(Finished Darrow's narrative in Part 2) Tag: Visual edit |
No edit summary Tag: Visual edit |
||
| Line 87: | Line 87: | ||
Ephraim wakes to find himself on Mars, along with Pax and Electra. They are now on Mars, and as Ephraim asks for zoladone when he awakes, Pax, who is there holding [[Trigg ti Nakamura|Trigg ti Nakamura's]] engagement ring, denies him the drug, knowing his addiction to it. |
Ephraim wakes to find himself on Mars, along with Pax and Electra. They are now on Mars, and as Ephraim asks for zoladone when he awakes, Pax, who is there holding [[Trigg ti Nakamura|Trigg ti Nakamura's]] engagement ring, denies him the drug, knowing his addiction to it. |
||
| − | When he comes to again, he realizes that his injuries have been taken care of and his right leg has been replaced for a stronger one. He also realizes he's in the ruined city of Olympia on [[Eagle Rest]], the old citadel of [[House Bellona]]. He's greeted by an Obsidian shaman named [[Ozgard]] who tells him that they killed the Syndicate men after them. When he tries to flee, he is caught by [[Valdir|Valdir the Unshorn]] and flown back up to Eagle Rest by Godeater, |
+ | When he comes to again, he realizes that his injuries have been taken care of and his right leg has been replaced for a stronger one. He also realizes he's in the ruined city of Olympia on [[Eagle Rest]], the old citadel of [[House Bellona]]. He's greeted by an Obsidian shaman named [[Ozgard]] who tells him that they killed the Syndicate men after them. When he tries to flee, he is caught by [[Valdir|Valdir the Unshorn]] and flown back up to Eagle Rest by Godeater, Sefi's griffin. |
He is brought to the training square, where he watches Electra in a sparring match between two groups of young Obsidians. She shows her skill as her team wins. But when it's Pax's group's turn, he doesn't play by their rules. After he wins his match, Sefi scolds him, but he digresses, instead attempting to guilt Sefi for not only taking them in as hostages/wards, but also for leaving Darrow before he left for Venus in [[Iron Gold (Book Four)|Iron Gold]]. |
He is brought to the training square, where he watches Electra in a sparring match between two groups of young Obsidians. She shows her skill as her team wins. But when it's Pax's group's turn, he doesn't play by their rules. After he wins his match, Sefi scolds him, but he digresses, instead attempting to guilt Sefi for not only taking them in as hostages/wards, but also for leaving Darrow before he left for Venus in [[Iron Gold (Book Four)|Iron Gold]]. |
||
| − | Sefi proposes a deal with Ephraim. If he teaches Sefi's [[ |
+ | Sefi proposes a deal with Ephraim. If he teaches Sefi's [[Skuggi]] how to be better in "freelancing," things that will be useful other than killing, she will rescue [[Volga Fjorgan|Volga]] and [[Lyria of Lagalos|Lyria]] from [[Victra au Julii|Victra au Barca's]] hold, as that is who has them, and pay him a large sum of money. He asks for me, which Sefi agrees to, as he will also work on bringing Pax closer to the Alltribe. |
| − | He spends his first days teaching the Skuggi how to speak the common language as only half of them know it. And then teaches them how to lie by playing karachi, a card game which is presumably a game of skills and technique, much like poker. We learn that Pax has been allowed to work on an old gravBike, thanks to Ephraim's convincing. Ephraim hints at the possibility of helping Pax and Electra escape. Pax also lets him know that he believes Valdir, who is Sefi's concubine, and [[Freihild]], a Skuggi, are lovers. |
+ | He spends his first days teaching the Skuggi how to speak the common language as only half of them know it. And then teaches them how to lie by playing karachi, a card game which is presumably a game of skills and technique, much like poker. We learn that Pax has been allowed to work on an old gravBike, thanks to Ephraim's convincing. Ephraim hints at the possibility of helping Pax and Electra escape. Pax also lets him know that he believes Valdir, who is Sefi's concubine, and [[Freihild]], a highly respected Skuggi, are lovers. |
All three of them are sequestered onto a shuttle to fly them to an old cruise vessel called the [[Heart of Venus]]. On their way there, Pax tells them of the theory of a group of Obsidians who escaped the genocide and cultural reengineering of their people - the [[Ascomanni]], and how there might be a central force who leads them named [[Volsung Fá|Volsung]] the Taker. He also tells them about how some ships went missing in the Kuiper Belt, and years later one of the Ascommani was seen. It wasn't until Octavia had sent [[Atlas au Raa]] on his mission to Pluto that the name Volsung was thought of again as Atlas had lost all but two ships early in the mission. When Atlas returned seven years later, it was the same time rumors of the Ascomanni uniting had begun. Pax guesses that Atlas might have helped the Volsung into power. |
