Prologue

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Prolog

It had been a truly long time since the last time he had a nightmare. The past that he tho

yfugh

bt h

okqe h

rauad com

mple

xoqtel

awy f

umorg

kqott

jfen and

dax ov

bpferc

vame

wv. No, it was

kf no

ggaw a

vji te

tknrri

qble

npm me

pkcmor

hory b

fdefo

pojre the

gpj re

gstur

kn, not

ett ev

qen the

qo pa

wzst.

"Gas

avlp."

The you

rlng man

qu, w

lmnho wok

qze u

nhp s

hoak

kaged in swe

byat, re

bali

onyzed

j th

vat the

j wh

piite

f si

tbclk tha

yt t

bhe tai

mhclor

ll an

emd a

wdkrti

zsan

us h

cwxad wor

beked

z ha

urd to pre

apar

ue w

sas wet

hf. His pup

oxcils

erc sh

dsgook

j in

ly hi

lcns b

cdlue

s ey

kjyes, an

kqqd h

ois emb

earr

xrass

ped han

whds tan

qngle

hd g

bgold

aqen hai

qirr t

qajhat

m re

dsem

jble

ud t

rhe bri

xmglli

ulzant

ill su

rn. The

b we

ot s

rilk

c cl

ylaoth

vc st

fsuck

lv to

lr hi

xaws b

xody

k fe

qxklt rea

ylly

cal bl

cood

uny t

nrzo t

ikuhe tou

nnzch.

"Ha… I h

vmoad a d

jcprea

lqm. Tha

xt d

lagrea

oym."

When

onk wa

hfs t

bahe las

jhct t

wsiime

pg he

nr ha

fgqd t

owahat

lq ni

fght

amar

wde? He cou

vld not

nt ev

bzen rem

qvemb

bier. It

dso wa

zxs a

qnp te

herri

zzble

g ex

rper

ivrien

zfce fro

qm w

iuphen

uh he

zks wa

kos o

lnly

oy 11 ye

uars

ac ol

bd. It was

euq te

evpn y

pqear

rcs a

kgo. Wh

hvtene

ymqver

b he

ig fe

llt lik

ye h

pcpe h

csad for

wzhgot

rscten

h, i

ut c

mvame

s ba

tck to put

kzg a cle

mefar ima

ygyge in his

swf he

wad.

"Why

t? I've

m al

urea

okdy ove

obrtu

hehrne

rwfd t

she fut

wuure

vct, a

xnd I'v

qe p

hion

apoeer

zked my own

pek de

usti

qny. Ar

oge y

kucou say

ling

lf th

kvyere

fm's sti

hll som

ieth

jyring

qze mi

xossi

vgng?"

He ask

idded a q

ogaues

iwrtio

zn w

pqeith

cvout

z kn

wokowi

mng who

jis he

qa wa

pdis t

falk

apoing

i to

xz. Of c

gour

zse, th

zwere

mh wa

ms n

axo r

eoeas

qon for

wf an

vqu an

vswe

or t

qfo c

eoome

deb. Shou

sjqld he ask

vi Go

tmgd? But

cv th

afje o

gvffi

esrcia

yls had

tn sh

whake

bn t

wuthei

br h

uead

imas, eve

tshn s

mhhou

zbhted

nl th

eat it was

k di

hnrsre

jyvspe

htqctf

pul.

[Can

auk a man

inu wh

io h

dtaas los

et s

npigh

vt b

ay h

cftavi

ayng his

m ey

eeba

wdvlls

c st

yehabb

fhed ret

zurn

t to

s no

trma

lwel w

dapith

uz di

cvin

atle i

knte

gzrve

jnti

von?]

[Ca

uhpn y

efgou mov

jhe a

ygai

bwrnst

r th

ke f

lfate

gvm th

hat has

xy al

rfurea

ydy pas

vsnsed

zor?]

Th

zme a

vnsw

hwer the

wby g

teave

ub hi

witm, who

ss wa

clts s

vruff

lkeri

cmng fro

xm n

tpgigh

jsmtma

pkres

pr, w

yas ins

chign

nykifi

mwqcan

vbdt.

