Chapter One
The Future of a Prince

Many years has it been since the coming of the dragon, and the decent of the daemon prince unto the world of mortals with his beast of wings and fire. Multiplied they have, the dragons, into a dominating race about the world, yet in peace with the beings which surround them. For they are not the only monsters in this realm, not by far compared to the giant tortoises or the ogres and goblins, which inhabit homes as humans would.
For the dragons were accepted as a part of the world since that war where an unknown demon had stricken out and tore down the regions of Hell, which tried to conquer the world we know. This was a time of prosperity, and in such a time, little was needed of the first Dragon, or the prince of hell who rode upon him.
"Good day, Karyn," came a rough voice from the recesses of a hooded cloak as a seemingly young man stepped up to the merchant's post and took hold of an apple, taking a solid bite from the juicy red fruit before tossing a few copper coins onto the hard wood as payment for the early morning appetizer. The lady merchant simply nodded with a bright smile, happy to see that her friend had not forgotten to stop by on the morning's light to see her.
"Good morning, lord Mire," was her humble greeting to the young boy, who could have been no older than 17.
The youth pulled back the hood of his cloak, a supple grin played on his lips as he took another small bite of the apple before speaking. "I've told you too many times, Karyn, to just call me Raine. Why do you insist on using my royal title? You know how much I despise it."
The lady merchant, who was a youthful age of 19 herself, nodded slightly and apologized, but found herself at no loss for excuse. "I'm sorry, lo-I mean Raine, but I only wished to carry out the law. You know we're forbidden to call you by anything but your royalty."
"Blast the law, it matters not what you call me. My title does not change my position nor power over the people."
"And what power would that be, dear friend?"
"The power to command, and the power to charm, dazzle and even coax them into whatever I wish them to do. Do you not think I have these powers?"
"I believe you have them and more, milord. However, I hear there are those who would not be quite so willing to follow you. Some outsiders it seems would rather have your throne to themselves."
The boy gave an unconcerned shrug and took another large chunk of the red fruit. "Let them try if they wish. The people should know by now that there isn't a man or party in this land that can bring me to sword-point."
"You are certainly modest, I must say." The girl chuckled before beginning to sort her fruits neatly into their boxes, still awaiting other customers, but knowing that none would probably come for another good hour or so. The prince was always her first sale.
"Yes well, when one holds a throne such as mine he learns to boast and how to use this to win the favor of the people. And so far, I'd say it has worked, wouldn't you?"
She nodded an agreeing yes before watching the prince turn and begin to walk away. "I suppose I'll see you tomorrow," he called back.
"Alright, I'll be waiting for you." She set about to polishing a few of the apples and continued sorting and neatly stacking the fruits upon her stand.
Raine made a few more stops at random trading posts on his way back to the castle before finally reaching the front gate entrance. The guards moved their spears from their X formation and allowed the prince to pass into the courtyard.
As the prince made his way into the courtyard and toward the castle itself, he thought he heard a voice about him. However, upon a second listening he heard nothing and began to resume his walk. A step further than he had gotten on his last try, he heard it again, this time sure that someone had spoken. He whirled around, looking to the sky and to the ground, yet seeing no one and nothing which could make such noises.
"Go-go-go…" a voice echoed through his head. He still turned about trying to find it. "You can not see me-me-e…" the voice echoed once more as Raine turned to face the castle, intent now upon simply listening to the whispering voice. "Leave while you still have the chance-chance-ance. Go while you can."
"What do you mean? Who are you and what do you want with me? Why should I go anywhere?!"
Raine listened for a moment, but instead of the wind he heard now a stern voice behind him. He whirled about once more, and found himself face to face with a robed wizard. The wizard was dressed in a light blue attire, his beard the length of his waist and his hair almost the same. "Who are you?" Raine demanded, his face stern with irritation at the wizard.
"Leave this castle," demanded the robed figure. The warlock raised a finger toward the castle and pointed toward a window, which Raine recognized as his own quarters. "Leave or you will die tonight in that tower; within that room in which you sleep."