All three of them are sequestered onto a shuttle to fly them to an old cruise vessel called the [[Heart of Venus]]. On their way there, Pax tells them of the theory of a group of Obsidians who escaped the genocide and cultural reengineering of their people - the [[Ascomanni]], and how there might be a central force who leads them named [[Volsung Fá|Volsung]] the Taker. He also tells them about how some ships went missing in the Kuiper Belt, and years later one of the Ascommani was seen. It wasn't until Octavia had sent [[Atlas au Raa]] on his mission to Pluto that the name Volsung was thought of again as Atlas had lost all but two ships early in the mission. When Atlas returned seven years later, it was the same time rumors of the Ascomanni uniting had begun. Pax guesses that Atlas might have helped the Volsung into power. |
||
| Line 99: | Line 99: | ||
On the ship, they find that the Obsidians living there had come from Mercury, when [[Cadus Harnassus]] had released half the fleet back to Luna. Freihild brings them to see Sefi, where they witness Sefi's men kill Amel, Sefi's Pink servant, for treason and an assassination attempt against her. Valdir is angered by this, thinking it was Ozgard's doing, but Sefi tells him it was [[Xenophon]], the logos who serves the Alltribe, who told her. |
On the ship, they find that the Obsidians living there had come from Mercury, when [[Cadus Harnassus]] had released half the fleet back to Luna. Freihild brings them to see Sefi, where they witness Sefi's men kill Amel, Sefi's Pink servant, for treason and an assassination attempt against her. Valdir is angered by this, thinking it was Ozgard's doing, but Sefi tells him it was [[Xenophon]], the logos who serves the Alltribe, who told her. |
||
| − | Sefi then tells them that [[Virginia au Augustus|Virginia]] was killed in the coup, as well as the archGovernor of Mars, and that [[Sevro au Barca|Sevro]] has been captured on Earth. Pax leaves, and Electra yells at Sefi, blaming her for what has happened, and stalks off as well. Sefi then tells Ephraim that she plans on taking the Cimmeria mines and needs the Skuggi to be ready. Ephraim tells her they will be. |
+ | Sefi then tells them that [[Virginia au Augustus|Virginia]] was killed in the coup, as well as the archGovernor of Mars, and that [[Sevro au Barca|Sevro]] has been captured on Earth. Pax leaves, and Electra yells at Sefi, blaming her for what has happened, and stalks off as well. Sefi then tells Ephraim that she plans on taking the [[Cimmeria]] mines and needs the Skuggi to be ready. Ephraim tells her they will be. |
Ephraim is required to attend the Kjrdakan, a war ritual performed before important battles, as aefe, a planner, which means that Sefi has accepted his plan, and not that of Valdir. During the ritual, Valdir shows his displeasure and voices his anger, stating that Ephraim's plan will fail. Ephraim shows his confidence in his plan by making a blood wager. Sefi does the same, showing her confidence in Ephraim's plan as well. |
Ephraim is required to attend the Kjrdakan, a war ritual performed before important battles, as aefe, a planner, which means that Sefi has accepted his plan, and not that of Valdir. During the ritual, Valdir shows his displeasure and voices his anger, stating that Ephraim's plan will fail. Ephraim shows his confidence in his plan by making a blood wager. Sefi does the same, showing her confidence in Ephraim's plan as well. |
||
| − | Right before the attack on Cimmeria, Ephraim unknowingly eats some spirit berries from Ozgard's bag, thinking them to be walnuts. He starts hallucinating and when time for the attack comes, high on the berries, he joins in the battle with a mop he thought was a rifle. |
+ | Right before the attack on Cimmeria, Ephraim unknowingly eats some spirit berries from Ozgard's bag, thinking them to be walnuts. He starts hallucinating and when time for the attack comes, with him high on the berries, he joins in the battle enthusiastically, with a mop he thought was a rifle. |
* '''DARROW''' |
* '''DARROW''' |
||
Colloway locates and retrieves Orion's body from the sea after six days of searching, having killed one-hundred ninety three of Atalantia's men during those days. He puts her body with all the other bodies that were retrieved from the water. |
Colloway locates and retrieves Orion's body from the sea after six days of searching, having killed one-hundred ninety three of Atalantia's men during those days. He puts her body with all the other bodies that were retrieved from the water. |
||
| − | The Battle of the Ladon is over, but all the major cities of Helios are |
