Desperate Pawns

Prologue-1

And to think, this terrible war began with the birth of a child.

And to think, this terrible war began with the birth of a child.Icy fingers of the night’s gathering fog drifted silently through the dungeon cell’s only window. A window set high in the cold stone walls with heavy iron bars sealing forever the poor souls to isolation and certain death. The hour was late. The confines of my lonely existence barren of any freedom. A single prisoner existing in a stone crypt of a dungeon cell in a fortress set atop a rocky ridge overlooking a valley of virgin forests.

Icy fingers of the night’s gathering fog drifted silently through the dungeon cell’s only window. A window set high in the cold stone walls with heavy iron bars sealing forever the poor souls to isolation and certain death. The hour was late. The confines of my lonely existence barren of any freedom. A single prisoner existing in a stone crypt of a dungeon cell in a fortress set atop a rocky ridge overlooking a valley of virgin forests.This, Pilgrim, I know. Years earlier, while still young and new to my confinement, I scaled the walls of my cell and gripped the ancient iron bars of the cell’s window and peered out into the world beyond. I saw near me nothing but the black rock foundations on which the fortress sat. And far off, faintly, the span of a wide valley floor covered in a carpet of trees of all shapes and sizes. The tops of the trees were brilliant colours of yellows, golds, reds, and oranges. Telling me, of course, I had been captured sometime in the Fall of the year. But how I was captured, and exactly who had captured me, and where this ancient fortress sat, I had no comprehension.

This, Pilgrim, I know. Years earlier, while still young and new to my confinement, I scaled the walls of my cell and gripped the ancient iron bars of the cell’s window and peered out into the world beyond. I saw near me nothing but the black rock foundations on which the fortress sat. And far off, faintly, the span of a wide valley floor covered in a carpet of trees of all shapes and sizes. The tops of the trees were brilliant colours of yellows, golds, reds, and oranges. Telling me, of course, I had been captured sometime in the Fall of the year. But how I was captured, and exactly who had captured me, and where this ancient fortress sat, I had no comprehension.But Who, Pilgrim; the Who issued orders to his minions to capture me I knew. The creature unseen. My enemy eternal. The ultimate creation of damnation. The Evil from Afar.

But Who, Pilgrim; the Who issued orders to his minions to capture me I knew. The creature unseen. My enemy eternal. The ultimate creation of damnation.Know you, Pilgrim, once I was known as Roland of the High Crags. A Bretan warrior-monk and wizard. Once I was honoured among my brethren for my Many exploits facing Evil in all its disguises. For facing incredible odds and enemies too numerous to count and yet, somehow, surviving. With my old friend and comrade, the Hughens-bred Great Wing named Cedric, we fought Human or Great Dragon, or the fabled fire-breathing monsters called Winged Beasties, or any other creature who resided here in the Outer Realms or from within the realms of the Netherworld. We never flinched. We never shirked our duty. We were always faithful to the teachings of the Bretan Way.

Know you, Pilgrim, once I was known as Roland of the High Crags. A Bretan warrior-monk and wizard. Once I was honoured among my brethren for my Many exploits facing Evil in all its disguises. For facing incredible odds and enemies too numerous to count and yet, somehow, surviving. With my old friend and comrade, the Hughens-bred Great Wing namedwe fought Human or Great Dragon, or the fabled fire-breathing monsters called Winged Beasties, or any other creature who resided here in the Outer Realms or from within the realms of the Netherworld. We never flinched. We never shirked our duty. We were always faithful to the teachings of the Bretan Way.But, years ago—a lifetime ago—I felt the first stirrings of The Evil from Afar. The ultimate Evil. Neither alive nor dead. Neither male nor female. Neither Human nor Great Dragon. But something stirred in the depths of my mind. Something eternal. Something alien.

But, years ago—a lifetime ago—I felt the first stirrings ofThe ultimate Evil. Neither alive nor dead. Neither male nor female. Neither Human nor Great Dragon. But something stirred in the depths of my mind. Something eternal. Something alien.Like a Snow Viper moving just underneath a blanket of freshly fallen snow, this evil slipped into the deepest recesses of my consciousness. And at that moment I knew. I knew I faced a foe as ancient as the Netherworld itself. Ancient fears, ancient hatreds—thirsting for revenge—seeping out of the Netherworld and entering the Outer Realms, this world where the living breathe and feel the warmth of the sun. And thirst for revenge I felt in this creature’s soul. In my Inner Eye, I saw the swirling dark colours of Absolute Evil. And equally, I saw the auras of the Great Dragon Clan Hartooth.

