Chapter One
Though that night was peaceful in the valley, to say that it was silent would have been a lie. Crickets and frogs sung together in a chorus of chirps and croaks. A stream bubbled happily as it wound its way down from the Northwest to the South. A soft summer breeze ruffled the leaves of the trees, the sound echoing with more power than the gentle wind possessed.
The valley was arranged naturally in a very defendable manner. Its North, West, and part of its East sides were bordered by tall, impassable mountains, while the rest of it was surrounded by a thick evergreen forest. The whole valley had once been a forest, but a considerable space in its center had been cleared away to make room for the city.
The city, Hawkwood, was not large. It had been founded by a family of lesser nobles of the kingdom of Astyria. The family's symbol was the hawk, and so the city was named. It had begun as a humble village with few citizens, but was quickly discovered to be surrounded by a rich supply of wood and game. Soon it grew to support a thriving population.
It was in this city of Hawkwood, in the year 483a.w. (after war), on the third day of the sixth month, that something was happening of enough importance to shape the future of the world. It didn't seem like a particularly important night to the average citizen sleeping in their bed. Indeed, only four individuals even knew of the event, and only three would remember it. But sometimes the most significant events in history are forever lost to the public's view.
This particular event happened in an ordinary house within the city. The house did not belong to anyone important. The couple who lived there were Xeldan and Aerana Stormdance. Their surname came from the only ancestor of any great interest Xeldan had. His great, great grandfather had been a battle wizard who had caused a storm to dance, mesmerizing the guards on watch at an enemy camp and allowing a few soldiers to sneak through and destroy the enemy's food supply. It had not been a great enough accomplishment for the wizard to earn any sort of noble status, but it gave him the title which became the surname for him and his descendants.
On that particular summer night, Xeldan and Aerana had started out at home along with their week old son, Daevyn. Aerana sat in a wooden chair near the the warmly burning flames in the fireplace, cradling the baby boy in her arms. Her sapphire blue eyes were filled with worry. Her husband paced the room restlessly, his long strides taking him from wall to wall in three steps.
There were not many objects in the room to get in his way. There was the fireplace that was used for warmth as well as cooking. There was a small table with four chairs, the extra being used for company. There were a few cupboards for supplies. There were two doors, one leading outside and the other to the bedroom, the only other room in the house. It was small, but it served their needs and it was home.
A knock sounded on the door that led outside. Aerana looked nervously at her husband, who was staring darkly at the door. He hesitated like this for only a moment before moving to open it. "Elysse," he said sharply. "It's about time."
A woman strode in without waiting to be invited inside. She was the very image of beauty, but there was something dangerous about her. Her large eyes were a deep, unnerving gold with silver flecks. They seemed to draw in the soul of whoever was looking at them in a most uncomfortable way. Red hair tumbled in wild curls and waves from her head like an all-consuming wildfire. Her almost impossible curves were like an hourglass, marking away the passage of time. Xeldan shuddered as he shut the door behind her.
Elysse moved without hesitation over to Aerana and studied the baby in her arms. "So. This is the immortal child." She paused and reached out for the boy. Aerana handed him over reluctantly. "Yes, I can feel his power," Elysse continued. "He calls to the Hyspire. He is the one."
Xeldan clenched his fists in frustration, anger sweeping over his hard features. His deep green eyes glared at Elysse. "He can't be," the man told her firmly. "He's only a baby. And look at him! Does he look as if he has any special power? He is a normal child!"
"If you were going to refuse to believe my answer, why did you call me here in the first place?" Elysse met his anger with an icy calm.
On that particular summer night, Xeldan and Aerana had started out at home along with their week old son, Daevyn. Aerana sat in a wooden chair near the the warmly burning flames in the fireplace, cradling the baby boy in her arms. Her sapphire blue eyes were filled with worry. Her husband paced the room restlessly, his long strides taking him from wall to wall in three steps.
There were not many objects in the room to get in his way. There was the fireplace that was used for warmth as well as cooking. There was a small table with four chairs, the extra being used for company. There were a few cupboards for supplies. There were two doors, one leading outside and the other to the bedroom, the only other room in the house. It was small, but it served their needs and it was home.
