Chapter 1

The sunset sunk past the distant mountains. The boy watched as the last rays of sunlight started to disappear, he was completely ignorant of how his life was about to change. He turned and walked back down the hill, then his eyes widened in fear. Smoke? And it was coming from the direction of the village! He started running, then was met with a truly terrifying sight, there was fire everywhere, every building in the village was on fire. He saw slain corpses in the street. He past adults, children, even babies in his mad rush to get home. He past school classmates, teachers, and his mother and fathers friends. He rounded the corner, and stared in shock. His house was almost burnt to the ground, he heard voices coming from inside. His mother and father! They were still alive! He ran towards the house, then hid behind the door frame, he heard other voices, voices he hadn't heard before. He looked past the door, just in time to see a man covered in a black cape run his father through with a sword. He had to stop himself from screaming, if he let out any noise those men would find him and he'd be as good as dead. The men whispered to each other then raised the palms of their hand, their body shape seemed to change and phase as they slowly disappeared, then were gone. The boy ran inside his home.

"s-somebody, please h-help me!" He heard a faint voice, his eyes widened.

"Mother!" He shouted, then saw a hand emerging from a pile of debris, he tried to shift the debris but it was too heavy.

"Shin, is that you?" A voice came from under the debris. It was getting quieter by the second.

"Mother, please hold on just a bit longer, I'll get this stuff off you." The boy said through tears. The hand moved a bit.

"Shin, you're a very brave boy. But please just leave me."

"No! I'll never leave you."

"Shin, there's no hope for me. Run, before the whole building collapses."

"But mother!"

"G-goodbye, my child. I love you…Dearly." The hand stopped moving, the boy collapsed and starting sobbing. The building shuddered. He kept crying, he didn't care if the building collapsed. If it did, then he'd be with his mother and father. He accepted it. With a loud crash the building collapsed. Just before the burning wood hit him, he felt himself being dragged out the house be some unseen force. He panicked and started struggling, but the force had a grip like iron and kept pulling him. He stopped being pulled outside, a safe distance from the burning village. He stared at the sky then started sobbing again. He began to feel tired and his vision started fading, just as a middle aged man in robes appeared in his line of sight. The man began to speak but the boy didn't hear him, he faded into unconsciousness.

8 years later…

I opened my eyes and I was greeted with the sight of the disapproving frown of a nun.

"Shin, what exactly do you think you are doing, taking a nap in the middle of my class?" She growled, I regarded her for a second then jumped in surprise. I lost my balance and fell off my chair.

"Owww. Sorry miss." I groaned while rubbing my sore head, the other students started giggling and pointing at me.

"Stay afterwards for a detention Shin." The Sister said then started explaining about the different types of elements and how each Wizard was suited to a specific element. Wait, Wizard? I guess I should backtrack a bit. My name is Shin, I'm 15 years old and am like every other normal teenager, except for the fact that I attend The Sister's magic Academy. An academy dedicated to teaching those with the Gift how to use it to protect the world (And no, I'm not crazy). The Academy was founded after the Great D'Haran War, it was founded with the blessings of the great hero, Richard Rahl, and his wife, The Mother Confessor Kahlan Amnell. Over a period of around 350 years the gift, also known as magic, began to evolve. Suddenly it was based around the Elements of life (Water, Fire, Wind, Earth, Life, Light and Dark) and it didn't take so long to master the effects. The Academy was run by the greatest wizards and Sisters of Light at that time. The gift evolved even further, soon the gift became more frequent in children. Soon around 20% of the population could use the gift, although most could only master the most basic spells. The Academy became more crowded and soon around 1,000 pupils attended it at a time. I'm a first year student, I've been learning magic for about nine months now. But while most of my classmates can use middle class spells, I'm still struggling to use the basic ones. Oh well, I shouldn't complain, even being accepted to this place is an honour in itself. My train of thought was broken when the bell rung. The nun-teacher clapped her hands.

"All right then, off to your next lesson my students. And remember 'Magic is learned to discipline and learning, not through violence'" We repeated the school's motto and left the room. I darted out with the crowd before the Sister could remember I had a detention.

I was walking down the corridor when I was pulled into a headlock out of nowhere. I sighed

"Hi Michael." I said while smiling. I was released from the headlock.

