The Holy Knight S Dark Road Volume 2

After trekking through a labyrinth and coming back in one piece — with a new friend, to boot — Sain finally has time to actually study at Jenifa. In its hallowed chambers of learning, he applies himself to the acquisition of dark magic. A month later, he emerges... ...Still utterly worthless at dark magic. On top of that, his teachers have given up on him, and his classmates are calling him the Darkness Dork. Just when despair begins to set in, a chance encounter with an enigmatic girl brings him new hope. Her features are unmistakably those of a dark elf — known for their natural affinity for dark magic. He immediately asks to be her apprentice, only to be coldly rejected. This is Sain, though, and “giving up” just isn't in his vocabulary. Through his tireless — and arguably obnoxious — efforts, he chips away at her armor of indifference. Little does he know, though, that an upcoming school event will put their budding friendship to the ultimate test.

The young Sain Forth has it made. As the famed Holy Knight, he enjoys the love of his people, the respect of his ruler, and the blessings of a literal goddess. Or, at least, he should enjoy them, but Sain’s aspirations lie elsewhere. His assistant, Melia, by his side, he sets sail for the academy of a foreign kingdom, only to be treated as a deviant by his peers. It’s his own fault, mind you—his stubborn insistence on wearing a custom, all-black uniform makes him stick out like a sore thumb. But he isn’t the only outcast at the academy. His classmate, Alicia—born into the Clan of Light yet unable to use anything but fire magic—faces a similar struggle, and so the two quickly become allies. However, when she proposes they go searching for a holy sword hidden deep within the academy’s dungeon, he hesitates—dungeons are dangerous, monster-ridden places, after all. Eventually he reconsiders, but on one condition: “I want a doom sword. Not a holy sword, okay? A doom sword.” And so, his friends in tow, Sain ventures forth into the perilous unknown, driven by his one true wish: To become the coolest, edgiest, and most awesome existence imaginable, the Dark Knight. There’s just one problem: He can’t use dark magic. Like, at all.

Summer is upon Jenifa, which means it’s time for the academy’s most well-known event — the magic battle expo. Though the numerous stalls and attractions filling the school grounds offer plenty of excitement, the greatest draw of the event is undoubtedly the one-on-one tournament between students. People come from far and wide every year to watch Jenifa’s best go at it against each other. What better chance, then, for Sain to put his burgeoning dark magic skills to the test? So, the strongest holy knight in history takes another step toward becoming the antithesis of everything he’s supposed to stand for and joins the tournament. With his faithful friends at his side and his dark magic actually starting to shape up, he was set to have a blast at the battle expo... until he runs into the student council president, Cain Theresia, whose attitude toward him has been growing increasingly suspicious and hostile. With both of them participating in the tournament and vying for the top, the stage is set for a fierce clash of words and swords. “You know what you need to do, Cain? Lose. Just once. Then, you’d realize that you’re not fighting on your own.”

A brother of the Order-a medieval secret society uniting noble families in a sacred bond-Sir Hugh de Payens has emerged from the First Crusade a broken man seeking to dedicate his life to God. But the Order has other plans for him: to uncover a deadly secret that could shatter the very might of the Church itself.

Long ago, there was much war and bloodshed among the eight tribes of the world. Now with each tribe confined to its own continent, the world has achieved peace and harmony. Interaction and fighting between tribes are heavily restricted, save for one exception: the ninth continent, Duel City Babel, an arena for those wishing for conflict in peace. In the duel city, fighters from all over the world clash swords and spells, vying to be the best. Carrying on the teachings and techniques of his master, Yuri Eniastar of the Human Tribe manages to take out a high-ranking opponent on his first day. Clearly, he’s not just any new face, but unfortunately, fate has not been kind...his lineage is universally recognized as the weakest. Despite this, Yuri refuses to give up. He befriends the Beast Tribe’s Athena and the Spirit Tribe's Fram as he strives to become a peerless duelist. Welcome to an overwhelming battle fantasy!

Having overcome a decisive battle with the high-ranking duelist Elias, Yuri has become the center of attention. He, Fram and Athena have sworn to take part in the Babel Roulette that only happens once a decade, yet despite his surge in popularity, gathering additional members is proving to be a surprisingly hard challenge. In a bid to make his team even more appealing, Yuri decides to gain some non-dueling fighting experience by brushing up against death in the dungeon with the Dragon Tribe’s Haring, but— “—Whoah!? What in the world happened to me!?” They inadvertently capture an elf...?!

Vivid, universal, and emotionally complex, Kristin Hannah's Night Road raises profound questions about motherhood, identity, love, and forgiveness. "A rich, multilayered reading experience, and an easy recommendation for book clubs." —Library Journal (starred review) Life comes down to a series of choices. To hold on... To let go...to forget...to forgive... Which road will you take? For eighteen years, Jude Farraday has put her children's needs above her own, and it shows—her twins, Mia and Zach, are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill moves into their small, close-knit community, no one is more welcoming than Jude. Lexi, a former foster child with a dark past, quickly becomes Mia's best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable. Jude does everything to keep her kids out of harm's way. But senior year of high school tests them all. It's a dangerous, explosive season of drinking, driving, parties, and kids who want to let loose. And then on a hot summer's night, one bad decision is made. In the blink of an eye, the Farraday family will be torn apart and Lexi will lose everything. In the years that follow, each must face the consequences of that single night and find a way to forget...or the courage to forgive. Vivid, universal, and emotionally complex, Night Road raises profound questions about motherhood, identity, love, and forgiveness. It is a luminous, heartbreaking novel that captures both the exquisite pain of loss and the stunning power of hope. This is Kristin Hannah at her very best, telling an unforgettable story about the longing for family, the resilience of the human heart, and the courage it takes to forgive the people we love. "You cannot read Night Road and not be affected by the story and the characters. The total impact of the book will stay with you for days to come after it is finished." —The Huffington Post

“Buehlman…slips effortlessly into a different kind of literary sensibility, one that doesn’t scrimp on earthy humor and lyrical writing in the face of unspeakable horrors.”* The year is 1348. Thomas, a disgraced knight, has found an orphan of the Black Death in a Norman village. An almost unnerving picture of innocence, she tells Thomas that the plague is only part of a larger cataclysm—that the fallen angels under Lucifer are rising in a second war on Heaven. But is it delirium or is it faith? She believes she has seen the angels of God. She believes the dead speak to her in dreams. And now she has convinced the faithless Thomas to shepherd her across an apocalyptic landscape to Avignon. There, she tells Thomas, she will fulfill her mission. There her true nature will be revealed. And there Thomas will confront an evil wrestling for the throne of Heaven, and which has poisoned his own soul. *Kirkus Reviews