“But men often mistake killing and revenge for justice. They seldom have the stomach for justice.”

  - The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

  Arcos Blade, a child sold into slavery for nine years and terrorised by the slave-catching Bodyhunters, finally escapes a salt pit, aided by the enigmatic slave Torrance Carpenter. Freed, Arcos flees to the capital city Fennaposia.

  Upon returning to his childhood home, he is dismayed to find it in burnt ruins. Soon, he runs afoul of a female assassin in pursuit of thugs who are a part of a child trafficking ring. After rescuing the snatched children, the assassin proceeds to annihilate the entire operation with brutal efficiency, helped by the freed Torrance, revealing himself as an ex-comrade of her ‘Guild’.

  One of the survivors of the ring is a foreigner, a Tashiishan called Ashmak Hali, who brokers valuable secrets in exchange for his life. The Assassin, calling herself Tilda, agrees and spares him but demands that he come with her back to her Elders. Following that, Tilda recovers ledgers of the stolen children and gives them to an unscrupulous loanshark called Volstag Moneylender to do with the information as he sees fit. Volstag fears a great upheaval will arise in the city because of this.

  Following Torrance’s remorseful departure, Tilda, Ashmak and Arcos make their way north, via a mining town called Silverstreak. On their travels, they encountered a shot-down and poisoned Sarku mother, with one hurt but still alive kitten. Arcos mercy-kills the mother but takes in the young kitten, naming him Courageous.

  The group arrives in Silverstreak, only to find it in trouble with the harsh ruling of Baron Malachi, one of the seven Barons who rule Dargania. As Tilda reunites with her old friend Barnabas, tavern keeper and de facto leader of the town, Arcos sees a female hunter in trouble with a group of thugs working for Malachi. The hunter, called Reeva, instigated a confrontation which led to her getting into worse trouble. Arcos comes to her rescue and attempts to fight off the thugs, led by a vile man called Dargo. Courageous and Arcos are nearly killed, but Ashmak proves to be a skilled fighter in his own right and soundly beats the thugs away.

  In Barnabas’s Tavern, Tilda admonishes Arcos for his interference. She confers with Ashmak on Arcos's brewing rage, fearing it to be his undoing.

  The group are also noticed by another townsman called Boras, a local drunk and occasional worker for Barnabas. Boras watches the group with some intrigue and decides to stick around to see what he can gain from them.

  The following day, Derrick, the leading Lawgiver in Silverstreak, comes to warn Tilda for provoking Baron Malachi’s anger. Tilda and Ashmak leave to talk with Derrick. Reeva secretly visits Arcos to thank him and questions him on who he and his friends were. Before much is revealed though, Dargo arrives. After torturing Barnabas and declaring the Tavern to be razed to the ground in Malachi’s name, Reeva and Arcos are taken. Arcos is stunned to see that a Bodyhunter, the very one that had taken him from his home, is by Dargo’s side.

  Boras is hidden as he witnesses it all. Compelled by an insistent Courageous, Boras pursues the captive Reeva and Arcos.

  Boras tracks them to Malachi’s estate and sneaks in with Courageous.

  Upon hearing what had transpired, the townsfolk of Silverstreak organise a motley army and march upon the estate, led by an irate Barnabas, a reluctant Tilda, a disaffected Ashmak, and a hesitant Derrick.

  After a furious battle, leading to the explosive immolation of the house, the freedom of two captive Manticores, the deaths of many Baron soldiers, and Dargo, the Silverstreakers win. However, Arcos’s hated Bodyhunter escapes. But Reeva was able to strike a fleeing Malachi with a crossbow bolt, a sure killing blow.

  Later, it is clear that Reeva and Boras could no longer safely stay in Silverstreak and are also taken under Tilda’s wing towards the Guild. During his time in the Estate, Arcos finds a strange sword in which he feels an odd kinship.

  Leaving Silverstreak, the group travels up and through the Northern Mountains of Dargania until they reach the secluded plateau ruled by the Guild. Despite a frosty welcome by the other Children of the Black, Arcos, Reeva and Boras are welcomed as new Initiates. Ashmak makes his case for staying and reveals that he is in fact a spy for the Royalists of Tashiish as they are suspicious of the Barons’ ulterior motives and sentiments of war are brimming to the surface in his countrymen.

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  The three Tests for the new Initiates are gruelling and life-threatening. They are each overcome by the trio, but they do fail in some regards. Arcos finds that as he is slowly losing control of his emotions, he allows the weapon - which telepathically calls itself Alaintiqam - to strengthen his body.

