Welcome fans of Destiny and new readers! <3

While writing the first volume, "Shur'tugalar", I realized that although Belinda's backstory was fleshed out in chapter three, none of the other three parents had gotten a full chapter dedicated to them. Sure, Niom's trip from Alagaësia to Alalëa had been covered in chapter two along with him meeting Leafë, but what about his life before Leafë? And what about her life before Niom, or Beloth's life before Belinda?

I knew then that there was a story to be told for each of them, but that story could not be told in Destiny (Volume I: Shur'tugalar). The Reminiscence Arc (which includes the five Riders finding out the origin of Niaomi's powers in the Search Arc and then finding their dragon eggs in the Trials Arc from chapters four to nine) had already taken up more than half of the book, and I didn't want it to take up the entire thing. Plus, I felt that to do the characters justice they needed more than one chapter dedicated to their story.

So, I began outlining each one's tale and thus paved the way for this volume. Several plot points will be altered from the one in the final edition (in which volume zero will be marked private) but compared to the other volumes this one will be the most "authentic". Beginning with Leafë's story and ending with Belinda's, this prologue volume will detail just how the characters become the parents who bore the five Riders of Alalëa.

Even though Niaomi is a prequel to Destiny, this volume comes before it. In the final edition, Destiny (Volume N: Alalëa) will contain the contents of this book as Part I, the Reminiscence Arc as Part II, and Niaomi: The Journey as Part III. However, this story works stands alone to the point that you can read volume one before, after, or while you're reading volume zero, and the same applies for the prequel novel. There is no set order that the books need to be read for comprehension.

Still, if this is the first time you've come into contact with Destiny, I myself suggest reading this volume, Niaomi afterward or alongside it, and then Destiny (Volume I: Shur'tugalar) only because I have begun writing the second volume, "Indlvarn". Since these four tales intersect, dates are used. The Riders of Alalëa - Niaomi, Nathan, Nicholas, Renata, and Rosaminda - will all make a lasting impact in Alagaësia, but all legacies must begin somewhere, and these five begin in "Alalëa".

Enjoy! (:)

- Nikkisha16

PS: The trailer and cover of the final complete edition of Destiny are up above, and the external link below leads you to volume one.