Edge of Despair

By Lantz Vercher

Edge of Despair

Some monsters hunt for meat. Others hunt for your soul.

A nameless orphan has no past, and no place in the world-until the day the stoic former soldier Fyodor pulls him from an orphan's yard and offers him a home on a remote frontier farmstead. But peace is a luxury the harsh eastern marches cannot afford.

When a twisted, impossible wrongness begins creeping out of the mist, the young farmhand discovers that a dark, heatless fury lives right behind his own eyes. To protect his adoptive family, he is forced to make a desperate, bloody bargain with an ancient void waiting beneath the barn floor. He saves them from the shadow, but the cost is absolute: the entity tears away his very identity, leaving him with a hunger he cannot control.

Before he can learn to live with the darkness inside him, real-world brutality strikes. A ruthless band of mercenaries descends upon the farm, leaving a trail of slaughter, stolen lives, and a shattered sanctuary.

Fleeing to the bleak fortification of Blackgate Keep, the young protagonist and his adoptive sister, Milena, find themselves under the protection of Duke Dragomir and his terrifying, cold-gloved general, Varna. Varna recognizes the boy for exactly what he is: a Shadow-Walker.

Now, he must ride alongside the Duke's elite soldiers to hunt down the Ashen Covenant. But as he unleashes his terrifying occult powers against the men who destroyed his life, he faces a choice far more dangerous than the enemies in the marsh:

Will he master the hunger in his soul to become a savior-or will the darkness swallow him whole?

Why Readers Love Edge of Despair:

Grimdark Fantasy World: A bleak, atmospheric setting filled with political tension, unforgiving winters, and low-magic horror.
Compelling Magic System: Explore the terrifying cost of shadow-walking, where every ounce of power demands a piece of your humanity.
High-Stakes Revenge: Perfect for fans of gritty dark fantasy who love intense action, deep world-building, and morally gray characters.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0H29132FS
• ISBN13: 9798197278739
• Release Date: May 2026
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 183 Pages
• Weight: 0.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.4" x 6.0"