlain! My right to be next emperor!" Sil glared and growled at his son. He picked up the scepter.

"No, it's not Mother!" Anax hissed angrily.

"And not if I have anything to say about it!" Ung growled from behind. "Put down that scepter, Chamberlain!"

Sil turned and hissed and growled at his most hated rival. Ung's plates on his robes rose up in aggression. Sil was also doing the same at his son. Anax was doing the same.

For Anax, after what happened to his father, the drive to take his place was driving him.

"I challenge you and your son!" Ung snarled.

Sil and Anax glared at one another and stiffened for a moment. Anax wasn't sure what to do, but his mother went into a reply, "Trial by Stone."

"What's that?" Anax asked.

"You see, son." Sil said.

All the Skeksis went into "Trial by Stone!"

SkekNa summoned some slaves to pull up a big dark rock with two swords on it out of the floor. "A third sword too!" Zok called out.

The Gourmand went and got one more sword for Anax. The young one took it. The sword wasn't too heavy for him. He was used to handling them.

Sil and Ung walked up to the rock and picked up their swords too. They shouted and clapped their swords together. The same went for Anax. This was the best way to settle the dispute without any of them hurting each other.

Anax would watch what one of the older ones did before it was his turn.

Ung went first and he swung and hit hard. There was a sharp blast of light. It got some good cheers from the others.

"We try to hit and shatter this stone, Anax. We get three attempts. Which one breaks it is new emperor." Sil told his son. Then he went. He barely hit the mark. Sil wasn't one of the strongest Skeksis around.

Anax then glared at the General. He knew he had to have it in him to have a chance. He sized up the rock and made his swing. He yelled out as the other two had done. His blow made a good shake and sharp light blast too. Some pieces came off but no cigar yet.

Ung smirked. He wiped some slobber off his mouth then went about making his hit. He sized up the rock and took a second turn. Sil was already feeling concerned about this.

When he swung it, there was a piece that came off but not enough. Just the top came off.

Sil took another turn and nothing much happened.

When Anax took his second turn, this time, with all the strength that he had in him and with faster reflexes, he shattered the stone all the more. Sil and Ung couldn't believe it. They had been beaten by a youngster!

"I am the new emperor!" Anax proclaimed all too proudly. Ung had come close to winning. Sil, not even close.

Ung and Sil dreaded what would happen next. Usually a punishment of some kind. Sil began trying to back away.

Anax then looked at his opponents. "Not so fast, you two."

"By the law, they must pay." Zok declared.

"Then it's time for a new law." Anax glared at the tall Skeksis. He then turned to the others. "I know my father had some strict rules here, but implying some new tactics, there's going to be some changes in this castle under my rule now." Anax proclaimed.

"What is to become of us?" Sil asked.

"Just because you lost to me doesn't mean that I would have you killed, Mother." Anax stated.

"Then what are you going to do with us?" Ung demanded.

"There is going to be a new change in how you three serve. I know that you three were wanting to battle it out over my father's throne. I am going to think more on this, but you can remain here." Anax decreed.

Sil and Ung were relieved that they weren't going to be banished. Sil knew that he would have lost to Ung now. But for losing to his son, he wasn't going to be kicked out. He was proud of his son for winning over Ung.

The clan then went to breakfast. Anax took the emperor's seat. His mother took the seat next to him. Ung was on the other side.

As the more he looked around himself, Anax began to think about how he was going to make changes to the Skeksis rules. Some would stay the same. He knew that he would need guidance in his new rule until he was more used to it.

"Mother, I will need you by my side. You always made a good counselor." Anax complimented Sil.

"So, you not have me banished?" Sil asked.

"No. I need you at my side, Mother, to help guide me." Anax stated.

"I accept." Sil replied. He would be happy to still serve that way.

Ung was still not so happy that Anax had beat him. He had been so close to winning the duel.

The more the young one looked around, the more he thought about it through breakfast, of what these three power-hungry adults could do.

"After we are done eating, I want us all to go to the throne room. I have an announcement to make." Anax declared.