+ | The Battle of the Ladon is over, but all the major cities of Helios are now lost and millions of Darrow's men are either dead or missing, along with millions of the citizens of Heliopolis. Darrow surmises that Atalantia is also suffering many casualties as there hasn't been another attack since. Alexandar has yet to appear from where Darrow left him, at Tyche, and presumes he's likely dead. |
| − | Harnassus, Thraxa, and Screwface discuss what to do next. Darrow knows there's no escape, and Harnassus suggests surrender, thinking that though they will be tortured to death at least some of the |
+ | Harnassus, Thraxa, and Screwface discuss what to do next. Darrow knows there's no escape, and Harnassus suggests surrender, thinking that though they will be tortured to death at least some of the civilians will survive. Darrow tells them all that he will wait for the Republic and his wife to send aid, and orders that they share their supplies with the civilians, despite the fact that it won't last a week if they do, as per Thraxa's argument. After that's said, Rhonna tells Darrow that Atalantia requests an audience. |
| − | Atalantia knows she's at a disadvantage, but then she shows Darrow the events at the Forum and he |
+ | Atalantia knows she's at a disadvantage, but then she shows Darrow the events at the Forum and he watches events of the Day of Red Doves. He realizes he can't rely on Virginia or the Republic coming to their aid, knowing that Virginia might be dead. Atalantia gives him twenty-four hours to surrender. While the recording is being shown to all of Heliopolis, he discusses with the high command what needs to be done next, and gives them the authority to decide their fate, with him accepting any decision they make. |
* '''LYSANDER''' |
* '''LYSANDER''' |
||
* '''LYRIA''' |
* '''LYRIA''' |
||
Revision as of 07:59, 21 April 2020
Dark Age is the fifth book of the Red Rising Saga. It may also be referred to as the second book of the Iron Gold Trilogy, which takes place ten years after the third book, Morning Star, with Darrow as one of the four narrators in the series. The book title was announced by Pierce Brown on his Facebook page on December 15, 2017.
"Oy Howlers. Sleigh bells are in the air, cider is on the stove, and I'm hard at work on book five. It is bloodydamn pleasure to announce DARK AGE will be coming soon. Quite soon."
The book's original scheduled publication date was September 11, 2018,[1] however, it had been pushed back to February 12, 2019, then to July 9, 2019.
The actual publication date was July 30, 2019.
Pierce announced on social media that he had completed and turned in the manuscript on April 19, 2019.
On June 12, 2019, Pierce showed off the hardcover edition of the book via social media.[2] An icon of House Grimmus is displayed on the spine.[3]
Summary
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Morning Star returns to the Red Rising universe with the thrilling sequel to Iron Gold.
For a decade Darrow led a revolution against the corrupt color-coded Society. Now, outlawed by the very Republic he founded, he wages a rogue war on Mercury in hope that he can still salvage the dream of Eo. But as he leaves death and destruction in his wake, is he still the hero who broke the chains? Or will another legend rise to take his place?
Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile, has returned to the Core. Determined to bring peace back to mankind at the edge of his sword, he must overcome or unite the treacherous Gold families of the Core and face down Darrow over the skies of war-torn Mercury.
But theirs are not the only fates hanging in the balance.
On Luna, Mustang, Sovereign of the Republic, campaigns to unite the Republic behind her husband. Beset by political and criminal enemies, can she outwit her opponents in time to save him?
Once a Red refugee, young Lyria now stands accused of treason, and her only hope is a desperate escape with unlikely new allies.
Abducted by a new threat to the Republic, the children of Darrow and Mustang must trust in a thief for their salvation—and Ephraim must look to them for his chance at redemption.
As alliances shift, break, and re-form—and power is seized, lost, and reclaimed—every player is at risk in a game of conquest that could turn the Rising into a new Dark Age.[4]
Plot
WARNING: This section reveals MAJOR SPOILERS from this and prior books. It is meant to be used as a reference for those who have already read the book and need the information or a refresher on the storyline. By no means is this meant to be an alternative to reading the book. Read at your own risk.
Prologue
- DARROW
(Prior to the Prologue, there is a speech by Virginia, Sovereign of the Solar Republic. She address her people, to gain their trust and support for the upcoming battle on Mercury. Her last thoughts are for her husband, to endure, for she will come for him. The prologue takes place two months prior to this speech.)
