Katera would rather die than allow the Elders to present her at the altar of Kopa Na An. Her twin sister, Adrella, never returned after her summons to the altar, and Katera is tortured by the memory of her sister's sacrifice. Intent on escaping a similar fate and craving an end to her suffering under the merciless rule of Askinadon, she constructs her own demise. Her plans are foiled when an attractive stranger rescues her from her attempt to plunge hundreds of feet down a waterfall to her death. The stranger takes her to a cave and releases her from her forced servitude to Askinadon by removing the high tech device implanted in her head. Encouraged by her new freedom…and her attraction to this mysterious stranger, Katera asks him to help her find her sister, if she is still alive, and free her people from Askinason's unrelenting grip. Mikolen wants to help, but is so close to completing his ten year project...tantalizingly close. Helping Katera can only thwart his efforts by exposing him to Askinadon, his old arch enemy. All will be lost if Askinadon discovers that he was not killed ten years ago. He doesn't need the risk. The only thing he needs is the exotic matter stored inside the Orb in Askinadon's lab. With it, he can end his exile in this hellish world and create a wormhole to complete the stargate...the one that will carry him home. He has only to steal the Orb as his last act in this world. Yet, something compels him...something moves him to risk it all, to gamble on…on what? Mikolen can only look into Katera's green eyes and wonder.
Katera would rather die than allow the Elders to present her at the altar of Kopa Na An. Her twin sister, Adrella, never returned after her summons to the altar, and Katera is tortured by the memory of her sister's sacrifice. Intent on escaping a similar fate and craving an end to her suffering under the merciless rule of Askinadon, she constructs her own demise. Her plans are foiled when an attractive stranger rescues her from her attempt to plunge hundreds of feet down a waterfall to her death. The stranger takes her to a cave and releases her from her forced servitude to Askinadon by removing the high tech device implanted in her head. Encouraged by her new freedom…and her attraction to this mysterious stranger, Katera asks him to help her find her sister, if she is still alive, and free her people from Askinason's unrelenting grip. Mikolen wants to help, but is so close to completing his ten year project...tantalizingly close. Helping Katera can only thwart his efforts by exposing him to Askinadon, his old arch enemy. All will be lost if Askinadon discovers that he was not killed ten years ago. He doesn't need the risk. The only thing he needs is the exotic matter stored inside the Orb in Askinadon's lab. With it, he can end his exile in this hellish world and create a wormhole to complete the stargate...the one that will carry him home. He has only to steal the Orb as his last act in this world. Yet, something compels him...something moves him to risk it all, to gamble on…on what? Mikolen can only look into Katera's green eyes and wonder.