News of the kingdom declining and nothing has been heard from Prince Arren, which troubles the King of the once tranquil kingdom of Enlad. The wizard Root speaks of dragons and men once being "as one", divided by their particular desires (freedom and possessions respectively), which is the cause of the world's balance, gradually weakening. Suddenly the King is fatally stabbed with a dagger in a dark corridor by his own son, Prince Arren, who steals his father's sword and flees the castle.