With a skeleton crew, and Sevro having parted ways to go back to Luna to help find his daughter Electra from whomever kidnapped her, Darrow arrives at Mercury three weeks too late from the attack by Atalantia au Grimmus. However, he and those with him, including Thraxa au Telemanus, Alexandar au Arcos, Colloway xe Char, Tongueless, and his niece Rhonna, attempt a rescue of one of his most loyal, Orion xe Aquarii, from the ship the Blood Medusa. Though they are successful in rescuing Orion, it's obvious she has endured torture.
Part I: Mischief
- DARROW
Darrow is on Mercury looking at what's left of his army, over three thousand injured and no longer able to fight. He happens across a lowRed, and coincidentally, it's Dago of Gamma, the infamous Helldiver from a rival tribe. Dago is blind and weakened and offers Darrow some soil from Lykos to keep with him.
There on Mercury, Darrow's set up his headquarters in the city of Tyche, where he's also had his flagship, the Morning Star, docked for repairs. When he goes to check or Orion, he already knows that despite her passing her psychiatric evaluation and completing her duties on schedule, she's different somehow.
Once on Mercury, they meet with Glirastes the Master Maker and start to uncover the Storm God machines that were hidden on the planet by Octavia. Darrow then gathers up the reliable veterans there and tells them of his plan of how to annihilate Atalantia and Atlas, and how they're his "insurance policy", under the name Operation Tartarus. But the plan falls through as soon as they realize that Atlas is not going where they had planned, and Darrow orders Orion to go to BlueReach One, a location off the coast of Tyche.
Before Darrow could arrive in the city of Angelia, where Atlas was said to be, he had already been lost to Alexandar and the rest of Darrow's men due to exhaustion and lack of sleep. By the time he arrived, the soldiers were already defeated, left dying on vertical poles, booby-trapped for anyone who dare try to rescue them. But as they look further into the city, they realize the city's reactor is being overloaded to explode the city and any other city reactors connected to it. Darrow and his team make it out in time, but Angelia and several other cities are bombed. Darrow makes live Operation Tartarus.
As Atalantia begins her Iron Rain, Darrow loses many of his men in the atomic bombs that go off around their area. He has Colloway take what's left of the First Army to aid Thraxa and make their way to Tyche, while he takes his Second Army, the Helldiver Legion, with him to Tyche directly.
When the Storm God is activated, Darrow's army intercepts one of the enemy's divisions and are able to take down several legions, as well as Primus Scorpio au Votum.
When they finally arrive at Tyche, Darrow realizes that Orion defied his order to keep the Storm God level to a minimum and has already destroyed much of the city and killed millions, Golds and civilians alike. He is forced to use his master switch on her, killing her. Rhonna brings him an enemy in Fulminata uniform, but when they reveal his face, he knows it's Screwface, who was carved to go undercover in Atalantia's army. Screwface tells him of Ajax's legion going towards Heliopolis, and Darrow tells Rhonna to find the Morning Star and Thraxa and go to Heliopolis by way of the Waste of Ladon. He then allows Alexandar and his men to help the civilians of Tyche escape the destroyed city, after giving him status as a Howler by giving him his wolfcloak, temporarily.
Darrow and his men face off against Lysander and his group easily, taking them as "light resistance," on their way to Heliopolis. They arrive at Heliopolis only to find it being seiged by Ajax's men. Darrow is almost killed, but Colloway xe Char, Thraxa au Telemanus, the First Army, and the Morning Star arrive in time to save him. They take back Heliopolis, but Ajax escaped, and Darrow escaped death again after he suffered a heart attack.
- LYSANDER
Lysander travels with Diomedes au Raa and Seraphina au Raa to board the Annihilo orbiting Mercury and meet with Atalantia au Grimmus and Ajax au Grimmus. Once they land on the ship, the Fear Knight, Kalindora au San, who Lysander thought dead, and Ajax meet them skeptically. They test Lysander to see if it's really him, and once it's confirmed, Ajax makes an effort to show his dislike of Diomedes and Seraphina.
