Strings

The Kharo, the country's king, is writing a farewell letter to his son, Hal Tara, to whom he is entrusting the throne in the hope that Hal Tara will be able to achieve that which he himself could not: making peace.

With this hope, the Kharo draws his sword, severs his head-string, and dangles lifelessly from his remaining strings. Until his brother, Nezo, steps out of the shadows, throws away the farewell letter, and severs the rest of his strings. Hal Tara sets out to find his father's murderer that his uncle, Nezo, leads him to believe is the leader of their long-term enemy: The Zerits. Disguised as a simple peasant Hal journeys out into the world of which he, son of the Kharo, has seen very little. Hal is taken prisoner by the the Zerits. Sahro, the Zerit commander with the terrifying mask, is the person upon whom Hal is determined to have his revenge. Within the camp Hal falls in love with a beautiful woman only to learn that the woman he loves is Sahro! His father's murderer. Hal escapes. In love, filled with hatred and confused he collapses in the desert. Here he's taken prisoner by his own people's slavecollectors. On his way home in captivity, the truth begins to dawn on him. The enemy is not who he thought it was. Meanwhile, the Hebalon troops are on their way to oppose Sahro's army and Hal must escape in time to save both his people and the enemy he grew up hating. And rescue the woman he loves.