Prologue - Bloody Snow

It was a cold winter night on Winterdome Mountain, and as it should be, there was a great snowstorm going on, the greatest snowstorm of the last ten years. During the summer the mountain would be full of life, there grew a lot of flowers of all kinds and colors and the extensive pasture made a lot of animals come here to eat. Following the animals, the inhabitants of the small village of Heister, located on the foot of the mountain, would come to hunt the wild animals and to breed the livestock. But now during the winter the pasture was covered by snow, which could amount up to a meter and a half, and the few humans that would adventure the mountain would by easy prey for the bears wolves and the fearsome trolls. And so, it would remain for the next two months.

In the middle of the dark sea of snow only a dim light was visible on the top of the mountain. This light was emitted from the College of War of Winterdome. This millenary institution was created since the Old Gods had come to Yolia continent and decided to teach the humans their art of battle. From all the corners of the country heirs of the greatest clans would be send in order to acquire knowledge not only of the art of battle, but to learn how to lead their clan to prosperity.

The location of the institute was chosen wisely, it had to be since when it was constructed there was a war happening on the whole continent. There on top of the mountain the Masters of War, as the teachers of the institute where called, had vision of all the surroundings on the warm months and during the winter the mountain itself provided a natural protection. Nothing had bypassed their perception during the construction of the fortress, three of the sides of the quadrated structure, that occupied an area of thirty thousand square meters, was against a cliff of three hundred meters of height, what certified that an eventual attack could come of only one direction.

Along the famous and insurmountable walls of the purest stone only a man was awake, his name Heirloc, he had an average height and a firm muscular body, like all the others from the Finit clan his skin was as dark as ebony, and his eyes were black like the night. He was bald and had a full beard. Some scars of old battles crossed his entire body, but the only one that draws attention is the one across his face, from the top of his left eye till the corner of his left lip, from the cleanness of the cut one could see it was made by a sword or some other blade. He had 40 years of age, even though he looked older. On the side of his cloths made from bear pelt there was a one-handed sword sheathed, the blade could not be seen but looking to the hilt one could see it was the work of a master blacksmith.

This night he was guarding the only gate that linked the College to the outside world and was starting to wonder, while he admired the power of the snowstorm the nature presented him tonight. Was his presence in the gate really necessary? After all, during that tempest no one would be crazy enough to try to cross the mountain heading to the College. And even if one did try, this person would never reach it alive, they would fall prey to the wolves, the bears or even worst the terrible trolls that left the caves terrorized the region during the winter.

Heirloc sat on his chair and started to think. The harsh months of winter had finally reached their half. Soon the College would be full of students, with the return of those who went to stay the winter with their clans and the arrival of new and inexperienced pupils. 'How fun it will be to train a new batch of young students' he thought. After all, Heirloc had an important job, he was the Master Initiator. It was his responsibility to receive the new students that came to the institute, on the young age of 10, and initiate them on the art of battle and their studies on basic history and culture of the region. Under his guidance they would spend the next two years of their lives before they could advance to the next class of training.

When he was about to fall asleep on his chair he suddenly heard a scream. He quickly opened his eyes, but he couldn't hear anything besides the sound of the wind and the snow hitting against the massive iron gate that was in front of him. 'I'm getting mad' he thought. 'Must be the fatigue playing tricks on me' But then he heard it again, this time louder and clearer. Heirloc quickly got up and ran to the gate.

When he opened the gate's display he could not believe what his eyes witnessed. A woman was running from a troll in the direction of the College. The monster was closing the gap between then and would soon reach her.

The second that he took to absorb what he had seen in front of him, unfortunately for the woman, would reveal to be mortal. When Heirloc started to sprint in the direction of the one who was pledging for help, who was 60 meters away from him, the troll finally reached her and in one single bite took her left leg and threw her on the ground. In this moment the Master Initiator had closed the gap and quickly unsheathed his sword. With a swift and skillful wrist movement he pulled his sword in the direction of the beast that was filled with bloodlust. Instinctively the troll pulled his body back making the blade miss the neck of the beast by inches.