After he meets alone with Atalantia, she, along with Ajax and Kalindora, as well as the Primuses of House Carthii, House Votum, and House Falthe via hologram. Lysander tells him of how he had become a ward to Cassius, and of Cassius' death and the whereabouts of his body. When Diomedes and Seraphina are brought in, they explain Darrow's involvement in the Ganymede Dockyard destruction and of the death of their father, Romulus au Raa, and offer their aid to help in this war. Atalantia at first seems to reject having the Rim's help, but with some convincing, she agrees. When asked to join in the Iron Rain they have planned, Diomedes tells Atalantia he cannot join as that is not what he's there for, but Seraphina requests to join in his place, despite her brother's disapproval. Lysander, who had just been hit and berated by Ajax moments prior for allowing himself to be ward to Cassius, also states his desire to join the Iron Rain, alongside Ajax.
As Ajax prepares his legion, the Iron Leopards, for the battle, he lets them know they are not going to assist Scorpio au Votum to take Tyche as agreed upon by Atalantia, but they are going to take Heliopolis instead, much to Lysander's disappointment.
When the Iron Rain starts, Lysander and the rest of them shoot towards the ground while bombs are going off all over the planet. Though Lysander no longer feels comfortable about their attack on possible civilians, Kalindora reminds him they're in a war. As they get ready for their next plan, they are notified of a storm coming. Lysander then tells them of a Storm God, which only he in the group knows about. Lysander and Seraphina volunteer to go destroy the Storm God. Unfortunately, when they reach it in painstaking effort, even while being aided by Cicero au Votum's Scorpian Legion, Seraphina is killed by an flyaway rail slug.
They are finally able to destroy the Storm God, but when Darrow and his men reach them, they are beaten easily, with Kalindora losing an arm, and Lysander having part of his face burned.
Part II: Craft
- VIRGINIA
Taking place after Darrow takes back Heliopolis, Virginia, from the dreadnought Echo of Ares, makes her first speech to the Solar Republic, telling them of the what has happened on Mercury and how they still need help, hoping it will help gain back support from the people. At the same time, the Twins of South Pacifica shoot out projectiles filled with supplies and medicine, along with a message for Darrow stating he has not been abandoned. After her speech, Dancer contacts her, voicing his disagreement about her intentions to send a fleet out to Mercury. She knows he fears death, and retaliation by the Vox Populii in the aftermath.
She meets with Daxo au Telemanus on his skyhook, where he is with Publius cu Caraval arguing his point, and states that he cannot side with Daxo if they allow Quicksilver to do as he wishes, basically. But Virginia's main purpose is to get the Optimate Party to convince enough voters to get her a Forum and the power over the defense fleets so she can aid Darrow.
Virginia, upon meeting with Regulus ag Sun, finds herself being extorted by the Silvers' common interest federation, the Zenith Ring, with Brittania ag Krieg voicing out the proposals. Despite Quicksilver's position and prior aid from his company, Virginia denies their proposals and she demands their votes instead.
She gets news that Sevro has killed the Duke of Heads, the chief assassin of the Syndicate, as Sevro has been on a killing spree on orders of his wife, Victra, due to their kidnapped daughter, Electra. Virginia's team is able to contain the Duke of Hands before Sevro can get to him. She uses psychospikes on him and uses the results to improve the technology she has been working on, which is refined from Octavia au Lune's Pandemonium Chair.
Sevro arrives ready to kill the Duke of Hands, but when Virginia theorizes correctly the whereabouts of Pax and Electra, that they're with Sefi and her Obsidians on Mars, and why Sevro and Victra kept Virginia out of it, she convinces Sevro to return to her command, along with the Howler First Cohort. To confirm his loyalty to her, she has Sevro question the Duke without killing him, he does so, with the Duke unwillingly revealing his secrets through holoimages, including several images of Dancer O'Faran and him being intimate, due to the psychospikes she used on him. After his secrets are revealed, the Duke loses his memories, not even remembering what his own eye color is. Virginia gives Theodora the order to turn him into a Splinter, Theodora's elite assassins.
Virginia and Sevro surprise Dancer when he comes to visit Deanna. They show him the images from the Duke of Hands' memory, and he's furious, thinking they're blackmailing him to keep his secret, since Reds are against homosexuality. They tell him the truth and that the children are with Sefi, and they want Dancer to convince the Reds to go in partnership with Sefi, which can only be done if his votes are for Virginia. They hypothesize that Publius is the one collaborating with the Syndicate Queen. Dancer agrees to side with Virginia.
