Prologue

Lysander's eyes snapped open, his senses flooded with panic as he came back to full awareness of his dire situation. Towering over him, a massive, grotesque beast smiled with amused malice, its hideous maw parting.

"That nuisance is gone for good," it said with a chilling tone. "Now it's your turn."

In the blink of an eye, the creature accelerated with startling quickness, closing the distance between them. Time seemed to slow as it reared back a massive, clawed forearm to deliver the final, fatal strike.

Lysander felt his mouth go dry as the beast's claws arced down in a blurring slash.

Time seemed to slow down as the beast slashed its claw down, which was actually moving fast but appeared to move slower to Lysander, as these were the last moments of his life.

He glanced down at his own clenched fist, still gripping the remaining half of a shattered sword hilt. The star-shaped mark on his forehead shone brilliantly, now fully illuminated.

There was nothing left to do but accept his fate. Squeezing his eyes shut, Lysander forced his tensed muscles to relax, a sad, regretful expression washing over his features as the claws continued their inexorable descent.

He parted his lips, the words catching in his constricting throat. "So it is then, huh? That's how my life en-"