"What do you mean? Who on Earth would dare to try and kill me?" Raine's was now angrier than ever, agitated at the spell-caster who he thought was making a threat upon his life.
"Those who wish to kill you. You have heard of them?" Raine nodded slightly, giving the wizard the go-ahead to continue. "They will come when the moon is full in the sky and take your life if they find you in your bed. I ask that you leave, or this place will soon leave you homeless."
"How on Earth would anyone kill me? Do you know who I am, old man?" The young man was full of pride, and would not admit nor accept that anyone in all the lands could match his skill with weaponry.
"Yes, Raine, I know well who you are. Lord Mire, prince of the land of Marenthas. Son to King and Queen Mire, and heir, if alive, to the throne of the kingdom. Yet this is only who you think you are, dear boy. I know of your true identity, something that even you aren't aware of. You have a destiny which is very important to this world that we know." The wizard waved a hand around him motioning more toward the entire world than their immediate surroundings.
"You know nothing of me if you believe that I will die on this night. No one can kill me, old wizard, no one in this kingdom, nor this world that you speak of. I will remain in my kingdom and live to rule these people-"
"And a just ruler you would be," the old wizard interrupted. "However, this would only be accomplished if you were to live through this night. And this, boy is doubtful indeed. However, I cannot force you to leave. If stay you must, then I shall go. However, if you are so lucky as to live, expect to see me again my boy, for even if you live, this home will no longer be where you lay your head under the stars and the moon." With that and a gust of wind the aged warlock disappeared from sight of the prince.
The prince turned, swinging the back of his cloak into the air as he did so, allowing it to flutter down slowly as he continued toward the castle. His pride was ever with him as he made his way to the seer, hoping that maybe she could show him what meaning these events held.
He entered the chamber of the seer and took a seat in a large wooden chair, the soft padding beneath him providing as much comfort as possible, although the area itself made things quite uneasy. The room's décor consisted of paintings of the blackness that is the void and strange golden substances with jewels and runes of all sorts. Archaic items from around the world, collected into one single room, worth a fortune, but never leaving the eyes of the foreboding prophet.
"Be weary, young prince," the old women spoke as she stepped toward the table upon which rested her ball of crystalline glass. "There are those who would aspire to end your life. But you already knew that, for you have been warned by one whom even I can not match in the world of the magical arts."
"That-" the prince began, only to be interrupted by the aged voice of the seer.
"-old man with the long beard and the light blue robes and hat. Yes he is the one of which I speak, and you would be wise to listen to him, my prince. He knows more than I do of things that are to come, and the destinies of man. He would not have come to see you if you hadn't a special purpose in the world's future."
The prince began to speak again, only to be interrupted once more. "He told me-"
"-things that only you need to hear. Tell no one what he spoke to you of, for those who want your life at an end will hear if you speak of these matters."
"Should I do as he says and leave the castle?"
"That is your decision to make. I have a feeling that even the old man can be wrong on occasion, and I also have a feeling this could be one of them. However, know that if you stay or if you go, as long as you live your destiny is still the same. You will have to leave eventually."
"Then I will spend my night here, in the castle, and I will tell them of my leave."
"You must tell no one, my prince, for as I've said, if you tell, those who wish to end your life would hear as well, and that is a chance that we can not take. You must sleep in silence and leave in silence. And when you leave, you must take no one with you."
The prince bowed before turning and walking toward the door to exit. "I will do as you say, wise seer. I thank you for your kind advice, and in whatever is to come, I hope that you will come through unharmed, for you have served me well in the few years of my life." He stepped through the door, allowing it to remain open to show that the seer was available for questioning by another if they wished to ask her of advice in matters.
As she watched the prince leave the seer glanced at the crystalline ball before her with a sad gaze. "My prince, you must live through this night. Myris has something planned for you, and it is a deed that you must perform, for if not, I fear that this world may be doomed." She closed her eyes and waved her hands over the crystal ball, which showed an image of the prince walking through the corridors, sending him a blessing to make it through the night. Perhaps it would be the last gift she'd ever give the boy whom she'd watched rise from a small prince to a great warrior. "Farewell, my prince…"