Prologue
Snow lay as a blanket upon the ground, the torrential downfall continuing as the day's light cast its final rays through the haze that hung over the horizon. The wind blew, harsh and biting, over the vast mountain range where a sole figure trudged onward, battered by the elements. The figure pulled tight around itself a tattered black robe, barely thick enough to alleviate the harsh conditions its user endured.
Hands failing to grasp at the fabric, the being's cloak tore from its grasp, revealing a young, gaunt, weary looking man. He pushed his long blond hair from his face as he scanned his surroundings: snow covered mountains beyond snow covered mountains met his gaze. His naturally striking features hid under a mask of exhaustion, yet even that mask could not conceal the look of despair that crept into his sharp blue eyes for a moment. He quickly pushed his emotions away, knowing even emotions could consume a portion of his fleeting energy supply.
He trudged onward, heading north. He knew not where he headed but held onto the belief that wherever his journey ended, it surely could not be any worse that the place he had come from, even if he found his destination to be the grave. How long he kept walking he could not say. Every moment seemed like an eternity. Each step left him winded. Where he now walked he could not say either. He walked without thought, without emotion, without hope.
Abruptly, the wind changed direction, blasting him from behind and sending him tumbling head over heals down the remainder of the mountain. He lay there for what seemed like a lifetime, knowing his final hours, minutes, perhaps even seconds were upon him. Something whipped over his head, flapping in the wind. With what little strength he had left, he lifted his head from the warm snow and saw his cloak sailing away from him and, to his amazement and despair, toward a gigantic village no more than 300 meters away. Beyond the village, he saw the faded outline of several colossal towers.
He clawed at the snow, begging his hands to cooperate with his command to continue onward to no avail. He could go no further. His left arm involuntarily stretched forth toward his would-be salvation, his hand grasping at the air. A burning sensation crept downward from his left hand, filling his entire body with an unnaturally calming warmth.
Clouds filled his eyes. Ringing filled his ears. As his lids began to close, he swore he saw a bright light begin to radiate forth from his body.
The light engulfed him and he knew no more.