This is a tale of long, long ago . . . In an age before the pen was mightier than the sword. A time when language, reasoning, and tolerance were swiftly trampled under the foot of the sword-wielding warrior. This is the tale of a voyage. The search for the ultimate weapon. The search for the crucible steel. And the battle against an enemy of the world. About the Author Joseph Leo DeCelle was born in Akron, Ohio, but he has remained a resident of Arizona since February 1988. It was while living in Arizona that he began writing. The desert landscape has been a major inspiration throughout the years.