Enter story.
Long ago, powerful warriors
were trained to keep the peace around and everywhere. They were excellent in
the art of sword-type weaponry, although they rarely resorted to violence. They
could use a sort of powerful magic that was very mind-centered, often dealing
with manipulating or searching someone’s mind. They could also use as though it
were an invisible extension of their bodies, enabling them to move things that
were out of reach, improve their athleticism, and much more.
However, one of the peacekeeping warriors
was evil. He plotted against the others and ended up killing all of them and
making himself emperor. The Empire had been created. However, not all of those
original warriors had died. One of them escaped and moved to a remote area of
the empire, where the new emperor wouldn’t think to look. He chose that place
so that he could watch over a young boy. That boy’s father was one of the
original warriors, a very important one, as he would later find out. His mother
had died, and having been told that his father was dead, the boy grew up with
his aunt and uncle on their farm. The boy thought of had no idea that the
warrior, who was now an old man, was actually one of the original warriors. The
old man kept his identity a secret and pretended to be nothing more than a
distant neighbor, while keeping a close eye of the boy.
Meanwhile, a princess that was
working closely with a rebellion against the Empire was transporting something
they had just stolen, when the emperor’s soldiers, led by the emperor’s best man,
attacked her and her companions. The princess sent the stolen object away just
before being captured. Meaning to send it to the old man, it ended up in the
hand of the boy. Initially unsure of what it was, the boy eventually speaks
with the old man and they realize the importance of what they have received. They
also realize that imperial soldiers will be looking for the stolen object. Ignoring
the old man’s warnings, the boy rushes home, only to find his home ravaged and
his aunt and uncle killed by the Empire.
The boy joins up with the old man
and they leave the boy’s old home, beginning their journey. All of these things
happen, although not necessarily in the following order:
1. They
meet a young man who joins their journey. That man saves their necks a few
times, though they find out later that he’s not exactly friends with everybody.
2. They
find out that the old man used to be one of the peace-keeping warriors and he
begins to train the boy to be what his father was.
3. They
rescue the princess, but the emperor’s top man is there (the same one who
captured her) and he kills the old man.
The remaining party journeys to the
rebellion’s main base as the Empire attacks. The boy helps defend the rebel
base and ward off the empire for a time. The emperor’s top man is defeated and
the boy becomes well known and respected for his bravery and skill.
Enter Sequel
The emperor’s men attack the rebel
base, which is/was moved to a new location. Afterwards, the boy is sent to a
supposedly uninhabited forest-type area for reasons of which he is not yet
sure. When he arrives there, he meets another peace-keeping warrior that had
hid himself from the Empire in the most remote place he could. This man is
very, very old and wise. He trains the boy, but the boy is somewhat impatient
and leaves because of trouble with the Empire. He fights the Empire’s current
top man, who used to be one of the peace-keeping warriors, but looses dramatically.
His adversary informs him that they are related, tying the boy in with the
Empire and greatly startling him. The boy does not die, but suffers grievously,
both in body and heart. He also finds that one of their companions has been
captured and taken away. The story ends with him vowing to do justice to what
has happened.
Enter Sequel
The boy and other companions rescue
their friend from a dark prison and kill the monster/nonhuman that was holding
their friend there. The boy journeys back to the very old man (as apposed to
the ‘old man’). The boy finds out that another person he knew (knows) is
related to him. Before the story is over, the very old man has died, leaving only
the boy and his companions to aid the rebels in their final strike against the
Empire. The emperor’s top man seems to have a change of heart and helps enemies
of the Empire.
NOTE: I haven't actually finished the last Inheritance book, so this might be somewhat inaccurate...