1 Prologue

Xarc.

It was the largest city west of the Maleok channel and home to the royal family in the kingdom of Aeron. It was the city where the rich came to play and where the dreamers came to see their hopes manifest into reality. Xarc was also home to the great titans of the entertainment, fashion, energy, and restaurant industries. The four families that owned these industries were the wealthiest among the wealthy, next to the royal family.

The Chantiet family were the titans of the fashion industry. They owned many of the textile mills in the countryside and had the highest production rate of retail shops in the west. They provided hundreds of jobs for workers all over the kingdom and were praised by the Queen herself for their beautiful dresses and suits. They've been known to stay relatively close to the royal family and there have been rumors of the Chantiet's seeking to climb the social ladders through an arranged marriage to a member of the royal family.

The Kobayashi family ruled the restaurant industry having hundreds of restaurants scattered throughout the country. Their success was made by building relationships with regional farmers, nightlife venues, even hotels, and turning them into successful business partners. Although many rumors linking the family to criminal activity have been spread, the majority of the public doesn't buy into them. The Kobayashi family have always been strong advocates for the preservation of the environment and preservation of traditional agriculture.

The Rhys family was the first family to make their way in the great city of Xarc. They opened up many successful theaters and opera houses. The city grew exponentially as many other aristocrats heard of the beautiful plays, operas, and stories that Edgar Rhys had directed. As he grew in name, so did his family. His son, Kellen Rhys was crowned a worthy successor to his father after he created the first film Aeron had ever seen. The public has high expectations for the next heirs of the Rhys' fortune and industry, Alani and Melanie Rhys. Both daughters are said to be marvelously beautiful and independent women despite their family's fortune and even chose to find ways to live on their own without their namesake's privilege.

The last of the families, which also happen to be the wealthiest of all of them, is the Uthers. Although their trade isn't as glamourous as the other families, the reward is far greater. They are a monopoly in the energy industry and owners of the mines in the Weeping Mountains filled with Blue Hydraphane. Blue Hydraphane is Aeron's main energy source. The small, glowing, blue, crystals have enough energy to power and automobile for months after it's refined, crushed to dust, and mixed with water. Since the Uthers own the raw material, they also own the factory that refines the energy and transports it for sale.

The Uthers didn't stop there when it came to growing their market. They've worked with many engineers and innovators to change the way the world runs through technological advancements. Since they took their interests public, inventions like the water car, communications radios, speed blimps, and even the channel changer, which made the headlines of newspapers for turning the current of the Maleok channel's waters. However, much like the Kobayashi family, the Uthers, especially their heir, Vincent Uther, is said to have ties connected to criminal activity in Xarc. In fact, they are rumored to protect the Black Serpent Gang.

The Black Serpent gang was an organized crime group that came to the surface soon after the expansion of the city. There are many criminals supporting the existence of the organization but so far no one has been able to prove they are or have seen a member. The only evidence that the Black Serpents even exist is the trail of bodies that they leave behind. Victims are usually promising, young, wealthy, men that frequent nightlife venues like the Kill Kill lounge and are marked with the Black Serpent sigil. The King had personally made a public announcement that the criminals would be found and assigned a special task force to handle the situation. However, after a few years, the task force was disbanded due to a lack of evidence.

Unfortunately, the Black Serpents aren't the only gang rumored to be roaming the streets of Xarc. The Blue Gorilla Band has often been a subject of urban legend as well. On paper, they are much like the Black Serpents but they are very different in nature. While they are still criminals, the Blue Gorilla Band is an organization of thieves, the only evidence they leave behind are business cards containing nothing but the face of a blue gorilla. Their victims leave authorities puzzled as they tend to range wealthy businessmen and aristocrats to members of the working class. Sometimes multiple items would be stolen other times only a few. What's even more troubling is the items that they steal are either under heavy security or essentially worthless.

Even with threats like these roaming the city, the King has publicly put his faith in his royal guard that has been equipped with the finest weaponry Aeron had to offer. These soldiers have all been trained to wield weapons like the Perdition Hand Cannon and Ebon Stun Shooter, both were manufactured in the City of Hills, east of the Maleok channel. Soldiers that were particularly exceptional were sent to serve the royal family and if they qualified they could even pledge their lives to the King and become his Favor. Favors of the Kings remain loyal to the King and never leave his services until released by the King or death.

The city of Xarc with its limelight and innovation will never stop growing and changing. However, there was one year when all of the ugly truths that lie in the city began to come to light. The interesting part of that story was that it all started in a little town in the countryside called Willowdune.

***