Men and monster stood there watching it other for some seconds measuring their adversary and thinking what was going to be the opponent's next movement. In front of him Heirloc faced a two meters Troll, it wasn't the bigger he had ever faced that was true, but he couldn't underestimate the power of the abomination. He could not let his guard down, even though a troll alone didn't present much of a threat to a Master of War.

He marveled the fact that the troll was alone since snow trolls usually hunted in packs, but he didn't have too much time to worry about it. The monstrous being was in his front and looked at him with a latent desire to kill. From his sharp teeth fresh blood was dripping and it fell along all his jaw. The white fur of the beast was now tainted red by the woman's blood. He stood there for a few more seconds that looked like minutes studying the beast. Knowing his next movement could be his last he would not give the monster any opening in his stance, suddenly the creature jumped in the direction of the one who was keeping him away from its prey. The beast was trying to strike the man down with the claws.

Heirloc dodged the attack to the right and by spinning his body clockwise he expertly put all his weight behind his strike. Then with all his force he planted his sword right between the eyes of the creature that was still in the air, such was the speed of the Master Initiator movement.

The threat being neutralized he then looked to the women who was agonizing in pain, due to the forceful removal of her leg. Under her there was a red pool of blood that was still leaking from her fresh wound. She was a little smaller than Heirloc. Her skin was as white as the snow of the mountain, her face had delicate traces with some noble looks, but they were easily hidden by the immeasurable number of scars that where proof her life hadn't been easy. Her hair was black, and the blue eyes partially covered by it were like the most shinny sapphire. She wore a simple blue dress that highlighted her curvy body. Then the Master Initiator finally realized. There was a baby in her hands!

"Come closer" she said using the little strength she still had, he then leaned closer to that beautiful woman whose life he was not capable of saving. "My name is Merin, I traveled from afar to come here, I was bringing my son Cain hopping that you would receive us" suddenly the woman stopped talking.

Heirloc looked at the baby, his skin wasn't as white as that of his mother, the kid was watching everything on his surroundings with his big blue eyes, without understanding what was happening. The man thought it was impressive for the baby to be so calm, even after what had happened to his mother while she carried him.

"He needs a home" she restarted to speak after collecting a bit more strength. "One where he can grow and learn about this world, so that someday he will be able to avenge his clan and his father. Here, open it" then she gave the bag she carried on her back to the Master Initiator.

Following the woman's request, he proceeded to open the bag to find it filled with diamonds. Merin noticed his amazement in the face of the precious stones and once again started speaking.

"Those are to be used to pay for his tuition fee. You will find enough money there to pay for it for the rest of his life. Please receive him! he is still too little, he has only 10 months of age. But in the future, he will be a great man" said the woman.

"I will take care of him with my life, I promise you that" said Heirloc looking at Merin in the eyes. The woman looked relieved.

"Good, now I can finally rest in peace" said Merin. The man looked worried after her words.

"Don't say that, everything will be alright. I will bring you inside and we will take care of you" said Heirloc. The woman looked at him, her strength fading her.

"Don't mistake me for a fool, I know there is no saving for me anymore. I only hope you maintain your words, nothing else" and with these last words her strength was finally over.

Heirloc with sorrowful eyes looked at the baby. What reasons could drive that woman to cross the mountain during the winter? What she meant with avenging her clan? Where she got all the diamonds she carried with her?

The boy had not spent a year in this world and his life was already enveloped in mysteries. What kind of trouble chased this boy? 'Well that is a question I will never have the answer to' he thought. He picked up the baby from the dead woman's hand.

Then he saw, and his eyes instantly were filled with terror. In the boy's neck there was a jade talisman attached to a golden string. The symbol of a dragon head. Heirloc and all the other inhabitants of the continent knew this symbol very well. He would never mistake that shape.

It was the symbol of the Old Gods.