Prologue

The tower shook with the storm as Tadry stepped out of his bedchamber, the smell of ozone was rank in the corridors, and his long gray hair frizzed. “Damned storm,” he muttered beneath his breath in his usual too-deep voice, common to the dwarves. Tadry was small even for a dwarf. The size of a human six-year-old. He was a grizzled man, with deep frown lines. His beard was long, so long it was nearly to the floor.

He wore long brown robes, the usual for a mage, at least for dwarven mages. The mages of the other races usually wore blue or purple robes with the occasional green or gray tossed in. Tadry had been amid his nap when the storm had started and he was not well pleased with being awake, no matter how long he had been ‘napping’. In all reality he had been asleep for over six hours at that point.

He grunted and tossed his head back. “REX!” he barked at the top of his lungs. Quickly a thin young elf ran in, his long silver hair falling down his shoulders. Judging by his appearance, he looked to be in his teens, meaning he was likely fifty years old in solar years, as opposed to elf years. He wore the plain brown, shabby robes of an apprentice mage. He had a handsome face, if somewhat awkward.

“Yes, Master!” Rex said quickly as his long legs carried him to the dwarven mage.

“Why has the storm gotten past the wards?” Tadry asked in a gruff tone, while his thick fingers rubbed the middle of his forehead.

“Did Master Bralen not notify you of the Aether Lord’s arrival?” Rex asked his master nervously.

Tadry stared at the elf with horror. “That conniving little bastard!” Tadry shouted. “Is the Aether Lord in the tower as we speak?” he asked, taking a deep calming breath.

“Yes, he’s waiting at the entrance,” Rex said nervously.

Tadry looked at Rex for a long moment, his face becoming more and more red “AND YOU DIDN’T THINK TO TELL ME SOONER!?” he screamed.

Rex quickly stepped back as Tadry lashed his thick arm out to slap the boy. Tadry then took another calming breath and ran down the stairs to the entrance of his mage tower. A tall man wearing thick steel armor and a long purple cape stood at the end of the stairwell. He was human, with a short well-trimmed dark brown beard, and a mop of brown hair flowing down his head like waterfalls. The man looked at Tadry and sighed

“Took you long enough,” said the Aether Lord in a smooth, velvety voice.

“My apologies, my Lord; my apprentice entrusted the message of your arrival to one of my colleagues. Though, as it appears, that letch had it out for me for quite some time.” Tadry said quickly, a drop of sweat falling down his forehead.

“Yes, yes; though, I have not come to speak of petty rivalries.” he said in an imperious voice, “I wish to inform you that my son has been born, I shall leave him in your care for some time. Treat him well,” he said smoothly. Tadry blinked and opened his mouth in protest, but before he could the soft glow of the Aether lit up around the man’s hands and a baby appeared in the man’s arms.

Tadry blinked, “My Lord, why must I take him, there are dozens of magicians that could care for the boy. I am but a simple mage.” the Aether Lord’s eyes flicked to Tadry as he said this. “In the dirt there are diamonds, the simple can shape a powerful spirit into a truly beautiful gem,” the man explained.

“I leave him with you because he will grow to become someone with a heart untainted by the arrogance of the Lords, untainted by the politics of my station.” he continued, “I wish for him to stay away from that as long as common parlance permits.” the man said, his deep green eyes shining like emeralds inlaid in pale white marble.

“Do not tell him of me, at least not until he is ready. He is my son, and for that I am sorrowful, he has the blood of a monster within him. And that, I cannot take back.” The man admitted, a deep sadness in his eyes.

“My Lord, who are you?” Tadry asked, eyeing the man with a watchful eye.

“Many names have known me over the years. ‘Lord of Hate’, ‘King of Madness’, ‘Earth Shaker’, ‘War Bringer’, ‘The Wolf King’. But you shall know me as Vadin,” he proposed, his eyes focused on the swaddled child in his arms.

Tadry’s eyes widened, he did not know many of those names, but one stood out. Could the man before him really be the Wolf King? The man was an Aether Lord, a powerful magic user, but could the man truly be that man of legend?

“I accept your charge, my Lord, and I swear to raise this boy as if he were of my blood,” the dwarf offered reluctantly, after a deep breath.

Vadin smiled slightly and lifted his hand. A small crib appeared in front of him. He laid the child down and nodded at Tadry.

“His name is Blyde, keep good care of him,” he muttered, he second-guessed even saying it; the words stung in his throat, before he took a single step, the world seemed to fold in on itself, and Vadin disappeared. Tadry took a deep breath and walked close to the baby crib, where the swaddled figure of the child lay.

The child was plump with a round face, he had short blonde hair, and the same emerald-green eyes as Vadin. Tadry gently picked the child up, the infant felt so fragile in his large hands. The child woke from his slumber, giggling at the old dwarf.