After they finished and went back to the throne room, Anax went and sat on his new throne. His mom was by his side.

"As your new emperor, I am going to make new rules to this clan." Anax began. The others were paying attention. "My mother is going to remain as counselor and chamberlain of this castle. He will also be in charge of diplomatic missions and a group of diplomatic allegiance. It includes me, my mother, SkekSil, SkekEkt, SkekOk, SkekRel, SkekVak, and SkekYeekt."

"General, you will be in charge of the security allegiance and my advisor on that part. Also continuing to be in charge of the Garthim. Your group of SkekNa, SkekTek, SkekMu, and SkekUt."

"Ritual Master, you will be in charge of the religious allegiance. That includes SkekShod, SkekAyuk, SkekLath, and SkekGok." Anax finished.

The adults were surprised that this young one knew of their allegiances so well. That was what they had become before. Now they officially had names for their groups. The diplomatic group was the largest group of all.

There was still much for young Anax to learn about being the new Emperor. Later, he talked to Sil alone.

"Look, Mother, I know I was harsh with you earlier today and even before Father died. But I was trying to assume his throne. I don't want it to go to SkekUng or SkekZok. I was only doing what Father trained me for." Anax explained.

"Chamberlain sees what son is saying. But I had also been wanting to be emperor for so long too, Anax." Sil stated.

"Mother, they don't take you seriously enough. That's why it was better for me to win the throne. I do have your knowledge of politics too. The others took me more seriously. They knew I was a contender. But I do need your wisdom to guide me in my new role. Will you help me?" Anax asked.

"Has been my role for such long time. And am grateful you not banish own mother for losing." Sil replied.

"I don't care what the others think of keeping you as my counselor. You're also still my only parent that I have left too."

"True. Will guide son to be new emperor." Sil said.

…..

Anax kept on learning things on how to run the castle from his mother in the coming days, weeks, and unums. The Great Conjunction was still quite a ways off yet, but he vowed he would lead the Skeksis Clan into the future.

There would be many things that the others would object to at times, but Anax would be sure to enforce his rule as much as possible.

Anax and Rel still secretly mourned for their father in their rooms. They knew they couldn't show emotions around their clan. That was strictly only for private sections.

Also unlike his father though, Anax had strong feeling for Yeekt and chose her for a partner later in some trines. He wanted a partner that wasn't his parent.

The young ones had seen some creatures pair off before and they didn't want to do everything that their parents had done, which was remain mateless despite having known who both their parents were.

Anax decreed that if the clan desired mates then they could have them.

Sil said it went against Skeksis laws but things were different now. Anax was in charge. There were times he took his mom's advice and others not so much.

The older Skeksis were so used to the old ways that they didn't take mates other than maybe Ekt and Ayuk. The other young ones would likely pair off in time.

For now, it was still hard to say what the future had in store for the Skeksis Clan. Life would always be hard for them because that's what they had made themselves be like in their constant battles for power among themselves.

Despite the original emperor's passing, he had held on for as long as he could to life but had driven himself to an earlier grave because of his experiments with the Darkening. But at least he had left a legacy with SkekSil; two sons. And one of them had succeeded in winning his throne for his bloodline to continue. But his son had also been willing to change some things too.

Sil still wished he had won the throne but he was glad that it was his son ruling instead of his hated rival, Ung. Military forces were not always the answer to everything. His son sometimes took his advice and other times not. But this was the accomplishment he had made so long ago with the Emperor. At least SkekSo had lived long enough to see his offspring make it to adult age. Anax and Rel were their legacy. And the other young ones were for the other adults too.

In time, there might be some more baby Skeksis born to their clan. But for now, the clan would enjoy themselves just as they were. The essence had also obviously played a role too to bring about the next generation of Skeksis.

The End

I don't know all who read this story on here, but I am just wanting this story to have a good enough ending. Had writer's block one time too many with it. But it was definitely fun to write when I had ideas for it. Hope you enjoyed it too.