Book excerpt: For three hundred years, the country of Skavia has lived under the rule of the Armloth Empire, the dominant power in Aestar. Though centuries have passed, resentment still lingers in the heart of many Skavians. They clamor for freedom, for independence once more. They may soon get their wish, for unseen forces prowl in the shadow of the Armloth Empire, their motives unknown but their determination to see the mighty empire fall is without rival. War is brewing, lines are being drawn, and the world holds its breath. Meanwhile, in these troubling times, a group of bandits ply their less than honest trade out in the Skavian wilderness. They prey on all who enters their hunting grounds, unconcerned about matters of states or nationalism, and motivated purely by their lust for riches. None more so than Wulfrik, the leader of this band of misfits. A man of avarice and selfishness, with no ties to anyone but himself, he was destined for a life on the run from the law. But destiny has a funny way of ensnaring even the most unwilling of victims, and this lowly bandit will soon fi nd himself swept up in events far beyond what he has ever imagined.