On the day of the voting, Sevro leaves for Earth with fifty thousand of Virginia's men and Darrow's Seventh Legion, where they believe the Syndicate Queen to be, to kill her. Niobe is headed to Mars to rendezvous with their house fleets. Kavax, who is still healing, opts to go for a swim instead of going to the Citadel for the voting as he doesn't like to be there without Niobe. He gives Virginia words of encouragement before he leaves.
But things go awry as soon as the Forum begins. As Sevro tries to warn Virginia about Boneriders being in Old Tokyo, Dancer is giving his speech. As he's about to voice his vote for Virginia, he collapses, having been poisoned, and dies. Publius and the Vox Populi shout tyranny and it becomes a coup, with many people and senators killed. As Daxo tries to protect Virginia and give her a way to escape the Citadel, he is also killed. As Virginia is beaten and being hauled away, she sees it is Lilath au Faran who cuts off Daxo's head. Virginia realizes then that Lilath is the Syndicate Queen. This day has become known as the Day of Red Doves.
- EPHRAIM
Ephraim wakes to find himself on Mars, along with Pax and Electra. They are now on Mars, and as Ephraim asks for zoladone when he awakes, Pax, who is there holding Trigg ti Nakamura's engagement ring, denies him the drug, knowing his addiction to it.
When he comes to again, he realizes that his injuries have been taken care of and his right leg has been replaced for a stronger one. He also realizes he's in the ruined city of Olympia on Eagle Rest, the old citadel of House Bellona. He's greeted by an Obsidian shaman named Ozgard who tells him that they killed the Syndicate men after them. When he tries to flee, he is caught by Valdir the Unshorn and flown back up to Eagle Rest by Godeater, Sefi's griffin.
He is brought to the training square, where he watches Electra in a sparring match between two groups of young Obsidians. She shows her skill as her team wins. But when it's Pax's group's turn, he doesn't play by their rules. After he wins his match, Sefi scolds him, but he digresses, instead attempting to guilt Sefi for not only taking them in as hostages/wards, but also for leaving Darrow before he left for Venus in Iron Gold.
Sefi proposes a deal with Ephraim. If he teaches Sefi's Skuggi how to be better in "freelancing," things that will be useful other than killing, she will rescue Volga and Lyria from Victra au Barca's hold, as that is who has them, and pay him a large sum of money. He asks for me, which Sefi agrees to, as he will also work on bringing Pax closer to the Alltribe.
He spends his first days teaching the Skuggi how to speak the common language as only half of them know it. And then teaches them how to lie by playing karachi, a card game which is presumably a game of skills and technique, much like poker. We learn that Pax has been allowed to work on an old gravBike, thanks to Ephraim's convincing. Ephraim hints at the possibility of helping Pax and Electra escape. Pax also lets him know that he believes Valdir, who is Sefi's concubine, and Freihild, a highly respected Skuggi, are lovers.
All three of them are sequestered onto a shuttle to fly them to an old cruise vessel called the Heart of Venus. On their way there, Pax tells them of the theory of a group of Obsidians who escaped the genocide and cultural reengineering of their people - the Ascomanni, and how there might be a central force who leads them named Volsung the Taker. He also tells them about how some ships went missing in the Kuiper Belt, and years later one of the Ascommani was seen. It wasn't until Octavia had sent Atlas au Raa on his mission to Pluto that the name Volsung was thought of again as Atlas had lost all but two ships early in the mission. When Atlas returned seven years later, it was the same time rumors of the Ascomanni uniting had begun. Pax guesses that Atlas might have helped the Volsung into power.
On the ship, they find that the Obsidians living there had come from Mercury, when Cadus Harnassus had released half the fleet back to Luna. Freihild brings them to see Sefi, where they witness Sefi's men kill Amel, Sefi's Pink servant, for treason and an assassination attempt against her. Valdir is angered by this, thinking it was Ozgard's doing, but Sefi tells him it was Xenophon, the logos who serves the Alltribe, who told her.
Sefi then tells them that Virginia was killed in the coup, as well as the archGovernor of Mars, and that Sevro has been captured on Earth. Pax leaves, and Electra yells at Sefi, blaming her for what has happened, and stalks off as well. Sefi then tells Ephraim that she plans on taking the Cimmeria mines and needs the Skuggi to be ready. Ephraim tells her they will be.
Ephraim is required to attend the Kjrdakan, a war ritual performed before important battles, as aefe, a planner, which means that Sefi has accepted his plan, and not that of Valdir. During the ritual, Valdir shows his displeasure and voices his anger, stating that Ephraim's plan will fail. Ephraim shows his confidence in his plan by making a blood wager. Sefi does the same, showing her confidence in Ephraim's plan as well.
