

Tyrese Mayer is a prodigy of Blueland until his own cousin Jody Hodson covets his kirin Bone and conspires to have him stripped and thrown into the Beastgrave. At the bottom, nearly dead, he finds a dying black beast and seals an ancient blood bond with it. The beast is a Voracity cub, a primordial devourer from myth, capable of consuming anything and converting it into power it feeds back to Tyrese. They survive the tomb by eating everything sent to kill them: demon beasts, pursuers, whatever comes. Tyrese rebuilds his body, awakens abilities he wasn’t born with, and the cub he names Baemon grows stronger with every meal. When he walks back out, it isn’t to flee. It’s to settle every account, dismantle every lie, and let the sect learn exactly what they threw away.

Fern Burke's husband, Edwin Smith is supporting both households, his own and that of his sister-in-law. He argues that Vera Green, his sister-in-law, would become the subject of gossip since her husband has died, so he brings her along to the military, leaving Fern behind in the countryside. Every month, he sends Fern three love letters, yet gives all his military allowance to Vera. During the famine, Vera and her two children stay comfortably in Edwin's city home, eating meat buns, while Fern and her children starve to death in silence. Fortunately, Fern has been given a second chance at life. This time, she won't suffer quietly…