"Weaving Darkness" by Alexey Pekhov, summary Automatic translate

Created in 2021, the novel tells the story of a dying world engulfed by destructive magic and a demonic threat. The storylines of numerous disparate characters converge against the backdrop of a global military conflict. The novel is part of the "Blue Flame" series. It is the fifth installment in the cycle, continuing the events of "Lethos," "Blue Flame," "Taloris," and "White Fire."

Hostage in Sharud

The former ruler of the Mountain Duchy, Zahira da Montag, loses her husband and sons. Servants of Wayren, an ancient Astore, have seized her kingdom. A demon possesses her youngest son, Erego. The widow flees the capital with her loyal ladies-in-waiting, Iornada and Magg. The girls secretly make their way through the castle’s dark dungeons to the White Bay River. At the border, near the Kapel Bastion, they are overtaken by a detachment of "Snow Bears." Scattered gold provokes a bloody battle between the mercenaries and the bastion’s guards. The ladies-in-waiting sacrifice their lives by throwing themselves into the mountain stream.

A deal with death

The escape ends in failure. The Shautts return Zahira to the gloomy castle of Kalav-im-tark. Erego and the blind Mitten demand their mother write a letter to their brother in Karif. The demons plan to extend the Dark Rider’s power to the southern lands. The impostor promises to return the soul of his true son. To do this, Zahira must bring an acorn from the ancient eyv tree. The Duchess flatly refuses to surrender her homeland to the demons. She activates the spring mechanism in her ring. A tiny blade slits her throat.

Voices of the past

On the other side of the continent, in the Trettini capital of Rione, a young man named Vir hides. The ringing of an old copper bell awakens in his mind the voices of the tauvins of bygone eras. Ancient knights share forgotten fencing secrets. The firefly tattoos on the boy’s back come to life, granting him superhuman speed. Vir puts his new skills to use in a brawl with the port thugs Reti and Likka. He then enrolls in the prestigious fencing school of Messer Menlaio. The young man easily masters complex stances. Experienced masters are amazed by his rapid learning.

Meeting with Kar

The fugitive’s successes from Pubir attract the attention of the merchant Kar. A strange, overweight man with an asymmetrical face sets a small demonic dog named Cloud on the young man. The beast transforms into a huge monster and strips Vir of his abilities. The young man flees through an old cemetery. He takes refuge in an abandoned Temple of the Six. The bell in his hands transforms into a steel shield. Kar stops the monster and interrogates the fugitive. The powerful merchant suspects him of being the Night Clan’s killer. Convinced otherwise, Kar leaves Vir alone.

Secrets of the Necromancer

Sharon, Theo, the blind Blanca, and Laviani the jay struggle to escape the Dead Lands. The long journey has left them exhausted. Sharon conceals her Tzamas nature, hiding an artifact of the great sorceress Merc fused with her skin. In the town of Ricoli, the group is stopped by vigilant guards. The patrol commander plans to arrest the suspicious travelers. The Pointer uses her blood and dice to raise a pig slaughtered by butchers. The animal’s animated corpse frightens the soldiers. The group safely buys horses and quickly leaves the settlement.

A Deal with the Duke

Upon arriving in Riona, Sharon receives an invitation to Anselmo de Benigno’s palace. Lord Trettini is preparing for the imminent invasion of the Mountain Duchy’s army. He asks the necromancer for assistance in the coming battles. In exchange, the duke promises full protection. Sharon agrees to remain at the Cascade Palace. She sends a letter to Lord Carif. The Pointer uses a dead seagull as a carrier pigeon. The nobles present watch in horror as the northerner performs her dark sorcery.

The Fall of Fiehsheis

The great wizard Milvio de Roveri, known as the Flamingo, and the warrior Date retreat through the brutally fought-over Fichsheis. Wayren’s armies methodically destroy pockets of resistance. Riders bearing the symbol of the blue whirlpool seize crossings. In one of the ambushes, Date and Milvio encounter a shautt. The demon kills their companions. The monster flows from one dead body to another. The wizard impales it with the ancient blade of Feniko. The silver sword finally disembodies the moonman.

