1 Prologue: A family's Lament

" Oh Gods, Please please hear my prayer save my child please I beg of you save.... my...."

On an ornate bed lay a beautiful woman with purple hair, her skin ghastly pale, her eyes sullen her hand resting on her swollen belly. She was barely clinging on to life and with every second deaths embrace became harder and harder to resist.

" Gods be good, Laura stay with me now just wait for a few more minutes father is coming with more offerings don't go to the light dear please. I need you, our kids need you..."

Philips hand that was holding onto his beloved wife's tightened even more.

His gaze went from his wife to the various Priests, Clerics, Paladins, Monks and Druids that were all busy focusing their healing spells on her.

" How long does she have?"

Then after looking at each other the wisest of the group answered their liege lord.

" Her lady's condition is getting worse by the minute my lord, I fear she and the child will not see the sunrise."

Philips expression grew darker, in his life he had faced many situations which made him scared. He fought in battles, slayed terrible monsters and regularly engaged in the dark world of politics but none of them compared to this moment. It was here, in the moment where the love of his life and unborn child were nearing deaths door that Philip understood the word fear.

Philip looked at the golden candle in his other hand "it still hasn't ignited, damn it", no matter the amount of treasure Philip offered it still wasn't enough to light the sacred flame which would make the Gods hear his Petition and grant his wish. At this point of time all that Philip managed to accomplish was make the candle emit a dim golden glow.

" Old man where are you!?!"

Philip screamed with all his might at the door opposite the bed. When a frantic old voice responded.

" I'm back, and Ive brought with me as much of the treasury as we can carry "

It was then that the door slammed open, an old man wearing ornate clothes holding with him two bulging sacks in each hand arrived. Beads of sweat came pouring down his face, it was obvious to all that saw him that he rushed here with all his might.

" Here, catch!"

The old man tossed the sacks to Philip.

" Those sacks have most of the beast cores in my collection, use them quickly!"

Philip did so immediately, his hand tightened around the candle even more as he offered a prayer in his head.

" Oh Gods of heaven hear my petition to save the life of my wife and child and accept these humble offerings of your dear servant."

As soon as Philip finished his prayer the sacks on his lap emitted a faint glow then disappeared from this world. The candle on his hand became hotter and the glow became even brighter, however it still didn't ignite

" Tsk "

The old man bit his lip until some blood came out. Those four sacks contained nearly fifty beast cores from rank S or above creatures. It took Philips father, the duke of the duchy of Kingswood over sixty years to gather those beast cores. And all that managed to do was bring their family's sacred candle a mere step from igniting.

The old duke turned to his rear, where the fastest knights and other servants just arrived with their own treasure to add as offerings.

" Men, place the rest of the offerings next to my son posthaste"

The retainers of the ducal house of Pellinore obliged and started placing the treasure they brought with them to the side of their liege lord Philip.

Soon a miniature mountain of Gold, Artifacts, Beast Cores, Gems, Scrolls and other valuables piled up at Philips feet.

Philip looks at his father with gratitude and his father nods, in a way as if saying hurry up already.

Philip then looks at his dear wife, whose skin has grown even paler. It was now devoid of all color except white, she had already lost consciousness by the time Philips father Percival arrived. And she was clinging on to life using nothing but sheer will at this point.

" Don't worry love, I wont let you both go"

" Oh mighty Gods hear my petition now, I offer you my family's wealth and my own life if need be. Save my wife and child, please grant them your blessings, please just please"

With tears Philip and Everyone in the room offered their own prayers to the Gods above. And that's when the candle in Philips hand ignited with a small golden flame.

The flame then grew and grew then shone even brighter, it's golden light covering the room with a dazzling golden aura.

A moment later Laura's eyes opened, with tears and sweat covering her face as she grunted then yelled. Soon a loud cry was heard in the room.

" Milady, Milord congratulations it's a boy" the chief midwife carried in her hands a crying baby boy which she gently placed in the arms of Laura.

Philip and Laura were overcome with joy, as they both tenderly gazed into the small beady eyes of their new son.

The old Duke Percival's legs gave out and he collapsed kneeling on the floor. Tears gushing out of his face and snot coming out his nose.

"Its, Its a goddamn miracle. Thank the Gods!"

No one in the room denied it, for what happened now was truly a miracle.

The knights and servants that accompanied Percival all knelt, saluted and then left the family.

All were thankful from the bottom of their hearts for their lady's and young masters survival. For the Pellinore family that they served were genuinely good masters that cared for their people.

Later in the morning, as noon rose all the bells in the Kingswood duchy rung with joy and fervor. For the birth of Robert Morgan Pellinore son of Philip and Laura Pellinore, and what no one knew at the time a future hero.