Prologue

An owl was startled off its perch as a scream split the still night air. A small human village was close to where the owl had been perched, most of the lights were on and a gathering of people were around one small house. A man stood outside fidgeting with a twig whilst his friends tried to calm him down. Another scream from inside made the crowd jump, and then... the crying of a newborn filled the air. The midwife came out and whispered into the man's ear, his worry lined face split into a grin and he gave a whoop before rushing inside. His wife was sitting in the bed, her face sweaty but smiling; he walked over to her and sat on the edge of the bed. She moved herself over to him and he saw first son. The babies' skin was pearly white and when he opened his eyes they shone ruby red in the torch light.

A different village on the high moors. A tall horse stood outside his hut surrounded by friends and family as his mate's birthing moans filled the cold night air. Soon though the midmate came out and whispered in his ear. The horse nodded and moved inside a apprehensive grin on his face. His nostrils flared at the scent of birth, moving slowly over to the bed. His mate looked up and smiled at him, showing him the bundle of blankets that was their son. He moved some folds aside and gazed at his son's pearly white fur and light blue mane. When the foal's eyes opened they shone blood red in the torchlight.

These two events, though far apart, would change the fate of the world forever...




Chapter 1
"Artemis! Wake up!"
"Wrzle?"
"You'll be late for the ceremony!"
Artemis sat bolt upright. The ceremony! He had completely forgotten.
Jumping out of bed he looked around and saw his ceremonial robes at the end of his bed. He took of his night shirt and slipped them on over his pearly white skin, pulling on the new shoes his parents had bought for this occasion, he ran out into the kitchen area of the long house where his mother and farther were waiting for him.
"Are you ready?" asked his father
"Yes...At least I think so."
"Then let's go."
His parents led the way outside and Artemis followed shielding his crimson eyes from the bright sunlight. He followed his parents to a cart decked out in bright colours and surrounded by the villagers. He had seen this cart before; it took all young men deep into the forest to a hidden shrine where the manhood ceremony took place. And now, on the day of his eighteenth birthday, it was Artemis's turn. He took a deep breath and clambered the small ladder on the side of the cart and inside its dark interior to the cheers of the villagers. Someone closed the door and plunged Artemis into pitch darkness.

He felt the floor lurch as the cart started off, his father had told him that there were three tests. The first test was a test of will; he had no idea what it would involve. Then, someone lit a lamp. He blinked in the light and was confronted with a sight that would make most men drool. In front of him on a pile of cushions were three of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. All were naked and all where looking at him, they waited until they had his full attention before starting a sensuous dance designed to turn a mans brain to cream cheese. Artemis watched for a while before losing interest, his member had barley twitched. He had never been interested in girls, much to his parent's dismay, he always found them to be too chatty and concerned with how they looked to be of much interest. He looked at the floor and found a piece of straw to fiddle around with. The girls must have got annoyed by his lack of interest so they came over to him and started to rub their naked and slightly sweaty bodies up against his. One squeezed his balls so he stood up and sat in a different corner of the cart.

After a period of time in which the three girls had gone back to amusing themselves, the cart came to a stop and the door opened. Artemis looked out and saw a man in dark green robes waiting for him.
"Please come down so I may speak with the girls." Artemis nodded and jumped down
The man climbed up into the dark interior, there was a few moments of hushed conversation before the man stepped out.
"You surprise me young Artemis. Most boys of your age would have taken these women as lovers. Why did you not?"
"They seemed to be having fun on their own."
The man gave Artemis a quizzical look.
"You are no normal child." He said mysteriously
"Most people my age don't have white skin or red eyes do they?"
The man gave him another look before walking away into the forest beckoning Artemis to follow. After a short walk they came to a clearing with a small hillock in the middle. The hillock hade a stone door set into it, surrounded by blocks of different coloured stones.
"This is the test of intellect." The man said "One of these stones opens the door, you must choose the right one."

Artemis approached the door and looked at it. He thought for a moment before looking around on the floor and picking up a stick and poking the foot of the door. With a grinding crunch the door slid slowly open. The man looked at him with amazement.
"H...how did you manage that so quickly?" he asked, breathless
"I saw the trigger at the bottom." Artemis replied matter-of-factly.
The man looked at him
"Now comes the test of patience, you must enter this door and face whatever is inside."
Artemis nodded and slowly approached the door, He stepped over the threshold and into the darkness beyond.

"Aeneas! Aeneas! Wake up you lazy foal or you're going to be late!"
Aeneas Sat up and blearily looked around. He was supposed to be doing something today but what was it? Then it hit him. His father was supposed to be showing him something! He jumped out of bed and pulled on his loincloth before stepping out of his room and into the kitchen.
"You're father is waiting for you outside, Go on!"
He kissed his mother goodbye before running out of the roundhouse to join his father. The bright sunlight shone off his snow white fur and light blue mane. He shielded his crimson eyes from the sunlight and spotted his father waiting for him.
"Are you ready to go?" the big stallion asked as his son trotted up to him
"Yeah!" Aeneas said with enthusiasm
"Then lets go!" his father said and sprinted off through the village.
Aeneas ran after him and soon they had left the village and had entered the hilly moors that surrounded it. His father stopped and reached into the pack he was carrying.

