Book Two: Battle
Chapter 1
Sam looked at Arwen. "Ripente? What is that?" Arwen sighed, muttered something under her breath about uneducated hobbits, and sat on the wagon.
"I will tell you what the Ripente are. But first, I must tell a story." She leaned back, closed her eyes, and spoke. Sam was spellbound, and he thirstily drank each word.
"Once, long ago, a child was born. His parents, Zared Drake and Aurelia Seraphina, rejoiced, for they had longed for a boy for years. He was an unexceptional baby, except for his ever-changing eyes. One minute, they were blue; the next, coal-black. His parents were frightened, but they told themselves that this was a normal occurrence. They managed to forget about it.
Ten years later, his parents once again noticed that his eyes changed colors. They took him to the village wiseman, who could not do or say anything about it. Although the parents were not satisfied with this answer, they took him home. On the way, Zared and Aurelia were attacked by Cindar's Elite Black Knight Fliers. They were killed in this raid. Heartbroken, the child wandered the countryside, begging for food and stealing it. He lived this way for four more years. Then, one day when he had managed to steal a bow and some arrows, the boy went hunting. He came across a selnar, and followed the beast deep into the Farlandon Mountains. The boy lost sight of the selnar and wished to see where his prey was. Instantly, the boy's vision changed from human vision to the biocrysto sight of the selnar. The boy realized that he had been given a very special gift: the ability to see through others' eyes. Troubled by his gift, he abandoned the selnar and left the Farlandons, arriving at his box he used as a home. Exhausted by his trip, he fell into his "bed," and dreamed.
In the dream, a wondrous lady walked towards him. Her cloak shimmered, and her hair was silken. When she spoke, it sounded as though thousands of elves were singing. He never forgot what she told him next.
'Welcome to the Zerketha, the land of dreams. We have been waiting for you.' She gestured behind her, and there stood hundreds of seraphic figures, males and females, all wearing the same aquamarine star-specked robe. 'We are the Legaris, Keepers of the Zerketha. I am Jasymiv, Leader of the Legaris. Sit down, we have much to discuss.' The boy sat on a chair that had just appeared.
'Where am I? What am I doing here? Most importantly, why me?' The boy questioned. He could have sworn Jasymiv smiled a little at that.
'I will start with the first question. You are in the Zerketha, the land of dreams. We have brought you here to speak with you. We cannot manifest ourselves to you in the outside world, for we have no true shape. I must impart wisdom to you that you need to survive. Secondly, as I said, I have brought you here so I could speak with you. Lastly, we need you. You are the only one who can truly stop the Magna Crepusculum, the Great Twilight.'"