Wolf at the Summit

Zera, a Heartless—an undead girl bound by magic to a witch—stands at the center of a world on the brink. She is caught between her own longing for humanity and the machinations of witches, royals, and monsters. The Bone Tree, a source of ancient magic and terror, has chosen Varia, the ambitious princess, as its vessel. Zera's heart, literally and figuratively, is not her own, and her fate is tied to the choices of others. As the story opens, Zera is forced to choose between her own freedom and the safety of those she loves, setting the stage for a journey that will test the limits of loyalty, love, and self-determination.

Bone Tree's Hunger

The Bone Tree's power is unleashed through Varia, who becomes its unwilling avatar. The Tree's hunger is a force of nature, driving Varia to acts of destruction and threatening to consume her mind and body. Zera, once Varia's Heartless, is now bound to Lucien, Varia's brother and a newly awakened witch. The hunger is not just a magical compulsion but a metaphor for trauma, addiction, and the cycle of violence. Zera's struggle to resist the hunger mirrors Varia's descent, and the two are linked by dreams and blood. The Bone Tree's influence spreads, threatening to unleash an army of monstrous valkerax and plunge the world into chaos.

Heartless and Hope

Zera's companions—Lucien, Malachite, Fione—rally around her as they flee the devastation wrought by Varia and the Bone Tree. Each is wounded, physically and emotionally, by betrayal and loss. Yet, in the city of Breych, they find a fragile hope. Zera's relationship with Lucien deepens, complicated by the power imbalance of witch and Heartless, and by the ever-present threat of the hunger. Fione, grieving her lost love Varia, and Malachite, the loyal bodyguard, form a found family with Zera. Together, they resolve to stop Varia—not by killing her, but by saving her from the Tree's grip.

The Witch's Choice

Varia, driven by the Bone Tree's will, is torn between her love for Fione and her vision of a world remade through power. She offers Zera a place at her side, promising peace through domination, but Zera refuses, choosing her own agency. Lucien, now Zera's witch, must decide whether to use his power to control her for her own good. The story explores the ethics of power, the meaning of consent, and the cost of love. Zera's refusal to be used, even by those she loves, becomes a central theme as the group seeks a way to break the Bone Tree's hold.

Shattered Alliances

As the group journeys across the continent, alliances fracture. The witches of Windonhigh, the last enclave of magical power, refuse to help, content to let the Bone Tree and Varia destroy their enemies. The High Witches are revealed to be prisoners of their own creation, encased in glass and slowly consumed by the magic they once wielded. Zera and her friends are forced to seek forbidden knowledge in the Black Archives, a fortress of polymath scholars and deadly secrets. The cost of trust and the pain of betrayal haunt every step.

The Glass Tree's Secret

In the Black Archives, Zera learns the truth: the Glass Tree, twin to the Bone Tree, is the source of the Heartless. Both Trees are fragments of the original Tree of Souls, split by mortals in a desperate bid to control magic and monsters. The hunger that plagues Zera and Varia is the wound of this ancient sundering—a loneliness and pain that echoes through every Heartless and valkerax. The only way to end the cycle is to heal the Tree of Souls, but doing so may destroy all magic, or remake the world in ways no one can predict.

City of Towers

The journey to the Black Archives is perilous, with Zera and her friends navigating a city of towers, rope bridges, and polymath wonders. Here, knowledge is currency, and the price of entry is Zera's own body—her unique status as a Heartless with valkerax blood makes her a subject of study. The Archives are defended by matronics, mechanical giants powered by white mercury, and the scholars are as ruthless as any witch. Zera's sacrifice buys them the information they need, but at a cost to her sense of self and her hope for the future.

Reunion and Regret

Reunited with Y'shennria, her former mentor, and Nightsinger, her first witch, Zera confronts the pain of her past. The found family she has built is tested by secrets and regrets. Fione's hope for Varia's redemption is a fragile thread, and Malachite's loyalty is strained by the demands of his people. Zera must forgive herself for the choices she has made, and accept that healing is possible only through honesty and vulnerability. The group prepares for a final confrontation, knowing that not all of them may survive.

The High Witches' Bargain

The High Witches, encased in glass and missing pieces of themselves, offer a bargain: they will allow Zera and her friends to seek the knowledge they need, but only if Zera submits to their judgment. The witches are revealed as both victims and perpetrators, trapped by the very magic they sought to control. Their willingness to sacrifice others for their own safety is a mirror to Varia's choices, and to the history of the Heartless. Zera's defiance, and her refusal to be a tool, becomes the catalyst for change.

The Price of Magic

The journey to the Tree of Souls is marked by suffering. Zera and her friends brave deadly traps, ancient monsters, and the relentless pursuit of Varia and the valkerax. Each is forced to confront their own limits—Lucien's magic costs him his eye and hand, Malachite faces exile from his people, Fione risks her life for love. Zera's immortality is both a blessing and a curse, as she endures pain and death to protect her friends. The price of magic is revealed to be the willingness to bear the wounds of the world.

