by Skyler Grant
They were getting a lot of recruits. Everyone felt that dark times were approaching. A new high queen had declared herself, Olina Vista, and it seemed she had friends and supporters in every court. The rumor was falling and something new being born.
Elves and Dwarves had fired on each other for the first time in centuries. Nobody knew why, but the rumors were everywhere that their ancient war was soon to renew.
Deep within the Fade a single star had begun to shine, a lone bright point in a sea of darkness.
Nobody knew what it meant, not even Banok.
Jia had graduated to a full druid. Banok made her the head of the Tenders, responsible for growth and life, and charged her with seeding a new Grove on a new world. Somehow despite it all she was the only one untainted by what he’d done, by all he’d become. Her Grove would be pure and one day, Banok felt certain, that would be a problem—one day they’d come into conflict. Perhaps he’d learned more than he’d thought from Queen, because he very much hoped that on that day his apprentice would surpass him. Cleanse what had been tainted.
That wouldn’t be for a time. All you could do was plant the seed and give it a chance to grow. For now, Banok would make the Burning Grove strong. See it was spread across a thousand worlds, and that the Druids were never again so weak they could be destroyed.
Afterword
Another brutal run for Banok and company. With the first book I wanted to tell a real antihero sort of tale of a man who would do anything to win. It is something I’ve done a lot in my past work, Liam in the Crucible Shard novels was something of a bastard and Emma from the Laboratory would do anything in the name of SCIENCE.
Banok came out particularly dark though, that happens sometimes as a writer. Your characters choose their own path and Banok just wouldn’t flinch from going down those roads.
Most of the reviews of the first one seemed to appreciate that, it has been the same in the past whenever I wrote a more villainous main character. I try to deliver on the promises I set with the first book so this one is really more of the same, no redemption story, no turning aside at the last moment. A hard man pushing back because he got pushed first and doing whatever it takes to win.
I hope you enjoyed the journey.