Here is where we finished off last time:

Two days later, the Duthonians attack. Eoin goes down into Emareus Village to fight, but is knocked out. When he awakes, he is in the back of a locked cart with Faine, who had been taken from the dungeon. There is no sign of Saera or Echo.


Eoin and Faine are thrown into a dungeon. Eoin discovers that Faine knows these people. In fact, that he used to be involved with the group. They are the Order, sworn to protect the land of Válkia in the name of the Gods. Their spies had been tracking Eoin, Saera and Faine. Eoin discovers that the Order has taken Saera to Arlea, the island country to the west, and are on their way to a particular volcano, at which a ritual called the Cleansing must be performed in order to release the Aura from the world, and thus return balance. But the only way to complete the Cleansing is to stab Saera in the heart with a ritual blade drenched in holy blood.
 
Echo, who also used to be one of the Order, shows up and frees Eoin and Faine from the dungeon. They ride back to Emareus, and then travel to Ortuaire on the western coast.
 
Briefly, we switch to Saera's point of view, and discover how she is being treated. Back to Eoin, Faine and Echo, they arrive in the port town of Mengerikaan, having crossed the small stretch of sea. When they reach Saera she is tied to a tree, a man's dripping blade raised and prepared to strike. Faine lets and arrow loose and pierces the man's hand before he can complete the ritual.
 
They escape with Saera back into Meira. In a forest along the way, they encounter a group of enigmatic men wearing cloaks. They decide it would be unwise to alert the men of their presence and sneak away. They come across one of them astray from the group. He speaks to them with a hissing voice, and then from his hands he wills a stream of fire towards them. Saera blinds him with her light and they run. Once they escape the forest they can see smoke over the trees where they had been set alight by the man in his fury.
 
Who are these people? Echo explains that they are Naeveri, creatures sent from the Fires Below to solve the imbalance in the world caused by Saera having Aundes Aura, while someone else, somewhere, has another piece of it. Only one person must have an Aura at any given time.

They are told in the next village that Tarne, Eoin and Saera's home village, has been destroyed. The Naeveri spawn from volcanoes, and Tarne sits near Mount Vaenor. At the time the ritual was not completed, all the volcanoes in Vàlkia erupted, and Tarne was destroyed.

The group continue to Emareus, and the Queen has been preparing an attack on the Naeveri base. They tell her it is an impossible battle, that they are too powerful. The Order arrives and requests a teaming up with the Queen.

The Queen sends an escort of one hundred soldiers, including Faine and Echo, to accompany seven High Priests of the Order. They will go to the main volcano from which the Naeveri spawn, and recite a prayer which will send them back to the Fires. At that point, though, a great, fiery demon appears and largely decimates the escort and a number of the priests before they can flee. Echo is injured.

They return to the Queen with news that the attack was unsuccessful. She doesn't know what to do now. The Duthonians are well on their way. The Naeveri are still on the loose. But she must protect the Descendent of Light.

Saera.

The next day the Duthonians attack. The Meiraan army meet them in battle. It begins. As they fight, an army of Naeveri arrive, coming over a hill. Fiery hell ensues.

What happens next? That would be telling.