PROLOGUE

100 years ago there was a great earthquake, in the Southern most tip of Avalon. A large rift in the earth opened up creating a large cave. Dark magic rose up from the earth, a black lava slowly started creeping out of the darkness. Slowly it cooled and hardened. Every year it creeps a little further into Avalon. Advancing the realm of the Lands of Darkness. Little is known about the black earth except that it shadows a land that was once fresh and green. Marking the boundaries of Avalon.

At about the time of the earthquake there was a battle in Avalon, between the powerful wizards of the country. Some wanted to learn and practice every kind of magic, including the dark magic’s. Such as the death spells and spells that take over a persons mind to make them a willing slave. Other powerful wizards opposed this and a battle was fought over what type of magic would be practiced in Avalon.

It was a great and horrid battle. Two very powerful wizards wanted black magic. The rest of the council of mages opposed them, standing together the council of mages managed to beat back the dark magic’s. They banished the two wizards, and their followers. Together they left Avalon in exile.

The two wizards wandered the countryside until they came to the giant rift. There, another earthquake shook the land until one of the wizards fell into the rift. Yet he emerged once more with a horrid black crown upon his head. He stated that he had seen the great lord who commanded powers of darkness.

This great lord had given him power beyond mortal comprehension. He had been chosen by this evil lord to be the Lord of Darkness. He was crowned by the formless black spirit who ruled the underworld.

Summoning the power from his black crown the Lord of Darkness shattered a mountain. Creating a black fortress of dark obsidian. The Lord of Darkness then sent the other great wizard, into the rift, ever to be heard from again.

The Lord of Darkness called forth a powerful army from the earth, horrid creatures of the devil. He also summoned together the lands powerful yet simple minded creatures, trolls. From their bodies he created a new troll, gigantic in nature. These he named ogres. With his powerful army he took the southern lands of Avalon. Enslaving the people he captured.

None could stand against this terrible army. All who tried were captured or destroyed. It appeared for a time as though the Lord of Darkness would take all the lands of Avalon with it’s horrid army. Yet, inexplicably he stopped once he captured half of the Forest of Rainbows.

Many attempts were made to create a powerful barrier between Avalon and what had now become the Land of Darkness. Each attempt was met with disaster.

Slowly the black land continued to slither it’s way out from the rift, enveloping the land around it. Wizards used every spell they could think of, to fight off this threat. All failed.

Searching for hope, the best and brightest in the land gathered together in a great council. All the greatest wizards fought about what to do, yet none could think of a single plan of action.

Realizing that the fighting was accomplishing nothing, the oldest and most powerful of wizards stood, and called his young apprentice, Claudious, to come with him. He then commanded that all the wizards retire for the night and pray.

The next day all was as before. None of the powerful wizards had any idea of how to protect what was left of Avalon, nor did they know what to do about the Lord of Darkness.

In sorrow, and concern the young apprentice, Claudious went out into the forest to meditate and to pray. There in a small clearing he received a vision. Beautiful unicorns appeared before him, running circles around him. The unicorns were quickly joined by butterflies, birds and the fairies of the woods. Together they encircled the apprentice, all the while he could hear beautiful music coming down from the heavens.

One unicorn stopped running. It stood directly in front of him and slowly walked towards him. Claudious hadn’t realized he was kneeling until the unicorn loomed over him. Gently the creature touched his head with it’s golden horn. Granting him a vision of a young woman who would be born of the royal house. She would stand against the powers of the Land of Darkness and all of it’s minions. She would be recognized by her tiny rose birthmark. The people of Avalon would know her as the Rose of the Prophecy, the Lady Marion of Avalon.

Avalon’s victory or it’s eventual enslavement would rest upon her shoulders. She was the hope of all Avalon and the world. Claudious was then given a large golden book. In the great book it was written that if Marion should fail, first Avalon then all the worlds would all fall under the domain of the Lord of Darkness. His powers and control would stretch out for all eternity.

Returning to Avalon Claudious brought the golden book of the prophecy with him. Within it, the wizards of Avalon were charged with finding a powerful stone that was touched by light. It would send the people of Avalon to go out into the vast expanse of worlds and dimensions to prepare for the time of battles, when Marion would be born. Eventually Marion herself and her knight protector must walk the path of the stone. To prepare for the future ahead of them.

A great search was led by the wizards of Avalon, to find this stone. Claudious eventually became a powerful wizard. He joined in on the search and was lost in a mystical cave that suspended time. 100 years later he was freed from it by the very woman he prophesied about, the Lady Marion of Avalon. The young wizard eventually entered the powerful stone from her time. It was called the Silverstone by the people of Avalon.

He had many incredible adventures, visiting worlds without number. Until years later he was returned to the Avalon he first knew as young as when he had first entered the Silverstone.

Claudious continued his search to find the Silverstone in his time. Eventually he found it. Returning to Avalon, he announced the discovery of the Silverstone. To the pleasure and rejoicing of Avalon. Couples were then pared up entering the stone they had incredible adventures. They would spend years in the stone only to emerge a month or two after they had left.

Claudious lived his life, and became the most powerful wizard Avalon had ever known. Claudious the Magician.

Lady Marion was born 70 years later. Soon after Lady Marion’s birth there was a second great war. Lady Melody, the queen, died along with her sister and her husband. The armies of Avalon were all but wiped out in this war. All the knights and most of the great wizards had died or disappeared. It was a time of sorrow for all of Avalon. Fortunately the Lord of Darkness also disappeared, never to be heard from again.

The people of Avalon believed he was the last Lord of Darkness, they were not aware he had left behind a son. So they relaxed and turned their minds towards rebuilding the kingdom.

Claudious could not relax. He watched as Lord Briant the king of Avalon, tried to rebuild his army. The job was near to impossible as most of the men had died in the great war. Those that survived were needed at home to rebuild. The kingdom was incredibly weak, and it’s greatest challenge was yet to come.

The Rose of the Prophesy had been born. He watched her grow. He taught her about magic, and her destiny. He taught her of her responsibility to Avalon. He had no idea how this young woman would be able to save or destroy all of Avalon. Yet, he was determined to help her in any and every way he could. Often he had trouble sleeping as a thought would enter his mind. Would it be enough? Would this young girl be able to save them all from the powers of darkness that were even now massing against them? He could only pray