The Lost Prophecy

The Threat of Madness by D.K. Holmberg follows Jakob, a young apprentice historian and priest’s son whose quiet life ends when mysterious Magi and their formidable guardians arrive, bringing war and upheaval. Forced from his home, he trains under a new swordmaster and discovers not only unexpected martial talent but unsettling magical abilities that resemble the madness feared across the land. As darkness gathers in the north and enemies advance from the south, Jakob is drawn into an epic struggle tied to a long-lost prophecy and ancient powers returning to the world. The novel blends heroic fantasy, large-scale conflict, and personal transformation as Jakob races to complete a dangerous task that only he may be able to accomplish before his mind unravels.

The world prepares for war. Creatures out of a nightmare press south. And only a few will be able to stop it.  

Roelle leads the Magi north to discover the secrets of the northern warriors known as the Antrilii. What she discovers forces her to question the role the Magi play in the world as she begins to realize how far they have drifted from their Founders. Rumors out of the north are much worse than she could ever imagine and her Mage Warriors might be key to stopping a threat the world hasn't seen in a thousand years. 

Jakob has reached Avaneam with the mysterious trunk only to learn that his journey has just begun. What he discovers in the Unknown Lands will be the key to the upcoming battle, if only he can survive it. His visions continue and Jakob learns there is more to them—and him—than he had known. Can he understand his growing abilities in time?

As the twisted groeliin press their way south, countless lives will be lost unless Roelle can find help, forcing her to go to an enemy for aid. It’s a dangerous gamble, but she can think of no alternative, not if she intends to save as many as possible.

Jakob continues having strange visions and struggles with what he’s becoming. No longer does he question that he has power, but the only person who might be able to answer is trapped in Thealon. They must reach her before all is lost. Doing so forces them to face an army of Deshmahne and a horde of groeliin.

As their paths converge, war extends throughout the north. All have to sacrifice, but even that might not be enough to defeat both the Deshmahne and the groeliin, all while trying to save the last of the gods.

With the groeliin attack stopped and the Deshmahne defeated in the north, there is a tentative peace, but war still threatens. The south remains unsettled and, though weakened, Raime has escaped. The key to stopping coming war rests with scattered allies, but can they survive long enough to work together in time to prevent another destruction?

Roelle, injured and near death, must find the healing necessary so that she can rebuild the Magi warriors. Alriyn searches for answers in an unlikely place, leading the Magi toward a path they had never considered. Isandra travels north where the Antrilii have uncovered something not seen in a thousand years.

Jakob now understands the reason for his growing powers, but there is much for him to learn about what it means for him to be one of the damahne. His search for answers leads him along the fibers and into the past, where he discovers Raime’s influence. If Jakob fails to master his powers in time, Raime will grow even stronger than before, and this time, there will be none who can stop him.

Brohmin heads south to understand how he can stop the Deshmahne before they attempt another attack where he encounters a new ally on a surprising mission. As he tries to learn more, he discovers not all is as it seems, and is forced to work for an enemy to save someone he deeply cares for.

Isandra searches for the groeliin breeding grounds with the Antrilii, needing to learn skills she never imagined while still struggling with the loss of her Magi abilities. She must come to terms with who she is to help her companions and a surprising enemy.

The fibers are restored, and Raime stopped once more, but Jakob knows he must push onward so that he can defeat Raime before he finds power again. Doing so takes him from his brother, now healed from the madness. He searches for his purpose along the fibers but finds only more questions. Somehow he must find the answers he seeks, but doing so means he needs to understand what he has become—and the power he now possesses—before Raime steals it from him.

The final battle builds. The groeliin continue to attack. And Raime seems even more unstoppable than he ever has before. Back in the Antrilii lands, Isandra searches for answers from Jostephon. The arrival of the summoned Magi means that much will change for her, and she soon learns her purpose in the north is not yet completed. She might be the key to understanding the groeliin and how to finally stop them. Roelle struggles with the ongoing effects of her poisoning and learning how the Magi warriors can work with the Deshmahne. A discovery tied to the Lashiin priests leads to a deeper mystery that she must solve while learning whether she can still lead. Jakob searches for Raime, knowing that he won’t abandon his plans. His quest leads him back along the fibers and to a deeper understanding of who he’s meant to be. The key to finding—and stopping—Raime is tied to the groeliin, but just as Jakob thinks he knows what he must do, he finds he’s completely unprepared.

As Raime prepares for another attack, those with the power to oppose him begin their preparations.

Finally fully healed, Roelle is tasked with helping an ex-soldier recover his skills, but nothing she tries is effective. Worse, she begins to suspect success in the coming war will require her to make an alliance with the Deshmahne, but not all the Magi warriors feel the same.

With the discovery that he is not the last of the damahne, Jakob works with those once afflicted by the madness, trying to awaken their power, knowing they will be the key to victory. He must succeed before Raime steals ahmaean from them as he once tried to take from the damahne. This time, there might be no stopping him. Succeeding requires Jakob to discover the origin of the groeliin for him to confront powerful groeliin unlike any he has ever faced.

The penultimate book in The Lost Prophecy series.

The final battle approaches. Preparations must be made. None will be ready for what is to come.

Only a few of the Magi understand the truth of what comes and that they must fight, but will those few be enough? Roelle heads north, intending to face the groeliin, and finds herself drawn toward another task. Isandra must somehow help the groeliin, but can she help all of them? If not, they’ll be used in Raime’s plan, yet if she can save them, the tide of war might finally shift in their favor.

Jakob decides that to defeat Raime he must understand him. This requires that he once more walk along the fibers in what might be the most difficult test of his ability, one that shows him not only Raime, but also a part of his past he never imagined. As he does, he learns of a secret Raime has hidden that might be the key to finally stopping him. If he fails, Raime will succeed, and an ancient betrayal will be the reason.

The final novel in The Lost Prophecy series.