In a world where power is measured by what you're willing to sacrifice, young Aventus Monstrous walks a dangerous path. Born to the Bandit King Draven and the noble-born Serena Monstrous, Aventus possesses both his father's calculating pragmatism and an ancient power flowing through his mother's bloodline. Alongside his adopted sister Whisper, a wielder of the feared Netherquill, he navigates a life where survival means mastering not just his weapon and strategy, but the art of manipulation itself. But ambitions are stirring. As the Churches tighten their grip on those born with magical abilities, and whispers of disappearing Quill tribes reach the bandits' domain, Aventus must decide what price he's willing to pay for power. Will he remain the pragmatic son of a Bandit King, or transform into something far more terrifying? Written as both history and confession, these chronicles tell the origin of a figure who would become legend - though whether as hero or monster depends entirely on who's telling the tale.