Swords of Cerebus #1

In "Cerebus the Aardvark," the titular aardvark joins a pair of thieves on a heist to steal the legendary Flame Jewel from a powerful wizard’s fortress. Armed with past brushes with magic and a knack for surviving illusions, Cerebus fights his way through traps and phantoms to confront the wizard himself. But when the jewel is claimed, the truth comes crashing down—its power was bound to the wizard, and with his death, it’s revealed to be nothing more than a plain walnut.

In "Captive in Boreala," Cerebus finds himself stranded in a temple dedicated to the Dark Demon Khem after a skirmish with northern barbarians sends him tumbling from a cliff. Drawn by the legend of the Eye of Terim, he ventures into the ruins, where greed and survival push him to confront ancient perils—only to emerge with the gem and the freed souls of past explorers, leaving the demon weakened in his wake. Back on the battlefield, he discovers no one remains, and with a shrug, he sets off toward warmer lands.

In "Song of Red Sophia," Cerebus is hired by the pompous wizard Henrot to punish Feras for dishonoring his daughter, the dazzling but unbearable Red Sophia. Forced to escort her on a grueling journey, Cerebus finds himself increasingly at odds with her relentless prattle—until an unexpected twist turns the tables. As the chase reaches its climax, Cerebus devises a plan that leaves both Feras and Sophia in a situation he considers the ultimate retribution.

In "Death's Dark Tread," a luckless Cerebus stumbles upon a gem in Serrea, unaware it’s the Chaos Gem—much to Death’s delight. As the grim reaper sends monstrous forces to drive him toward fate, Cerebus’s stubborn defiance only fuels the chase. When Death shifts tactics and targets Elrod of Melvinbone, a pompous prince whose arrogance lands him in a dungeon with Cerebus, the two are briefly bound by circumstance—until Cerebus escapes, leaving Elrod behind. With the gem’s influence growing, Cerebus makes a final, decisive move that could change everything.