Prologue

The large conference room seemed empty. Brilliant sunlight shone through the hall’s large arched windows, filling the entire room with penetrating light. Everything inside was brilliantly bright. The high, vaulted ceilings were decorated with intricate carvings of fruit and cherubs and surrounding the room were large windows that revealed grand vistas of the land for many miles. In the center of the room was an enormous table with a remarkably large white chair at its head where the Kimetar sat during his meetings. Next to the Kimetar's chair, in the corner of the room, stood an ornate, waist-high white pedestal upon which sat a red velvet pillow adorned with gold stitching around the edges. On the pillow rested a smooth orb created from perfectly pure diamond. Around the table, smaller chairs of the highest quality sat empty, save one. At the opposite end of the table from the seat of power, a man reclined, gazing out one of the windows over the cloud tops which covered the land in all directions. He looked young, mid thirties perhaps, yet he had glistening white hair that billowed over his head and flowed beautifully down to his shoulders. He was dressed all in white. On the table next to him were two small envelopes.

The orb in the corner began to hum, and it appeared the inside filled with dull emerald swirls of mist. A green aura began to glow around the orb as it slowly lifted itself off the pillow and hovered slightly in the air. Whispy smoke swirled quickly inside and then dissipated softly, revealing the wrinkled face of an old man framed in greasy black hair. His shifty dark eyes jetted around as if he was searching the white room for something. He spoke, and his velvety rich voice echoed throughout the hall.

“Where are you, old man?” He had a deep, benevolent sounding voice, yet he spoke with a tone of disgust. “I know you’re in here somewhere, O Ancient One.”

The young man didn’t move, but kept looking out the window. “So, Vik, It appears that you have become quite powerful indeed.” The young man's voice was soft and gentle; a bit airy, yet it seemed to resonate with authority. “Why do you contact me in this manner?”

“I wanted to demonstrate to you the extent of the powers I have attained. It is seemingly limitless. Even you, with your immense power, will find it difficult to contend with mine.”

The young man chortled softly to himself, then spoke. “Be wary of your pride, Viktor, for though your power may indeed seem limitless to you, always remember that there is a limit. You'd be wise not to forget that. After all, theoretically my power has a limit as well. Even together, our powers could not be limitless.” He slowly turned his chair around to face the glowing orb. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table and interlaced his fingers. “There are some things you do not know; you will never be the all-powerful creature you desire to be.”

“Bah, where are you? I can’t see you, yet I can hear your voice. Show yourself! My patience is running thin. I want you to know the power I am capable of.”

“I think it is your magic that is running thin. You are not yet as powerful as you would like me to believe.” The young man reached out a hand and motioned to the orb as someone would beckon to a friend from across a room. The pillow slowly lifted from the pedestal and, together with the orb, slowly drifted across the room and alighted in front of him on the table. “I am not an aggressor like you. You know my course of action in any confrontation would be one of diplomacy, although if you were the attacking party, I should not expect you to respect that position. I’m not a fighter, and the Rylis knows this. I am afraid that my reign as Kimetar may be nearing its end. The Rylis has chosen another who will be a fighter. I do not think that even the powers you have acquired will be enough to stand against the coming one. The Rylis is actively protecting this one, and it’s only a matter of time until their identity will be made known.”

Viktor scoffed, “I am not interested in your useless banter, Ramiel. I’ve found him, and he will soon be under my control.”

The young man considered Viktor’s announcement before he calmly replied, “Viktor, one cannot merely detect who has been chosen to become Kimetar. There is order in the realms of magic, and a rigid process for divining and selecting the Kimetar. If you hadn't been wooed by the darkness, you might have attained a sufficient level to know of this sort of thing. It is too bad you deserted your post as a mage. I’m confident you would have attained the office of elder had you exerted a bit of patience. As an elder, you would have been privy to more of the mysteries of the Rylis.”

“I am Urial!” Viktor shouted in a fit of rage; a fire flaring up in his eyes. “My power is equal to yours and my station is just as high.” The rage flushed from his face as he recomposed himself. “Regarding the boy, perhaps it cannot be known exactly who will be chosen by the Rylis, but through diverse methods one may detect whom the power is favoring, I’ve had countless minions out searching the realms, looking for any individual who has had an added portion of power with them. One boy, from the Citadel in the Realm of Man, has, on several occasions, registered with more power than any other person we have yet monitored. I believe he will be even more powerful than you. Though he is almost an adult, I think he can be easily swayed if I can get to him."

Ramiel smiled and sighed, “I love how you have just assumed that it is this boy you’ve found. The council has already received communication from the Rylis on the process for detecting the next Kimetar, and even though I may not know who it is, I know how to identify them. However, that information is only for the Oracles to know at this time; it is privileged. We are forbidden by the Rylis to share it with any lower offices. So, unless you have learned the ability to read my thoughts, you’ll not know how this can be accomplished; lest I need to remind you, my power still exceeds yours, and it always will. You will not be reading my thoughts anytime soon.”

The eyes of the man in the orb turned even colder and more sinister as his face stiffened, “I’d love to challenge you to a battle of power. I think you’d be impressed with what I am capable of.”

Ramiel furrowed his brows and stared into the orb with a scowl. The light in the room appeared to dim around him as his voice became stern, “Viktor, this conversation is over. You are a contemptuous fiend, and I will not have your villainy in this court at this time. Good day to you.” And with that, Ramiel waved his hand and the images in the orb flitted out, leaving it clean and empty once again. He picked up the two envelopes and fumbled with them as an older man stepped out from behind one of the pillars in the hall and made his way over to an adjacent chair. Ramiel’s attention turned to him and he spoke in a calm voice, “Amrin, please sit, we have some things to discuss.”

The older man pulled out the chair and sat. Ramiel slowly slid the two envelopes in front of him, and took something off from around his neck. He spoke as he placed it on top of the envelopes, “Amrin, the Rylis desires that you protect the office of Kimetar until such time that another can be identified to fill my position. I have written down instructions to both the Mastery Council as well as the next Kimetar of some important matters concerning the realms today.” Ramiel turned and looked at Amrin. “Our dear old friend will sit in my chair until the next is installed. She is wise and will lead with genuine authority. It is imperative that you go now and retrieve the child.”

Amrin picked up the Items in front of him, “It shall be done, my friend.”