The Ninth Ascender

Jude never expected greatness. Or mercy. Or survival. Orphaned and recently Harmonized. Life had not been kind to him, yet he hoped his sudden awakening would turn things around for him. Alas, the worst was yet to come. Born in the ruins of a broken world and marked by forces he barely understands, Jude is one of the newly Harmonized—individuals chosen by celestial metals to awaken strange and deadly powers. Thrown into a brutal system where power decides your worth and monsters wear both familiar and unfamiliar faces, Jude quickly learns that awakening is just the first step. Survival comes next—and it’s anything but guaranteed.