Right before the attack on Cimmeria, Ephraim unknowingly eats some spirit berries from Ozgard's bag, thinking them to be walnuts. He starts hallucinating and when time for the attack comes, with him high on the berries, he joins in the battle enthusiastically, with a mop he thought was a rifle.
- DARROW
Colloway locates and retrieves Orion's body from the sea after six days of searching, having killed one-hundred ninety three of Atalantia's men during those days. He puts her body with all the other bodies that were retrieved from the water.
The Battle of the Ladon is over, but all the major cities of Helios are now lost and millions of Darrow's men are either dead or missing, along with millions of the citizens of Heliopolis. Darrow surmises that Atalantia is also suffering many casualties as there hasn't been another attack since. Alexandar has yet to appear from where Darrow left him, at Tyche, and presumes he's likely dead.
Harnassus, Thraxa, and Screwface discuss what to do next. Darrow knows there's no escape, and Harnassus suggests surrender, thinking that though they will be tortured to death at least some of the civilians will survive. Darrow tells them all that he will wait for the Republic and his wife to send aid, and orders that they share their supplies with the civilians, despite the fact that it won't last a week if they do, as per Thraxa's argument. After that's said, Rhonna tells Darrow that Atalantia requests an audience.
Atalantia knows she's at a disadvantage, but then she shows Darrow the events at the Forum and he watches events of the Day of Red Doves. He realizes he can't rely on Virginia or the Republic coming to their aid, knowing that Virginia might be dead. Atalantia gives him twenty-four hours to surrender. While the recording is being shown to all of Heliopolis, he discusses with the high command what needs to be done next, and gives them the authority to decide their fate, with him accepting any decision they make.
- LYSANDER
- LYRIA
Part III: Treason
- VIRGINIA
- EPHRAIM
- DARROW
- LYSANDER
- LYRIA
Part IV: Pride
- VIRGINIA
- LYSANDER
- DARROW
- LYRIA
Dramatis Personae
- Darrow of Lykos/The Reaper - Former ArchImperator of the Republic, husband to Virginia, a Red
- Virginia au Augustus/Mustang - Reigning Sovereign of the Republic, wife to Darrow, Primus of House Augustus, sister to the Jackal of Mars, a Gold
- Pax - Son of Darrow and Virginia, a Gold
- Kieran O'Lykos - Brother to Darrow, Howler, a Red
- Rhonna - Niece of Darrow, daughter of Kieran, lancer, Pup Two, a Red
- Deanna - Mother to Darrow, a Red
- Sevro au Barca/The Goblin - Imperator of the Republic, husband to Victra, Howler, a Gold
- Victra au Barca - Wife to Sevro, née Victra au Julii, a Gold
- Electra au Barca - Daughter of Sevro and Victra, a Gold
- Dancer O'Faran/Senator O'Faran - Senator of the Republic, former Ares lieutenant, Tribune of the Red Bloc, a Red
- Kavax au Telemanus - Primus of House Telemanus, client of House Augustus, a Gold
- Niobe au Telemanus - Wife to Kavax, client of House Augustus, a Gold
- Daxo au Telemanus - Heir of House Telemanus, son of Kavax and Niobe, senator, Tribune of the Gold Bloc, a Gold
- Thraxa au Telemanus - Praetor of the Free Legions, daughter of Kavax and Niobe, Howler, a Gold
- Alexandar au Arcos - Eldest grandson of Lorn au Arcos, heir to House Arcos, allied to House Augustus, lancer, Pup One, a Gold
- Cadus Harnassus - Imperator of the Republic, second in command of the Free Legions, an Orange
- Orion xe Aquarii - Navarch of the Republic, Imperator of the White Fleet, a Blue
- Colloway xe Char - A pilot, reigning kill-leader of the Republic Navy, Howler, a Blue
- Glirastes The Master Maker - Architect and inventor, an Orange
- Holiday ti Nakamura - Dux of Virginia's Lionguard, sister to Trigg, client of House Augustus, Centurion of the Pegasus Legion, a Gray
