[Author's Thoughts] Dropped, obviously. Still, it's my first attempt at a novel and I do love what I did with it. Big step towards learning. Far in the past, there was a civilization much more advanced than the one of modern times. Evidence of that time remains, but it is all but shrouded in mystery as there remains no way to decipher it. Currently, normal individuals wage war with guns and smaller machinery, but those who can wield a higher power vary in their abilities. Scales, born upon humans, are a mystery in their origins but are the source of their abilities and their way towards advancement. Although normally powerless, humans have adapted to the scales and thus can connect with the power of the universe, much like the other races that inhabit its various corners. In one of these corners, there exists a human settlement where Lancing follows his father's footsteps to begin his own ascent to power. However, he finds he is far different from his gifted father, whose scales below his eyes were among the purest ever seen, reaching gem-like quality. Far from perfect, Lancing shows no desire to give up and ceaselessly moves forward to reach the peak of the universe. However, he begins to notice that the mysteries of the universe slowly begin to unravel in front of his eyes. To reach the heavens, Lancing must carve his own path.