Prologue

The cave, like every other cave in the dusk, loomed over everything, as if daring anyone or anything to enter. Its interior was shadowed in darkness, seemingly hiding all kinds of threats, physical or otherwise.

A black robed man approached the cave. He stopped just 3 steps away from its entrance, and looked around. There was a soft rustling of leaves in a patch of bushes just behind him, large enough to hide a man. The robed man, in a quick, fluid motion, turned and threw a dagger right into the bushes.

There was the smooth sound of sharp steel slicing through bone, and soon after a deer’s head rolled out, still bleeding from the fatal wound. The dagger flew back towards the man, stopped right before his hands, and dropped into his palm. He flicked off the blood stains and kept the dagger back in his cloak.

“Stupid deer,” he said out loud to no one in particular.

Once again, the man reached into his robe and withdrew, this time, a bag of shimmering powder. He took a handful, and threw it onto the left wall of the cave, just after the entrance. The powder stuck onto the wall and glowed softly, revealing a secret entrance hidden by magic.

“You’re late”, came low voice from within.

“There was another clash just last night.” The black robed man started, walking into the chamber where three others were seated. Their clothing was uniform- loose black robes, black cloaks. No one of them would be able to identify the other even had they crossed paths. The only thing that told them apart was an gold emblem on each cloak, one an image of a spade, one a diamond, one a heart, one a club. The four suits of a poker card deck. “The K’Nae attacked and razed down another village. This is already the 4th one this week.”

The K’Nae were a race of warriors, each trained from young in the art of battle. They were able to turn their skin to diamond when they mature, and are the toughest of the 4 races that inhabit the world of Saphfiron.

“I think the time is now ripe for us to initiate the plan. It’s already chaotic enough in the world out there. Why, just 2 days ago, I heard reports of a team of human fighters attacking a lone Vladmir out in the open.” It was the man with the deep voice, wearing the crest of the spades.

The Vladmir were a race of magicians who roam around the world, doing things unfathomable to all but others of their race. They wore black robes everywhere, and speak with each other telepathically. Most of the time, they are seen alone, and they do not bother about the other races. As a result, hardly does anyone bother with them. The Vladmir were neutral in the racial wars of Saphfiron, and as a result are free to come and go in any tower.

“I agree. There are rumors of the Phernix preparing themselves for battle, gathering food supplies and troops.” The voice who spoke this was old, and it was spoken with a tinge of arrogance. The speaker had the image of a heart embedded on his cloak.

The Phernix, last of the 4 races were, as rumors say, the first of the races to have inhabited the land. Each Phernix lives to an age of roughly 200 years, and they are blessed with the magic of life- the ability to heal wounds and to communicate with all living things via a blood-link. Their magic requires the use of their own blood, which as a result shortens their lifespan.

“Then let us prepare ourselves”, the latecomer said. “We shall adjourn and meet back here at the time of the next new moon. Then, we shall begin the plan.”

The other 3 nodded, and they left, one by one, so that their identities would not be revealed. Spade left first, followed by Heart 5 minutes later. Another 5 minutes passed in silence, and Diamond left. The latecomer, Club, was left alone in the darkness of the cave. Not soon after, he, too, exited the cave, just as the morning sun was rising in the horizon, breaking the darkness of night.

“So it finally is going to start. Let us hope nothing goes too wrong.”

And with that, Club triggered something within his cloak and flew off, towards the direction of the rising sun.