Annals of Drakis Series

From the New York Times bestselling co-author of the Dragonlance novels comes the stunning conclusion to The Annals of Drakis.

In the thrilling conclusion to The Annals of Drakis, the ancient prophecy of Drakis—the human warrior who will lead all the races conquered and enslaved by the elves of the Rhonas Empire to freedom—is on the brink of being fulfilled. The elves have ruled their vast Empire for centuries, thanks to both their well-trained Legions and their complete control of the Aether—the mystical substance that fuels their magic. But there is now a growing rebel army threatening to overrun their territory. It is an army able to draw on magic of its own, an army allied with dragons, an army marching under the banner of Drakis.
 
With the elves gathering their Legions to destroy the entire rebel force and all the pilgrims that have flocked to Drakis’ encampment, there can be no turning back for either side.
 
Still, desperate to avert disaster, Drakis has conceived a plan that he hopes will provide a haven for pilgrims and put an end to the war. But when he sends his fellow dragon-riders out to contact his scattered forces and potential allies, Drakis is unaware that almost all of them have hidden agendas of their own.
 
Now both sides are mobilizing for their final campaign, a battle that could not only bring down the Rhonas Empire, but Drakis and his entire world as well.

The second novel in the “enthralling” (Midwest Book Review) Annals of Drakis fantasy epic

The Rhonas Empire of the elves is built upon an unquenchable thirst for conquest. The elves control the Aether—the mystical substance that fuels their magic. And one use of this Aether is to compel total obedience on the part of the slaves drawn from the races they have defeated.
 
But there are legends that tell of an age when humans and the other slave races were free, ruling powerful empires of their own. Tales carried down from generation to generation speak of a hero who will lead an uprising against the empire. That hero, so the stories say, will be a human named Drakis.
 
When a captive dwarf called Jugar works Aer magic to destroy the Aether wells of the Western Provinces, it signals the start of a rebellion straight out of legend. In the ensuing chaos, the warrior-slave named Drakis, along with a small group of fellow slaves, flees—lured on by a melody that coils itself around his mind and conjures disturbing visions of dark wings, claws, iridescent scales, and fire.
 
Pursued by the Rhonas Iblisi Inquisitors, this desperate band of fugitives makes its way across the ocean only to find a desolated, seemingly lifeless land. Following the melody he alone can hear, Drakis stumbles on the incredible truth: dragons are real.
 
Attacked by these fierce, fire-breathing beings, the group escapes through a fold that opens into the remains of a once-great empire. Cut off from the world they know, can they survive the dangers of this treacherous realm, and find a way back to those they left behind—bringing the truth of the legends to the army of the rebellion even now being raised in the name of Drakis?

The first in an old-school fantasy saga full of adventure, action, and a colorful cast of magical creatures—by the co-creator of Dragonlance!

In a world in which humans are nearly extinct, an ancient prophecy speaks of Drakis—the warrior who will finally uprise against the tyrannical elf empire . . .

The Elves of the Rhonas Empire have carved a path of conquest throughout the civilized lands, enslaving humans, chimera, manticores, goblins, and every other race they encounter. Now, humans are a nearly extinct minority among the warrior-slave races, their will and memories suppressed by the tyrannical, magic-wielding elves.

But legends tell of a time when humans and the other slave races were free. There are tales of a hero who will return one day to lead them in an uprising against their masters. That hero, so the stories say, will be a human named Drakis.

But Drakis Sha’Timuran—a human warrior-slave of House Timuran—gives no credence to these legends. He fights for the glory of his House and his elven masters along with the other members of his Cohort.

But as they embark on the final stage of a campaign to bring down the last dwarf king, Drakis finds himself troubled by a song—a melody that coils itself around his mind and conjures disturbing visions of dark wings, claws, iridescent scales, and fire. In the midst of a devastating battle, the song leads Drakis to capture a mysterious dwarf as a prize of war.

When Drakis returns to his master with his prisoner, the dwarf uses his own magic to shatter the spell over the entire household. Along with the other slaves, Drakis suddenly recalls the truth of his enslavement, the terrible cruelty of his masters, and their deceit. But if everything he knows about his world and his life is a lie, what is the truth? And does the lure of the song—now calling him northward into the heart of a vanished civilization—herald the beginning of a new dawn or the promise of eternal night?