By request, I'm including a list of characters for each book after the table of contents. This will include brief descriptions of each character to help readers keep track of who's who. It is not necessary to view this character list; all details included here are taken directly from the story. If you do not wish to be spoiled, continue directly through to chapter 1.

Spoiler content: This list has minor spoilers up through chapter 10 (roughly 1/3 of the book). Characters are listed in alphabetical order by first name.

Name Description Aaron McGregor Cult of the Grey member, environmentalist and revolutionary Alden Bensen Wannabe hero in over his head, who came to town trying to find answers about his life Alexander Nelson College student, died just outside of town alongside Jaysmith Miller and Jenny Wilson. Death caused by magic Alpha One of the Three Gods, aloof and hands-off. Refuses to get involved. Boris Morozov Russian expatriate living in Rallsburg, runs a small bookstore Brian Hendricks Natalie Hendricks’ father, who has been missing for a week prior to Chapter 1 Brittany Wilkins Cult of the Grey member along with her husband Matthew Bryan Selnik Mason Rhistler’s boyfriend, something of a new-age hippie Christina Albrecht President of Rallsburg University Cinza Cult of the Grey founder and de-facto leader Collins McCreary Kendra Laushire’s personal assistant, gardener, bodyguard, etc Dan Rhodes Owner of the local town diner, everyman Gordon Merrill Local town journalist, father of Seth Merrill, rival of Mayor Rhistler Grey-eyes One of the Three Gods, who tends to avoid the spotlight. She is the namesake for the Cult of the Grey Hailey Winscombe A withdrawn former social queen living in Rallsburg year-round Hector Peraza Owner of the local grocery market, moderator of the Council of the Awakened Reverend Doctor Henry Smith The local doctor and only representative of a major religion in Rallsburg Hugo Rodriguez A friend of Hailey Winscombe, played football for RU, left town before Chapter 1 Ian Wong A friend of Hailey Winscombe, best friend of Hugo Rodriguez, left town before Chapter 1 Ingrid Wilson Mother of Jenny Wilson, wife of Paul Wilson the lumberjack Jackie Nossinger Sheriff of Rallsburg, former homicide detective from Seattle. Cautious and pragmatic Jaysmith Miller College student, died just outside of town with Alex Nelson. Death caused by magic Jeffrey Rosenberg A businessman from Portland, Oregon, who stumbled upon magic and was subsequently introduced to Rachel DuValle Jenny Wilson A twelve year old girl who died alongside Alex and Jay before Chapter 1. Death caused by magic. Best friends with Natalie Hendricks, daughter of Ingrid and Paul Wilson Jerry Hauserman One of Julian Black’s subordinates. Considered a sketchy and uncouth individual Jessica Silverdale Hailey Winscombe’s best friend, a Rallsburg native. Quiet and shy, lives with Hailey in an apartment owned by Brian Hendricks Joe McKinney One of Ryan Walker’s friends, son of Oscar McKinney John Bell Local bouncer and bartender at the Kettle and Bones Joshua Miller One of the three elected councilors for the Council of the Awakened. Former best friends with Ryan Walker, until Rika Nishimura cheated on both of them. Now sardonic and tired of the whole thing Julian Black A sloppy entrepreneur and deliveryman who often gets on the wrong side of the Council Kazuo Nishimura Rika Nishimura’s father, founder and owner of NishiSoft, a database analysis company owned by Laushire Enterprises Kendra Thomas Laushire The aloof, elegant and practical economics professor at RU, and daughter to the billionaire owner of Laushire Enterprises, a multinational conglomerate Logan Bowerson A student at RU, a bit of a jock and a fantasy obsessive Lori Hendricks Natalie Hendricks’ estranged mother, living in Chicago Mabel Walsh The longest-serving councilor for the Council of the Awakened. Invented a spell to detect when a person is lying Makoto Kirishima One of Cinza’s primary lieutenants in the Cult of the Grey Maria Nishimura Rika Nishimura’s mother, wife of Kazuo Mason Rhistler Magical theorist who discovered and codified many of the rules and ideas behind basic magic. Friend of Rachel DuValle and others Matthew Wilkins Husband of Brittany Wilkins, member of the Cult of the Grey Morton Pollock Apprentice to the town journalist Gordon Merrill, and secret member of the Cult of the Grey Natalie Hendricks Thirteen-year-old girl with magical power seemingly well outside the norm, including spells to talk to animals and much greater control than usual over other magic. Father Brian has been missing for over a week. Currently living with Kendra Laushire until he is found Nathaniel (Nate) Price Class clown, heir to the Price Logging Company fortune. Resented by much of the town as an entitled millennial Nefertiti (Neffie) Bowman Sister of Preston Bowman, the sheriff’s deputy, and well known as the town “beauty” due to her exotic appearance, which she deliberately plays up. Works for Brian Hendricks as his assistant managing the apartment complex Nicole (Nikki) Parsons Daughter of the Parsons family, who run a farm near Rallsburg, ran away from home to join the Cult of the Grey Omega The last of The Three Gods, who has decided that magic cannot be allowed to further, opposing the stance of his fellow God Alpha Oscar McKinney The town mechanic and good friend to Dan Rhodes, and father of Joe McKinney Paul Wilson Father of Jenny Wilson, lumberjack working for the union run by Robert Harrison Preston Bowman Sheriff’s deputy, overeager but competent, brother of Neffie Bowman Rachel DuValle The lead councilor on the Council of the Awakened, and self-appointed savior of the world. Former airheaded college student whose life turned around completely upon discovering magic and a particular spell that enhanced her brain well beyond human abilities Rika Nishimura An angry pariah of the town and troubled childhood best friend of Rachel DuValle, who has pissed off or otherwise wronged many residents of Rallsburg. Returned to seek information on her father’s whereabouts from any source she can get Robert Harrison Leader of the lumberjack union, a huge beast of a man, proud hunter, populist leader. Close friends with many of the residents, opponent of Rowan Rhistler (the mayor) and the Price Logging Company family Roger Quinton A farmer and close supporter of Robert Harrison Rook (Tessa Hunter) Former military sniper and partner of mercenary Viper Rowan Rhistler Elected mayor of Rallsburg, seen by many as a career politician whose last election was shifty. Father of Mason Rhistler Ruby Dahl One of Cinza’s primary lieutenants in the Cult of the Grey, an older teenage girl with dyed crimson-red hair Rufus Hilshire An older woodsman and hunter, one of the oldest members of the Cult of the Grey Ryan Walker An entitled, combative student of RU, former boyfriend of Rika Nishimura Seth Merrill One of Ryan Walker’s friends, and son of town journalist Gordon Merrill Spencer Ancell One of Julian Black’s subordinates, also runs a local weekly poker night Viper (Stefen Gearhardt) A gruff mercenary from out of town, and partner of Rook Weston Davis Former boyfriend of Hailey Winscombe, left town before the start of Chapter 1 William (Will) Carbonell Rachel DuValle’s boyfriend, secretly Awakened and the main supplier of intelligence to the Council thanks to his rare Knowledge affinity Yusuf al-Fayed A member of the Cult of the Grey

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I know it looks bad on light themes. This is due to how RoyalRoad constructs table styles and I haven't determined a way to fix it yet. Sorry!