The Age of Merrik: The Anointing (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780595413676)

As the two women conquered the terrain, they slowly perceived a looming shadow ten paces away from them. Liana liberated her hand from her companion and slowly encroached upon the phenomenon. She studied the shadow closely and watched as it gradually morphed into the form of a limp figure.

As she crept closer, she could not make out any facial figures in the darkness. A few glints of starlight, however, distinguished small crevasses behind the figure. She extended her fingers carefully, as to not disturb the sleeping stranger. As her fingertips explored the cracks, they reminded her of the preciseness of a knife slicing the ground. Indeed, these near-invisible cracks bore the width of a sword and the length of its scratch. She explored the path of the marks and discovered two of the letter "r" etched into the stone. Her limber fingers found two additional marks, one framing each side of the letter pair. Together, she recognized the unmistakable combination of "erri".

Only one man bore the pattern of "erri" in his name. No one was ignorant of his existence, and his very name was revered.

"Merrik."