Like a Snow Viper moving just underneath a blanket of freshly fallen snow, this evil slipped into the deepest recesses of my consciousness. And at that moment I knew. I knew I faced a foe as ancient as the Netherworld itself. Ancient fears, ancient hatreds—thirsting for revenge—seeping out of the Netherworld and entering the Outer Realms, this world where the living breathe and feel the warmth of the sun. And thirst for revenge I felt in this creature’s soul. In my Inner Eye, I saw the swirling dark colours of Absolute Evil. And equally, I saw the auras of the Great Dragon Clan Hartooth.If you read these words scribbled across these yellowed, brittle paper left behind by some other hapless prisoner long before my time, know you that in my world all wizards possess the Inner Eye. The ability to see the auras of all life before our eyes. All life vibrates with a dancing aura of colours unique to their kind. Humans, Great Dragons, creatures large and small, each have their own signature vibrations. Even inanimate objects such as stone and iron and steel retain the auras of those living creatures who may have touched them for long periods of time before eventually fading away.

If you read these words scribbled across these yellowed, brittle paper left behind by some other hapless prisoner long before my time, know you that in my world all wizards possess the Inner Eye. The ability to see the auras of all life before our eyes. All life vibrates with a dancing aura of colours unique to their kind. Humans, Great Dragons, creatures large and small, each have their own signature vibrations. Even inanimate objects such as stone and iron and steel retain the auras of those living creatures who may have touched them for long periods of time before eventually fading away.In my mind, I saw the auras of The Evil from Afar entering the Outer Realms. I felt it slithering away like the deadly viper in search of its prey. In search of the medium which would willingly do its bidding. I felt this vile thing hunting for the legendary Dragon clan, the Clan Hartooth.

In my mind, I saw the auras ofentering the Outer Realms. I felt it slithering away like the deadly viper in search of its prey. In search of the medium which would willingly do its bidding. I felt this vile thing hunting for the legendary Dragon clan, the Clan Hartooth.With the blessings from a few powerful Bretan prelates, I left the safety of a mountain fortress-monastery and, riding in the saddle of my powerful Cedric, we swept over the towering cliffs which guarded the High Kanris from the Dragon baronies of the hill country and steppes sweeping out and away from the rocky shield wall of the Kanris.

With the blessings from a few powerful Bretan prelates, I left the safety of a mountain fortress-monastery and, riding in the saddle of my powerfulwe swept over the towering cliffs which guarded the High Kanris from the Dragon baronies of the hill country and steppes sweeping out and away from the rocky shield wall of the Kanris.We came to join the valiant defence of a small Dragon clan called the Anktooth—distant cousins to the legendary First Clan. The Anktooth was a small Dragon clan almost as ancient as their more renowned cousins. But cursed the Anktooth were with the absence of any wealth and cursed again in the sparsity of numbers that forever haunted them. Nevertheless, they held no fondness for their older and more powerful cousins. And when, on that fateful early summer morn when their Maroon and Black clad warriors invaded their lands, the Anktooth fought with a tenacious zeal against their far stronger, and much larger, kinsmen.

We came to join the valiant defence of a small Dragon clan called the Anktooth—distant cousins to the legendary First Clan. The Anktooth was a small Dragon clan almost as ancient as their more renowned cousins. But cursed the Anktooth were with the absence of any wealth and cursed again in the sparsity of numbers that forever haunted them. Nevertheless, they held no fondness for their older and more powerful cousins. And when, on that fateful early summer morn when their Maroon and Black clad warriors invaded their lands, the Anktooth fought with a tenacious zeal against their far stronger, and much larger, kinsmen.The Hartooth, the First Clan of the Great Dragons to rise from the swamps of its ancient homelands and wage war on Humanity, was again waging war. The Dark Gods of Dragon Kind prophesied from the ranks of the Hartooth, five weapons of immeasurable power would be born to them. Five weapons, disguised as women, would lift the First Clan up from the stench and filth of its animal ancestry and make them equal to Humanity. These five women would be known as the Five Princesses, or more commonly, as the Five Sisters.

The Hartooth, the First Clan of the Great Dragons to rise from the swamps of its ancient homelands and wage war on Humanity, was again waging war. The Dark Gods of Dragon Kind prophesied from the ranks of the Hartooth, five weapons of immeasurable power would be born to them. Five weapons, disguised as women, would lift the First Clan up from the stench and filth of its animal ancestry and make them equal to Humanity. These five women would be known as the Five Princesses, or more commonly, as the Five Sisters.All five of these women would be endowed with Netherworld power no Dragon nor Human mage, or skilled witch would be able to defeat. Four of the five Sisters would lift the first clans from out of its dark swamps and wetlands and slowly teach and meld Dragon Kind into bipedal, sentient creatures equal to any Human. The Fourth Sister would teach them how to wage war against the Human kingdoms. The Hartooth, and three other First Clans, would begin the march to eliminate their ancestral enemies.

All five of these women would be endowed with Netherworld power no Dragon nor Human mage, or skilled witch would be able to defeat. Four of the five Sisters would lift the first clans from out of its dark swamps and wetlands and slowly teach and meld Dragon Kind into bipedal, sentient creatures equal to any Human. The Fourth Sister would teach them how to wage war against the Human kingdoms. The Hartooth, and three other First Clans, would begin the march to eliminate their ancestral enemies.And ultimately, as Dragon prophecy foretold, the Fifth Sister would come to unite all of Dragon Kind under one banner and lead them to their ultimate victory. The complete annihilation of all of Humanity.