He was an Uchiha. She was a Senju. Both of their clans were mortal enemies. An emotionless murder, they said to him. A loud ramen freak, they said to her. Both of them were bullied, insulted, and most of all, loathed. They should hate each other, some whispered behind their backs. Mortal enemies, some agreed. But they did not. He loved her; her long, bright scarlet hair waving in the wind, her slightly tanned complexion, her dazzling violet eyes, and her brash, yet selfless personality. She loved him; his raven black hair, his porcelain complexion, his cold, ebony eyes, and his emotionless, cold, yet kind personality. They were polar opposites, yes. But they loved each other, their perfect imperfections, and that's all that mattered. Uchiha Minato. Senju Kushina. Now, it's up for their son to continue their fallen legacy. Uchiha-Senju Naruto.

Naruto Namikaze. A name either feared, hated, scorned, or simply loathed. A boy who had a fate which he had no say in, a burden placed on him without thinking about the consequences. A boy who had a family, but his own family didn't see him as one of their own, nonetheless being the same flesh and blood. A boy who, despite with all the glares, mocking, and hate they threw at him, still managed to smile with so much warmth. Who is he really? A jinchūriki? A monster? A demon? An orphan? A scapegoat for all the hate they had for the fox which invaded their village years ago? A child who was misunderstood by everyone? An idiot dead-last? Or a hero?

In the wake of the dragon’s attack, Kyra is sent on an urgent quest: to cross Escalon and seek out her uncle in the mysterious Tower of Ur. The time has come for her to learn about who she is, who her mother is, and to train and develop her special powers. It will be a quest fraught with peril for a girl alone, Escalon filled with dangers from savage beasts and men alike—one that will require all of her strength to survive. Her father, Duncan, must lead his men south, to the great water city of Esephus, to attempt to free his fellow countrymen from the iron grip of Pandesia. If he succeeds, he will have to journey to the treacherous Lake of Ire and then onto the icy peaks of Kos, where there live the toughest warriors of Escalon, men he will need to recruit if he has any chance of taking the capital. Alec escapes with Marco from The Flames to find himself on the run through the Wood of Thorns, chased by exotic beasts. It is a harrowing journey through the night as he quests for his hometown, hoping to be reunited with his family. When he arrives, he is shocked by what he discovers. Merk, despite his better judgment, turns back to help the girl, and finds himself, for the first time in his life, entangled in a stranger’s affairs. He will not forego his pilgrimage to the Tower of Ur, though, and he finds himself anguished as he realizes the tower is not what he expects. Vesuvius spurs his giant as he leads the Trolls on their mission underground, attempting to bypass The Flames, while the dragon, Theos, has his own special mission on Escalon. With its strong atmosphere and complex characters, RISE OF THE VALIANT is a sweeping saga of knights and warriors, of kings and lords, of honor and valor, of magic, destiny, monsters and dragons. It is a story of love and broken hearts, of deception, ambition and betrayal. It is fantasy at its finest, inviting us into a world that will live with us forever, one that will appeal to all ages and genders.