"Hey Shin." I looked up and saw a boy with fiery red wavy hair and red eyes. He smiled. Inwardly I sighed, Michael was a ladies man, almost all the girls in our year had a blatantly obvious crush on the guy, he was good at magic, good looking, athletic, and good at fighting. Basically everything the scrawny, untidy white haired me wasn't, yet for some reason we were best pals. He grinned at some passing girls, they fainted.

"Honestly, is that really necessary?" I asked,

"Nah, its quite funny though." Michael replied, I laughed.

"Yeah, it is kind of funny."

"Anyway, you ready?"

"For what?" I asked, looking at Michael confused. He chuckled.

"You forgot didn't you?" I nodded, "We have the Familiar Summoning now." My eyes widened, the Familiar summoning was an event where first year students would use a special spell to summon a beast that was best suited to become their partner. I immediately envisioned myself getting a really cool familiar, like a Mountain Chimera. But that would never happen for me, if anything I'd probably get a land mole or something. We strode into a huge courtyard full of students getting ready to summon their familiar. We walked up to a Sister who was hastily all the students in a single file line. She motioned for us to join it. Michael was in front of me as the queue gradually pressed forwards.

"Man, I'm nervous." Michael whispered. I looked at him like he'd grown a second head.

"You? Nervous?" I said sarcastically, he hit me on the forehead.

"Yes, me. Nervous. Aren't you?" He asked, I nodded. Suddenly Michael was at the front of the queue and one of the Sister's motioned for him to step forward.

"Good luck." I whispered.

"Thanks." He strode forwards and the Sister whispered to him about the ritual. He stepped onto a platform with a large star carved into it, he started chanting quietly. There was a blinding flash and suddenly a large bird with red feathers appeared. My eyes widened, that was a Three Tailed Phoenix. A rare breed of Phoenix that could supposedly increase the power of their owners fire magic. The students watching clapped in admiration, then Michael stepped off the podium and sat down, his new Familiar perched on his shoulder. I gulped, now it was my turn. I stepped onto the platform and starting chanting. Suddenly I felt another being inside my mind, I panicked.

"Who are you?" I demanded, the being seemed to ignore me. Angrily I asked it again, this time it responded.

"You are the one." It said.

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"Your fate has been set, Wizard." It said, then faded from my mind just as I finished chanting. The bright flash came again. I opened my eyes, wondering what kind of Familiar I had summoned. I was greeted by the sight of…nothing. There was a pause, then I heard mocking laughter. I heard students whispering about how they couldn't wait to tell everyone around the school, about the boy who'd failed to summon. My mind went blank, then a tear fell down my cheek. As the tears fell down, I made a decision. I turned and fled the Courtyard, I ran into the neighbouring woods. Away from the mocking and jeering.

I ran until I couldn't hear the laughing anymore. I stopped running then fell the ground, I let my tears fall. Why? Was I so unworthy of being a Wizard that fate decided I wasn't even good enough to summon a familiar? I looked up and gasped, I was on the edge of a large chasm! Was that there a moment ago? I was fairly certain it wasn't. I tried to shuffle backwards but it seemed fate decided I hadn't been through enough punishment. The ground underneath me collapsed, and I fell into the chasm.

"Ahhhhhh!" I screamed as I fell. Suddenly the ground came rushing up to meet me. I had just enough time to widen my eyes in terror before I smashed into the chasm floor. My whole body experienced a level of pain I had never felt before. With great effort I lifted my head and tried to use my arms to lift myself up. I felt a shocking pain in my left arm. I must have broken it in the impact. I examined my surroundings and saw an astonishing sight. An egg, a large glowing egg. I got up and walked towards its inviting and warm glow, I extended my hand to touch its surface. With a wave of panic I realised that I wasn't in control of my own body.

"Wait! Stop!" I cried, but it was too late. My hand touched the strangely smooth surface of the egg. A moment passed but nothing happened.

"…Oh." I thought but then a searing pain raced through my right hand. I fell the ground and watched amazement as a strange mark appeared on the back of my hand. Suddenly there was a bright flash.

"What's happening?" I said as I averted my eyes. After the glowing had died down, I stared in amazement. Where the egg had been previously, was a dragon. It saw me for a second, then ran towards me. I tried to run, to find a way out, but I was trapped. Trapped in a chasm with a dragon who was about as big as me and was probably hungry. I gulped as the Dragon came closer. Then it did something I didn't expect it to do, it bowed.