A knock sounded on the door that led outside. Aerana looked nervously at her husband, who was staring darkly at the door. He hesitated like this for only a moment before moving to open it. "Elysse," he said sharply. "It's about time."
A woman strode in without waiting to be invited inside. She was the very image of beauty, but there was something dangerous about her. Her large eyes were a deep, unnerving gold with silver flecks. They seemed to draw in the soul of whoever was looking at them in a most uncomfortable way. Red hair tumbled in wild curls and waves from her head like an all-consuming wildfire. Her almost impossible curves were like an hourglass, marking away the passage of time. Xeldan shuddered as he shut the door behind her.
Elysse moved without hesitation over to Aerana and studied the baby in her arms. "So. This is the immortal child." She paused and reached out for the boy. Aerana handed him over reluctantly. "Yes, I can feel his power," Elysse continued. "He calls to the Hyspire. He is the one."
Xeldan clenched his fists in frustration, anger sweeping over his hard features. His deep green eyes glared at Elysse. "He can't be," the man told her firmly. "He's only a baby. And look at him! Does he look as if he has any special power? He is a normal child!"
"If you were going to refuse to believe my answer, why did you call me here in the first place?" Elysse met his anger with an icy calm.
Xeldan and Aerana exchanged glances. It had been Aerana's idea to summon Hawkwood's representative of the Hyspire to their house, but Xeldan was not about to turn the blame on his wife by saying that. Aerana twirled a strand of her dark brown hair between her fingers nervously. Despite Xeldan's protests, she had insisted on this. Her son had all three of the marks described in the prophecy. His blue-green eyes had been common enough, a mix of his mother's blue and his father's green. The roughly sword-shaped birthmark on his shoulder had been somewhat less common. But these together with the transparent, slightly rainbow-hued scales on his chest had made his identity unmistakable.
Needless to say, the midwife had been quite astonished by this. The Prophecy of the Immortal was not something easily dismissed. Aerana had been forced to beg for the midwife to keep it a secret. There were some who would see the birth of the Immortal as an occassion worth celebrating, but others would not be so happy and might even be brought to murder the little boy in their fear of the prophecy. Aerana had felt pride at her son's importance, but also a mother's fear for his safety. Xeldan had felt far more fear than pride. He had harbored the hope that the marks were just a coincidence and that his son wasn't the Immortal.
Now he sighed in defeat. "Forgive me. I know you speak the truth. Not even a Devoted of the Hyspire would lie about this."
Aerana looked at Daevyn. He had woken up when Elysse took him, but he did not seem upset by his nap being cut short. He was surprisingly alert and developed for being little more than a week old. He already had a good layer of soft brown hair, and paid more attention to sounds and lights than another baby his same age might. His eyes looked up at Elysse with obvious interest.
The woman looked back at him, silent a moment.She pulled down a part of the blanket that was wrapped around him, revealing the shiny scales on his chest. Curiosity lighting her eyes, she ran a finger over them, feeling their hard strength. It felt like she was touching plates of warm steel. A trail of golden light followed her finger where it made contact. "Interesting..." she murmured quietly. Then she turned her attention back to the boy's parents, who had been watching her nervously. "How much do you know of the prophecy?" she asked them, not expecting much. Only followers of the Hyspire were familiar with all of it.
"I know that the coming of the Immortal heralds war and doom," Xeldan said darkly. "And I know the verse that everyone is taught in childhood by order of the Council of Prophets."
Elysse nodded. "'Marks he does bear, to make certain his identity; eyes of the green sea, a bloody sword, a scaled chest.' Is this all you know?"
Aerana had searched for extra information before she had brought the matter before her husband. Being unable to read, since she was not a priestess or a member of any arcane guild, she had not been able to find much in so short a time. But she had discovered something more. "He will decide the fate of the world," she said, awe touching her voice.
Elysse smiled slightly, though her eyes remained cold. "Yes. This is all true. But your knowledge is still incomplete. Allow me to recite to you the entire prophecy, translated from the old tongue to our own:
A blood red moon rises
and brings war in its
wake from all parts
of the world Uhdrea.
With the Immortal lies
the world's fate. With
his strength, his mind, and
his faith will he triumph.
His choice alone
will mark the way. No
other will force
his hand beyond his will.
