Split from: The Well of Tears was created to harness the power of the Netherworld to prevent a magical apocalypse. Now Darien Lauchlin is the last surviving mage capable of reversing the destruction the Well unleashed. Darien will be forced to sacrifice everything of himself and everyone around him—all to preserve a nation of people who despise him. The Rhenwars Saga is a sprawling epic set in a morally gray world where there is no clear distinction between hero and villain.

When Merris Bryar stumbles across a secret meeting in the forgotten passages deep beneath Aerysius, she has no idea the harrowing events her discovery will be setting into motion. Merris discovers that deep below the city of the mages, forces of chaos are hard at work boring the Well of Tears, a gateway to the Netherworld. Faced with an imminent cataclysm that will destroy the magical heritage of their people, a conspiracy of darkmages have resorted to harnessing the powers of Hell to save their legacy. The only mages who can oppose them are Merris and her mentor, Sephana Clemley, along with their protectors, Braden and Quin Reis: two brothers with a turbulent past and a caustic relationship. But both Braden and Quin are compromised, harboring terrible and tragic secrets. Will Braden and Quin be able to protect Sephana and Merris long enough to stop the unsealing of the Well of Tears? Or will they fall victim to the darkmages’ sinister manipulations and join their conspiracy?

Compelled to obey the dark god he pledged his soul to, Darien finds himself tasked with delivering the people of the Black Lands from under the curse of darkness which shrouds the skies. With the enemy mage Azár, Darien sets out across a barren darkscape to assume his place as the leader of a people who despise him. As he journeys deeper into the shadowed waste, Darien is confronted with difficult truths that force him to question every loyalty he has ever held. For there, in the brutal proving grounds of the north, Darien will be inexorably forged into the most dangerous adversary the Rhen has ever faced.

A siege. A love triangle. And brutal choices that have echoing consequences. The Battle of Meridan is a thrilling foray into the moral quagmire that is The Rhenwars Saga. Set twenty years before Darkmage, this furious battle is a turning point in the war that will have dramatic repercussions on things to come. For current Rhenwars fans hungering for background and casual readers alike, this short story is an action-packed introduction to this award-winning grimdark fantasy series!

Darien Lauchlin has already lost everything. Now, the only thing he has left to lose is his soul. As the Enemy masses in numbers never before seen, Darien is faced with an impossible decision: either remain steadfast to his Oath and watch everything he loves fall around him--or abandon his vow and become the most destructive force his world has ever known.