Book 1 Summary

 **WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS...OBVIOUSLY**

The story takes place centuries after the end of modern civilization. Settlements and small kingdoms are scattered throughout the remnants of society known as the wasteland. The protagonist, Benedict Limmetrad, is first seen training in Freztad, a once great village now reduced to a mere 800 villagers. Freztad is later attacked by a group of wastelanders, and Ben and his cousin Rose, the acting chief, defend their village against the assault but are ultimately saved by a group of outlanders with strange weapons. These outlanders hail from a land to the north called Ænæria, ruled by King Xander. The Ænærians came to Freztad claiming to want to make an alliance. Rose is hesitant because Freztad is already the head of a coalition known as the Penteric Alliance with four other settlements. Eventually, she is persuaded to go with the Ænærians and leaves Ben in charge. Ben is upset by this, having always felt like an outsider in Freztad and never knowing his parents. Furthermore, he was only child to have been exposed to the plague 10 years ago and survive, making many villagers weary of him. Adding to the stress of leading Freztad on his own, his friend Rakshi, the leader of the Sentinels, died in the battle with the wastelanders. After many days, Rose does not come back and Ben worries she was kidnapped. He soon learns that her father may actually be the King of Ænæria, and he kidnapped her to obtain her blood to open a legendary Vault, leftover from the Old Days. He learns his father is not part of his life because he went off searching for the Vault, hoping it would aid in the reconstruction of civilization.

Ben goes off on a quest to find the Vault, thinking the King would be going there as well. On his journey, he befriends a wolf, Arynn from the settlement Vänalleato, and a defected Ænærian soldier, Darius. Arynn and Darius are captured by Ænærians and brought to a prison. Ben breaks them out of prison and meets two people called Orks from a land far east known as Ney. Ben learns here that the broken sword he’d been carrying has some kind of powerful energy to it. After they escape from prison, Arynn is injured and they go to the capital of Ænæria. Ben fights in a gladiator battle to earn money to treat her. Ben, against killing, struggles in the fight but does amputate his enemy’s hand. He learns the enemy is actually one of the Ænærians who kidnapped Rose, named Longinus. Ben then blacks out and apparently uses an inhuman amount of power to escape the gladiator battle after Longinus summons comrades to help him. Ben and his friends end up in the hideout of Ænærian resistance fighters known as the Miners Guild. He learns that his father was actually the founder of the Miners Guild because he foresaw a coming conflict and wanted like-minded people prepared for it. The hideout, Jordysc, is then attacked. Given how long it was hidden, Ben and company wonder if they had somehow been followed. They lose the battle and Ben’s eye is shot out by Longinus. Ben is rendered unconscious and carried by the Ænærians to the new Ænærian province called Bacchuso.

Ben wakes up on a flying ship and is greeted by Rose who confirms Xander is actually her father Julius. Ben then meets Julius who shocks him by being polite and asking Ben his opinion of Ænæria. Julius tells Ben he wants to save the world by bringing back technology he discovered from an opened Vault. He believes something extra powerful resides in the Grand Vault, where they are heading. They arrive on the island with the Vault, a place called Svaldway. Julius announces he wants to step down as King and instead become Emperor of a new world under his reign. He announces his second in command, Rivers, to be the new King of Ænæria. Natives attack the Ænærians camped outside the Vault and a battle ensues. Julius attacks Rose and she nearly bleeds to death as he tries to open the Vault with her blood. Sierra, the wolf, shows up and kills Julius. Ben realizes his blood will work to open the Vault. He enters and meets Mimir, a sentient computer program who teaches Ben about a race of aliens called Enochians. He reveals that Ben is half Enochian from his mother’s side, and her DNA is what allowed Ben into the Vault. Mimir also reveals that this is why Ben has had sudden bursts of extreme power. Lastly, he reveals Ben’s father is in suspended animation with a nearly dead body but living mind. Ben must choose to keep his father alive or use Mimir’s residual power to heal Rose but at the cost of his father’s life. Ben finally decides to end a life but meets his father briefly beforehand. He and Rose go home with an airship and meet with the other Penteric Alliance leaders and discuss a coming war with the not only the Ænærians but the Enochians as well. 

In the epilogue, Longinus is revealed to be a woman who has been emotionally abused by her uncle, Randolph. He reveals that Rivers died before he could become King, and therefore Randolph will become King. Furthermore, Randolph tells Longinus they have Ben’s eye and are able to access other Vaults around the world. They then go to a meeting with all the other legates, revealing that Arynn is now one of them.