"Put these on." He said when Aeneas had caught up, handing him a bundle of folded fabric
"What is it?" Aeneas asked as he took it
"They are the robes I wore for my manhood ceremony. Now you will wear them."
"Manhood ceremony....You mean it's my...?" His father nodded
"The time has come for you to stop being a foal and to become a stallion."
Aeneas unfolded the bundle and saw a long semi transparent robe
"Take off your loin cloth and put it on." His father instructed
Aeneas pulled off his loincloth and quickly slipped the robe over his shoulders; it hung open at the front making Aeneas feel slightly self conscious as his member was exposed to the elements.
"Follow me." His father said and set off into the rocks.

Soon they came to a sheer cliff of steely grey granite. A large fissure ran down the face of it and opened into a cave at the bottom.
"You must go in. Alone."
Aeneas gulped and took a hesitant step towards the cave. His father nodded in encouragement and Aeneas stepped into darkness.

Artemis looked around. He thought this was slightly pointless as he couldn't see anything but he did it anyway. He felt around until he found what seemed to be a wall and, using it as a guide, began to slowly inch his way forwards. Soon he had lost all track of time, he did not know how long he had been wandering but he assumed he would wander until he came back out again. This was, after all, the test of patience. As he was walking he felt a small stone move from under his foot. He paused, listening. Eventually nothing else happened so he started to move forwards again, and again a small stone moved from under his foot, He squatted down to see if he could find it but all of a sudden the floor gave a resounding screech and gave way, pitching him yelling into uncertain darkness. Outside the man watched in horror as the hillock slowly collapsed in on it self. Without pausing for thought he ran back to the cart and on to the village as quickly has possible.

Aeneas Moved through the darkness, his hoofed feet clicking on the stone floor. He had no idea what he was supposed to be doing but he assumed he would know when the time came. A noise made him turn.
"H...hello..." he called
Nothing answered him, he sighed and turned, making his way along the passageway again. Another noise made him turn, then another. His heart was racing now, a loud bang directly behind him made his give a yell of terror and run blindly down a side passage that was separate from the main one. He ran until he left the echoes far behind, but then he tripped on a stone and tumbled head first into a deep hole with a terrified whinny. Meanwhile his father watched in horror as the cave entrance collapsed, wasting no time he ran back to the village, whinnying for help.

Artemis fell trough blackness until with a sickening crack he hit the floor. He gasped as white dots flashed in front of his eyes. It felt like he had broken ribs. He tried to sit up but he fell over again wheezing. He waited for the bright colours dancing before his eyes to vanish before attempting it again. This time he managed to stand, it hurt a lot but he knew he had to get out of here. There seemed to be a low light coming from a passageway to his right. He staggered down it wincing as pain shot through his body.

Aeneas landed on his front with a loud thud, winding him badly. He gasped on the floor until his breath returned to him, he lay still for a few minutes until he could trust his legs to support him before standing up. He seemed to be in some sort of chamber that was perfectly round. He then wondered how he could see all this until he saw a raised alter in the middle of the room. He approached it and saw gleaming on a silver cloth was a silvery blue sword. The beauty of it made him breathless and he reached for the hilt...

Artemis staggered into a large square chamber and leaned heavily on the wall. The source of the light seemed to be coming from an alter in the centre of the room. He pushed himself away from the wall and staggered over to it. He saw, laid upon an ebony cloth, a silvery blue sword. Despite his condition he couldn't help but be amazed by it's beauty. He reached for the hilt and his fingers closed round the handle...

As Artemis took hold of the sword in his room Aeneas gripped the handle of the sword in his room at exactly the same time. Streamers of white fire coursed up the blades and into the two youths. They let out a simultaneous scream that neither could hear and both fell into unconsciousness. From this moment their fate had been sealed. As the last lines of fire died from the two very different boy's bodies, a single mark was left behind. On Artemis's right shoulder the head of a horse appeared complete with a single red eye. On Aeneas's left shoulder the head of a handsome human appeared complete with the same single red eye...

Aeneas woke with a start. He sat up and looked around. He was in his own room in his own bed. Something was clutched in his hand; he looked down and saw it was the silvery blue sword.
"It was real..." he muttered
His left shoulder stung slightly so he looked at it. He saw the mark and was slightly startled by the face
"I know that face...But why? And how?"
His line of thought was interrupted by his mother and father coming into the room followed by the doctor. His mother gave a cry and threw her arms around him; his father look relived but his face took on a stern look.
"We have some questions to ask." He said
"Thought so..." muttered Aeneas


Artemis slowly came to. His ribs felt like a pair of carthorses had been dancing on his chest. He raised his head and looked around. He was back in his own room in his own bed. He felt something clutched in his hand and looked to see he was still holding the silvery blue sword. His right shoulder itched and as he tried to scratch it his fingers brushed an irregular surface. He turned his head and saw the mark of a horses head with a single red eye.
"I know that face...But why? And how?"
His train of thought was interrupted by his mother and father coming into his room followed by the village doctor. Upon seeing him awake his mother gave a cry and hugged him tightly.
"GAH! Watch the ribs!" He gasped
"We've been so worried about you!" his mother cried
"We also have some questions to ask." His father said
Artemis lay back on his pillow. This wasn't going to be easy.

