Author's notes: this story is not complete, and I currently have no plans of finishing it - I'll leave it up here so people can read what there is, but it will (probably) never be finished or rewritten.

Chapter 1 – Along with the snow:
Raistlin Majere was a wizard; a dark wizard, following Nuitari and clad in her black robe of evil. His goddess, Takhisis the goddess of evil, was his patron. Her source of power: her divineness, her beauty and her power to seduce any human into service was irresistible for most common men, but Raistlin? Not him, never. His power had once been something for her to fear, but did she know? Did Raistlin know?

Raistlin hadn't always been a follower of Nuitari and the empty hole in the night sky she represented. He had once been dressed in a red robe of neutrality, a follower of Lunitari, the blood-red moon. Lunitari was his first choice when he took the test in the tower of high sorcery in Wayreth. But that is a different story.

Presently, Raistlin was positioned behind his desk in his study. His residence was in the tower of high sorcery in Palanthas, the cursed tower. No other wizards had dared go near this tower for centuries, but now – he was the only one with the power to be there. He and the people he chose to welcome.

He was staring into the warm fire in his fireplace, stroking the book under his fingers lovingly. His mind was wandering and it was long since he'd stopped studying what he was supposed to.

Winter was closing in on Palanthas. The snow fell quietly around the tower and everywhere else in the divine, white city. The snow had been sudden and unexpected. Raistlin didn't care much for it, it didn't affect him. His life, his body, his entire person was cold even in the warmest of summer.

As Raistlin thought about this, almost as a confirmation his body shivered slightly and the cough overtook him. He hunched his back and coughed as he cursed his weak body under his breath. No, he wasn't strong physically like his twin, Caramon. The coughing stopped and his mind was left to wander to his brother.

People always said Caramon was the body, Raistlin was the brain. In earlier days, they'd been a dangerous duo combining steel and magic in a fatal way. Raistlin looked down his body on his dark robe. Ever since he'd chosen the life of a dark wizard, the relationship to his brother had distanced more and more.

He sighed and stared into the fire once more. No, he didn't care for his family. His parents were dead; Caramon was in Solace, married to (in Raistlin's opinion) the worst nitwit of a woman he could've possibly chosen.

What about his sister, Kitiara? Raistlin didn't know, or care, where she was or what she was doing. The last time he saw her, she was on the back of her dragon Skie, setting off from Palanthas in pure anger over something he didn't know, or care, about.

His mind was so far off he didn't notice Minos before he stood almost in front of him, clearing his throat. He was violently pulled out of his philosophies and he shot his weird hourglass eyes at the young apprentice in front of him.

Minos was a young man from Raistlin's own birth town, Solace. His hair was dark brown just like his eyes. He was tall and well-built, but not the body of a warrior or fighter. He filled his robe elegantly to say the least, and the young girls in Palanthas gave him long looks at several occasions.

Except from when he was with Raistlin, of course. There was just something about the older wizard that made people feel unsafe. But of course, no one tried doing him any harm; they knew he was the master of the tower and didn't dare insult him.

The young man moved uneasily under Raistlin's stare, shifted his weight and cleared his throat again. Raistlin sighed impatiently.

"What is it that you want, Minos?" he whispered dangerously. The young apprentice almost jumped at the sound of his voice and lowered his head in respect.

Minos had been his apprentice for a few months now, and the boy had still not learnt not to show weakness around his master. He was younger than Raistlin, not so much by years, a lot more by wisdom.

Raistlin had been the youngest wizard to ever complete the test required to be accepted into the order of the robes on Krynn. Minos was young too, but a lot older than Raistlin had been. But he was intelligent and more than willing to learn. In addition he was calm, quiet and full of respect for his master, so Raistlin didn't mind his silent company.

Minos shifted on his feet again and the rattle of his black robe almost gave a silent echo in the quiet study around them.

"I just returned from Palanthas, master," Minos said. His voice was steady as ever, but he didn't meet the eyes of his master.

He'd only done so once, and he regretted it to this very day. The frights he saw in his master's eyes were too much to bear. It was like his very eyes drilled into his body like a bolt.

"And…?" Raistlin asked impatiently. Minos shifted again under his master's gaze.

"There was a wizard," Minos continued slowly. Raistlin still stared at the young man in front of him and Minos felt like he was staring right through him.

"A wizard of the black robed order…" Minos said reluctantly. Raistlin sighed again and looked away with a faint smile that was so rare on his face.

"And why would this interest me, Minos?" he asked. "There are plenty of wizards following Nuitari all over Krynn, why would this particular man interest me?"

Minos shifted again and looked for a place to rest his eyes. Raistlin raised an eyebrow at his young apprentice and rose from his seat. Minos backed away a few steps and the smile danced across Raistlin's lips yet again.

"It was a woman…" Minos said quietly.

"A woman…?" Raistlin asked. He was honestly surprised to hear this. There were only a few women in the entire magical society of Krynn, and he had never heard of one following Nuitari.

"Yes," Minos answered quickly. "She was looking for you. Or, at least that's what I presume she meant; she stopped me in the middle of the street asking for my master."

Raistlin sat down again, and stared into the fire while pondering on this.

"Did you get her name?" Raistlin asked the nervous apprentice. Minos shook his head.

"She said 'tell your master to come see me at the inn night-sky here in Palanthas if he gets the time.'" Raistlin kept staring into the fire while pondering this.

Minos stood as nailed to the floor while Raistlin stared into the fire. After a while he sighed and looked at Minos again.

"Well, I don't know who she is," Minos shifted again. "So I will not go looking for her. She'll have to come to me if she wants me something."

Minos nodded silently. "Can I get you something?" he asked. Raistlin waved his hand in deep thoughts and shook his head. Minos nodded shortly at his master and left the study.