Strong winds whipped their way through the tiny cottage windows, blowing open the curtains like a sail on a great ship. A storm was blowing in off the main coast of Ruby Canyon, looking to be vehement. Not sitting to far off from Lake Crater, the town was getting it's first signs of the bad weather in the pre-dawn hours. In the Monast home, nightmares still plagued the night.

The same dreams over and over again almost everynight for months now. Why would it not go away? Churning in her bed, tangling the covers over her more, images flash in her mind. Waking up in a panic, shivering from the cold sweat droplets beading all over her body, still remembering vividely what happened during slumber, her mind raced rapidly. Time, what's the time? Staring at the ceiling for endless minutes, listning to the faint sounds of the thunder crackling in the distance; sleep takes over again.

There they are, standing in front of the banner of the Dragon, they speak to her:

"Chosen one stand before us" The tall red-headed man looks at the one who spoke and issues a small sneer. Walking closer planting myself one foot at a time infront of them, shivering at each step, I look up.

"Who are you?", was all I could manage to squeek out. A small laugh came once again from the tall red-head. Looking hopelessly at me with his greyish blue eyes.

"Has it been so long, ahh, the wheel weaves as the wheel wills." The other man looked a bit perturbed at the fact, but went back to his stoney features in a blink.

"Look for the one they call Vaneyl of Makliaar. He will help you find the way" The stoney man rang out. "He will show the way."

My hands trembled as I looked up at him, I managed to squeak out one more time a who are you. In flash the red-head swung up his arms bearing two....

CRASH!! Her eyes flipped open to the cold dark ceiling staring back at her. The wind was blowing rain through the open window, soaking everything in it's path. Getting up and closing the window, morning, time to get up. It was still early enough in the morning to where no one else was up yet. Making the first morning heat was a task when it was this cold outside. But, rain was always welcome this time of year.
Sitting in front of the fireplace for what seemed like hours, yet only lasting minutes, thinking over and over of her dream, not noticing the dark shape forming behiend her. Grabbing a hold of her, cupping something over her mouth so she cannot scream, in terror she is flung around to see her adversary. Wide eyes, terrified beyond reason, she looks into the eyes of a shadowed figure. To terrified to even move, she lay limp in the figures cradle, only able to stare into the deep lavender eyes that envelope her.
The sound of footsteps filled the close air, and before she realized it, she was released, hitting hard on the floor. Before she passed out from hitting the stone hearth of the fireplace, her fuzzy sight caught hold of a black creature with a eagles head and a lions body...a gryphon. It dissapeared through what seemed to be a great hole in the air. Head hitting the floor with a thud, eyes closing completely, she passed out.....

Chapter one