Prologue
The dark-robed servant solemnly approached the pedestal, palming the tungsten token. He slid it into the hole in the engraved stone plaque. As he knelt, an otherworldly energy rose from the pedestal to form the image of an eye made of red fire.
“Who dares arouse me from my slumber?” boomed the ethereal voice.
“It is I,” the old man answered, “the Shadow, your humble servant. I come bearing news regarding the outside galaxy.”
“What is happening?” The lidless eye tilted downward.
The Shadow grinned eagerly. “The Red Tyrant has been awakened. He has taken control of his world. He plots to annihilate the Blood Viper’s descendants, reigniting the ancient war.”
“Good. Their societies have already given up their core values. The moment someone strikes, the wheels of war will turn perpetually. The Serpents and the Lions will wound each other. The surrounding worlds will be forced to take sides. All societies will fracture until even close families are torn asunder. And when the dust settles, the ones who survive will have lost too much blood to save themselves.”
“Yes, master.” The Shadow nodded. “What would you have me do next?”
The scarlet flaming eye turned as violet as an amethyst. “Continue instilling feelings of hatred, let it drive them. Let rage and fear consume their thoughts. If you do, then all we will need to do is wait.
“And then the light of our enemy’s eye will be plunged into eternal darkness…”