Unification of soldiers

On his way to Drumstag, Date finds the remnants of his personal guard. They are the Oaken Stakes. The battle-weary soldiers are glad to see their commander return. Milvio convinces the warrior to lead the surviving soldiers of the Mountain Duchy. They arrive in Riona for an audience with Duke Anselmo. Date negotiates a military alliance against Erego da Montag. Trettini provides weapons and provisions. In exchange, the southerners will receive long-term trade benefits should the demons be defeated.

Secrets of the Mouse Mountains

The old woman, Ne, leads the young lieutenant, Eirisl, through the snowy passes of Tarash. The necromancer learns to control his dark gift. From a cliff, they observe a heavy infantry battle. The travelers see "others" in action — creatures from the other side. The monsters scorch the Fikhsheis troops with blue flame. Ne explains the peculiarities of this magic. Only the power of the Tzamas can withstand such creatures. The fugitives barely escape the pursuing Shautt. They confront the demon with an Astore "hollow" driven mad by the overabundance of magic.

Stronghold of the Blue-winged Butterfly

Ne leads the lieutenant to a settlement of savage hunters at the foot of the Mouse Mountains. An old woman speaks words in the old dialect. Stern chieftains kneel before her. The hunters deliver guests in wooden boats to an underground river. Beneath the vaults of the mountain stronghold of the Path of Love lie the skeletons of fallen warriors. Ne finds the remains of a knight of light. She gives Eirisl the surviving scarlet tauvin sword. The old woman urges him to use the artifact in the coming bloody war.

Shadow of the Past

In Rion, Milvio reveals the bitter truth about the Cataclysm to his friends. Young Voys brought back the gauntlet of Wayren from the dead city of Arkus. This artifact infected the mind of his teacher, the Bound One. Now the demonic gauntlet has been melted down into a statue of Arila. Blanca keeps it at the bottom of her travel bag. The relic must be returned to the demon world. Theo learns of his true origins and learns to embrace the nature of the Astore. Meanwhile, the assassins Kraz and Urya are on Vir’s trail. Jay Laviani intervenes in the fight in the attic. Vir kills Urya, and Laviani deals with the old man Kraz.

The Gwent Experiment

Kar, revealed to be the great wizard Gwent, kidnaps Blanca in the palace library. He blackmails Sharon, forcing her to perform a forbidden ritual in the underground tomb of the Cascade Palace. The wizard dreams of resurrecting his murdered lover, Neysi. Tzamas draws a diagram in blood, raising the girl’s incorruptible body. The ritual fails catastrophically. In place of the sorceress’s soul, a colossal entity from the other side inhabits the shell. The creature destroys a wing of the palace, breaks free, and sinks to the bottom of the Pyina River.

Fire Festival

The citizens of Riona are carefree in celebrating the opening of the circus festival. Theo prepares to perform on a golden rope with his longtime friend Myi. In the midst of the festivities, Shautts infiltrate the city walls. They slaughter the garrison at the South Gate and attack Duke Anselmo’s amphitheater. Sharon destroys the attackers, transforming the corpses of the guards into impenetrable bone armor. Milvio slashes at the demons with Feniko’s sword. Theo enters the fray in the narrow streets of Riona, protecting the civilians. The acrobat tears apart the Shautts with his bare hands, burning away their mercury-filled blood.

Destruction of the fleet

Meanwhile, a monstrous fire erupts in the Mercato di Conchiglie harbor. The Schautts deliberately set fire to the shipyards and wooden ships moored at anchor. Blue flames devour the pride of Trettini. The massive fleet intended to transport the allied army from Alagoria is destroyed in a matter of hours. Any hope of military support perishes in the flames. The southern duchy is left alone against the advancing army of thousands of Wayren. That same night, Devo cultists find Blanca. The fanatics recognize the blind woman as the incarnation of an ancient goddess.