[You can

vkvnot

t re

zysto

rhsre wha

sywt h

ivas bee

inn d

psfest

dyeroy

ndjed, no

pjr c

aan you

ym pl

haant

vwu wh

dat has

hu be

ren pul

tbled

d ou

xtgt b

fwdack

mtw in

jsjto its

zg or

iugigi

mnal

xpt st

qoate

st.]

[To g

do a

igai

ypwnst

fj fa

vjte doe

js n

mcot fit

lnk th

chre w

wpill

ouk of

yr th

me Crea

sztor

v.]

"Well

t, w

xthat

r ab

wcjout

j me

vtx? You're say

zwting

m I'm a

h gh

uyost

pbe he

ore? Do

rnres sen

mddin

vvmg a

gn e

kidigh

ot-y

bkeear

jc-ol

rd c

rhfhil

exd, who

ep wa

nys s

kstil

vnxl u

acnab

imle to dis

lqcer

dkn r

bufigh

zsgt f

sxrom

v le

xft, as

xz an

fv ex

nile

sgd Empe

oudror

qxu of

aih th

de East

tern

yxr Ro

ekeman

h Em

epir

yke f

fejits

lqm th

xale w

fill

jlq of

y th

reue o

lowne who

us cr

qeat

xed eve

pryt

ghin

fvpg?”

Ch

poki

zrfng, th

hkhe y

gmoun

glg m

petan onc

nqre a

eiogai

nn c

keurie

ed o

fkut to the

cwu wa

itll whe

kyzre the

zfre was

qf no

h an

rswe

yimr i

hqn r

cpetu

drn.

"Is it fai

vuer t

opo t

zmnake

t aw

zzay my sig

kerht and

iv lo

cck me in pri

tdlson

mah af

huter

mf fo

ojur yea

vrs?"

Whi

lfhle exp

qkcres

vfksin

mog h

loois fru

wfystr

rati

ddon tow

hard

wf th

ke a

wkir, th

ee c

xold

a sw

jeeat

uq th

kat flo

lcwed

uf al

mrl o

nzver

gyx hi

wwcs b

vhuody

bvt di

wed dow

fukn. As his

m bo

tkdy tre

ymbl

nmjed in the

ot ch

hpmill

mvfy m

uood

o, Lask

plsari

es

[1] j

ldkump

sed out

fl of

cbb hi

uys b

niled. He

hs to

szcok out

o hi

jpas d

tark

ftx pu

jrpl

izfe c

xape

b an

tlnd p

bxwut it on.

"Thi

wvzs… I'm sur

sqge I he

ixard

ze th

dere

g wa

xgs a

b de

lmdic

hcfati

fon cer

dsemo

txnny for

frl th

kee c

yihur

ench mur

shaal thi

ws m

axorn

obing

ei, t

mzss."

Diz

pzy, he

ohg su

rvdde

xgnly

xm ca

lrme to his

sj se

pnse

ys a

timnd tri

ftippe

kvd s

lllig

plhtl

jtky. How

bueeve

vwir, his

m 21-ye

uar-old

cdo's fre

nzssh ath

klet

hici

dsm qui

bckl

loy b

pala

jiwnce

dbed h

asis sha

dky bod

kfy.

Fwhoosvkvh!

Lask

nqwari

ss l

vit a c

xtoand

plles

iotic

trk w

tith

ha ca

btndl

jowes bur

lixned

orh to

dxu th

ie v

gtery

fai en

kidd i

wkun a

pxe co

prne

bhzr o

vawf t

qlhe roo

vulm. He cam

pe o

pxut int

deo t

drhe chi

jaglly

t co

dmdrri

mkdor

f of

uyb th

xe c

rrhur

rqnch. Th

ze s

xdjoft

fr so

zund

x of

u th

ve d

koor

pjh cl

sgosi

nng did

n no

pmt w

fyake

jv up

zq th

baze s

jlee

qypin

hg g

mchuar

eds.

Thudzq.

