Six months have passed since Taya, Guntharr and the others recovered the damaged Talisman of Alterian, the only hope to proving that Taya is the rightful heir. With little to go on, Firebane sets out with Rift for a distant monastery where the elves stored copies of their ancient writings. Uncovering a potential lead, the two make their way back to the sanctuary when they are ambushed by a barbarian and rogue Battle Wolf who knows of Rift.
Elsewhere, a faction of elves that survived the assault on Silverwood, struggle against an unknown plague that is threatening their outpost's existence by killing off the crop that they use to sustain themselves. While trying to hold off increasing attacks from the dark creatures of Nightfall and with little men to spare, General Alderthorn sends out a trio of men, led by his only son, Farrian, to search out a gifted spy who can infiltrate the land and discover the source of the plague.
Guntharr's suspicions are aroused as rumors have surfaced throughout the five realms that certain elf groups have forsaken the kingdom of Silverwood and pledged loyalty to no one. Farrian's pleas for help conflict against Guntharr's commitment to protect Taya, but then news from Firebane hints that the next piece to the Talisman may reside in Nightfall. Arnethia's drive to prove herself causes Guntharr to relent and follow the elves back toward Nightfall knowing they could be walking into a trap.
Without a plan, Arnethia hurries off on her mission into the land of Nightfall to uncover the whereabouts of the gem and possibly the cause for the plague effecting the General's outpost. Her persistence pays off, but in the process she is captured by a pair of creatures that have the ability to change into any living creature.
Captured and surrounded by an army of evil, Arnethia must rely on a newfound resource to help her overcome her fear, save her friends and return the second gem of the talisman.
Matthew Graphman is a twenty year veteran in the information technology world. He studied writing and drama, as well as computers, while attending Bob Jones University in the late 80's and early 90's. There he met his wife, Wendy, of twenty-three years and started a family. He currently resides in Bloomington, Indiana with his wife and two children, Kathryn (Kat) and Ethan. His oldest son, Sean, is currently in college and is engaged to be married. Matthew has long been a fan of fantasy fiction. His first attempt at writing was brought on by roommates in college egging him on, and so he wrote his first unpublished fantasy novel. After graduating, Matthew continued his writing exploits, mostly in the drama genre. After developing a series of children's skits in the 2000's, he was encouraged to take the skits and convert them into a series of children's chapter books. To date, he has written four of the fourteen stories in the "Chel & Riley Adventures" series. Taking a break from creating children's fiction and drama, Matthew decided to reach back at the request from his daughter, Kat, and create a fantasy world that mixed all of her favorite thematic elements. This series is currently outlined to cover five volumes; however, he is convinced that there could be many more stories that evolve out of this new universe.
