Intro. A thousand years ago, the world was ruled by the Dominators, four kings who ruled the elements — water, air, earth and fire. Under their rule, balance reigned and the land flourished. But then came the Silver Men, common warriors wielding weapons forged to destroy gods. Led by an ambitious emperor, they began a bloody war that nearly wiped out the entire Dominator bloodline.
Human victory brought an empire, but also the ruin of magic. The few Avatars—descendants of the ancient elemental kings—were hunted, enslaved, or killed. Over the centuries, they became distorted legends, considered monsters because of their pointy ears, luminous eyes and impossibly colored hair.
Now, a thousand years later, the empire is in decline. Hecate, the current emperor — a cruel, feared man surrounded by fifty concubines — sees his power threatened by a forgotten omen: the Long Night, an age of darkness that will consume all life