Josiah Y

One captain’s death might turn out to be humanity’s best chance at survival. As humanity expands into the stars, it discovers the universe is a hostile place. When Captain Slater of the USS Franklin is assigned to a deep-space reconnaissance mission, his ship is destroyed by an unknown alien race.

In a world divided into four territories, each with their own unique sun, color, race, and culture, Esh is born and abandoned in the cruelest of all. The red territory of Reah. A land in which every day is an absolute struggle for survival. One day, an elderly man discovers the boy mortally wounded on the side of the ash-filled streets and takes pity on him, a kindness unknown in the land of Reah. Then, using violent and unorthodox training, he teaches the boy the skills necessary to endure the harshness of the territory. Skills of a master assassin. Combat. Sorcery. Alchemy. All is going well until a dark and forgotten energy finds its way into young Esh's body. Wreaking havoc on his mind, it threatens to drag his spirit into darkness.