In the strange land of her half-sleep, Phae screamed. All around her buildings burnt and people died at the hands of the dark mage's magic her magic that had caused so much death and destruction already. She couldn't help but think of poor Master Kulgrim and the cruel fate he had suffered because of what she had done.Because of herTheir trail of destruction had lasted for weeks now. Weeks and weeks of needless slaughter. Once word had started to spread through the region, some of the towns and villages they encountered were prepared and some even had a small garrison ready to meet them at the gates. No matter how hard they tried, they all met the same fate. And she was powerless to stop him. He had full control now, her indomitable will eventually sapped by endless days of struggle against the mage's dark magics that kept her trapped in a perpetual state of half-sleep. She had nothing left now to combat his evil spells save the hope that someone somewhere was looking for

The storm raged as they led their cart up the steep ascent. All around them, thick, weather-beaten trees clung to the hard ground wherever they could. In more than one place fallen trunks crossed their path and they had to carefully navigate around them in what were by now treacherous conditions. Callum wiped his face with his sleeve. Streams of water ran down his face and dropped from his nose and his brow. He peered into the gloom."See anything Callum?""No, not yet," he replied. He paused. "So much for summer eh?"Behind him, Aaron laughed. "Well you certainly saved that one up didn't you!" Even Callum was forced to grin at his friend's remark. "I know you could do with a wash Callum but this is getting ridiculous!"Callum was about to respond when all of a sudden Lena called them to a halt. "I see a light.""A light?""Yes, a light up ahead look."Lena pointed into the gloom and Callum followed her gaze, squinting hard through the rain. Sure enough, there in the distan

Varrus screamed. In the blink of an eye his whole world was turned upside down and he found himself floating within the star-god's prison. Skargyr's voice was a low rumble. "Great shall be the reward for your loyalty my servant."Varrus gulped. Something was different. The star-god seemed to have grown in power since they had last met.Varrus clutched the hilt of his sword to stop himself trembling. Adrenaline from his encounter with the boy and his friends still coursed through his veins. "What would you have me do next my Lord?"The star-god paused, as if to take a deep breath. The sound was as thunder rumbling in the heavens. Varrus clutched his sword even tighter. His fingers started to lose feeling."As the magic of the old world fades so I am able to extend myself further beyond the bounds of my prison. While I yet draw my energy from the sun, still there are those who would try to stop me."Kill the mages Varrus. Destroy their kind so none may thwart me."A cruel smile f

"And so the light of the world goes out," Lena whispered. Beside her, Callum knelt weeping at the cliff edge. Standing a short distance behind her, Aaron was numb with shock."My sight," he murmured, "it's gone." Lena looked up to the heavens for some sign of hope but found none. Above them the thick black stain that covered the sun had grown to engulf the entire sun, casting their world in perpetual dusk. Not even she could find a glimmer of hope in this their darkest hour. She took Aaron by the hand and gave it a squeeze. She had to be strong now for all of them. Hers was the least burden to bear this dark day; the loss of her magic as nought compared to the loss of sight of he who was dearest to her, or the loss of a child, as Callum was now grieving. All their efforts it seemed, had come to nothing. And Varrus was gone. On the far side of the rapids, there wasn't so much as a trace of the dark mage who had vanished the moment his task was complete. Lena knew there was m

Kiera watched as the young trooper stumbled his way to the door. She had been watching him for a while now and had already marked the group of sniggering fools who had spiked his drink. He was going to have a mighty headache come the morn that was for sure. She didn't envy anyone the task of reporting to the barracks the next day with a hangover like that. That was when the real initiation began.Kiera rubbed her hands together to try and get some warmth into her fingers. It sure was getting colder outside and to think it was Midsummer's day! Something was wrong, she knew that much. And it wasn't just the weather that was giving her cause for concern. For weeks now, she had been feeling "hollow" empty almost though at first she just put it down to home-sickness. It sure had been a long time since she had last been home, since she had last seen Callum and Phae.She was just about to rise and check on the sick trooper when some commotion from the central table set her senses on edge