There are moments in the history of people and planets when myth, legend, and inescapable destiny rule. Such times are bound by prophecy and, once begun, are impossible to halt—for the fates of all, unknowingly intertwined, move toward a numinous end that will not be denied.

It was on such a night that destiny stirred, once again, on the planet of Terra. Hanging in the starry sky like great watching eyes, Terra’s two moons shone with a silvery-blue light which radiated from deep within . . .

The moment Fort Lasthall finally appeared at the far end of the dirt road, Jak halted with his barrow full of books.

For all his childhood, Jak had drifted from village to village. He’d slept beneath trees or in haylofts or sheltered ditches. He’d been a helper to a bootblack, a fetcher, and a costermonger, and all that before he was ten winters. He’d stayed in so many places, but he’d never thought them as home. His books were his only possessions, and with them he’d wandered.<. .>

The moment Fort Lasthall finally appeared at the far end of the dirt road, Jak halted with his barrow full of books.

For all his childhood, Jak had drifted from village to village. He’d slept beneath trees or in haylofts or sheltered ditches. He’d been a helper to a bootblack, a fetcher, and a costermonger, and all that before he was ten winters. He’d stayed in so many places, but he’d never thought them as home. His books were his only possessions, and with them he’d wandered.<. .>