"Um, what are you doing?" I asked, then felt stupid. The dragon wouldn't understand what I was saying.

"I am recognising you as my master. Master." I heard a feminine voice in my mind, I looked around.

"Who said that?" I asked while looking around.
"I did." I looked at the Dragon, it stared back at me intently.

"Are you, the dragon?" I asked cautiously.

"Yes. My name is Crystal. I am the last surviving member of the ancient race of Crystalline Dragons. It's a pleasure to meet you Master." I stared at 'Crystal' for a second then gasped.

"I read about Crystalline Dragons! Supposedly they were the most powerful species of Dragons alive in the old times. They were unique because they could use the gift really well. But they went missing centuries ago, why would you be here now? And why would you call me Master?" I asked.

"We went into hiding, because humans were getting too greedy and because it was his will. As for calling you master, you are a link to the fated one, the one all Crystalline Dragons worshipped. We made a promise to protect you Master, so that we could one day find the fated one."

"So, why are you the only one left?" I wondered, Crystal averted her eyes in pain, "Oh! I'm sorry. You don't need to tell me if you don't want to." I said hurriedly, Crystal shook her head.

"No, its better that you know Master, of the darkness that threatens all of the world. All the Crystalline Dragons had gathered for a meeting that was held every decade. However they were ambushed, ambushed by the Dark one's strongest leaders. All but my mother perished. She escaped in the chaos. However she was wounded, and didn't make it too far before the demons caught her. She used her last ounce of magic to create a rift in the fabric of creation, she put my egg in there and willed it to only appear for one who was connected to the one who was destined to battle the Dark one. My mother perished ensuring I survived." I suddenly felt very sad, in a way it was similar to my own past. Hesitantly I rest my palm on Crystal's head, she looked up at me.

"Master?"

"Just Shin is fine. But don't worry Crystal, I'll do everything I can to protect you and help you find this person who's destined to fight the 'Dark One'." I smiled and Crystal's happiness emanated in my mind.

"But Master Shin, I feel sadness and loss clouding your mind. What is wrong?" Crystal asked. I sighed.

"Well it started like this." I told Crystal everything that happened in my life, including the death of my mother and father.

It was beginning to get dark by the time I finished my tale of woe. And by the end of it, Crystal was shaking with fury.

"Where are these mocking humans? I shall make them pay for laughing at my master." I placed a restraining hand on Crystal's neck.

"Don't worry about it Crystal. I'm used to it."

"But I should come with you. In case you get into trouble." Crystal said. I thought about how much unwanted attention I receive, with an overprotective Dragon that was supposed to be extinct following me. I shuddered.

"Crystal. That's very thoughtful of you, but I'd rather you stayed out of sight or here in the forest. Then you can help me when I'm in trouble and I won't attract unwanted attention. You know, like trying to stay under the radar." She thought about it for second and then nodded.

"That does sound like the wisest course of action, I'm proud of you Master." I chuckled after looking at Crystal's beaming face.

"But I should probably get back to the Academy, it's getting late. They'll wonder where I am." Crystal nodded.

"Step back Master." She said, I did as she asked. Crystal closed her eyes and starting humming then she started to get bigger and bigger. I dismissed it as a trick of the light but after a few moments I realised she actually was getting bigger. Soon she was about three times the size she was before. She opened her eyes and she stopped growing.

"H-how did you do that?" I asked in awe. She regarded me for a second.

"It's a secret magic technique that all Crystalline Dragon's know."

"Wow!" I said, she used her wing to gesture for me to climb onto her back. I obliged.

"Hold on Master." Crystal said. And without any warning used her powerful legs to jump upwards. I held onto a spike emerging from her spine as she spread her wings and flew upwards.

"Hah...Ha-ha!" I whooped in delight as I watched the forest move by beneath Crystal. I felt Crystal's happiness as she roared in delight too. Soon the Academy came into view.

"Crystal. Land a little bit away. The last thing we want is one of the Sisters catching sight of you and thinking that we're attacking." Crystal nodded. Soon she touched down on the ground. I got off her.

"Thank you Crystal." I said, while rubbing her side. She hummed in delight.

