Chapter 1-9 Summary

As chapter one begins, Rachel, a young girl, is clutching her doll. Rachel's father, Chase, and Zedd, a wizard, are talking. Rachel sees something and goes over to Chase to convince him to pull out his weapon. Chase doesn't listen and after a short time they are attacked by a black creature that seems to laugh despite Chase and Zedd hitting the animal with everything they have. Zedd realizes that the thing is a screeling, a creature from the undead underworld. Zedd tells Chase and Rachel to walk, not run or stand still, and they attempt to lock the thing up in the garden. The screeling doesn't focus well on things that are walking but can spot you if you stay still or run.

Chapter two finds Zedd walking calmly with the screeling close behind him. Zedd and Chase soon encounter...