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In a world of magical adepts, every quarter-century the five greatest talents must be brought together. For only this powerful union of strangers can prevent the prophesied return of the Evil Ones who once enslaved the land.

Lorand of Earth, a simple farmer called to the city. Tamrissa is fire, sacrificing her home to escape an undesired marriage. Clarion is Air, an aristocrat flying free for the very first time. Spirit is the talent of Jovvi, the beautiful, sensuous, and knowing ex-courtesan. And Vallant is Water, a sailor who aches to return to the sea.

As one, they must stand against the odious treachery of past masters - and confront a fearsome depravity that hungers for their world. As one they must triumph... or as one they die.

They are the greatest talents on a beleaguered world of magical adepts--and its only hope for salvation. But first Lorand, Rion, Tamrissa, Jovvi and Vallant must prove themselves to be the Chosend Five of the ancient Prophecies. Which means they must first compete in a series of deadly conests designed to reveal the full scope of their powers... and place them at the center of a corrupt nobility's lethal schemes.

And there are those who wish them to fail. But defeat is unthinkable... because failure is doom.

Each magical adept possesses a potent preternatural talent. Stunning Tamrissa is Fire, Vallant the sailor, Water, Jovvi the lissome ex-courtesean, Spirit; farmer Lorand, Earth, and blue-blooded Rion, Air.

But their fragile union threatens to disintegrate when Jovvi and Tamrissa discover a secret sensuality that would make their Blending supreme. And the dissention within is nothing compared to the perile assailing the enchanted quintet from competing nobles and judges alike, all determined to see the peasant mages perish. For as they vie for the Palase of Fice, the brave but unwary tema rushes headlong into desperarate danger... and unknowable jeopardy.

On a world of magical adepts, the five greatest talents are fated to unite and rule. But Tamrissa, Jovvi, Vallant, Rion, and Lorand have been cruelly separated, struck down by treachery at the very moment of their greatest triumph.

Scattered across a vast empire, the five heroes must escape their prisions and find each other again. For only then will they be able to re-create their Blending, that magical melding of hir powers that will allow them to defeat their enemies... and win the path to a throne.

The Chosen Five--wielders of elemental magic--have defeated their betrayers and are returning to the city behind a legion of their followers. Tamrissa, fierce lady of Fire; Rion, noble lord of Air; Valliant, brave captain of Water; Lorand, clever master of Earth; and Jovvi, passionate sorceress of Spirit have so far successfully met the challenges set by those who would prevent the Five from their rightful throne.

But the struggle is not over yet.

Earth, Air, Water, Fire, Spirit, Sight... Uneasy are the Six who now hold the throne.

When the masters of elemental magic - six extraordinary men and women - merge the primal forces they represent, the ultimate sorcerous union comes to be: The Blending. Lorand, Rion, Vallant, Tamrissa, Jovvi... and Naran, possessor of the newly discovered prescient power of Sight, came together to wrest a beleaguered empire from the strangling grasp of treacherous nobles and to save it from the savagery of invading armies. Now it is the benevolent Six who reign, and the common people have found a voice at last. But now the Ruling Blending are ensconced in the bloodthirsty arena of politics - where their magicks may hold no sway.

In the roiling waters of the ruling court, the hungry sharks are swimming. Across foreign borders, sinister plots are being hatched to conquer the fledgling republic. But there is a dark hidden enemy growing ever-stronger amidst the riot of traitorous schemes and secret intrigues - a terrible malevolence which, when it reaches the peak of its power will wreck havoc upon an unsuspecting empire... and on everything and everyone beyond.

Lorand, Rion, Tamrissa, Vallant, Jovvi and Naran have combined their elemental powers and their deep compassion to bring a new era of enlightenment to their once enslaved land. The miraculous reforms decreed by the Ruling Sixfold Blending have enabled all to freely pursue the Lmits of their magic. But freedom is a hated thing to some, giving rise to jealousy, deceitfulness and unchecked ambition.

As traitors scheme at home, the Chosen Six are called beyond Gandistra's borders to deal with a dire threat to their empire and their world. For, as the leaders of neighboring Gracely bicker and brood and play politics, an inconceivable army is massing -- an invading wave of impossible terror, dedicated to the total devastation of everything in its path. And it may already be too late to stop a foe immune to every known magic -- including the awesome blended might of Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Sight, and Spirit.

The Six are stronger than the Five... But the darkness is most powerful of all.

Naran's remarkable Sight magic completed the Blending and brought solidity to their rule. But even their combined elemental powers - Earth, Fire, Air, Water, Spirit and Sight - will not turn back the dark clouds of destruction massing at Ganistra's border. For war is inevitable, as a horrific army led by a faceless malevolent entity sweeps relentlessly across the neighboring lands, enslaving, devouring, and destroying everything in its path. And fallen nobles closer to home implement dire schemes to unseat the reigning Six, intent on regaining the throne through the blackest of acts: mass murder.

Only by developing new, untested abilities - and unearthing startling secrets buried centuries ago - can Lorand, Rion, Tamrissa, Vallant, Jovvi and Naran hope to prevail.

The hour of reckoning is finally at hand. All else was a mere training for a grim and terrible destiny that they cannot avoid.