ASHES OF THE LAST PATHS

THE SCARS BENEATH THE ASH In a world buried beneath ash and ruin, survival is the only law that still holds. The Red Expanse was once a living land of forests and cities, but now it is a wasteland where monsters roam, magic lingers like a curse, and the careless do not live long enough to be remembered. Tarin has survived seventeen winters alone, guided by a mysterious scar on his shoulder that burns whenever danger—or something far greater—draws near. To him, survival has never been a choice, only a necessity. He does not seek heroism, answers, or destiny. He seeks only another dawn. Everything changes when Tarin crosses paths with Eira, a hardened spear-wielder whose instincts are as sharp as the wasteland itself. Forced into an uneasy alliance, they discover a hidden valley untouched by ruin—one guarded by ancient magic and secrets older than the fall of the world. Within this valley lies a truth Tarin can no longer ignore: his scar is not a wound, but a mark, binding him to forces that may reshape what remains of civilization. As monsters stir, forgotten guardians awaken, and survivors gather from the edges of the Expanse, Tarin is drawn into a struggle that demands more than endurance. It demands choice, sacrifice, and the courage to walk a path no one else can see. In a world where survival is everything, living may be the greatest risk of all.