Dreams of Destruction

Zera's dreams connect her to Varia, allowing her to witness the devastation wrought by the Bone Tree. Cities burn, armies fall, and the hunger threatens to consume everything. Yet, in these dreams, Zera also glimpses the loneliness at the heart of the Tree—a longing to be whole, to be loved. The dreams become a battleground for Zera's will, as she fights to hold on to her humanity and her hope. The power of apology, of empathy, becomes a weapon against the hunger.

The Black Archives

In the Black Archives, Zera and her friends discover the truth of the Trees and the nature of souls. The Tree of Souls is the source of all magic, and its sundering is the origin of the world's suffering. The only way to heal the wound is to reunite the Trees, but doing so may end magic forever. The scholars of the Archives are both allies and obstacles, demanding a price for their help. Zera's willingness to sacrifice herself becomes the key to unlocking the path forward.

The Spiral and the Root

The journey to Pala Orias, the ancient city at the center of the world, is a descent into the spiral—a metaphor for the cycle of violence, sacrifice, and rebirth. The First Root, the physical remnant of the Tree of Souls, is the site of the final confrontation. Zera, Lucien, Varia, and their allies must face not only the valkerax and the Bone Tree, but the legacy of their own choices. The spiral is both a prison and a path to freedom, and only by breaking it can the world be remade.

The Last Stand

The final battle is chaos—valkerax and beneathers, witches and Heartless, all fighting for survival. Zera and Lucien, bound by love and magic, face Varia at the First Root. The cost is terrible: Lucien sacrifices his magic, Varia is freed from the Bone Tree but left broken, and Zera is mortally wounded. Yet, in the moment of greatest pain, Zera chooses to heal the Tree of Souls, reuniting the sundered halves and ending the hunger. The world is remade, and the cycle of suffering is broken.

Hunger and Healing

In the aftermath, Zera's sacrifice is revealed to be an act of healing—not just for the Tree, but for herself and the world. The Heartless are restored to humanity, the valkerax are freed, and magic is changed forever. Lucien, Varia, Fione, Malachite, and Yorl must learn to live in a new world, one where power is shared and the wounds of the past are acknowledged. Zera's legacy is not one of violence, but of forgiveness and hope.

The Tree of Souls

The Tree of Souls, once wounded and alone, is made whole. Zera's spirit lingers, connected to all those she loved. The story becomes a meditation on the nature of souls, the persistence of memory, and the possibility of redemption. The world is changed—not by force, but by the willingness to see and heal the wounds that bind us. The hunger is transformed into a longing for connection, and the cycle of violence is replaced by a spiral of growth.

Never-Goodbye

Lucien, now the King Without a Crown, leads a new Vetris built on justice and compassion. Varia and Fione find peace, Malachite is welcomed home, and Yorl's scholarship helps rebuild the world. Zera's absence is felt, but her presence lingers in every act of kindness, every memory, every promise kept. The story ends not with a farewell, but with the assurance that no one is ever truly gone. Love, once given, endures beyond death and time.

A New World Begins

The epilogue reveals a world transformed. The Tree of Souls stands whole, magic is changed but not lost, and the wounds of the past are acknowledged and healed. Zera's letter to Lucien is a testament to the power of love, forgiveness, and the courage to choose a better future. The story closes with the promise of new beginnings, and the reminder that every ending is also a beginning.

Characters

Zera Y'shennria

Zera is the protagonist, a Heartless—an undead being created by witches to serve as immortal soldiers. Her heart is literally removed and kept by her witch, making her both powerful and vulnerable. Zera is defined by her wit, resilience, and longing for connection. Her journey is one of self-discovery, as she learns to resist the hunger that drives her and to reclaim her agency. Her relationships with Lucien, Varia, Fione, and Malachite are central to her growth. Zera's greatest fear is being used or abandoned, but she ultimately chooses to sacrifice herself to heal the world, finding peace in love and forgiveness.

Lucien d'Malvane

Lucien is Varia's brother and Zera's love interest. He is a prince burdened by the legacy of his family and the expectations of leadership. Awakening as a witch, Lucien struggles with the cost of magic—each use takes a physical toll, eventually costing him his eye and hand. He is defined by his compassion, sense of justice, and willingness to sacrifice for others. His relationship with Zera is marked by mutual respect and the challenge of navigating power dynamics. Lucien's arc is one of learning to share power, to trust, and to build a new world on the ashes of the old.

