
by Ben Arisson
THE STRONGEST AREN'T BORN. THEY ARE FORGED IN THE DEN. Eight years ago, Klassius Ren watched the world’s greatest hero—his grandfather—die in the black flames of Wailen. Ever since, Klay has lived with one obsessive declaration: he will become the Dauntless. He will be the shield the world needs. But at Gran Akademos, the floating fortress of the world’s elite mages, Klay is nobody. While his older brother rules the school as a legendary Tetrarch, Klay is branded with a white armband—the mark of a Novice. In this "Monsters’ Den," your rank is your lifeblood. A structure that ensures order while keeping the weak at the bottom and the "Monsters" at the top. Klay isn't alone in the shadows. To survive the Den, he must rely on Gayle, the girl whose "Hero Mode" hides the jagged scars of her past. Airan, the reluctant realist who keeps a running list of every way the school can kill them. Ravel, a noble who shields a debilitating fear of combat behind her family’s prestigious name. Bound by a promise, the four must navigate a social hierarchy designed to crush them. But when the school’s most vicious prodigy pushes them too far, Klay shatters the academy’s peace by challenging him to an Aria—a public duel where failure means exile. But Klay must keep his vow. But far beneath the floating spires of the academy, the ancient chains of the gods are fraying. A long-forgotten reckoning is stirring in the dark, and Klay’s awakening might be the only thing that can stop it—or the very thing that triggers it. One vow. Four outcasts. A world about to burn. Step into the Monsters' Den. The Dawn is coming.
| # | Title | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Prelude | 0 |
| 1 | Prologue | 0 |
| 2 | Chapter 1 - Klay - The Road from Wailen | 0 |
| 3 | Chapter 2 - Ravel, Gayle - Departure | 0 |
| 4 | Chapter 3 - Airan - Trouble in Geford Forest | 0 |