Publisher's Synopsis
The Dark Lord Iminus Kaw's war against the Bond of Seven Kings has been burning for decades. His champion, Lord Cryacur, known throughout the galaxy as the Black Ash Prince, has led an offensive designed to surround the Bond and destroy it. The planet Ophistar lies in his path. Prince Metora, hero of the Bond, has organised a defence of Ophistar. There, he encounters Lorian Shane, a member of the exiled Merenmere warrior class and together they travel with his droid Nepta and his brother Dez, to the city of Myr Edele. They defend the city against Axis attacks and install a shield to protect it against any further attack. Metora knows he can't stay in the city forever; he will have to travel back to the Bond to force them into action and wants to take Lorian with him. Cryacur's attacks against the city fail and he turns to executing prisoners, one of them is Lorian's father. Lorian makes the decision to go with Metora back to the Bond. They are intercepted and captured by the enemy then taken to Anarc prison. For Lorian it will be years of hard labour, while Metora will be killed by Cryacur. A commando team led by Kuring-gai and the Sangrillion droid Oberon, destroys the prison and escapes back to the Bond with all the released prisoners. They also believe they have killed Cryacur in the process. Lorian quickly realises that the hierarchy of the Bond are weak and have no stomach for fighting, preferring to say behind the mighty Trinity Shield that protects the surviving planets from Axis attacks. Metora survives an assassination plot but appears to simply shrug it off but deep down he is suffering from the constant strain of fighting. Lorian is sent to Menenyr, the great fortress of the Merenmere where he will begin his training as a pilot. There he meets his new squad mates, Trix, Imogen and Kahil. The Bond believe Lord Cryacur is dead but he pulls himself from the wreckage of his ship and returns to his fortress on Jashir. Metora moves to the royal palace of Anueth. There he begins to plan to retake Ophistar in another attempt to get the Bond to take action against the Axis. This brings him into conflict with the head of the Bond military forces, Admiral Zuke. They intensely dislike each other, so Metora plans in secret. He approaches the Chief of the Merenmere, Chief Wolfcastle with his plans. They are eager to retake their planet and conspire to assemble soldiers and equipment in secret. Admiral Zuke is aware that something is stirring but he is unable to gain any further information, even going to the Elector of the Bond in an attempt to win back his authority. Lorian continues his training but is still plagued by strange dreams of a woman. He hears her voice or sees her bones in a deep cave under the ground. He has no idea what it means. Some of the dreams disturb him. Metora and the Merenmere are ready for their attack. They attack Ophistar without orders. There, they quickly destroy the Axis fleet. Lorian's fighter squadron is instrumental in bringing down the flagship of the fleet. Lorian is wounded but summoned by Metora to his command bunker outside Myr Edele. The shield is still protecting the city and the Axis siege army is still located there. Furious about this attack, Lord Cryacur travels to the planet. Lorian joins Kuring-gai, Oberon and the Merenmere troops as they attack the Axis forces. On Elsenmere Ridge that over looks Myr Edele, Metora and Cryacur fight. Lorian is wounded again in the struggle and comes face to face with the Black Ash Prince, who pushes Lorian away. Suddenly Cryacur is startled and in shock, leaves the battlefield and the planet to its fate. The planet is liberated, the shield deactivated and the victorious Merenmere enter the city. Cryacur travel to Tere Kaw, the Dark Lord's fortress and presents his bloody hand. Kaw recoils in horror that the blood is Ethereal, the original guardians of the Bond who were slaughtered over a thousand years ago.
