Chapter 1: The Words of Syspar

Cobas heard Hyzin's message from his hideout at the fortress of Borithan. He slammed his fist into his desk, turning it to rubble. He felt the disconnection between the Drakon and himself. He had lost his three primary beasts: the Cobas un'Ith and Cobas un'Dei to Kyu, and the Drakon to Hyzin. It was yet another major Allied victory.

There was a knock at the door, and Grokuk the Red entered. He was two inches taller than his fourteenth son and broader. He wore crimson and black armor, and on his back was a ten tailed iron chain whip. "The Allies have had victory after victory since the Battle of Camina. Elves, dwarves, Sindar, humans, and kobolds. There should be no possibility of such an alliance."

"Ialdor was not taken?"

"NO, you gaping buffoon! It was only partially destroyed. Your son and his goblins didn't make a dent, and their bodies are being burned as we speak. Onlundd, Veviin, Lorias, Camina, Clearwater, Toka, Naiyth, Madicast, the Ashwall Kingdom, Mornstead, New Kobold Village, and now Ialdor have joined the Allied Forces. There were many deaths, but Sindar from all over the continent, and all others race to Hathindiur to join the Allied Army. The Dragon Cavalry were disturbed by the attack of the Drakon upon Ialdor. Tayeal, Lakemont, and New Arenor are all rebellious. Tayeal, the city of the Nay-Kobolds, has been largely independent, but I've decided to snatch away their autonomy. We need to make a devastating blow against the Allies, and swiftly. We need to extend our control over the Lizard domain of Deep Hollow, the Sindar city of Feitas Village, the Elven city of Riverfall, and Narthe Siilrskeig un'il'Dwarva."

"What do you propose we do, Lord Cobas?"

"We will make two moves," Cobas grinned savagely. "Send a message to your horde at Uragoth'Uratt. Order them to take Deepdwelve, the capital of the Ashwall Kingdom. Then I want you to marshal your goblins and the mutated Imperials for a devastating attack on Naiyth. There are approximately fifteen thousand goblins here in Borithan. Take all of them with the ten thousand mutants. I will back your forces with a few pets. Grokuk, I want you not to take Naiyth, but to burn it to the ground. Kill every woman, child, elder, and Elf within its walls. Bring me back the heads and blades of Lyreth and Arnwyn, the children of Lytril. This attack should be scheduled for seven weeks from now. Not before and not later."

Grokuk laughed. "I will burn the Elves alive, Lord Cobas."

Kyu sat up in his bed. It had been six and a half weeks since the destructive Defense of Ialdor, since the death of Suta. Cate had been devastated, and never left her room and Killen had to bring her food and drink. A tear dripped down his face. He had lost almost everyone. Katast, Kara, Gekku, and now Suta. Suta had been like his younger brother.

There was a knock on the door, and Cate entered the bedroom. She sat down at the end of the bed. She held a note dotted with dry blood, and she bore heavy bags under her eyes. "Kyu, Suta left us a note."

Kyu was taken by surprise. "What?"

"Read it." Cate handed it over with shaking hands.

Dear Kyu and Cate,

I spoke to Syspar the Blind today. He told me that I was going to die at the hands of a goblin at the city of the Arrow of Endless Death. So I wanted to say thank you. Thank you, Kyu, for being like an older brother to me. Thank you, Cate, for well everything. There was so much I never got to say. But there isn't much time. We are about to leave for Ialdor. Also, Kyu, you need to talk to Syspar as soon as you can.

For my final words, I will say this. I am not afraid to die. I will welcome it with open arms as my grandfather used to tell me. I will be happy because I will die fighting for what I believe in, fighting alongside my friends.

Kyu, Cate…Fight for what you believe in. Don't fight because of some damned Rune or prophecy. Fight because you believe in something or for someone you want to protect. Okay, I have to go. Don't forget to talk to Syspar.

Kyu handed the note back to Cate. "It was on him when…" Cate nodded.

"You should go see Syspar. It seemed important." Cate said with a shaky voice and she left the room. Kyu's eyes were watery, and he was shocked at Cate's behavior. She had always been so confident and secure, but now she seemed weak and lost. Kyu supposed that he felt the same way, but not completely, due to his knowledge of Cate and Suta.

Kyu entered Syspar's room with wavering confidence. The blind fortune teller had redecorated the room by hanging sheets along the walls and then joining them at the center of the roof, creating a tent like appearance. A stove burned and filled the room with the scent of cinnamon and maple. The floor was covered with plush pillows and bear skin rugs. There was a small dresser in one corner and a small uncomfortable looking straw bed in another.

Syspar the Blind sat at the center of the room wearing a new blue and silver robe. "Welcome, Kyutast the Savior, son to Katast the Swift and Kara the Kind, and kin to Gekkutast Rith. Your name origin is Kyutast the Last King. I knew you would come to visit me due to Suta's advice. I know what you would ask, so there is no need to ask. I only ask that you listen."

