Chapter 1: Prologue

The setting sun’s light had yet to fade over the treetops around Fort Zorhta. Although the calm blue sky and gentle breeze should have brought a sense of peace and tranquility to the fort’s inhabitants, an air of urgency and tension had fallen over the stone fortress like a weighted blanket. The six turrets that stood evenly around the walled fort were filled with alert sentries scanning the open ground that surrounded the elevated position. Fort Zorhta occupied the open valley between two of the largest mountain ranges in the land. The area had been carefully cleared of any visual obstacles so that no sizable force could pass by unseen. Given that this valley acted as the main border between the kingdom and the neighboring Dragonmein Theocracy, there was always a standing force of three hundred men at arms to watch and protect the fort.

One man observed the three hundred professional soldiers rush to and fro from atop the central battlement over the main gate. He wore the kingdom’s signature green cloak with the royal crest over his armor to denote his position as the lord in charge of these troops. Though none of the men present would need reminding of his status, the man felt given the circumstances he should be as visible as possible. Soldiers always looked to their commanding officers to understand how dire a given situation was.

Keep calm. A stern look of confidence will maintain order and keep the soldiers motivated on their tasks. The Lord thought to himself as he continued to survey his troops.

Henry Edmond Wilde was no stranger to positions of command. He came from a long line of military leadership and had learned from an early age how to best defend his country. Though the kingdom of Rhi had long been at peace with its neighbors, the bloody wars that filled the history books taught him better than to expect peace to last forever. At fifty three, Henry was the senior most military leader still in the field and he took the safety of this fort very seriously.

“Lord Wilde.” A winded voice called out behind him.

Henry turned to find his aid kneeling behind him.

“Stand up William.” He barked at the younger man. “We don’t have time for ceremony. Report.”

“Yes lord.” William rose to his feet immediately.

Though still in his twenties, William was exceptionally sharp and showed some real intelligence when it came to analyzing risky situations. Even though the young man did not come from a noble background, Henry had been quick to assign William as one of his personal aids and would often rely on his keen mind to sort out situations such as this one.

“The man has been identified as specialist Phillip Garrington, a member of the Split Hand.”

Henry’s heart skipped a beat as his suspicions were confirmed. The Split Hand were a secretive group that answered to the king directly. Though they were officially labeled as a protective group who looked after the royal family, everyone in the military knew their responsibilities were far more sinister. Assassinations, infiltrations, monster releases, forbidden magic research. The Split Hand were a brutal tool the king employed when conventional tactics failed. To meet one was to brush against death. Even in Henry’s lifespan he’d never once had the misfortune of encountering one. That was until one came stumbling through his fort’s front door a half hour ago babbling like a maniac.

“Why is he here? Was he attacked by foreign forces?” Henry asked in a lowered tone.

William looked down for a moment before responding. “... It is possible.”

Henry cocked an eyebrow. “I don’t remember asking for a half answer boy. Was he attacked or wasn’t he?”

“His group encountered… a small party west of here. From what I could gather the meeting grew hostile and his group was killed.”

That gave Henry pause. Members of the Split Hand were extremely capable in a fight. They were masters of both magic and blade. A single hand being killed was big news, a group being killed was unheard of.

“West of here.” Henry turned to his right to gaze out in that direction. “But that’s further into our territory. How could-”

Henry’s words choked in his throat as a figure appeared in his field of view. On the nearest turret, perched perfectly on the wall directly behind his clueless sentries stood a woman. Despite the narrow and angled nature of the wall, the woman was completely at ease and there was nary a sway in her stance. Henry’s mind couldn’t comprehend her sudden appearance. There was no smoke, no flash of light to signal her arrival. She simply appeared as if the gods themselves had placed her there. If that had been the only unnatural thing about the situation Henry might have recovered his wit but there was one fact that dominated his frame of mind.

She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Henry thought to himself.

The mysterious woman was dressed in a black outfit that was accentuated by a vibrant red sash tied around her waist. The fabric seemed loose enough to offer freedom of movement yet somehow tight enough to emphasize her extraordinary feminine features. A pair of curved daggers were sheathed behind her back and her arms were folded neatly across her chest as she surveyed the interior of the fort. Her face was the only part of her that was uncovered and Henry felt his pulse quicken as he spotted her flawless dark skin, silvery hair, and pointed ears.

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A drow! Henry’s head spun. Is she from the theocracy?

The Dragonmein Theocracy was a nation primarily led and populated by elves. Though he had never faced them in combat, Henry had heard about the elves' grace and speed on the battlefield. Right before Henry could call for arms the elf met his gaze. He froze in place.

“My lord?” William’s voice broke through to Henry.

“Huh?” Henry jerked back in surprise, his wide eyes darting to his aid.

William took a step closer to his lord and turned his head to look up at the turret to the west.

“What caught your eye?” He asked with concern.

Henry turned back to look at the woman but she was nowhere to be found.

“It was…” He trailed off.

The woman’s green eyes were still seared into his mind. The look she had given him sent shivers deep into his bones. There was no hostility there. No malice. She had looked at Henry as if he were an insect that needed to be stomped out of existence. The aura and power Henry felt from that woman’s gaze gave him every inclination that she was capable of doing just that.

“Alert the men. We must prepare-” 

A shout from a nearby sentry stopped Henry short. “A group to the south! A group has appeared to the south!”

Henry pushed past William and scanned the land directly ahead of the main gate. Since there was a full watch stationed above, he expected to see riders exiting the distant treeline. Much to his surprise what greeted his eyes was a party of six people standing halfway through the open field. They were too far away to make out specific details but it was clear the party didn’t have any mounts with them. A quick glance up told Henry that there wasn’t anything in the sky either.

“How did they get so close?” He wondered aloud.

It was possible to make yourself invisible using magic, but if that were the case then why did they stop halfway? Did their spell run out of time? Were they here to negotiate? Perhaps they were here for the Split Hand that had arrived earlier. Whatever the case may be, the knot in Henry’s stomach only tightened further. One of the figures stepped forward and a glowing object entered their hand.

“That has to be magic, my lord.” William leaned against the battlement and peered out at the distant figure. “It looks like a bow of some kind, or maybe a staff?”

Before his aid could comment further, flecks of light began to appear around the distant figures. They floated above the tall grass in a lazy circle around the magical item the lead person wielded. In a rush the flecks began to swarm to a single point at the end of the item, coalescing into a singular sphere of power. The knot in Henry’s stomach fell out as understanding flooded his mind.

“Get down!”

His instructions would prove pointless. A bolt of energy zipped away from the mysterious figure in the distance and collided with the gate directly beneath Henry and William’s feet. The resulting explosion ripped clean through the stone fortifications and sent rubble high into the sky. The immediate shockwave from such a devastating force leveled the central keep and collapsed the barracks and armory. Henry was alive long enough to see one of the strongest military installations in his country disappear in an instant before a wagon sized stone brought his life to a crushing end.