A Shadow in Summer

In the vibrant, tranquil city-state of Saraykeht, prosperity hinges on a delicate, dangerous pact: the bound spirit, Seedless, whose essence is tethered to the poet-sorcerer Heshai. This unique magic system has long protected Saraykeht from the expansionist Galtic Empire. However, the Galts, unable to conquer the city by force, have devised a sinister plot: assassinate Heshai, thereby destroying Seedless and leaving Saraykeht vulnerable to their ruthless army. Unbeknownst to the city's elite, a humble laborer named Otah, burdened by a shadowed past, is drawn into this deadly game. Recruited as a bodyguard for a clandestine meeting, Otah inadvertently stumbles upon the Galtish conspiracy. Now, as the gears of treachery turn within Saraykeht's own walls, Otah finds himself an unlikely and solitary bulwark against an empire's ambition, holding the fate of his city and its captive god in his hands.