The Paths of Destiny

A manhunt begins. There are no destinies. Only paths with consequences.

Sagiron learns it the hard way when a betrayal breaks everything he fought for. From the ashes, a new path is forged: the Secret will become the weapon to free Yanakhon from colonial oppression.

But to start a revolution with a power anyone can learn, Sagiron must find allies he can trust not for their strength, but for their judgment. The Secret can raise nations or bring them to ruin, depending on who knows it.

A manhunt across Yanakhon begins. Word of the Lightning Warrior spreads, drawing opportunists. Some want to join him, others challenge him. All want the Code he carries.

All except the Bringers of Gifts. They have been watching, and they bear the blade without a storm.

Book details:

U.S Edition (97 000 words)

First Edition | November 2024 | Helsinki

Cover art: MiblArt

Editing and formatting: P. Paul

Publisher: Highwater International Publishing House

Amazon

Warning: spoilers ahead

Short synopsis

Meusars raid the Bearhill hideout, slaying most of the rebels. Sagiron, Arhim and Roy flee for the coast to seek aid to gather allies, traveling across the lands while pursued by Le-Muel. Roy is wounded, but Vaskites appear, saving him and gifting Sagiron with Miloren, the original thunderblade.

Along the way, they meey with Kerwin and Helen, who head for Blackwater in seek of his brother Merkhat and the relegated villagers, but Helen's father Satalaca is already there, catching Kerwin and seizing his daughter.

Sagiron, Arhim, and Roy meet Ikhira, a roguess, who helps them find Roy's father, an influential parationman, as they sail to the coast.

On the way, Sagiron and Arhim meet Arhim's parents, who claim having seen the Arkman after the Yambar rebellion.

They track the annual meeting where Roy's father will be, and with them joins Nashira, Roy's friend.

They sail to Port Eagle, where Roy's father ultimately shows up, but Le-Muel has tracked them as well, and they flee to Eaglestone Bastion, fighting the Crimson Foe.

Chapters

1. Alert 5

2. Flight 19

3. Meuriorian Order 27

4. Highway 34

5. Misty Marsh Inn 40

6. Gone by the Fog 54

7. Swamp Castle 66

8. Baggat Herders 79

9. Stormbirds 88

10. Four Giants 102

11. Thunderblade 116

12. Home Robbers 125

13. Eyes in the Dark 138

14. Gambler 149

15. Salt Ship 166

16. Slippery Slope 170

17. Open Book 177

18. Leatherean 186

19. Gone With the Stream 197

20. Maps and Mushrooms 203

21. Black on White 216

22. River Foxes 229

23. The View 241

24. The Camp 249

25. Partunck 261

26. Familiar Faces 274

27. Satler’s Daughter 284

28. Paintings 289

29. Jagoline wine 301

30. Revelations 319

31. Don’t Ask Twice 330

32. Eaglestone Inn 337

33. Battle of the Telkhen Plains 347

The heavy cavalry of the Colonial Empire attacks the rogue camp, destroying the rebellion, and Roy is wounded. Sagiron, Arhim and Roy set to seek Roy's father to ask his help to gather people around Yanakhon who could help them in their plan. They flee the camp ruins, knowing that the enemy is after them, and cross a field colony with little trouble, however, Roy's condition is unstable. As they are chased, they are forced to flee to swamplands, where Roy fall mortally ill.

White ghosts appear on a burial mound, and they get separated in the fog, but when Sagiron returns, Roy and Arhim are gone. He flees storm to a castle where he finds Arhim as well, and they practice the lightning power with the Secret. They head for Valon mountains, but find the way through collapsed, and baggat herders advise them of an alternative route.

They get chased by rasacks, but vaskyrs appear from the sky, saving them, and they face Vaskites, accompanied by healed Roy. They have a gift to bring: Miloren, the original thunderblade. After proving himself, Sagiron is gifted with the sword, and they test its powers. They find their way out of the mountains, facing some trouble along the way, and end up in a rivertown. They decide to reveal the Secret to Roy, but the enemy finds out about them and they are forced to flee into Devil's Canyon.

Forced to cross the wasteland, they teach Roy the symbols, and eventually he learns the Secret as well. They are ambushed by Hellornians and fight a sparkon, a shade-drake leather-beast, and flee the wasteland, arriving to Lake Highwater.

They are ambushed again, but now by their old friends Kerwin and Helen, who had fled the home village. The friends head for Blackwater where the imprisoned villagers were taken while the trio heads for Highwater town, where they find Ikhira, Roy's friend and using the Secret, release her and flee down the river in a boat.

Kerwin and Helen head for Blackwater, facing trouble along the way, including rasacks and Metorian knights. They have to flee through the mountains until they reach Blackwater, where they try to find the villagers, but Helen's father, Captain Satalaca has come looking for her daughter, and Kerwin is imprisoned and to be hanged for his crimes.

Back at Highwater, upon learning about Roy's father's nature, Ikhira promises to sail them wherever necessary, and they head down the river to Telengbottom to find more about his father's whereabouts. Sagiron and Arhim are being searched, and as they flee, they meet Arhim's parents, who harbor them for a while. Arhim's father tell a story about the Arkman. Roy and Ikhira seek information and find Roy's friend, Nashira, who has found out the location of the assembly Roy's father will be attending.

They set sail for Telkhen, and after some discord and a long time of waiting, manage to get the message through, and they meet his father Markhen at an inn, however, the enemy has tracked them down and ambushes them. A battle breaks out as they flee to a mountain stronghold, Telkheron.