| abstract
| - Here follows the account of the Year of the Burning Light, in which the dominance of the Light as the one true faith in Fastheld was wounded and weakened by the machinations of the Shadow, and a failure by the Church that spead that faith to reassure a a population that looked to it for guidance and safety. It was the year in which Alieron Mikin plotted to overthrow the Throne held by Emperor Talus Kahar XIV for his dealings with the Luminary in an attempt to protect the people of Fastheld by using a lesser evil to overcome a greater one. It was a year that saw Alieron Mikin arrested for treason and imprisoned within his keep within the walls of Light's Reach, only to watch as his plans - and his very life - were crushed around and atop him under the skeletal claws of the arisen shade of the DracoLich Kas'arath. It was a year defined by the destruction of Light's Reach and the influx of refugees that spread to all corners of the realm. One in which Prince Serath Kahar proposed to his best friend, Rowena Mikin, before vanishing from the face of the face of the realm in an attempt to keep track of He Who Destroys late in the year. A year that saw the council attempt to find him again. One that saw great changes for all involved, and one that set Fastheld under the shadow of a greater darkness yet to come. 200 - Hawk's Mercy Suspicious of the convenient disappearance of Lady Dianna Lomasa, Surrector Gell Mikin embarks once more to Vozhdya in pursuit of the truth. But what happens when he finds it? 201 - Chasing Smoke Warmaster Milo Stone of Vozhdya has been hunting in vain for the brigands said to have kidnapped Lady Dianna Lomasa. Weary and worn, Stone travels to Fastheld Keep to seek advice from Blademaster Hartnek Lomasa... 202 - Flirting With Pain Varal meets Tomassa Zahir. One thing leads to another, to a kiss, to a kick. Is it love at first slight? 203 - Risks of Play It's the night after Varal got the jewels cracked hard by Contessa Tomassa Zahir. Now they sit in the Warm Shining Tavern in Light's Reach, talking about play and the roles of men and women in the shaping of society... 204 - Collateral Damage Alieron Mikin has given the order: Move the offending statue of Zolde Zahir being trampled by Orell Mikin's horse out of the crossroads in the township at Light's Reach. Naturally, it can't be that simple... 205 - The Horsemaster Returns A weather-worn ranger is summoned to Fastheld Keep to accept a call to destiny... 206 - Unwelcoming Committee Zurhael Zahir travels to Light's Reach after the township's steward, Hurin Brace, declares it off limits to the House of Vipers, and gets the reception he should have expected... 207 - Unraveling Afraid she will never escape the Emperor's Hawk, Gell Mikin, the woman formerly known as the Lady Dianna Lomasa goes before Emperor Talus Kahar XIV to beg for amnesty ... and ends up exposing the conspiracy that allowed for her disappearance ... 208 - Fury of the Dead In the year 622, the Horsemaster of the Imperial Horsemen - Serath Kahar - fell in battle while defending the Imperial Crown. Two years later, he is to many nothing more than a memory... until one fateful day in the Vozhdya Court when the fury of the dead arises to instill sanity in the wake of recent chaotic events around the realm of Fastheld... 209 - Vanamur's Search Rumors spread quickly that Horsemaster Serath Kahar is not as dead as previously believed, and his former second in command searches far and wide for the truth... 210 - Jemmi's Peril A little boy named Jemmi has fallen into a well near Duke Markus Kahar's keep in Vozhdya, and the nobleman answers the call for help... 211 - Hindsight and a Promise In the wintery courtyard of Vozhdya Keep, the two nobles that helped Dianna Lomasa escape meet after their conspiracy was blown wide open -- by none other than Dianna Lomasa herself... 212 - Family Matters Sinon Lomasa, Duke of East Leg, is still looking for his niece, Dianna Lomasa, alledgedly Shadow-Touched and responsible for one of the largest scandals to surface in Fastheld in years. He returns to his domain to speak with Dianna's brother, his nephew Arturo, in hopes to find a trace of the elusive woman... 213 - Mystery and Shadow A storyteller weaves a tale in the Hawk and Dove Tavern. 214 - Commotion and Promotion Duke Alieron Mikin holds court in his castle in Light's Reach, and an important moment arrives for Varal... 215 - Of Words, Wisdom and Memory Duchess Rowena Mikin seeks guidance from Horsemaster Serath Kahar in Fastheld Keep... 216 - Mongoose Fury Rowena Mikin urges Alieron Mikin against rash action with the Zahirs in the wake of the Light's Reach explosion... 