Chapter 1

The sky was gray, the color of depression and despair. Jack's parents talked quietly in the front seat of the car, but he didn't listen, he kept thinking of what the future held. The rain had started at an early hour and there seemed to be no end. The constant rhythm of the drops hitting the windshield of the car became a mantra of gloom as the miles passed by. Jack's life was changing, but he didn't understand what that change would be.

The car turned on highway 27 and began to climb into the East Tennessee Mountains. The mist covered the ridges in a smoky cloak. Giving the atmosphere and ethereal feel, Jack's mood sank even deeper into a misty gloom.

Jack's father became obsessed in his efforts to get him accepted by the school when he learned of the existence of Circle Rock Academy. He worked with the fury of demons to achieve his goal. The idea of a private academy appealed to him and what he liked best was the location. Jack was told it would change his view of the world and his life, and it did, but not the way anyone expected.

After Jack and his parents moved his belongings into his dorm room his father handed him a golden jewelry box and asked him to open it. Inside was a silver disk, about the size of a half dollar, on a gold chain. Twelve sapphires of deep blue were set along the edge in a seemingly random fashion, and a black stone shaped like a triangle set in the center of the disk.

"It's beautiful" Jack gazed at the talisman in the box.

"Jack, the blood of the Okula runs in your veins. Yesterday, you celebrated your eighteenth birthday. This now belongs to you. There are three of these. They are similar and yet each is a separate part of a secret from long, long ago. That secret will be for those who wear the disks to fulfill. The appointed time for the "gathering" of the Okula to begin is near, and I believe the disks will be brought together here on this mountain very soon. This is our ancestral home. That is why I have worked so hard to get you into this school."

Jack looked at his father. "How will I be able to tell who has the other disks?"

"Look for the traits of the Okula. Only children of direct lineage may possess and use the power of the disks. They may be male or female, and the disk must be passed on before death. The disks will draw you together once you take the disk as your own, it will lead you." Jack's father stood and walked to the door. He turned and looked at Jack. "Your destiny is hidden from me, but you will be asked to walk a difficult path. There are three sides to the triangle Strength, Emotion, and Wisdom. You have the talisman of Strength, and you must find the bearers of Emotion and Wisdom. There is great power in the union of the three. The joining of the disks will lead to the appointed time of renewal. Be aware, the ritual may require the spilling of blood. There are several competing theories about the rituals involved. Remember your training and you will survive the ordeal."