In the realm of Palasia, where the Silver Church's iron grip extends across the continent, the conquered Illuri people still cling to the old ways, praying to spirits that have grown quiet. At the heart of this struggle are four souls bound by fate: Nodalen, a princess burdened by the weight of her bloodline and a legacy of obedience; Liwani, a boy worshipped as a living spirit among the Illuri, yearning to break free from the sacred expectations that imprison him; Clay, a young warrior trapped in the cruel affections of the corrupt electun, desperate for a chance at redemption or escape; and Mary, who views the world through a lens of survival, poised to defy the forces that would see her subjugated.
The Silver Church drowns sinners publicly to cleanse them of their sins, wielding faith as both shield and sword. Yet even as their grip tightens, a terrible threat rises. The cult of the Lord of Souls, a mysterious order promising eternal life, begins to swell in numbers, sowing discord in a land already teetering on the edge of chaos. As rebellion brews and the Silver Church's gaze turns inward, alliances are forged in blood, and secrets long buried begin to surface.
From the frigid dungeons of Silvertown, where sinners face their watery fate, to the sunlit shores of the Illuri, where ancient rituals persist, Palasia is a land steeped in violence and deceit. Kings and commoners alike are caught in a web of treachery spun by those who crave power and those who would see it crumble. As Nodalen, Liwani, Clay, and Mary navigate the ever-changing tides of loyalty and betrayal, they are drawn toward a reckoning that will test their resolve and reshape their fates.
For within the shadows of Palasia lies a hidden truth, a place where all blood flows, where sins are sown and reaped -- a garden of blood that nourishes the roots of a darker age long prophesied.
|Book Two of The Soul-Bound Chronicles|
The veil separating the realms has weakened.
With the first four seals stolen, the strength of the temples fades, and more outbreaks from the Energy Realm puts a strain on the Paladins.
For Josh, it's nothing he can't handle. With his team by his side, sending magical creatures back where they belong is the best sort of training. At least until Cale and Mara leave for a mission of their own meant to build up their strengths and ditch him with a new teammate he barely knows.
As the tensions grow high in the Sanctuary, both because of the ongoing war with the Shadow Knights and shady Sage politics, Josh tries to find comfort in his former life and the people he thought he'd left behind.
But his peace is not meant to last. Mara and Cale have disappeared, and all clues point to them being in the Energy Realm.
Home to monsters and remnants of Phoenix Dragons, the other realm holds many threats, but Josh will do whatever it takes to find his friends. While there, he discovers a way to give the Paladins an edge in the war, but this solution forces him to make a decision he isn't sure he can make.
He must put his fate, as well as those he loves, in the hands of a Sage who hates him.
-- Cover by eryxnaps