Read Dragonlance 10 - The Second Generation for Free Online

don't know." Sara went on. "We were living in Palanthas when the war ended. And then I was truly frightened, terrified that Kitiara might start searching for her son. Maybe she did. At any rate, she didn't find us. Some time later, I heard she had taken up with the dark elf mage, Dalamar—apprentice to her brother, Raistlin, who was now Master of the Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas."
    Caramon's face softened, grew grave and wistful, as always, when Raistlin was mentioned.
    "Forgive me, Caramon," Sara said softly, "but when I heard the stories about your brother Raistlin, all I could think of was—here is more dark blood, running in my child's veins. And it seemed to me that Steel drifted deeper into the shadows every day. He wasn't like other boys his age. All boys play at war, but, for Steel, war wasn't a game. Soon the other children refused to play with him. He hurt them, you see."
    Tika's eyes widened. "Hurt them?"
    "He didn't mean to," Sara said quickly. "He was always sorry afterward. He takes no pleasure in inflicting pain, thank the gods. But, as I said, the games weren't games to him. He fought with a fierce ardor that shone in his eyes. Imaginary enemies were very real to him. And so the other children shunned him. He was lonely, I know, but he was proud, and he would never admit it.
    "And then came the war over Palanthas, when Lord Soth and Kitiara attacked the city. Many people lost their lives. Our home was destroyed in the fires that raged through the city, but I wept with thankfulness when I heard that Kitiara was dead. At last, I thought, Steel is safe. I prayed that the dark cloud would be lifted from him, that he would begin to grow toward the light. My hopes were dashed.
    "One night, when Steel was twelve, I was awakened by a knocking at the door. I looked out the window and saw three figures, cloaked in black, riding horseback. All my fears returned to me. They frightened me so much, in fact, that I woke Steel and told him we must flee, escape by the back door. He refused to go. I think… I think some dark voice called to him. He told me to run, if I wanted. He would not. He wasn't afraid.
    "The men battered down the door. Their leader was… Do you recall, I spoke of Ariakas?"
    "Highlord of the Red Dragonarmy. He died in the temple, during the final assault What has he got to do with this?"
    "Some say he was Kit's lover," Tika inserted.
    Sara shrugged. "She wouldn't have been the first, and likely not the last. But, according to what I've heard, Zeboim, daughter of Takhisis, was enamored of Ariakas, became his lover, and bore him a son, named Ariakan. Ariakan fought in the ranks, under his father's command, during the War of the Lance. He is a skilled warrior who fought courageously in battle. When he was captured, more dead than alive, by the Knights of Solamnia, they were so impressed with his courage that, although he was their prisoner, they treated him with every respect.
    "Ariakan was their prisoner for many years, until they finally released him, mistakenly thinking that—in these times of peace—the man could do no harm. Ariakan had learned much during his enforced stay with the knights. He came to admire them, even as he despised them for what he considered their weaknesses.
    "Shortly after his release, Ariakan was visited by Takhisis, in the form of the Dark Warrior. She commanded him to start an order of knights dedicated to her, as the Solamnic Knights are dedicated to Paladine. 'Those who are boys now will grow up in my service,' she told him. 'You will raise them to worship me. I will own them, body and soul. When they are men, they will be prepared to give their lives in my cause.'
    "Almost immediately, Ariakan began to 'recruit boys for this unholy army." Sara's voice sank. "Ariakan was the man at the door."
    "Blessed Paladine!" Tika murmured, stricken.
    "He had found out about Kit's son." Sara shook her head. "I'm not sure how. Ariakan claimed that Kit had told his father about the