Varia d'Malvane

Varia is Lucien's sister and Zera's former witch. Chosen by the Bone Tree, she becomes its vessel, driven to remake the world through force. Varia is brilliant, ruthless, and deeply wounded by betrayal and loss. Her love for Fione is her last tether to humanity, and her struggle against the Bone Tree's hunger is a metaphor for addiction and trauma. Varia's arc is one of descent and redemption—she is ultimately freed from the Tree's grip by Zera's sacrifice, left to rebuild her life and atone for her actions.

Fione Himintell

Fione is a polymath, a brilliant inventor, and Varia's beloved. She is defined by her intellect, loyalty, and quiet strength. Fione's journey is one of hope and heartbreak, as she fights to save Varia from the Bone Tree and to help Zera find peace. Her relationship with Zera is one of mutual respect and understanding, and her willingness to trust and forgive is a model for healing. Fione's arc is about choosing love over fear, and about the power of knowledge to change the world.

Malachite Olt'reya

Malachite is Lucien's bodyguard and a beneather—a subterranean warrior whose people have fought the valkerax for generations. He is gruff, sarcastic, and fiercely protective of his friends. Malachite's loyalty is tested by exile from his people and by the demands of the spiral—the endless cycle of violence. His relationship with Zera is one of camaraderie and mutual respect, and his arc is about finding a place to belong and the courage to forgive.

Yorl Farspear-Ashwalker

Yorl is a celeon polymath whose research into the valkerax and the Trees is crucial to the group's quest. He is curious, pragmatic, and sometimes abrasive, but his loyalty is unwavering. Yorl's connection to his grandfather, Muro, and his willingness to question tradition make him a catalyst for change. His arc is about the pursuit of knowledge, the importance of legacy, and the value of friendship.

The Bone Tree

The Bone Tree is both a literal and symbolic force—a source of magic, a prison for the valkerax, and a wound in the world. Its hunger is the driving force behind much of the story's conflict, representing trauma, addiction, and the cycle of violence. The Tree's desire to be whole, to be loved, is the key to its healing. Its relationship with Zera and Varia is complex, both adversarial and redemptive.

The Glass Tree

The Glass Tree is the twin to the Bone Tree, created by witches to make Heartless. It is a symbol of the cost of power and the pain of separation. The hunger that plagues Zera is the echo of the Tree's loneliness. The Glass Tree's healing is tied to the healing of the world, and its story is one of longing and reconciliation.

The High Witches

The High Witches are the rulers of Windonhigh, encased in glass and missing pieces of themselves. They are both victims and perpetrators, trapped by the consequences of their own choices. Their willingness to sacrifice others for safety is a cautionary tale, and their bargain with Zera is a turning point in the story.

Evlorasin

Evlorasin is a valkerax—a monstrous, ancient creature—who becomes Zera's unlikely friend and ally. Through a blood promise, Zera gains the ability to communicate with Evlorasin and to understand the hunger of the Trees. Evlorasin's journey from enemy to companion mirrors the story's themes of forgiveness, transformation, and the breaking of cycles.

Plot Devices

The Heartless Bond

The Heartless bond—where a witch removes a human's heart to create an immortal servant—is the central device of the series. It explores themes of agency, consent, and the cost of power. The bond is both a literal chain and a metaphor for trauma and codependency. Zera's journey to reclaim her heart is a quest for autonomy and healing, and the breaking of the bond is the breaking of the cycle of violence.

The Hunger

The hunger that plagues Zera and Varia is both a magical compulsion and a psychological wound. It represents the pain of separation, the longing for wholeness, and the destructive cycles that bind individuals and societies. The hunger is personified as a voice, a song, and a force that can be resisted, healed, or transformed. Its resolution is the healing of the Tree of Souls and the world.

Dreams and Visions

Dreams are a recurring device, allowing Zera to connect with Varia, the Trees, and the deeper truths of the world. They serve as a bridge between the conscious and unconscious, the personal and the universal. Through dreams, the story explores the nature of souls, the persistence of memory, and the possibility of redemption. Dreams also foreshadow key events and reveal the inner lives of the characters.

The Tree of Souls

The Tree of Souls is the origin of all magic and the source of the world's suffering. Its sundering is the wound that creates the Bone Tree, the Glass Tree, the Heartless, and the valkerax. The quest to heal the Tree is a quest to heal the world, and the process of reuniting its halves is both a literal and symbolic act of reconciliation. The Tree's roots connect all beings, and its healing is the story's ultimate resolution.

Found Family

The relationships between Zera, Lucien, Fione, Malachite, and Yorl are the emotional core of the story. Their found family is forged through shared suffering, mutual support, and the willingness to forgive. The story contrasts the failures of blood family (the d'Malvanes, the witches) with the redemptive power of chosen bonds. The willingness to trust, to be vulnerable, and to sacrifice for one another is what allows the characters to break the cycle of violence and build a new world.

Sacrifice and Healing

The story is structured around acts of sacrifice—[Zera's](#zera-ysh

Last updated: May 9, 2025