Syspar took a puff out of his pipe. "First, I would like to tell you the history of the Conflict now being called as the War of the Savior. Originally it was the Southern Sindar Civil War between Julion and Chagrin. Now it is between you, Hyzin, and Cobas. The war actually began with Julion's predecessor Hyberion. Hyperion's disciples were Julion the Blue and Chagrin the Grey. Chagrin believed that Hyberion would choose Julion as his successor due to his own beliefs of the inferiority of the Rune of Change. Chagrin attacked and killed Hyberion during the night, and tried to kill Julion. However the Sovereign Rune chose Julion, making him immortal against the Energy and Mutation Runes. Mirth the Striker also backed Julion, and Chagrin fled to Sylene where he found support. The Sindar there had become sedentary and had no wish to leave. The first clash was the Battle of Arenor, five years before the Battle of Goralt. Arenor was destroyed; two thousand Knights of Change and three thousand Imperial Knights were killed in battle. Mirth the Striker took up three orphans from Arenor as students and another was sent to be trained by Julion. The three students of Mirth were Gekkutast Rith, Solet Bezzlon, and Ceykutast Rith. The fourth was Katast Rith. Two years after the Battle of Arenor came the Battle of the Lightwood Forest, in which Mirth the Striker and his students led the Knights of Change against the Imperials. At around the same time, Katast, having the complete faith of Julion, led the New Moon Operation. Katast, Jeanne, Eresh, Viki, and Leon entered the fortress of Aedith, north of modern Borithan, secretly and killed Chagrin's forward general. This was the place where Katast met and rescued Kara the Kind from her imprisonment. The Battle of Vetas Lake near Lakemont occurred a year before Goralt. Kara, Katast, Ceykutast, Gekkutast, Solet, Leon, and Mirth led the Knights of Change. However, unknowing to the other Knights of Change, Cobas has killed Ceyku and taken his skin the night before. Ceyku-Cobas betrayed the Knights at Vetas Lake and killed Mirth the Striker. Leon's brother and father and Solet's sister were all killed in this bloody battle."

Syspar took a sip of aromatic coffee. "Vetas Lake was followed by a series of Imperial victories including the Battle of the Onlun River, the Bloody Plains, and the failed siege of Silencia. It was at the mouth of the Onlun River that Ceyku-Cobas and Gekku dueled one on one. Cobas nearly killed Gekku, and would have if Solet, Katast, and Leon hadn't arrived to defend him. You were born seventeen years ago at Goralt. One year after your birth, the Imperial Army marched upon Goralt. Of course, the Rith family had already moved to a new Sindar city, Feitas. The Knights of Change were planning on moving to retake Goralt. Katast came to me first. I told him that he would fall in battle at the foot of Mount Mythar. We put together your inheritance chest along with Jeanne. Then he and Gekku led the Knights of Change at Goralt, which was of course counted as an Imperial victory. It was followed by a fifteen year period of relative peace. Then, last year, Pelize's patrol unit was attacked and massacred in what we now call the Midnight Massacre. It was followed by the Battle of Onlundd. Then there was the 1st Battle of Camina, the Battle of Madicast, 2nd Battle of Camina, the Siege of Maditor, the Battle of Mornstead, the Defense of Arenaen, Battle of Kobold Village, and the Defense of Ialdor, all Allied victories. Now you can see why it is now called the War of the Savior. You're involvement changed the course of the war, and you now know the complete history of this conflict."

The fortune teller gave Kyu a bowl of beef and rice soup along with a cup of hot Sehlu. "This war is not yet over; I give it another year. Before I told you that I did not see the fate of the war. Now, I do. And it is not good. Someone is going to enter and tell us news that I have seen already, but the news is for you." Kyu turned to the door, and Swisher entered.

"Kyu, it's not good. We've lost the support of Nurdin and his dwarves."

Kyu stood, spilling the soup. "What?"

Swisher nodded. "Well not totally. He officially handed over Hathindiur to the Allies. The goblins are launching a massive assault on Deepdelve. Nurdin, Belgan, Kilrak, Delval, and Harrim have left with their entire force for Deepdelve. We cannot aid them due to the placement of Grokuk and Cobas' forces. If we all leave Hathindiur, it will place the Free World at stake."

"We can't just let the Dwarves defend by themselves!"

"We are not. One hundred duck warriors under Flyer and Catcher, and a thousand Elves under Lady Ameth left with Nurdin. Nurdin's respect for the Elves has grown and he realizes the dire situation. Even if the goblins are ill-trained, there are masses of them. Grokuk and Grakukr only took their professional army from Uragoth'Uratt. However, Kyu…" Swisher let in a tall Elven warrior with silver eyes and long brown hair and a Sindar woman with studded leather armor.

The Elf bowed low to Kyu. He wore brown and green clothing, a bow and arrows, and a longsword in his belt. "I am Lord Alinor of Riverfall. My five hundred elven archers and I would like to join the Allied Army in order to aid King Lyreth of the First House of Naiyth and Lady Ameth of Arenaen. We did not join earlier in the war because we were unsure of the success rate of battle. I now believe that liberation is certain."

The Sindar woman bowed as well. She carried two hand axes in her belt and grey streaks in her hair. "Lord Kyutast, I am Lady Miu of Feitas Village. We are one hundred strong and would be honored to join your forces gathered here."

"You are both welcome to join the Allied Army."

Syspar hastily interrupted them. "There is no certainty that the Allies will have victory. I hope there is victory and light in your futures, but I have foreseen a grave defeat. Our forces will arrive too late at Hathindiur; it will have been a massacre. Nurdin Dwarf-king will not return from battle as the goblins will ambush them. I also foresee the burning of Naiyth; our defenses will be overrun. So much death. Children. Women. Elders." Tears dripped from under his blindfold.

Kyu turned to Swisher. "Alert Lyreth and Arnwyn. We need to move to defend Naiyth."

"There'll just be more deaths," Syspar sobbed.

"We cannot let Naiyth burn; the Allies have a duty to defend each other. That is what we will do. We will either fight and live together or fight and die together. We cannot give up hope. We cannot do anymore to aid Nurdin. But there is a possibility that we can save the people of Naiyth, and we must fight to make that possibility reality."