Prologue

‘There must be some rule out there that says libraries come with the prerequisite dust,’ Balan wryly thought as he ran his finger across a shelf. The monk disapprovingly shook his head upon feeling the dust. He made a mental note of speaking to the monk in charge of library maintenance.

“Ah, Brother Balan,” Brother Parel’s voice broke through Balan’s thoughts. “Just the person I wanted to see.” The frail librarian leaned heavily on his cane as he led Balan to the back of the library. “We’ve recently acquired a tablet from Cygren. From the looks of it, it was made during the first Drazi dynasty, and you’re the most knowledgeable of that period…”

Brother Parel brought down a stone tablet and laid it on a nearby table. Balan took a look at the intricately minute inscriptions and remarked, “Probably made during Drazi Amiri’s reign,” he said to himself. “Many thanks, Brother Parel. I’ll immediately go to work deciphering its message.” With that, the librarian left him. “Looks like a page from The Book of Legends,” Balan mused aloud.

The Book of Legends was a myth in itself. Ever since the early stages of the world, the monks of Jora Cadem had chronicled the earthshaking events that had occurred. Over the years, those stories became legends. This was usually the case with people’s growing skepticism and wavering faith, Balan thought with a regretful sigh. Peace among the kingdoms was beginning to crumble. The growing dissention between the social classes had shown itself in Vinta Maru and Cygren; it would not be long before the world would be at war.

The last Great War had apparently not left any lesson in the minds of the people, concluded Balan with a sad cynicism. Like The Book of Legends, the consequences of strife had been forgotten. The book was dismantled by the monks during that dreadful war five hundred years ago for safekeeping; the tablets were hidden in different parts of the world. However, records of the tablets’ whereabouts were destroyed in the fire that nearly reduced Jora Cadem into crumbles. It had taken three centuries for Jora Cadem to be restored. It was extremely good luck for the monks to have the tablet in their possession.

Hours later, Balan was thoroughly puzzled. The tablet was different from any he had encountered. All the tablets from The Book of Legends were written in a straightforward manner, but the slab in his hands was in code. He was certain that it was genuine, though. Balan had verified that it was indeed from the Book, but he had yet to decipher its message. His patience was starting to run thin – and that was saying something for a monk.

“This is impossible,” Balan grumbled out loud. He absentmindedly traced the symbols in their respective boxes and abruptly stopped. One of the symbols was loose. His curiosity piqued, Balan carefully slid the symbol to the right.

All the symbols – tiles, Balan suddenly realized – moved in different directions and stopped after a while. The monk quickly read the rearranged tablet.

Balan read it one more time.

“It can’t be,” he said in shock. Balan quickly stood up and hurriedly went to his superiors, tablet in tow. The High Priest took a look at the tablet as Balan recounted his discovery.

“Is it true, Frater Pietro?” Balan asked breathlessly.

“Yes it is, Balan.”

“But… this tablet was written over two thousands years ago.”

“You are the expert on that.”

“That would mean that the tablet-“

“It speaks of a myth that is yet to happen. By the looks of it, a legend that will determine the fate of our world.”

»»»Author's Note: Just a short one for now... I know the prologue's vague, but stick it out! :D I plan/hope to upload chapters every other day, depending on whether I can successfully wrest one of the PCs from my sisters.