Prologue: Lan. A Serpent, Key Of Death

Here is the prologue for Evils: The Other Four.

A Serpent, Key Of Death
My name is Lan Castle.

''Course, I've already made that clear. And, if you've been paying attention, you know that my friend Ian Thakam thinks I'm destined to save the world. So does this man who's showed up every now and then.''

And these days, so do I.

''I held the Ouroboros pendant in my hand. It was a symbol of something the man wanted me to fight: the Merge. A commingling of eight different mythologies that should best be kept separate. It's making the Merge's evil leader - whoever that is - stronger. Not to mention making the good guys weaker, since we expect them to be fighting each other if the Merge is complete.''

''The only way to stop the Merge is to rely on eight heroes, each with power from all eight mythologies. Four of them have already started training, fighting, and searching for the other four. Tara, Raymond, Eddie, and Natalie. Death, sunlight, wisdom, and storms. And, from what the man has told me, there is supposed to be a ninth as well, a big-time supreme hero who's got to lead the eight of them to victory against the Merge's master.''

And the ninth is me.

''It's way too much responsibility - way too much hope resting on someone who's already caused way too much pain for everyone... Even Ian would have been a better choice than me.''

''I picked up a bucket of wet cement and poured it into a hole. A prophecy had said something about eight crossroads in death. I figured I might as well build some roads and find out how to involve death if I'm part of it.''

''Ian walked by me. "Still making roads?" he asked.''

"Yeah, the prophecy says so, and it's more important than free destiny," I spat.

''Ian sighed. "Prophecies are just a heads-up. It's your choice to do things, the prophecy just warns you about it all. You'd think you'd know that by now. 'Sides, I don't think the crossroads were meant to be taken literally."''

''"Well, literally is still the best bet," I shot back. "Remember, that minor prophecy with Tara Young? 'One shall fall' ended up meaning 'one shall fall'. If you take things literally, it makes everything easier."''

''Ian seemed to notice I was in a bad mood. "Right, um... later. If you need me, I'll be with Reggie and Beck."''

''I almost smiled at that thought - that Reggie Bilseard and Beck Frordle would want Ian there, ruining all of their 'moments' like a third wheel. But, they were the best people around ever since Angel moved out.''

''When the cement dried, I realized the irregular shape it was in looked a little like an eight-pointed star. A little small, but it might just be the eight crossroads. I put the Ouroboros pendant in the center.''

''Suddenly the Ouroboros shone. "Great evils are coming," a serpentine voice said. "The other four will be powerless."''

''Somehow, I doubted that. If prophecies can be trusted, these evils are no match for the other four.''

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Evils: The Other Four