CHAPTER 1 - General FlockiThe sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the blood-drenched battlefield. The Eastern Rebellion's famous general, Flocki, stood amidst the chaos, surveying the pandemonium with his battle-weary eyes that had seen far too many wars. His soldiers were valiantly holding on but were slowly being worn down. The enemy was just too numerous. But Flocki? He was rock-solid and unwavering.“Sir!” A young soldier, panting and covered in dirt, dashed to his side. “The western flank... they’ve broken through. We can’t hold them any longer.” Flocki tightened his jaw. His plan had been so detailed, even a bit obsessive, but good tactics sometimes come undone when the bulge in the balloon has to go somewhere and when the other side barely thinks and just pushes and pushes and pushes. He turned to his lieutenant, a man of middle years who had been with him long enough to know what he didn’t want to hear and what he did want to hear."Calder, when will the reinforcem

CHAPTER 3: THE WEIGHT OF CHAINSThat evening, Raiden walked through the quiet Elthorn compound, his mind occupied with troubling thoughts. His past life had been one of weakness. But Flocki, the man he truly was, would not take the kinds of insults he had taken before. He would find strength, and he would make those who had mistreated him answer for it.As he was about to step through the portal to the next mission, a voice stopped him.“Raiden! Where are you off to in such a hurry?” The voice was womanly, but he sensed the sharpness in its tone. Selene, his sister-in-law."Mother says you are running off again to play the hero. You should just give up, Raiden. You will never be more than a servant in this family." Raiden met Selene's gaze, clear, unwavering. "We will see about that." Selene stepped closer, her voice now low enough that only he could hear. "Just don’t die out there, Raiden. Mother wouldn’t want you to miss the next round of chores."Raiden kept his fists tightly cl

CHAPTER 5: SHADOWS OF THE PAST Far from the Elthorn Estate, a secluded manor filled with the burnt, herbal scent of despair awaited the tedium of late-night labors. Dark magic pulsed through the very walls of the structure, and the air tasted of ancient power and the slightest hint of forbidden rituals. You could almost hear the place whisper its secrets to you if you dared enter its domain. A close-up audition of what was in the very corners of the shadow-painted haven would have been a fascinating scoop for any enterprising reporter, and certainly for those in magic's employ. Elthorn might have found a way in. He certainly had the time and means to try, and if he couldn't, well, he had at least lit a stack of kindling in prospect for any in our midst who might seek to unmask the tendrils of darkness serving either the Ebon Alliance or some similarly sinister cabal.At the head of the table sat Giovanni, the leader of the magicians, his sharp features lit up by the orb's unnatural

CHAPTER 7: AWAKENING THE POWER WITHIN.Raiden found himself in the middle of a forest, where the morning mist swirled around his feet. He had never exerted so much energy before, and he could feel his heart racing with the potential of what his newfound power could do. In front of him lay the Swordmaster scroll, and he wasn’t certain why, but he had a feeling it was very necessary that he read it now. Even though it was morning, the forest remained dim, and the scroll illuminated itself for him, the arcane symbols glowing faintly to bring him more ease of use. "Read me," they seemed to command. Raiden took a breath and did just that. He read the scroll out loud as best he could, the words strange and foreign on his tongue. Soon afterward, he seized his sword and did what he had just read.Panting, but with a determined glint in his eye, Raiden lowered the sword. "This is only the beginning," he muttered under his breath, already envisioning the untapped power deep inside him. His m

CHAPTER 9: THE UNEXPECTED VISITRaiden woke from fitful sleep, the secret training he shared with only a few trusted souls and the mysterious events of the day before pressing heavily on his mind. He ached all over from pushing the limits of his physical training just last night. But, as always, it was a good pain….a sign that he was breaking through and getting stronger. He was just starting to gain some momentum in that training, when...His eyes opened, and his heart nearly stopped at the sight of Lady Morgana seated in the chair opposite his bed. A cold, predatory gleam glinted in her eyes, and the faint, twisted smile on her lips suggested that she had only been waiting for him to regain consciousness.Raiden sat up as if propelled by some internal force, extending a leg from beneath the bedclothes, with one bare foot finding the floor and pushing him quickly to a stance. Sensing immediate danger, he demanded an explanation."What the hell are you doing in my room?"Morgana found