Philip Duxfield

The Red Hilted Sword Philip Duxfield

Stone. Since Auren first encountered it, his world had not only grown larger, it had grown darker. All peoples encountered Stone differently, depending on the particular attributes they first experienced. The Earomeiren, great warrior giants of the planes south of Cassion, used it as a crown jewel after discovering its capacity to reflect light. The Innergrad, diminutive and uncomfortably informal mountain dwellers, added markings to Stone which affected the remarkable properties in a particular direction such as speed, strength or vision. Rastmarr, exiled 'magician' of the undulating region North of the kingdom of The First, discovered not only how to merge Stone with steel, but how to evolve actual living flesh into something greater. But to what end? As Rastmarr's knowledge of Stone increased, so too did his lust for power. All peoples would soon discover that where there that lust is, only one thing may follow. War. Auren had assumed a knowledge of conflict; of good and evil, right and wrong. Actually encountering war had proven all his assumptions wildly inaccurate. His enemies would not always remain so, and his friends... Nothing would stop his pursuit of the self-proclaimed Master of Stone, although his noble intentions will be shown to be nothing more than a scared child running from a truth he feared to face. During this race his understanding of Stone will grow, and shape him not only from a child to a man, but into something more than even that. He would come to understand power, as his own increased, but only as much as youth understands the fulfilling of need. Beyond that, beyond his need for vengeance... well, it would just have to be enough. The worlds depended on it.