Prologue

Moira DarkHeart despised Wizard City, everything here was just too ... perky. It didn't help that it was raining. Rain was another thing Moira despised. Really there wasn't much she especially liked, after being alive for so long she had found there wasn't much about the Spiral to enjoy. Everything was always going wrong no matter how many times it was fixed and for once Moira had a chance to be part of that. Instead of just sitting on the sidelines as usual, she'd finally get to join in on the destruction of the Spiral. Even if it meant walking through a dark rainy night to get some seemingly useless object out of some silly tower...Alright perhaps the object might have some use. But nothing seemed very useful to her. Once again, after being alive for so many long years Moira found little interest in anything. Criticizing everything had becoming much more enjoyable to her, perhaps it was a habit too, she didn't know at this point.

She sighed pulling her hood further over her face and trying her best to ignore the mud getting all over her black Marleybone boots. Those had been so expensive...But it was a sacrifice she was willing to make to get to her final destination...Although the fact her blood red hair would surely puff up and look rather unthreatening if it got wet...maybe she wasn't willing to take that sacrifice. She increased her pace looking disapprovingly at the Headmaster's Office. Old turned into Golem Court and walked quickly into the tower. She took a moment to assess the damage done to her clothes. It was truly cringe worthy. Her beautiful boots were spotted in mud as were the pants of her armor. It was absolutely dreadful weather. She flicked out her wand preparing to fix it all with a quick spell but a creak alerted her to something else. A wooden construct stood in front of her in fighting stance. Moira smirked at this.

"Oh what a cute little thing." she laughed pulling a single card from her spell deck and running forwards to face it.

The construct did it's best but Moira was not like those silly little apprentices that usually came to fight it. She was something ... different. If the construct was not a basically brainless being it might have noticed the dark, powerful energy that radiated from the girl. Maybe it would have noticed the cold, calculating look in her eyes. A look that held more knowledge and experience than someone with her youthful appearance should have. But alas, the golem was not the brightest thing around. It wasn't smart enough to run away or back off.

Moira looked down at the black pip that had appeared. Perfect. With that Moira looked up her lips curving into an almost insane looking smile as she began to draw the shadow symbol. Moira had mastered the dark magic many years ago out of simple boredom but it had served her much better than any other form of magic had. In fact, she hardly found herself using other forms of magic anymore. Shadow magic was really all she needed. It was the string that threaded the Spiral together, but she had also found how easy it was to unravel that string and turn it into something much worse than it originally was. It was a sort of power that nobody should have but over the years Moira had mastered it. She had twisted her manage to a point where it was barely recognizable. She liked it that way, her form of shadow magic was so much better than the original.

"You have a great honor of having me seal your fate you brainless creature." Moira spat

She cast the spell a small giggle escaping her lips.

A shriek came from Golem Tower as a level 5 diviner ran out looking pale as a ghost. Regina FlameTalon looked up in shock from her research, that was the girl she had sent in to look for the parts she needed for her science project only moments before.

"Delaney, what's wrong?" she asked grabbing the terrified novice by the sleeve.

"Th-The Golems..." Delaney choked out

Regina laughed "They can be pretty menacing, can't they?"

Delaney looked up at the other girl with wide eyes and shook her head tears pouring down her face.

"I-I..." Delaney struggled to get a single word out, Regina had never seen this sort of reaction to the Golems. Delaney had managed to make it up to the 4th floor of the tower only yesterday Regina couldn't imagine the Wooden Constructs on the first floor scaring her this badly. She had only been in there for a minute or so there was no way she could have gotten to the Iron Golem.

Regina frowned "Alright clearly it's not the golems...what's happened?"

"The Golems..." tears were running down Delaney's face "I-It's horrible...Th-They're barely r-recognizable."

Regina gasped "What?"

"S-Someone destroyed them so terribly ... b-but they're still alive and moving. I-It's horrible..." Delaney managed to choke out

Regina grabbed the girl by the arm "Come on, we're going to Headmaster Ambrose right away."

Delaney stiffened "W-Wait!"

"What? We should go to the headmaster about this!" Regina exclaimed

Delaney sniffled and nodded "I-It just felt so dark in there Regina...There's something evil in there..."

"We're going to the headmaster. Now." Regina replied dragging the other sniffling girl into the Commons.

Back in Golem Court, Regina's science project was left unattended in the grass. On most days, it would have been safe there. Today was very unlike most days. A hand slowly reached down to touch it.

"Such wonderful craftsmanship."

Regina's project slowly flashed black before the hand pulled away.

Moira smiled, this was only the beginning.