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Description
Prologue

A soft breeze rattled the dying leaves of oak, ash, and beech trees. The wind carried a few leaves along its indirect path to a small clearing in the woods were no light shone. Only the keenest eyes could have detected the two dark forms moving silently among the trees. The figures were very different in size; one was fairly small and the other towered over the latter. Soon they moved out of the clearing and the full moon’s luminescence revealed the two figures clearly for the first time. The smaller figure was not human. It was actually an eagle twice its normal size. Its feathers gleamed dull silver and its yellow eyes shone with a fiery brilliance. The sharp beak and talons were like daggers sharpened to rip open at a touch.
The larger of the two was fairly large for a boy his age, for he only looked to be about sixteen. His short cropped hair was the color of a faded yellow, almost white and yet still maintaining color. Possibly his strangest feature was his eyes. They were a dull shade of yellow as well as his hair. For his large size, he crept stealthily and soundlessly along a thick carpet of leaves and pine needles. He drew a long sword from where it had remained hidden underneath his cloak. His eyes darted around the trees, detecting any sort of movement.
“Are you sure he’ll show up?” he nervously whispered to his companion.
The eagle glanced up from preening its feathers. “Of course, of course, Grambion always keeps his promises, you know that.”
The boy nodded and took a deep breath. He sat down and began to clean the sword with a rag. The unlikely pair sat there for another hour, occasionally glancing into the black gaping holes between the trees for a glimpse of whoever they were waiting for. Soon the boy began to pace restlessly, watching the trees like a hawk watches its prey. He was not disappointed. The crunching of twigs and leaves underfoot signaled the coming of a person. A tall thin figure strode through the trees wearing a long black cape. Behind him slithered a giant serpent, with huge glowing green eyes and green scales that glittered in the moonlight.
The man in the cape’s face was hidden by a hood. At his side was a curved sword with odd designs on the scabbard. He stopped and looked down at the eagle and the boy.
“Did you bring it?”
The boy hastily brought out a small wrapped package. He held it close to his chest.
“How do I know Draegel isn’t lying?” he asked.
The stranger extended a hand curved like talons. “Just give it to me, Ehriden, and we will achieve peace in all of Thildar!”
Ehriden reluctantly handed over the package. The stranger grabbed it and opened the paper a little to make sure the object was still there. He tucked it away safely in his cloak.
“It’s too bad, how foolish you are. You would have made a fine addition to our forces, Ehriden.”
Ehriden’s eyes widened in surprise as the serpent struck him one, two, three times in the leg. The eagle led out a scream of rage and flew at the serpent with talons outstretched. Grimacing and limping, Ehriden drew his sword and swung it at the same time as the stranger’s long curved sword whipped out, unseen for it was so fast. Ehriden pulled back just as fast and swung at the stranger’s knees but he jumped and stood on the blade. With a swift move he neatly snapped Ehriden’s sword in half as if it were a twig. Ehriden reeled back and fell to his knees as the venom began to take effect. Ehriden watched in horror as the stranger advanced toward him, blade drawn. The eagle screeched and looked up from the process of scratching out the serpent’s eyes. The man stood over Ehriden, obviously enjoying the moment.
“You were a fool when you refused to join Draegel. You could have had the power I now possess.”
Ehriden spat at the stranger’s foot with good aim; it landed on the toe of his polished leather boot. “Draegel uses the powers of evil to manipulate his foes! He kills people to get what he wants!” His tone softened. “You were once good, Grambion, pure-hearted and strong. You gave it all up. There’s still time to come back.”
Grambion pointed the sword at Ehriden’s throat. “You dare to speak about me and my master in that way! Now you will die!”
The eagle screeched and tried to fly to Ehriden’s aid, but the serpent had entangled itself thoroughly in the eagle’s legs, even though there were bloody stumps where its eyes used to be. Grambion lifted his sword and prepared to strike…