Prologue

England: 1296 A.D., the Last Dark Age

"Vitani, run! You can't face him!"

"No, sister. For all the pain and suffering he has caused our great family, he must be destroyed."

"But he will destroy you! Please, come with me."

"I will not run. I will defeat him!"

A great, cold wind swept through the great hall, knocking both girls to the stone floor. Thunder roared through the night air as lightening cracked the sky. The freezing rain came in through the broken ceiling and on the wind rode evil incarnate. Both girls could sense the presence of the malefactor hiding in the deepest shadows of their sanctuary. Both could feel his terrible eyes watching them, waiting to strike, savoring the fear emanating from their hearts. He would enjoy crushing the last of the great Bellatoris-manes clan, the family that had lasted against him for thirteen generations. He would end their battle that night.

"Vitani! We must escape!" whispered Elsebeth, the younger of the two.

"No, we must end his reign before others perish in his shadow. You must be strong, my sister, it is our sacred charge to cast him from this land. It is our charge, it is our honor."

"Sister, I am frightened!"

"As well you should be!" cried a deep voice from the rafters. The evil swooped down upon the sisters to spill their blood on their family's house. Elsebeth saw a blackness deeper than the night itself and was frozen in terror. She felt herself roughly pushed aside, striking her head upon the stone floor. She could the sounds of fighting and she cautiously opened her eyes, blinking the blood away.

Vitani was locked in a terrible battle, but she did not fall. With her sword drawn she charged with all the strength she had left and drove her blade deep into the chest of her enemy. He screamed out in pain and stumbled backwards into a wall, sliding down to sit on the floor. The great enemy of all free people was dead. Triumphantly, Vitani strode forward to retrieve her sword.

Without warning, the shadow yanked the blade for his chest and plunged it deep into her heart. Shocked, Vitani feel to her knees, unable to believe that she would die by her own sword.

"You didn't think that I would make it that easy, did you?" he asked before plunging his hand into her abdomen. She screamed in anger and pain as her intestines were ripped from her belly. Falling back to the floor, she could see the malefactor eating what he had taken from her. All was lost: her family's honor, her mission, her sister. She was surprised to feel warm hands lift her into a loving embrace.

"Vitani, I'm sorry! I was too weak. I'm so sorry!"

Vitani could her sisters tear fall onto her face and had to blink back her own.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, Elsebeth. I go now to our forebears to watch over you. You are strong, never believe otherwise. I know you will defeat him. Fare thee well, my sister."

"I will see you again, my sister."

Vitani closed her eyes and breathed one final time. Elsebeth leaned down and gently kissed her sisters forehead.

"Aww, sister love. I'm almost touched. It's too bad you could not save her. Perhaps if you were not such a coward, but it's too late for that kind of wishing. Give up now and your death will not be as painful as hers."

Elsebeth had never truly felt hate in her heart, but now, at his icy words, it burned deep inside her core it transformed into a force that shook the very foundations of the fortress. The evil before her stepped back at this show of strength, amazed that such a young girl could come to this kind of power. She slowly stood and when she spoke her words dripped with poison.

"I will never stop hunting you; I will never rest until you are destroyed. I vow this on the body of my sister and on the bodies of all my family that you have slain! I WILL DEFEAT YOU!"