The Darkest Hour

In the cold dark depths of space, an ancient evil stirs from its slumber...*****"Wake up Varrus, your life is mine."Varrus slowly swam to consciousness. He opened his eyes to reveal nothing save the impenetrable black of space.The voice thundered inside his head. "So, you have come at last. I've been expecting you..."Varrus gulped. He could still feel the sharp stab of pain as he had died at the boy's hands. By using magic to evade death, he had made a terrible, terrible mistake. "Cease your trembling mortal. I am Skargyr and you are mine now there can be no escape. Worlds have lived and died while I have waited for someone of your qualities to find their way into my cursed prison. You shall know me now as your master."As memories of his former life slowly returned to him, Varrus regained some of his composure. "I serve no one!" he spat, "I am my own master.""Foolish mortal I am your GOD! Bow down and worship me and I shall consider sparing your worthless soul."Va

The night was dark; far darker than it had been for many months now. Even the great pole star Illustus shone dimly, and the old world's moons were but two faded smudges in an overcast canvas of grey. As the night drew on, a cold easterly breeze swept across the island, bringing with it a rolling bank of dense fog that settled on the city streets and enveloped the Magical Isle in a cold, damp, impenetrable mist. Even from his position high atop the tallest tower of the Wizards' Citadel, Callum could only faintly make out the shapes of a few towers and rooftops tall enough to pierce the fog. Not even the street-lanterns of the wizards could penetrate the mist; their bright lights reduced to nothing more than faint, eerie glows as the greatest city in the realm of men was reduced to nothing more than a panorama of dull grey.Callum pulled his cloak tightly around him as the cold easterly wind bit into his skin, bringing with it another rolling bank of fog to shroud the streets in mist.

Half an hour later, with two small packages of food clutched tightly in her invisible hands, Phae hurried through the lower hallways of the Citadel. Though for now at least she remained concealed under a veil of magic, she stuck to the shadows as best she could. She could sense already it was only a few hours until dawn, and if she wasn't quick, she might miss her chance to escape through the portal. She arrived at the council chamber and looked down the stone staircase revealed at its centre. Discovered by her parents long before she was born, the stairway led into a secret sanctum that had once been used by the 'Isle's previous rulers, a corrupt group of mages known as the Inner Circle. Though they had for the most part now been defeated, and their few surviving members scattered across the land, their sanctum still remained, and in it, her planned means of escape.When they had first opened up the hidden sanctum, her parents had discovered, among other curiosities, an ancient por

With the coming of dawn, the fog that enveloped the city finally began to fade, and the streets gradually warm to the light of the new day. As the hour approached something like respectable, Callum and his two friends ate a quick breakfast and headed out to the Citadel where they knew the Seer would already be hard at work. Crossing the wide stone bridge that led up to the Citadel's entrance they hurried on through reception to the spacious chamber that the Seer had turned into his personal office. As they arrived they found their old friend standing outside waiting patiently for them. "Ah there you are, I've been waiting long enough for the three of you. Good morning Callum, Lena Aaron."The three companions greeted the Seer warmly, though Aaron slightly less so as he watched for sign of reproach from the Seer for their previous falling out. Even after the many years they had known Elidor, none of them could quite get used to his unnatural ability to know when they wanted to see hi

In the land of her dreams, Phae screamed.Every way she turned fire blazed around her, encircling her and keeping her pinned to the spot. In the distance she could hear a faint voice crying from somewhere amidst the flame. She wanted to help but she couldn't. The fire just wouldn't let her.Voices swirled around her, faces forming in the thick smoke that billowed from the flames and tried to choke her."It's all your fault!" Master Kulgrim spat at her. "I am dead because of you!""It's all your fault Phae." The face of her mother took form now, circling her alongside Kulgrim taunting her, urging her to throw herself upon the flames."I didn't mean to hurt anyone!" she cried."You never do though do you." The face of her father now materialised in the smoke. The heat of the flames was getting intense now. She could barely muster the strength to stand. "Admit it child: you're a failure!""Yes child a failure!" her mother agreed. "All you do is bring pain and suffering wherever y