Prologue

From infinity there was the One, a being of absolute power and knowledge. It had no name for no name was needed, for it alone existed. It lived in the great void that included neither time nor space. The knowledge of all that was real resided in the consciousness of the One, and yet, after eternity the One was alone and was sad.

And the One changed the void and there was space and with the space came time. The universe was established. The world was set in place and stars lit the vast darkness that once was the abyss.

It breathed part of itself into the world and the world teemed with life. Great and small, from the smallest gnat to the greatest whale all that lived on the world the One made, and It was content.

But the One had none with whom to commune, so it entered the world and created the Guardians. The One placed a portion of its essence in the Guardians and at last it was no longer alone, and it was glad.

The One communed with the Guardians and they with it, and they became the masters of wisdom, knowledge, and the arcane powers that flowed into the world from the life force of the One. The Guardians were creatures of great power and massive intellect called the First Fathers by the races of men throughout the ages.

Chakka was the firstborn of the Guardians and wielded immense power. He studied the forces of the world and delved deep into the mountains to find their hidden secrets. Fire and stone became his weapons, and became the master and father of magic and wizardry. He loved working with metals and made weapons of great power. Chakka was shrouded with fire and stood against any foe without fear.

Second in power was Sallidon who studied the chemistry of the world. He made his home in the great oceans depths and learned the secrets of all the life forms found there. His power and strength are in the waves and storms that lash the coasts of the land of his brethren. He lived to understand the complexities and components of the physical world. Sallidon was a master of potions and elixirs created through the study of alchemy.

Maxla, studied music and the One imbued him with power to create music that was soothing, mild, exciting, and powerful. The songs of Maxla sounded throughout the world and nature listened and absorbed the power and the sounds of life were no longer chaotic but ordered and precise. Maxla listened and was pleased as nature sang. He made his home in valleys and forests of the land and he learned the ways of the creatures that lived with him. Through the power of the One he learned the art of healing by developing medicines concocted from the many species of flora alive on the world.

One guardian stood apart from the others. He looked deep into the mind of the One and probed the dark recesses of his massive mind. He found the darkness of death and it intrigued him. Death held a power of its own that pushed all that was good into corruption and decay. Dark magic that fueled his power brought fear, pain, anxiety, and misery into the world. Keitor, a necromancer of unimagined power, left the visible world and his spirit entered the dark recesses of the world to prey on any unsuspecting creatures that strayed into his realm.

The One realizing that the lust of Keitor would lead to war with his brethren. It created the Great Crystals and filled them with vast power. These talismans would allow the Guardians to stand against Keitor and keep the balance between good and evil.

The crystals were three gems of different colors and powers. The red crystal he tuned to Chakka. It was the stone of the Sun and gave Chakka almost unlimited energy to wield his magic. The blue stone he tuned to Sallidon. It was the stone of the Moon and allowed him to connect to the nether world and channel massive energy into his alchemy. The yellow stone he tuned to Maxla. It was the stone of the stars and provided colossal mental energy and he become the master of the mind and healing. The One placed a tower on the peak of Mount Koor and the crystals were embedded in the living stone atop of the tower for eternity. At sunrise each day the enormous stones would send a rainbow of colors into the morning sky.

And the One entered his creation and melded himself into it. The world was complete and it was time for its final act as creator. It was time for the arrival of the races of man. The firstborn of men awoke with the innate gifts and tendencies that would guild them in life and death. And the One was contented and glad for It was not alone...

"Orlin, Time to eat." Ista called her son from the back entrance of the family home.

The youth closed the book and slipped it into the ancient leather pouch that protected it. "Coming mom!" Orlin shouted from a window in the stairway of the old tower.

Ista watched her son race across the grass from the corner tower. Cairns Keep, the home of her family for unknown generations, was a massive structure with a walled courtyard and a heavy iron and wood gate. Her forefathers built the great house before the First Fathers fled the world and the tower and walls were added during the dark times when ogres, goblins and other spawn of Keitor prowled the nights.

"Mom, are you going to serve the food?" Orlin asked as he watched his mother stare blankly out the window.

"Oh! Yes of course honey, I didn't know you were already here." Ista walked to the hearth and ladled some stew into a wooden bowl. She sat the food before her only son and watched as he hungrily ate. "I wish your father could see you now. You've become a fine young man. I am very proud of you."

"Dad died three years ago mom, you know that." Orlin hoped his mother wasn't slipping into another depression. "I miss him too."

Ista stood and turned to her son, "Do you want some more stew?"

"No thank you mom. It sure was a good meal though." Orlin smiled as he spoke and then turned serious. "Do you know anything about the Guardians?"

Ista's face clouded, "Where did you hear about them?"

Orlin looked down as he answered. "I found a book up in the tower. It told about them, but I didn't understand some of what it said." He looked up at his mother. "Were they real?"

"If the old legends are correct then they are real. There are four of them and they are almost godlike in power and wisdom. Each is a master in the ways of the One and adept in the use of His magic. Three are followers of the good path and one is a necromancer of awesome strength." Ista paused to see if Orlin was listening.

"It sounds like they are still alive." He said with a questioning look.

Ista stared out the window for a moment. "Some say they have passed to the abyss for eternity, however I believe they still live."

"Why did they leave?" Orlin asked quietly.

Ista looked thoughtful for moment before answering. "There was a great war between the forces of the three and the forces of Keitor. The world was in turmoil and the end of all life was close. At that time the One intervened and removed Keitor from this reality. The Three lived among men for the remainder of first age. Their acolytes mastered the power of the crystals. As the power of men increased the Guardians slowly faded from memory."

"Mom? Why do we have a mage's study at the top of the tower? Was our family a part of that war?" Orlin was sitting on the edge of his chair waiting for the answer from his mother.

Ista sighed then answered. "The first patriarch of our family was an acolyte of Chakka the Fire Wielder and an Arch Mage trained by his hand. Tan Cairn achieved the rank of Battle Wizard in the Great War and was present with Chakka when the One took Keitor from this world. He was promoted to The Magus Prime and Cairn's Keep was granted to him for his service to the Guardians. The roots of our family stretch back to the very beginning. Tan Cairn was one of the first born and you are the last of his bloodline."

"Wow, what a story, is it alright if I continue reading the book I found up there?" He pointed at the corner tower across the yard.

Ista looked worried for a moment then her face softened. "Yes, I don't mind. I played up there myself as a child but I don't remember any books." She was reflective when she continued. "It's our family history Orlin, but be very careful. Tan Cairn was an Arch Mage of astonishing ability and the old magic could be active still."

Chapter 1 »