Prologue


The frail, thin woman shivered violently as she trudged through the heavy snow. The frigid winter air swept through her, blowing back her hood and whipping through her mousy brown hair. Clutched firmly to her chest, the woman carried a small bundle. Trying desperately to reach her destination, the woman squinted through dark, her vision severely impaired by the thick blanket of snow that covered the landscape.

Suddenly, the woman lurched forward, landing face first in the snow. The woman struggled to get to her feet but was unable to stand; merely choosing to remain curled in the snow. The woman’s cracked, dry lips moved in a vain attempt to call for help.

“There she is!” A rough male voice broke the silence, warning the woman of her danger.

She managed this time to get her balance and moved as quickly as she could through the snow. Hearing the pounding of hooves, the woman knew she only had minutes before the rider’s were upon her.

“Don’t let her escape!” The same voice called, the sound of horses even closer now.

Knowing, she’d never make it, the woman rushed to a nearby tree and gingerly placed the bundle where it could not be seen by the rider’s. Gazing at it softly for a few seconds, the woman turned and quickly darted in the opposite direction.

“We have her now!” Another voice called, the group of rider’s appearing out of the dark. A black steed trotted forward and a man with dark eyes glared coldly at the woman. “Give us the child and you will be spared!”

The woman cackled madly. “You will never find her!” Digging in her cloak, the woman produced a small dagger and rushed at the man. The man held up his hand, muttered a single word, and the woman instantly fell to the snow, her wailing echoing through the forest.

“I WILL NOT ASK AGAIN!!” The man bellowed, his hand slowly closing into a fist.

The woman’s flailing and hollers of pain increased, her face turning violet. “N…NO!” The woman screamed, raising the dagger and plunging it into her chest. Blood poured out from around the dagger but the woman merely smiled as the light slowly left her eyes.

The man and his riders remained in position, staring at the woman’s still body, for a few seconds before the man screamed in fury and signaled to the others. Turning their horses around, they disappeared once more into the night.

As soon as the riders’ disappeared from view, another figure emerged from the dense forest. Cloaked in white, almost blending into the snow, the figure approached the woman’s now still corpse and kneeled down beside it.

Pushing back the hood, the figure was revealed to be a woman with wide pale eyes and blue lips. “My poor child.” A hand came up and rested on her head. “Rest now. You’ve done well.”

Rising to her feet, the woman approached the small bundle and slowly lifted it.

“Hello, little one.” The woman opened the bundle and smiled down at the child sleeping soundly within. “Your mother was very brave.” Tilting her head, the woman studied the child. “I shall call you Luca for one day, you will bring light once again to the people of Itaea”

The woman stood and, taking one last look at the child’s mother, turned and vanished into the snow.