Hi

fuks d

dark

sv pu

lkrpl

oe s

ouuilk

ah fl

yowi

sng ref

kfres

vobhin

kyfgly

bag, t

oehe you

vqpng Emp

qxtero

npr l

xook

jooed at the

gf fr

iesh

rjtly com

zxple

novted

d mu

rral

uv on

uw th

wde w

ytball

jv of

but th

ae c

mnhur

cech. He

ac on

ply had

k a ver

zy n

uarr

vfjow fie

hld of vie

sw, wit

cch s

lpar

thlks fly

oing

ty. In t

ahe mid

kdle

mn of

xp it

io wa

hsvs a

ss mo

qtsai

ozpc d

beaepi

tcti

xng a v

hery

q yo

gung

mib ch

ymild

j.

"Io

mann

ges, Do

puka

bats Vata

atze

kns, Las

ypgkar

lxmis."

Tha

kmt n

fuame

wv wa

ms a

ctta

eqche

hcwd t

io t

hphe mos

iyhaic

u of

o th

bde k

mlsid. Th

tuye y

uoun

gg m

egsan, wh

do r

opgais

chaed his

a ha

kiynd and

gi ex

vbami

zned

csx it

m wi

vkth a s

tntra

uhinge

k lo

wyok for

ws a whi

kle, co

zybnti

nnnue

vd t

uklo s

ffwee

jp h

hahis han

chd t

hdowa

nqprd the

da ot

mher

zo wa

qhll.

"The

ds fa

ybilu

vuure of the

f mo

yisnas

wrqter

ibmies

t."

A boy

zkz ho

fuldi

tng a s

czxwor

ryxd a

tqdnd sta

vindi

pgdng tal

xyl a

nmon

mg a

gli gr

soup

d of

f so

dpldi

aaders

dgv. Bene

fuath

km th

jem wer

uobe p

xcmeop

bdhle gro

jgsani

dng, de

edpic

sted

dre as

f bl

yack

pb de

jumon

iks. He gla

jnce

sd f

ior a m

yvome

xgnt and

qz pa

brnsse

fd b

yly a

fkgai

ezn. New

ad sc

upene

bs w

yjtere

f re

lmvea

sled

cco on

pge a

nfte

or a

axnot

fbher

c in

yqe hi

fuxs n

ltharr

zow fie

jzld of vie

aipw. Fin

dall

dy, the

o la

ast sec

kgtio

hdn. The

lg yo

czung

hhj ma

wvfn's

auq cl

cnear

zkt vo

oice

oo re

lgtad the

edb se

hgnte

ence

uqs o

uqne aft

ler ano

qythe

er.

"The Hol

fmcy Empe

qror

tc's Cit

wxy, Con

pnsta

bvinti

xnop

dhqle! Ta

iaxke off

ac th

jme d

vfirt

uzv of

ra th

ee Crus

djeade

urs and

xa se

ye t

ooche lig

brht of pur

nvifi

xhcat

pion

oj. Now you

zd ar

de t

iuhe cap

esita

htrl o

bydf t

hhe Eas

akyter

wkn Roma

pmin Empi

owere aga

win!"

"He

sk is

hjc in

aj th

ce m

widd

dle of the

uwz pa

xst and

ts th

xpge f

gqutu

pzmre."

"He

eu cr

wtmeat

oes ord

iger wit

fwfhou

tt b

luein

tg b

dxjoun

kfdd b

mty o

erde

xkr."

By t

qhe end

p of

t th

plre s

lhcect

pion

lny, t

nalhe mai

zsan c

rzhar

qact

loer of the

r pa

dint

soning

sah, w

vauho was

gmx ju

ffst a c

uzdhil

cnbd, had

m be

ndwcom

mve h

opjuge

yzp. His arm

pzls w

were

nxw fa

ecin

yg u

vp t

smo t

khe sky

c, h

gxold

yming

bc a swo

xhrd in one

z ha

knd and

m a sta

kgff in the

i ot

yoher

mi.

"Co

xtme fro

htm t

lkghe dar

qqzk, Jos

eklhua

z of

bz ou

zr t

iime

lo. Lead

o us

cy ou

jpt o

tjkf t

hhe dar

rckne

inhss."

It was

dlg th

ie p

shshra

qapse he ord

nvere

tbd, but

i La

fydska

ammris

lkl fe

jsrlt tha

it h

zeis eye

qas w

kiere

tl ge

lrntti

ypng moi

drfst aga

qmsin as he utt

qbere

jxd t

fhhes

ye w

lord

ws.

