The Hollow is dying. Beset by nightmarish creatures from the caverns below, Jason’s tribe is slowly being whittled away. Only a brave few still stand against the darkness. Jason dreams of joining the glorious Shadowfront and battling the enemy known only as the Void. But as a lowly Pastfinder, he is denied that path and forced to serve as little more than a glorified scavenger. It is only when he chances upon the ruins of a long dead civilization that his fortunes change. Jason discovers a forgotten form of cultivation, one fueled by the ghosts of centuries-lost history and powerful, forbidden knowledge. For the first time in his life, Jason has the strength to join the fight against the shadows. But if his fellow tribesmen learn of his new power's cursed origins, the Void will be the least of his concerns... Inspired by the worlds of Xianxia and Wuxia, Julian Gyll brings a fresh, western fantasy take on the burgeoning cultivation genre.

Leaving his homeland for the first time, Jason is thrust into a world teeming with peril. Hunted by the ruthless Lightguard for uncovering their dark plot, he flees deeper into the treacherous Canyonlands. But power is elusive, and the path to it, perilous. The enigmatic Citadel, the very heart of his enemy, holds the key. Deep in the city's ancient bowels, a secret, potent enough to alter the course of history lies hidden. One so dangerous, people are willing to kill to keep it buried. Jason must delve deeper into his mastery of shadow-weaving to challenge the Lightguard and confront an Emperor's tyranny. Navigating a labyrinth of deceit and betrayal, Jason must discern friend from foe. In a world where every shadow could harbor a dagger, Jason’s best chance may lie with a clandestine rebellion of whispers and fragile alliance. As war looms over the Canyonlands, the fate of its people is in Jason's hands.