Prologue
A small boy sat alone in a forest clearing. He looked around, searching for nothing in particular, remembering the books his brother had and the wondrous pictures they contained. As he thought he did not notice as a small, flickering light gathered beside him. Soon the light became a small dragon, very similar to the dragon that was seen in the book he had read earlier. The boy finally looked beside him and, being a child of just four, he was curious of what he saw. As he went to touch the creature that was sitting there he heard his name being called.
"Niklaren, come please we have to leave", his mother called.
Niklaren rose from his place on the ground, quickly forgetting the dragon, and ran towards his mother. As soon as he had gone the dragon vanished, leaving no trace it had ever been there.
Chapter 1
Six years later, Niklaren sat in one of the chairs in his father's large home lost in the pages of a very thick book. Unlike most ten year olds he would rather read and study things about the world around him than go out and play in fields and marketplaces, this was fun and all but just not his way.
After an hour of pure reading Niklaren's brother and sister came in watching their youngest sibling drown in his books.
"Hey Niko," Corithe, Niklaren's older brother, called using his brothers nickname "are you still in our world. If you keep reading all those books your brain may explode from being overloaded and I'm not ready to pick up pieces of brain just for you."
Niko didn't reply, he didn't even seem like he heard at all.
Amuris, Niko's older sister, shook her head, "I guess we're too late. He's already lost himself. Why! The pain! To lose ones brother to literature…it's just too much to bear!"
The two then burst out laughing. Niko finally looked up from his book, his dark eyes glaring at his brother and sister in front of him. "Very funny you two. Mila forbid that I should try to learn something in this house." He then went back to his book.
"Well we actually came over to tell you that father wants us all to get ready and dressed perfectly. Our uncle, Henda, is coming for a 'visit'" Corithe said with a small groan. Everyone in the household absolutely hated Henda. Although he was a rich and powerful man, he did nothing to deserve it, at least in the eyes of his family. Being their father's older brother he inherited a bit more wealth at the time of their father's death.
Amuris groaned "I hate when he comes over."
Niko didn't reply but he shared his sister's view. Henda hated his brother, their father, and the entire family. He criticized every point and everything that was done. But worst of all he seemed to despise Niko the most, mainly because he was the same age as his own son, but just more intelligent. Niko had felt the brunt of his hostility every time they saw each other and he doubted the relationship would ever change.
Niko got up from his seat and walked up the many stairs to his room. His feet seemed to drag behind him; he dreaded this visit more than any thing. As he passed his mirror he could have sworn that his reflection quivered. He took a step back and stood before it. As he looked deeper into the smooth glass an image began to appear.
In pure shock Niko jumped. He then moved slightly closer and saw that the image was his uncle in their home. He seemed very angry and knocked over the small table in the room.
Niko suddenly heard his name being called and the image vanished. He shook his head and walked calmly downstairs, it was probably just his imagination. Maybe his brother and sister were right and he had been reading too much.
As he went down the stairs he could hear a lot of yelling. His uncle was here and it seemed like he was in an even haughtier temper than usual.
"Both of you are such fools for not agreeing!" he yelled at Niko's father and mother "How can you not agree with what I'm saying. No wonder your children are stupid and useless, they have to learn from you."
In his anger he raised his hand and knocked over the mall table that was placed in the table, with everything on it.
Niko had a face of pure shock, that was what he had seen. What was wrong with him?