"Oh, thi

tns i

kbcs d

erust

vz, j

uust

p du

yxgst."

The

dcm 21-ye

oar-old

ys La

hska

uffris

rgh, w

rnho sur

xiviv

dmqed hea

ehilth

jily

nmy an

kid s

quucc

vupess

fmaful

wly, wh

do c

bnhan

zbged

abr no

lt o

nnly

kcs hi

nmse

vlf but

zm al

zso the

sd fa

rte of the

o Em

oqhpir

jve, sai

wdid s

pro, alt

iemhou

qfwgh he did

k no

yt k

fnow

id to

iv wh

ro h

tpe w

jboas mak

xrking

a su

aioch exc

ubwuse

ujs.

Tr

ogaum

ma w

lxoul

dvd n

sot be abl

nce t

eo k

srznoc

pqck h

nim dow

djn. The

kwcre wou

eqld be no end

j to

da th

oke f

eigh

sgt, but

xc at

cr le

xast

b La

wbmska

mdzris

ims co

lwuld

w st

pvand

eg ta

ymll.

"It was

l ar

lpxoun

pd t

anhis

ena ti

pvme. Fa

btqte tha

fit d

oid not

sy sh

cow any

s me

mbrcy

sav ca

qsbme upo

nn u

rihs."

Lask

plari

opes s

dtep

ktped

oc in

scto a r

gaemi

xtnis

ecen

nace in the

lj mo

dcnsai

boc w

sith

xe a can

unhdle

hmsti

pnck dri

cvxppi

ysrng dow

in. 10 yea

urs ago

jm, h

khoe h

rscad wal

nguked

f ba

xbref

soot

x on

bl a roa

zzpd f

kdaull

h of

pm sn

bow. Th

jglen, as

iw he

iu su

sbvdde

zqpnly

y lo

lbjoke

md u

yp, he saw

oi a rem

mwote

t pa

blac

ge b

yduri

zzed in his

ik ey

xmdes.

"It was

vg in

nf De

hxdcem

nluber

h 1261 at Chr

ghvist

wmas

d, m

lgdayb

ooe a

if gi

zyft for

bwd me

ezp wa

ss j

ygust

qz co

umin

wg i

jpun."

Igno

tvrin

iiwg t

vpjhe Emp

tero

tjr w

with

uu hi

mks b

hzaare

ej fe

pet and

wep pu

mdrpl

oe s

jqhilk

px, Germ

ifgan mer

slocen

wslari

nyoes wer

ooe r

fush

hing

rh in

vvto thi

aws l

none

euly pal

mtjace

dar in

hv hi

fmvs m

fcemo

cvry. La

aska

hjris

zgk, w

kukho wat

vche

jd t

whe sce

qbxne wit

oh a

bn i

cendi

erffe

exdren

zt g

uwvlan

lvce, im

smed

eiat

appely

t ca

whaugh

vibt h

dis gaz

xe.

"Lask

kntari

raes, lon

cg t

tcime

i no

xs se

qpke."

The you

glng boy

hyg Em

zper

cpor, lo

noki

cng out

cqv in

jto the

slt ai

sr w

kith

wfq hi

dys c

rlmhin

dv on

cgp th

hfe w

bwgind

jow. Ri

hght

yui be

efor

kdje h

ue f

nell

n in

tqmto hel

zl, he was

nwr hi

qmse

idflf. Th

iis sca

kyry wor

rmbld of sel

zf-o

qpbje

qyfcti

rfic

egati

iyon.

"Who

txa. I d

tyon't l

gike

xtc it

mrb, b

kdnut my fee

mt k

mmjeep

t mo

zvin

xgg i

szn."

As i

fbf p

bcoss

dmdess

yed by som

reth

mdming

slp, Lask

kfari

mvs f

mvwoll

tuowe

mdd i

jbdnto

lh th

txe b

uxouil

tdin

bg t

yycowa

surd the

ep fa

fkite wai

aaytin

og f

aor his

vsc yo

shiung

a se

bzlf. It

v wa

lcgs t

xgxhe mom

qghent

kq wh

zen the

hk wh

erole

x st

eory

hj be

mgan

r.

TL notysees

[1] Jobqhn IV Lasjuvkarbais

#