Warning! All spoilers for previous books in the Cradle Series are UNMARKED!
Following the rise of the Bleeding Phoenix, the Skysworn are more overstretched than ever. Despite their misgivings about a Blackflame, a Redmoon Emissary, and an Akura, they reluctantly agree to begin allowing Lindon and his team to start going on missions. Their first one as a full team: Investigate Ghostwater, the Monarch Northstrider's personal pocket world, which he abandoned decades ago and will collapse soon.
Unfortunately, other factions have their sights set on Ghostwater. The team is split in two, with Lindon trapped inside the collapsing world with hostile sacred artists far above him, and Yerin trapped outside with all their even more powerful patrons. Yerin desperately fights her way across the island to a portal where she can get inside, while Lindon fights monsters and worse.
But although Northstrider abandoned this world, the trash of a Monarch is treasure to all others...
Ghostwater is the fifth novel in the Cradle Series by Will Wight. It is the second of the Path of Gold collection.
This novel provides examples of:
- Evil Counterpart: Akura Harmony and Lindon both spend all their time training and have lofty ambitions, but Harmony is a complete psycho who casually murders people who speak too loudly while he's training.
- Fountain of Youth: The third well, the Life Well, boosts the lifeline and can even restore youth in the elderly. Orthos rejuvenates at least a hundred years.
- Never Split the Party: Lindon and Yerin are both notably uncomfortable being separated. They spend most of their time thinking of each other, and Yerin fights across the island to get to the second portal and rescue Lindon.
- Sanity Strengthening: Orthos regains much of his clarity after drinking from the Dream Well, and the Spirit Well is even better for him.
- Took a Level in Badass: This is the first book in which Lindon starts to become a dangerous opponent, gaining multiple rank ups and abilities.
- Wham Episode: By the end of the book, Lindon and Yerin have the same advancement level, Lindon has his own Presence, and the central conflict for the rest of the series is put in motion.