"My pleasure Master. If you need help just think of my name. I'll be there as fast as I can." I nodded then disappeared into the forest. Heading back to the Academy. Completely oblivious of the danger I'd soon face.

I yawned as I emerged in the courtyard. I walked across it towards the First Year dorms when I felt myself getting pushed, I face planted onto the hard granite floor.

"Oww." I said while rubbing my head. I heard laughing behind me. I turned to see three third year boys looking down at me smugly.

"Hey there failure." One of them said, the others hooted with laughter. Great! Bullies!

"What do you want? I'm tired and I want to go to bed." I said.

"Hah! A failure like you doesn't deserve to even be here." One of the other boys said. I rolled my eyes.

"Three third years ganging up on one first year? Yeah that really brave, you guys deserve bravery medals." I said sarcastically. The leader of the small gang showed me his appreciation for the comment by punching me in the face. He grabbed to collar of my school uniform and heaved me onto my feet. The other two boys cracked their knuckles in anticipation.

"I'm gonna pummel you into a failure pancake, kid." He said, he pulled back his fist. I scrunched my face in anticipation for the pain. A deathly scream suddenly broke the silence of the night. The gang leader and I turned to the source. To find one of his lackeys with three swift and bloody cuts to his abdomen, he was dead before he hit the floor.

"What the?" The Gang leader screeched in outrage. Another deathly scream pierced the silence. I didn't need to turn to the source to know that the other lackey had suffered a similar fate. The Leader's face had gone a deathly pale shade of white.

"I'm out of here!" He screamed in an extremely high pitched voice. He turned and pushed me to the ground, I let out a pained gasp as I landed on my broken arm. I got up and saw a truly horrifying figure emerge out of thin air. It was a mix between a reptile and a man. I remember seeing it briefly inside one of the Academy's text books. What were they called? Oh yeah, Mriswrith. Supposedly only the Great Hero Richard Rahl and other monsters could sense these invisible creatures. I gulped in fear as more appeared, soon I was surrounded. One stepped forward and pointed at me with three long and bloody knifes.

"You are the chosssssen one, yessss?" It asked in a husky reptilian voice.

"Who?" I asked. It cocked its head.

"Maybe you are not him? But you will die regardlesssss!" It charged at me. Suddenly a large roar filled the area. The Mriswrith all paused, I watched as a large shape crashed into the ground in front of me.

"Crystal!" I recognised the huge mound of sea blue scales immediately.

"Are you okay, Master?" Crystal asked me, I nodded. She looked at the Mriswrith leader and growled. They screeched in response,

"Kill the Dragonesssss!" The leader screeched, all the Mriswrith charged at Crystal in the same instant. I only had enough time to blink, then the monsters were flying through the air all directing their pointy and bloody knifes at Crystal.

"Crystal!" I screamed, I saw her eye twinkle in amusement. She lifted her forked tail and spun in a circle, beautifully cleaving all the attacking Mriswrith in half. The decapitated corpses fell to the ground. The leader had stayed back, but he did not escape injury. His arm was severed by Crystal's tail, he fell to the ground and growled in pain. Before he could move, Crystal planted a huge foot on his back, pinning him while directing her large talons at his head.

"Who sent you?" I asked. The creature cackled insanely,

"WHO SENT YOU?!" I asked while raising my voice, Crystal dug her talons into the Mriswrith's neck to further prove the point that if he didn't answer, he'd be a Mriswrith kebab on the end of her foot.

"Heh, heh. Not tellingssss you humanssss." The creature said. I realised a second too late that the creature had wriggled a knife free from being pinned, my first worry was that he'd stab Crystal in an attempt to get free but I didn't expect him to stab himself with it. That was exactly what he did, he was dead before Crystal and I realised what he'd done.

"Damn." I said, I'd lost my only clue to who'd sent these demons.

"Never mind, Master. The immediate threat has been exterminated." Crystal said, I nodded in agreement. Suddenly the door to the Headmistresses' office was flung open, and the Headmistress strode outside, her face had a look of outrage. Then she saw the scene outside and her face softened. She ran up to me.

"Child, what has happened here?" I recounted the battle, and the deaths of two students. The Headmistress nodded in understanding.

