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Prologue Gaelina cut an odd figure walking down a well-worn path in a huge forest, one mainly traveled
by merchants. She was dressed in a mage's garb, one of the Dark Order, black robes with silver and gold runes embroidered
on the edge. Even her body looked like that of a Dark mage, black hair and nearly transparent skin. Her eyes, however, were
a startling bright blue. She carried a wood staff, made of ebony for its strength and its supposed enhancing effect for Dark
magic. She walked quickly, looking suspiciously from side to side, almost as if she was looking for someone. The sun had
set and the moon risen, most likely the reson for a deserted road. She suddenly stopped and cast back her hood. She crouched
low to the ground and hid in the undeerbrush near the side of the path. "Dragon Mother, I have need of your service!" she
whispered. A blue-black creature appeared next to her, a mewling fox pup. "I am here, what ails you?" Gaelina felt the words
rather than hearing them. She switched to Mindspeak. "I have need of one of your dragon-servants to complete a task." "Which
one? Or shall I say, what is the manner of your task?" I need a dragon of swift flight also one capable of carrying heavy
loads. I have a desperate need of the Mage's Library, in Alshahan." The fox pup disappeared, replaced by an egg. "What
is this, Dragon Mother?" "A dragon egg. You shall raise it, keeping in mind which qualities you will want it to have. It
is a Shapeshifter, capable of taking any form, living, dead, or otherwise." "This is too great a gift! Not worthy of one
such as I!" Gaelina protested, but here was no one there. Dragon Mother had left. She looked at the egg, thinking of the
qualities she wanted, then took the egg into her arms. "Little dragon, you are left with me. We shall see what havoc you
are capable of wrecking on the humans," she whispered. "Then I will give you a suitable name."
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