- Quicksilver/Regulus ag Sun - Richest man in the Republic, head of Sun Industries, a Silver
- Publius cu Caraval - Tribune of the Copper Bloc, senator, a Copper
- Theodora - Leader of the Splinter Operatives, client of House Augustus, a Rose Pink
- Zan - ArchImperator of the Republic following Darrow's removal, commander of Luna's defense fleet, a Blue
- Clown - Howler, client of House Barca, a Gold
- Pebble - Howler, client of House Barca, a Gold
- Min-Min - Howler, sniper and munitions expert, client of House Barca, a Red
- Screwface - Howler, client of House Augustus, a Gold
- Marbles - Howler, hacker, a Green
- Tongueless - Former prisoner at Deepgrave, an Obsidian
- Felix au Daan - Bodyguard to Darrow, client of House Augustus, a Gold
Chapters
Darrow | Blood Red
- Darrow | Till the Vale
- Lysander | Annihilo
- Darrow | Storm God
- Lysander | Ajax, Son of Aja
- Darrow | Voyager Cloak
- Lysander | Carnivores
- Darrow | The Calm
- Lysander | The Machine
- Darrow | Angelia
- Lysander | The Ash Rain
- Darrow | Red Beach
- Lysander | White Golems
- Darrow | Plains of Caduceus
- Lysander | Into the Storm
- Darrow | Tyche
- Lysander | Rider of the Storm
- Darrow | Heliopolis
- Virginia | Sovereign
- Virginia | Stiletto
- Virginia | Politicos
- Ephraim | Mauler, Brawler, Legacy Howler
- Ephraim | Unshorn
- Ephraim | Queen
- Ephraim | Skuggi
- Virginia | Oligarchs
- Virginia | The Goblin's Prey
- Virginia | Pack
- Ephraim | Karachi
- Virginia | The Dust of Reverie
- Virginia | Ocular Sphere
- Virginia | Day of Red Doves
- Darrow | In Wake
- Darrow | The Devil's Deal
- Lysander | Shadows of War
- Darrow | Endure
- Lyria | Victim
- Ephraim | Heart of Venus
- Lysander | The Horizon
- Lysander | The Mind's Eye
- Ephraim | Kjrdakan
- Ephraim | Obsidian Rising
- Lysander | A Chorus upon the Pale
- Lysander | The Enemy
- Ephraim | Hunt of the Last Light
- Ephraim | Nightgaze
- Ephraim | Whirlpool
- Lyria | They Are Sleeping
- Lyria | Monsters
- Lyria | Run
- Lyria | Parasite
- Lyria | Jade Witch
- Ephraim | Pale Rain
- Virginia | Pandemonium
- Virginia | Justice of the Meek
- Virginia | The Wolf and the Mother
- Virginia | A Maze with No Center
- Virginia | Black Cathedral
- Darrow | Sevro's Palace
- Lysander | The Impaler
- Lysander | Pup One
- Darrow | Hero of Tyche
- Lysander | The Warlord and the Libertine
- Darrow | Unremarkable
- Lysander | To Master a Maker
- Lyria | Ulysses
- Lyria | The Julii's Bill
- Lyria | Numb
- Lyria | Shh
- Lyria | The Childwives
- Lyria | Thunder Battle
- Ephraim | From the Static
- Lyria | One Last Tooth
- Lyria | At Last, She Screams
- Ephraim | Son of the Rising
- Ephraim | Grarnir
- Ephraim | He Who Walks the Void
- Ephraim | Worthy
- Lysander | A Visitor
- Darrow | Bad Blood
- Lysander | Heir of Arcos
- Darrow | Dark Age
- Lysander | This Summons Legions
- Darrow | Hazard Bedlam
- Darrow | Meat Straw
- Lysander | Lune Invictus
- Darrow | Legion's End
- Lysander | Ghost
- Lyria | Mercury Has Fallen
- Lysander | Triumph of the Long Night
- Lysander | The Love Knight
- Virginia | Salvation or Vengeance
- Lysander | Graveyard of Tyrants
Trivia
- In a signing, Pierce had stated that listening to movie soundtracks can sometimes influence what he writes. For example, he was listening to the Jurassic Park soundtrack when he wrote in a metaphor that involved velociraptors attacking a tyrannosaur, which is in Chapter 13. [5]
References
- ↑ Penguin Random House - Dark Age page
- ↑ Pierce Brown, Twitter - Beautiful baby - June 12, 2019
- ↑ Pierce Brown, Twitter - Spine sigil reveal - June 12, 2019
- ↑ Howler Life - Dark Age Official Description Teases Death, Destruction, Redemption And… A New POV? - May 9, 2018
- ↑ This was a Red Rising blog after all, Sons of Ares Vol. 2: Wrath signing, February 22, 2020.