Marks he does bear
to make certain his identity:
eyes of the green sea, a
bloody sword, a scaled chest.
He will need a band
of brave companions,
a path to walk,
and an ending to life.
For he brings with him
secrets and terror,
life and destruction,
an end to the war.
She paused to let the words sink in. After a moment, she continued speaking. "One of the things that made this prophecy so well known is how clear it is. Most prophecies are vague and their meaning can change with different interpretations. In fact, there are some minor prophecies that are believed by some to be separate additions to the Prophecy of the Immortal, but are put aside because of their lack of clarity.
"Another reason for the prophecy's popularity is that it was given by Faldren Allspeaker, the founder of the Council of Prophets himself. In the sixth year after the War of Sword and Spell, he had a vision of another war yet to come. That night he spake many prophecies but only one of them was written down, and thus the Prophecy of the Immortal is the only one we still have. Since then, every time there has been any rumor of a war between the nations, supporters of the prophecy have banded together to make certain that no one has forgotten."
"Why are you telling us this?" Xeldan demanded impatiently. If there were a problem with his son, he wanted to fix it and be done with this whole thing. He would not let the stories of some dead seer get in the way of protecting his family.
Elysse regarded him coolly. She had been speaking in the tones of a teacher giving a lecture on a subject of personal interest, but now her voice and adittude returned to the cold, imperious manner she had displayed when she had first arrived. "I had assumed you would want to know, being the parents of the one spoken of in the prophecy."
"My husband meant no disrespect," Aerana said hurriedly. "His mind is simpy focused on the same question mine is. What should we do about this?"
"What indeed..." Elysse murmurred. Her golden eyes fixed on Daevyn's peaceful face. She continued speaking thoughtfully, as if to herself. "This boy is the key to both great power and a delicate balance. My order has searched for him for many years. And now I am the one to find him. Wyerma would say that the whole world must be told of the Immortal's birth, but that would cause unnecessary panic among the people. It might even waste what could be a marvelous opportunity..."
Her eyes shone with an idea. She placed one hand on the baby's head and spoke loudly. "With the power of the Hyspire I bind myself and the great Power's followers to the child Immortal to share in his lengthened life until the end of his days."
Sparks of red light danced around the hand on Daevyn's head. Xeldan and Aerana stared at Elysse, shocked that the woman would use their child to gain immortality. A long silence stretched out until at last, a look of pure innocence on his face, the Immortal giggled.
"Another reason for the prophecy's popularity is that it was given by Faldren Allspeaker, the founder of the Council of Prophets himself. In the sixth year after the War of Sword and Spell, he had a vision of another war yet to come. That night he spake many prophecies but only one of them was written down, and thus the Prophecy of the Immortal is the only one we still have. Since then, every time there has been any rumor of a war between the nations, supporters of the prophecy have banded together to make certain that no one has forgotten."
"Why are you telling us this?" Xeldan demanded impatiently. If there were a problem with his son, he wanted to fix it and be done with this whole thing. He would not let the stories of some dead seer get in the way of protecting his family.
Elysse regarded him coolly. She had been speaking in the tones of a teacher giving a lecture on a subject of personal interest, but now her voice and adittude returned to the cold, imperious manner she had displayed when she had first arrived. "I had assumed you would want to know, being the parents of the one spoken of in the prophecy."
"My husband meant no disrespect," Aerana said hurriedly. "His mind is simpy focused on the same question mine is. What should we do about this?"
"What indeed..." Elysse murmurred. Her golden eyes fixed on Daevyn's peaceful face. She continued speaking thoughtfully, as if to herself. "This boy is the key to both great power and a delicate balance. My order has searched for him for many years. And now I am the one to find him. Wyerma would say that the whole world must be told of the Immortal's birth, but that would cause unnecessary panic among the people. It might even waste what could be a marvelous opportunity..."
Her eyes shone with an idea. She placed one hand on the baby's head and spoke loudly. "With the power of the Hyspire I bind myself and the great Power's followers to the child Immortal to share in his lengthened life until the end of his days."
Sparks of red light danced around the hand on Daevyn's head. Xeldan and Aerana stared at Elysse, shocked that the woman would use their child to gain immortality. A long silence stretched out until at last, a look of pure innocence on his face, the Immortal giggled.
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