PROLOGUE

I stood at the center of the disaster, knocked to the ground. There were clouds of smoke and dust all over the place. I couldn’t see anyone. I could only hear coughs and cries of despair and the cracking of fire that surrounded me. My Archharvester robes were ripped and stained with dirt. Scratches covered my face and hands. I looked overthrown, but I wasn’t. It was all a result of my recklessness. Now the nation had fallen.

I got up to my feet trembling in pain, my face turned down. The plan has failed. I only wanted to make Coastova ours, to become a great nation. These maggots cannot comprehend true power. They thrive in weakness. So much could have changed but I am left with no choice, I am going to kill every last one of them. I gritted my teeth, almost grinding them in anger, tears rolling down my cheeks. I drew the sword from my back and sought out Zakai, Where is that spineless old man? After I’m done with him, his beloved student will be next.

I heard a voice from behind, “Looking for me?”

I turned back. It was Zakai.

I charged at him with youthful speed. He stayed calm and was inching toward me like a man who had already given up. I held the steel sword firmly behind my right side with both my hands as I rushed forward. The thud of collapsing walls couldn’t stop me.

“Zakai!” I shouted as I closed the gap between us, swinging the sword vigorously, aiming for his neck. He was still infuriatingly calm as a lamb waiting to be slaughtered. However, that only made me even angrier, You have caused me so much trouble, Zakai. You deserve to die. The sword was about to land on his neck, and he looked up into the smoky, dark night sky with a smile on his face that said, Go ahead, do it.

I was about to slice through his neck when I heard someone calling…

“Lord Zircon! Lord Zircon!”

Everything seemed to fade. It turned dark. Then the darkness dissipated into a blurry light that steadily sharpened as my eyes slowly opened up. The noise I’d heard turned into the chirping of birds. I found myself laying on a bed, and my wife seated by my side petting my right cheek gently with her soft palm.

“Good morning, my lord.”

It was a dream? No. Can it be a Wielder spell?