  On the eve of their Raising, Boras tempts Arcos with a secret night excursion back into Silverstreak to unwind. Once there, they are met by Barnabas and Derrick, who each inform them of the goings-on in the country. Malachi is rumoured to be dead, but his younger brother Markus has returned from his travels and seeks to assist in quelling any rebellious activities in the northern regions of Dargania.

  Boras and Arcos wave off the threat, stating that the Barons will not try anything after being so beaten back. Boras remains in his cups while Arcos begins exploring the town and ending up at the Night Tavern, a brothel. There, he is met by the leader of the brothel called the Belle Dame. The gracious Belle Dame in turn introduces Arcos to the beautiful Nerisity, one of the Night Girls.

  After a tender moment shared between the two, they fall in love. However, they do not fully consummate their love out of first-time nerves and Arcos's gentlemanly behaviour.

  Following that, the Trio are brought to the rest of the Children and the three Elders; Divana, Gristle, and Lowan. It is with great shock to all that the Elders find that the Trio have not met the standards set by them and are sentenced to death to protect the secrets of the Guild. Tilda protests, and the Trio prepare to fight. But it is Ashmak who stands and suggests a different solution and possibly a Final Test. They are to drink a poisoned brew and be willingly sent to the Black. Should the Black send them back to the living, they are seen worthy.

  Seeing no other choice, the Trio agree to this, and all three partake of the drink. They die.

  Each of them has a startling vision of doom and destruction, a future that may occur. Each of them is met by the Black. The Black warns them all that dark days are ahead and each of them must overcome certain obstacles in their lives if they are to avoid these visions. But Boras is warned separately that someone he cares for will die...

  They are brought back to life and are welcomed into the Guild. They do inform the Elders and Tilda of what they had seen, which concerns them all. Ashmak, listening to all, comes clean and reveals to Tilda alone further truths: that Boras is in fact the lost heir to the throne of Tashiish and his true name is ‘Muharib Arimal’. But Ashmak also reveals to Tilda in private of his growing worry that Reeva possibly carries a birthmark linked to a mythical denigration known as Ouroboros. Something smacks of fate around the three children.

  Ashmak is made an honorary member of the Guild for his services in the Guild and is allowed to leave the hideaway to report his findings to his masters. He bids the trio farewell and departs with a growing sense of hope.

  Arcos, feeling a deeper appreciation for his life, rushes to Nerisity. Nerisity, seemingly thinking of him just as much, welcomes him into her chambers with a kiss. The pair make love for the first time.

  Some weeks later, Silverstreak and the Guild are enjoying a well-earned peace. But it is brutally cut short as a hardened contingent of soldiers called the Baron’s Fist storm the town, supported by a full troop of Bodyhunters. The townsfolk are terrorised and captured; including Nerisity, Barnabas, Derrick, and Reeva’s adoptive hunter family.

  Baron Markus, leader of the Bodyhunters, approaches them and monologues on his intent. He goes on about how these people have forgotten their place in the world and he now seeks to remind them. After callously executing two children, he plays judge, jury, and executioner. He takes in a third of the population as slaves, the second third are to be left behind to work under his soldiers’ supervision, and the final third are to be executed immediately.

  During the chaotic horror of Derrick’s lynching, Marvis - Reeva’s adoptive father - flees. He is pursued and shot with a poisoned bolt by Hildur, a particularly cold-blooded Bodyhunter. But he continues up the mountain. He arrives at the Guild, only able to explain partially what had transpired before dying in Reeva’s arms.

  The incensed Arcos, Reeva and Boras demand that they go help, but are forbidden by the Elders. Enraged by the isolation of the Guild, Arcos lashes out at Courageous, scaring away the hurt Sarku.

  They decide to leave anyway, with Reeva and Boras concerned over Arcos's increasing anger. Elder Lowan secretly assists in their escape, whilst gifting them with a mysterious locked box and instructions to meet with a Fennaposian guild of mercenaries called the Waywards whose leader could help their cause.

  They arrive at the town to find the bodies of hanged people displayed all over. Enraged, they slaughter all the garrisoned soldiers in the town. Jimiza - the only surviving member of Reeva’s adoptive family - informs the trio of the townsfolk that had been taken into slavery and dragged away to Fennaposia, which includes Barnabas, the Belle Dame, Letti - Reeva’s adoptive mother - and Nerisity.

  Before they could leave, Tilda tracks the trio down. After a confrontation by the irate and frustrated woman, Arcos and Tilda fight. Tilda gains the upper hand, but with sudden help from Alaintiqam, Arcos overpowers Tilda and defeats her. After symbolically breaking a sword she had gifted him, Arcos abandons a remorseful Tilda.

  Followed by the hesitant Reeva and Boras, the trio forge a vengeful path towards the capital Fennaposia to rescue their friends, annihilate the Bodyhunters and anyone else that gets in their way…