CHAPTER ONE-THE DOWNFALL OF DANIEL DARKE

"Did you actually believe that there was any secret that I wouldn't know about? I can see through your mind young witch." The Emperor had found out about Daniel's treachery and was about to make him pay.

He suspected Daniel was conflicted about his orders, so he had him followed. When it was reported back to the Emperor that Daniel had taken his mother to a secret location, he sent men to abduct her as Daniel was sent on another mission.

"What shall I do with a traitorous witch?" The old emperor raised his brow as a smile curled up on his evil lips, and he raised his finger to his forehead. "I know."

Taking his knife from his belt, the Emperor grabbed Daniel's mother by her hair and sliced through her neck.

As blood poured from her and the spark of life left her dark eyes, Daniel gasped back a breath. At 32 years of age, Daniel Darke had made a name for himself by becoming Lord Commander of the Emperor's military thanks to his particularly cruel style of leadership.

Under his reign, Daniel had helped his master solidify the empire by crushing all that stood against it. Every man, woman and child that refused to bow down was eliminated without a second thought. He had done such terrible things to people himself, but seeing his own mother laying dead before him was too much for the lost soul to witness.

Although their relationship had always been strained, Daniel's mother had been the only person to ever try to show him any love or mercy. She was all that he had left in the world that mattered, the only meaningful connection that Daniel had to another person at all. In her was the last part of life that had any goodness left to it.

"Did you really believe that I would not find her? Stupid, arrogant fool. Well, you were wrong and now you will suffer for that egoism. Young one, you will bow to me and declare your undying allegiance to the Empire or you will suffer the same fate as this garbage at my feet."

As a show of commitment to the Emperor, Daniel was tasked with tracking down and murdering the remaining members of his family. They were holdouts of the old world Order of supernatural creatures and were powerful enemies of the Emperor being the last known sorcerers on the planet. Daniel cared little about the assignment. His family had treated him poorly his entire life. Even his own nanny had called him a monster.

"I'll fucking tear you apart you bastard!" Daniel ran towards the old man but was stopped in his tracks when the Emperor raised his hand.

The Emperor had taught Daniel everything he knew about warfare, but he was still the master. Daniel was too young and too inexperienced to beat a warlock of such power.

The Emperor threw Daniel across the room with a flick of his wrist then jumped down from his throne and began to choke Daniel with his mind.

As he started to lose consciousness, the Emperor released Daniel to the floor and laughed as he circled him. "Now I will reign down an era of torture upon you like this world has never seen before. By the time I am through with you, there won't be anything left. You will disappear and no one will even remember your name. You are nothing."

"You can kill me, I don't even care anymore, but I won't die on my knees." Pushing himself up to his feet, Daniel stood before the Emperor defiantly.

As the Emperor decided on his next move, the vision of a scarlet-haired woman came to Daniel's mind. Her teary blue eyes pierced through Daniel's soul as she put her hands together and begged him for help. "Please save us Daniel. Only you can bring us back."

Daniel closed his eyes as his heart started to thump against his chest and a warm surge of adrenaline coursed through his veins. He took a ragged breath as her voice brought goosebumps to his arms and neck. While the last faint notes of her sweet tone left his ears, Daniel whispered, "I'm coming."

With a new purpose suddenly filling the young man's heart, Daniel felt a new spark on ancient magic rising within him.

While Daniel looked down at the age-old warlock in front of him, a half smile curled up on his lips as his hair began to blow around him and a blue flame rose from his skin. He didn't know what was happening to him, but the voice in his head told him to be quiet and listen to the spirits that guided him.

The Emperor raised his hands to inflict a final magical blow to Daniel, but the surrounding blaze couldn't be penetrated even by the old wizard. Some other unworldly force had favored Daniel at that moment.

Daniel put his finger to his mouth and shook his head to quiet the Emperor so that he could hear the Fates as the spoke in his mind. "Shh!".

Instantly, the old warlock was engulfed in flames by the mere sound of Daniel's breath rushing past his ears. Daniel stood over the pile of burning flesh and bone and watched it until it smoldered down to ashes. Spitting on the sad remains of a once powerful warlock, Daniel smiled to himself. "I don't bow down to any fucking body. I'm the Master of the Flames."

Daniel went to his mother's lifeless body and lifted her into his arms. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

Daniel carried his mother out of the fortress and into the dead woods. He planned to give her a proper funeral out in nature, the way they did in the books about the old religion. His mother was special and if anyone deserved to enter the next life with honor, it was her.

