With Jasmine by his side, Lief ruled the land long and wisely. But he never forgot that he was a man of the people, and that their trust was the source of his power. Neither did he forget that the enemy, though defeated, was not destroyed. He knew that the enemy was clever and sly, and that to its anger and envy a thousand years was like the blink of an eye. So he wore the belt of deltora always, and never let it out of his sight.

167 years later…

"Did you hear!"

"What?"

"The king is coming back from his grand tour of the kingdom."

"So soon!"

"Yes! He says he even met some foreign people from a land called… Europe, at Bone Point!"

"Really. We are really flying here in Deltora. Soon it well be the year 1100!"

"Yes. Tonight we shall have our king back and celebrate the New Year! Deltora is great!"

Young Lief the 4th heard all this as he ran though the crowd. He was the grandson of King Thay, the oldest king ever to rule Deltora. Lief, named for his great-great-great-great grandfather, who saved the Belt of Deltora, freed the slaves from the long gone Shadowlands, and killed the 4 sisters, was running to the place, where he was to meet his grandfather soon.

Lief was almost there. Almost. FINALLY!

Lief was in the courtyard. He was to stay here until his grandfather came but he had left to explore more of Del. He had seen most of it but the 15-year old boy loved to look around Del.

Amazingly, he hadn't been caught…

"LIEF! How good it is to see you! Hurry! Go get you grandmother, your mother, and your father. Hurry now young lad. I have terrible news!"

30 minutes later: Meeting room: Occupants, King, Queen, King's daughter, and her husband, and a hidden Lief.

When Lief heard that it was terrible news, he had to know. He had missed the first 10 minutes of the meeting but that was probably hellos and how long has it beens. Now was the important stuff.

"I must tell you something. It is terrible. You all remember the Shadowlands of old and how the Grandson of the great King Lief, Gray, banished them to a new land?"

"Yes. A great victory. The Shadow Lord and his minions left Deltora. It cost a great deal. The Topaz dragon was killed."

"Yes well… They are back…"

"WHAT! How can this be…"

Lief could listen no more.