The Next Level

In a far-off, seemingly undistinguished world, another confrontation is happening within a large underground chamber. Thirteen souls are competing in friendly bouts for the leadership of their party, whose aim is to destroy a renegade dragon in its lair. Of the thirteen, nine are Eternal Champions, beings who have accepted the burden of immortality to perform a mission: to maintain the balance of the multiverse and keep the Office of Evil from gaining control of all things. Three are local to this world, each with their own motive for wishing to defeat the dragon. Astra of Transtyrgia has been made mute by the power of the dragon, and knows one of his secrets. Lord Fred of Suffex is the lone hope of the Kingdom of Allaria. Brash and haughty, he feels compelled to assert his natural role as leader. Checkers is a young woman of a race called the Gliders, whose arms serve as part of their wings. She is expelled to the Shreken in what is regarded as a suicide mission to defeat the dragon. Success means the she can rejoin the community. The thirteenth is the Judas of the group, one Minestus, who goes by many names and many forms, including that of the dragon. As Belboz the Necromancer, he has joined the fellowship for his own purposes, biding his time until a certain project is complete. It is this project that is about to change the lives of Belinda and her companions.

At this moment, one of the Champions, Jarlath, is about to square off against Checkers in friendly combat. Jarlath, like some of the Champions, has a troubled past.

1. The two face each other...

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