Dark Age

Virginia au Augustus, the Sovereign of the Republic, faces a crumbling alliance and a brutal assault on Mercury, where Darrow, the former red miner turned gold, leads a desperate defense against Atalantia’s forces. The Republic’s forces are decimated, and key leaders are captured or killed, including Alexandar au Arcos and Virginia herself. Meanwhile, Lysander, the heir of House Lune, navigates the treacherous political landscape of the Society, where his loyalty is tested and his true identity is revealed as he leads a rebellion against Atalantia.

Ephraim ti Horn, a former Sons of Ares member, finds himself on the side of the Obsidians, where he trains their elite assassins and becomes entangled in their internal power struggles. His path intersects with that of Lyria, a Gamma Red from Mars, who is captured by the Red Hand and endures horrific torture before escaping and joining forces with Victra au Barca to fight back. The two form an unlikely alliance, driven by a shared sense of loss and a desire for vengeance.

As the conflict escalates, Darrow and his remaining forces are pushed to the brink, with Heliopolis falling to Lysander’s advancing army. Darrow’s resolve is tested when Screwface, one of his closest allies, is severely wounded, and Harnassus, a stalwart commander, confronts him about their failures. Just as all seems lost, Cassius, a former ally, offers unexpected aid, providing a glimmer of hope.

The book culminates in a series of intense battles and betrayals, with Lysander’s triumph in Heliopolis overshadowed by the revelation of his mother’s murder and the erasure of his memories by Octavia. Virginia, now on Mars, reflects on her failures and the loss of her friends, while Lyria and Pax uncover the origins of a mysterious parasite and the Obsidians’ true intentions. The stage is set for a new and even more perilous conflict, with the fate of the Republic and the solar system hanging in the balance.