217 - Consulting the Light While on a visit to Vozhdya, Damiante Nillu, Baroness of Aerie Heights and wife of Warlan Lomasa, seeks out Brother Yain, the Sunkissed Dean of that domain, in search of advice... 218 - Warmth and Guidance Althea Weaver, owner of the Loom and Spindle, meets Brother Yain in a Vozhdyan tavern, as the day darkens outside... 219 - Feast of the Heights Damiante Nillu and her husband, Warlan Lomasa, host a feast at their Aerie Heights Keep, near the township of Hawk's Aerie in the River District... 220 - Ever North A chance meeting with carpenter Pash Cobble leads Althea Weaver to a surprising revelation about some missing friends... 221 - First Court at Aerie Heights Damiante Nillu and her husband, Warlan Lomasa, host their first court in the manor of Aerie Heights Keep... 222 - Tangled Web Althea Weaver receives a visit from Surrector Gell Mikin, who shares her curiosity about the disappearance of the Finethreads, prominent members of the Weavers Guild. But he bears dark tidings... 223 - Missed Messages Emperor Talus Kahar holds an audience with Duke Markus Kahar on the matter of the ongoing Zahir-Mikin conflict and another expansion for the duke's personal empire... 224 - Unwelcome Visit The search continues for Pash Cobble, suspected of murdering a Shadowscourge and aiding two women who might be Shadow-Touched. Surrector Gell Mikin returns to the Loom and Spindle to speak once more with Althea Weaver... 225 - I'm Sure You Wouldn't Contessa Tomassa Zahir of Hedgehem meets with a carpenter about her order, and a minion about other things... 226 - You Forget Your Place Passion brings a widowed contessa and one of her servants closer to a potentially scandalous romance... 227 - Nothing At All Jealousy inspires anger on a trip to Vozhdya... 228 - The Irregulars In Light's Reach Contessa Tomassa Zahir and her companions travel to the heart of House Mikin territory: Light's Reach 229 - Lost and Found It is the Twelfth hour by the Shadow on Idleforge, the 10th day of Stormclaw in the year 624. It is a quite cold night. The air is stagnant, not stirring with the slightest breeze. The skies are perfectly clear... 229 - Mikin Pride It is the First hour by the Light on Lanternglow, the 11th day of Stormclaw in the year 624. It is a quite cold night. The air is stagnant, not stirring with the slightest breeze. The skies are perfectly clear... 230 - Up The River It is the Twelfth hour by the Light on Lanternglow, the 11th day of Stormclaw in the year 624. It is a cold late morning. The air is stagnant, not stirring with the slightest breeze. The skies are perfectly clear... 231 - Avatars of Light Below the ancient ruins of Arrow's Watch, the two Horselords of the Imperial Horsemen finally find that which they have been looking for so long, and in doing so find a new direction to follow, a new path to ride, and a new hope to pursue... 232 - Wisdom of the Elder A surprise visit from an Elder Nillu gives a new Baroness encouragement... 233 - Search for the Gold Knight It is the First hour by the Light on Riverstretch, the 12th day of Stormclaw in the year 624... 234 - Temple of Persuasion Intrigue follows an architecture show in Vozhdya... 235 - Little Glass Houses A simple stop and greet at East Bluff Keep turns into something more... 236 - Working Girl A courtesan from the Crescent Moon pays a visit to Vozhdya... 237 - The Lady's Bargain Surrector Gell Mikin and Chamberlain Oren Nillu offer the imprisoned Lady Dianna Lomasa an opportunity at freedom... 238 - Shadow and Light Within the ancient ruins of Arrow's Watch atop Apple Hill, Althea Weaver calls upon the Horsemaster Serath Kahar for guidance and advice in the wake of the recent events surrounding her, and offers her own personal thoughts in turn... 239 - A Guardian Angel Dianna Lomasa has made her deal with Gell Mikin and signed it with haste. Now, free from the confines of the Imperial Dungeons, she finds herself at Fastheld Keep, and in the company of a familiar face: Rowena Mikin. 240 - Change of Heart Duke Markus Kahar of Vozhdya hosts a peace summit between representatives from House Mikin and House Zahir in the aftermath of the exploding statue incident in Light's Reach. The summit yields unexpected results... 241 - Where Everybody Knows Your Name The last place anyone wants Dianna Lomasa after her betrayal of Adaer Kahar and embarrassment of Vozhdya's Duke Markus Kahar is, naturally, one of the first places she visits after buying her freedom with the sullied reputation of a close friend. And where Dianna Lomasa goes, trouble inevitably follows... 