The Heart-Tree

The Heart-Tree, shrine to the goddess of life, stands over the world-fragment she defends, but beyond its protective reach, darkness has begun to stir. Anastagus the Truthseeker, once among the noblest of the Heart-Tree's guardians, has fallen to the sway of the Spider, and, in her name, seeks the ruination of all he once defended and espoused.

For Azaki, orphan and outcast of the Spider's favoured Clan of the Webbed Pit, this brings the chance for he and his sworn friends to prove themselves worthy of the clan's favour after years of scraping by on its fringes. Under the command of Anastagus' mad Companion, Kogodakus, he and those others offered up as tribute warriors by their clans will raid their way south through the sacred groves of the Heart-Tree Goddess and seize glory.

However, Azaki's misfortune sees him injured and left for dead in the ashes of a sacred grove by the sworn friends from his clan. Discovered there by his clan's ancient foes, and now wielding their strange power, he finds there is less to hate in soft, southern lands than he dreamt there'd be.

Yet Anastagus comes south regardless. And Azaki is still bound to his service.