"We shall have a proper burial tomorrow, but you best come with me, I have something I need to show you." I looked at Crystal confused, only to find that she had shrunk to the length of my forearm. She climbed up my leg and settled herself on my shoulder, she curled up and started humming contentedly. I followed the Headmistress into her office.

I sat in a rather plush armchair as the Headmistress poured some tea. She handed me a mug then sat down in the chair opposite me.

"Child, please tell me. How did you find this creature?" She gestured to Crystal. I told her the events of what had happened inside the Forest. As I got further into my story, her face became an increasingly large frown.

"This is terrible news." She muttered, then she looked at me, "I have heard this recount of events before, my child." I looked at her in alarm.

"Where from, Headmistress?" I asked.

"From a prophecy." I shivered in fear. Prophecies rarely ever included actual people, and it was even rarer to find one where said person survived.

"So, what was the rest of the prophecy?" I knew I was being rude, but I had to know.

"I'm afraid I don't know." I was taking a sip of tea when she said that, I choked.

"You don't know?" I asked bewildered. The Headmistress was adept in all kinds of magic, even the old types. If she didn't know then it wasn't likely anyone would.

"But they might."

"Um, who are they Headmistress?"

"The First Order of Wizards, they live in the Wizard's Keep near Aydindril." Again I choked on my tea. Aydindril was about a month's travelling time away from the Academy. It was so far because the Academy was built on the foundations of the crumbling Palace of Prophets, in the old world. Travellers had to brave the harsh desert conditions of the Valley of the Lost to get to and from the Academy. Although there was a secret shortcut through the desert if you knew where to look. But the journey was still a long and treacherous one.

"I remember seeing the prophecy in one of the oldest prophecy books in the Wizard's library. I'm afraid that now with the threat of the Mriswrith back, I cannot spare any Sisters or Wizards to go and fetch this book. Child, I know I'm putting you in grave danger here but I must ask you to go to Aydindril." I processed this for a second, then looked at Crystal for guidance.

"Should I?"

"I believe it to be the wisest course of action Master. We may find word of the Fated One in the Prophecy records." I nodded then turned back to the Headmistress.

"I shall do it, Headmistress."

"Thank you, my child. You shall leave tomorrow when the sun sets." I looked at her in confusion.

"Why tomorrow at night?"

"Students, may panic if a teacher or guardian leaves so suddenly after the Mriswrith attack. But I pray that they'll hardy notice if a First year goes missing in the dead of night. They have other things to worry about." I nodded in understanding, but in a way she was also calling me unnoticeable. Thanks!

"Now then, I'm afraid I have other things to worry about right now. Go and pack your bags, meet me in the Courtyard after the sun sets tomorrow." I nodded then left the room.

The Next Day

I shivered with excitement all day, I could barely pay any attention during class. Of course Michael noticed this.

"Hey Shin. You okay? You've been restless all day."

"Hmmm? Oh I'm fine." I said.

"Really?" He cast a critical eye over me, then stopped talking.

I was in my room, it was almost time for the sun to set. I was dressed in my travelling clothes*. I held my birch staff in my right hand. As soon as I couldn't see the sun I raced outside to the Courtyard. I saw the Headmistress and her right hand assistant waiting for me.

"Sorry, I'm late!" I said as I swung my pack over my shoulder.

"You're here. That's the important thing, I pray the Creator keeps you safe on your travels my child."

"Thank you." I said. After calling Crystal (who had used magic to resize herself to approximately twice the size of me) I took my first steps outside the Academy gates. My journey had begun.

The Headmistress' assistant cast a worried glance in the direction the young first year had disappeared to.

"Verna. Are you sure the child will be all right?" It was rare for the assistant to call the Headmistress by her first name, but it seemed Verna didn't care right now.

"Yes, he's got the dragon to take care of him. But I pray he makes haste."

"Haste? Why?"

"Why? Because something much much worse than the Keeper is rising. And that boy is the only one who can stop it."

So yeah, that's the first chapter done. I'm afraid I'm fairly new to the sword of truth Series (I've only read the first three books) so I apologise if I use characters who may have died or done something in the later books. Review, favourite do whatever you want. I'll aim to put chapter 2 up next week. See ya!

Shin's travelling clothes = A white sleeveless shirt with gold trims, a white cape attached to the bottom and back of the shirt. Blue trousers and boots.