Three days later saw Aeneas standing before the village council, the sword placed on a table in-between them. Aeneas had just finished telling the council the account of what happened. The villagers that had gathered were whispering among themselves, the council members were in deep conversation. Aeneas fidgeted slightly until the chairhorse stood and cleared his throat.
"This is a very interesting story and I for one am inclined to believe you."
Aeneas almost sagged in relief at this simple sentence.
"However..." Aeneas looked up startled "...You must have received this sword for a reason. You must leave the village and pursue your destiny in the great wide world."
Aeneas was dumbfounded. Leave the village? He had spent seventeen years of his life here. The council dismissed him and he took the sword and trudged home. His mother and father were waiting for him.
"We heard...about..."
Aeneas looked at his mother and father.
"I don't want to leave..." he said, a tear rolling down his face
He sat heavily on a stool, tears coming thick and fast now.
"I don't want to go!" he sobbed
His mother came over to him and hugged him close
"Shhhh...We will always love you, and you know that, but you are eighteen summers old now. It's time for you to grow up and be a stallion."
His father went over to an ancient chest that had always been locked to Aeneas. His father took a key from around his neck and fitted it into the lock. It opened with a click. His father beckoned him over and his mother gave him an encouraging nod. Wiping his eyes he got up and walked over to the chest, looking inside he gasped. Inside there was a suite of black leather armour. It was complete with pauldrons, vambraces, greaves, and a long black scabbard.
"This armour belonged to me, now it's yours."
Aeneas hugged his father tightly.
"I will not fail you." He whispered.

The next day saw Aeneas wearing his fathers armour with the strange sword safely inside the well worn sheath. He took one last look back at his village before setting off into the unknown.

A week later Artemis was fit enough to get out of bed. The first time he had risen he had been called before the village elder to recount the events that had transpired in the hill. When he had finished the elder had asked to see the sword. He had examined the blade closely and had told Artemis to "Keep it safe and never let it leave your side." before dismissing him to think the matter over. Artemis had decided to trust the elder's words and kept the sword by his side. His father had lent him his old scabbard and Artemis took the sword every where with him. He had taken to going into the forest to practice with it. It seemed that the sword had been made for him and the balance was perfect. On this particular day he decided to see how sharp it was. Most people would have seen about this straight away but Artemis thought he had better wait for the elder to tell him what he thought. However. The elder had not spoken to him or anyone else for almost three days so now, he decided, was the time to see what this sword could do.

He drew it from its sheath and held it out. The sunlight glistened on the blade like the blade was water. He walked over to a tree and brought the blade down in a diagonal slash. There was no resistance. Artemis looked at the blade with a puzzled frown. Surely he hadn't missed? Then, the tree wobbled and fell. There was a perfectly smooth cut straight through it.
"Oh wow!" he breathed
"Artemis!"
He turned and sheathed his sword. His friend Tethys was running through the woods towards him.
"The...elder...speak...you..." he panted
"Alright I'm coming."
"He said to bring you now."
Artemis thought it odd that the elder should want him so suddenly but he wasn't about to complain. Soon they were outside the elders hut and Artemis ducked inside. The old man didn't look up as he entered but instead spoke in his methodical tones.
"I have...decided." Pause
"You must leave the village to go and find the answers to your questions I cannot answer."
Artemis was gobsmacked. Leave the village? He had spent his whole life up till now here.
"But I don't want..."
"You must!" the elder said forcefully "You have no idea of the power you wield and what it can do. You must leave for all our sakes."
Artemis was confused. Did the elder know something? And if so what was it?
"If that is your decision then I will obey." Artemis said, his voice trembling.

"The elder told you to leave!?"
"Yes."
Artemis had come home and told his parents what had transpired in the elders hut.
"But he can't do that!"
"Mother! I already said I would! Ever since I found this sword I've had a nagging feeling that I should be going. I can't explain it...It's like a pull in my chest, the sword wants me to go and I think it's time I went."
His parents looked at him. Then his mother burst into tears and hugged him.
"I'm so....proud...of you." She gasped
His father gave him a warm smile.
"I have something for you." He said and walked over to a large wooden chest.
Taking a key from around his neck he unlocked the chest.
"This is yours." He said and stepped back.
Artemis walked over to the chest and opened the lid. Inside was a thick leather cuirass, this was accompanied by, thick leather pauldrons, vambraces and greaves. They were all black.
"Thank you....I love you both." Artemis said in a choked up voice

The next day saw Artemis waving goodbye to his parents. He was dressed in his father's armour with the sword at his side in a heavy black sheath. He took one last look at his home before setting out into the great wide world...