When Daniel came to a clearing, he laid his mother down on the ground then leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Goodbye mother." Then he stood at her feet as his hair began to blow around him and the blue flame rose again.

Daniel's eyes teared over as he blew out a long breath like extinguishing a candle and his mother’s body was instantly incinerated.

Daniel fell to his hands and knees in exhaustion when he saw a pair of small feet walk by out of the corner of his eye. Feeling the draw of her lifeforce against his chest, Daniel looked up and saw the red-haired woman walking away from him. He could smell the sweet, soft fragrance that dripped from her. It was like nothing he’d ever known before because fresh wildflowers didn’t grow anymore in that world. "Come with me Daniel."

Pushing himself up from his hands and knees, Daniel stumbled after her. Something about the woman pulled him along like a puppet on a string. "Wait, don't leave me."

The woman walked through the dead woods and it gradually faded into a lush and vibrant forest. Daniel looked around and could hardly believe what he was seeing. There were colors present in that place that his eyes had never seen before and tears fell from his eyes as he witnessed the miracle of life as it pulsed around him. He could hear the long ago extinct birds and insects crawling around in the trees and the soft grass bending beneath his boots. "Is this real?"

He breathed in deeply and could feel the sweet, clean air fill his lungs and inject his blood with life. The sun, which had been blocked out by smog for at least a century, now touched his pale face for the first time in his life.

He closed his dark brown eyes as the warmth of the bright orb above him swept over his body and goosebumps sprung up all over. His messy, black hair blew in the fresh breeze that swirled around him and tickled his slightly prominent ears.

When he opened his eyes again, the woman had stopped and was now standing before a wonder like Daniel had never seen even in his wildest dreams.

Behind her stood a gateway with two ancient giant statues on either side. The woman smiled warmly at Daniel and her deep blue eyes pierced through him like an icy blade. "Welcome to the North Woods, Daniel."

Motioning for Daniel to follow her, the woman stepped aside. When he passed through and looked into her angelic face, he suddenly woke from his vision and found himself back at the gates of the Emperor’s fortress.

Looking back to the dead woods, Daniel shook his head. "No wait! Don't leave me here. Where did you go?" It couldn't have been a dream he thought. The smell of the fresh grass still lingered in his nose.

He wanted to go back. He knew deep in his soul it was a message. The woman was trying to reach him, trying to point him in the right direction.

Daniel was a follower of the old religion, maybe the last person on Earth who did. He had faith that this was his destiny and he would answer the beautiful woman's call for help.

Racing back to his quarters, Daniel packed some clothes then returned to the gates and tried to remember the path he had taken.

Daniel started out through the dead forest and his eyes darted everywhere as he searched for the woman from his vision. The further he went, the stronger the smell of clean air and plant life became and the subtle scent of her reminded him that wherever she was, he belonged there too. He knew he was nearly there. "Where are you? Please show me the way to you."

As the words spilled off his tongue, a magical glowing portal appeared before Daniel. It warped the space around it and moved like water in a pool as it danced on the air and bent the light as it passed through. He could see the lush green forest and ancient gates on the other side. The gateway rippled and Daniel's whole body buzzed as it reached out to him.

"I'm coming. I'll be there soon." Daniel extended his arm and reached his hand out then began walking towards the unknown that awaited him on the other side. As it touched him, Daniel was sucked in then the portal instantly sealed behind him.

When he reached the other side of space and time, Daniel stood before the gates he had seen in his mind. He walked to them then took a deep breath as he stepped through and followed the path that lay past it.

As he entered the Great Hall of the city in the woods, Daniel turned around slowly and took in the ethereal dream-like views. He thought it must be the heaven he had read about once in the ancient books he found when he plundered the cities he took over.

"This can't be real." No God would ever let him in after all that he had done, Daniel thought.

There were buildings and homes built into the trees and rock cliffs that surrounded the city. Waterfalls spilled over the cliffs, and he could feel the mist from them on his skin as they air carried them away. The warm setting sun peeked over the cliff side and trees, casting long shadows against the ground until it eventually disappeared over the sea in a pink and orange spectacle on the horizon.

From a long stone staircase came a man in green and gold long robes with long black hair and a crown encircling his forehead. Daniel could tell from his aura that he was an old and powerful warlock. "Welcome, Daniel. I am Nicholas, Lord of the North Woods. I'm glad that you're finally here."

Daniel bowed his head slightly in respect of the old sorcerer. "Thank you, sir, but where exactly am I?"

Lord Nicholas smiled and looked around him as he waved his hand at his lands. "This is the Realm Daniel. You are home."