242 - Secrets in Light's Reach An expedition into an old mine leads Duchess Rowena Mikin and those who venture with her into an ominous encounter with a place of darkness long since forgotten by history and memory. 243 - No Tricks Surrector Gell Mikin arrives in Vozhdya to take Althea Weaver into custody for suspicion of being Shadow-Touched... 244 - Kahar's Fury There are some who claim that the Imperial Horsemen are Avatars of Light. When the Light is scorned by Shadow, the vengeance of those who follow it may know no bounds; and thus, a day after Althea Weaver is taken by Shadow, the fury of Kahar rides into town. Light, Shadow, and all... 245 - The Faith of Friendship On an unusually clear evening in the month of Stormclaw, the Keep of Vozhdya finds itself the host of the most powerful man in Fastheld: Emperor Talus Kahar XIV. With him rides the Imperial Horsemen, with the Prince of the Blood at their helm. However, though the evening is peaceful, a different kind of storm is brewing....In the sanctuary of the Light's Reach Temple, the Prince of the Blood - Serath Kahar - contemplates his life, his duty, and his faith to the Light, in the wake of all the recent developments he's encountered. While doing so, he soon learns from a childhood friend that it's not always the answers that you ask yourself - it's the answers you find for them. 246 - The Conclave Duke Markus Vozhd-Kahar calls a family conclave in his keep in the wake of the recent crisis... 247 - A Lesson in Manners In the Lightholder Tavern, a brazen fellow incites the anger of Viscount Thayndor Zahir... 248 - Appealing to a Pride of One Demetrius da Voe rides to Bramblestone Keep to inform Contessa Tomassa Zahir, the Lioness, of the upcoming duel between him and Viscount Thayndor Zahir, and finds himself in a situation where honour and pride of his proclaimed birthright stand against Imperial Law... 249 - Falling From Grace On an unusually clear evening in the month of Stormclaw, the Keep of Vozhdya finds itself the host of the most powerful man in Fastheld: Emperor Talus Kahar XIV. With him rides the Imperial Horsemen, with the Prince of the Blood at their helm. However, though the evening is peaceful, a different kind of storm is brewing.... 250 - The Gray Hour When four moons come into alignment to create an untimely gray hour during the night watch on the Aegis wall, a Wildling takes advantage and attacks... 251 - A Crimson Night On The Aegis Greening is a difficult month on the Aegis, frought with much despair and edge. The only thing that can result is death - but who will be the one to die: Blade or foe? 252 - Manhunt - Part I (Synopsis) 253 - Manhunt - Part II (Synopsis) 254 - Dark Inheritance (Synopsis) 255 - Funeral of Jafron Seamel (Synopsis) 256 - Run Away Sophia Mikin flees her home in Riverview Keep after her father makes his intentions known to wed her to Markus Vozhd-Kahar. Driven by the fury of the storm, Rowena joins her brother and guards in searching for her niece. A ride over East Bluff grounds brings her to meet with the Prince and retreat from the wretched weather. 257 - The Hawk Takes Flight (Synopsis) 258 - Two Hawks in Shadow (Synopsis) 259 - Behind the Counter (Synopsis) 260 - They Who Search - Part I (Synopsis) 261 - They Who Search - Part II (Synopsis) 262 - They Who Search - Part III (Synopsis) 263 - Surprise Visit Both Fael Mikin and Serath Kahar arrive on Rowena Mikin's 'doorstep' during a rather furious rainshower. 264 - Of Love and Somber Affairs What began as a simple visit from an old friend transpired into more as the Prince of the Blood stood brooding in the hall. Revelation of a lost friend's shadow-touched fate riddles the mind of Rowena before she's sent into further spinning by a sudden....proposal. 265 - The Wizard and the Wildcat Crown (Synopsis) 266 - The Burdens of the Crown (Synopsis) 267 - Blue Lips, White Foam (Synopsis) 268 - The Chancellor's Treason - Part I (Synopsis) 269 - The Chancellor's Treason - Part II (Synopsis) 270 - The Chancellor's Treason - Part III (Synopsis) 271 - Better Angels (Synopsis) 272 - The Plea for Life (Synopsis) 273 - The Chancellor's Fate (Synopsis) 274 - The Bloodling Bargain (Synopsis) 275 - Bloodsire's Recompense (Synopsis) 276 - Miracule on Ice - Part I (Synopsis) 277 - Miracule on Ice - Part II (Synopsis) 278 - What Lies Beneath (Synopsis) 279 - Encampment of Sorrow The refugees from the Ravager's plight over Light's Reach gather on Palace grounds for safety. While the life of Alieron's wife hangs in peril, Rowena must divulge an unfortunate secret to His Majesty.
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