A King's Ransom: The Price of Immortality
For millennia, they have been the constants in a world of change—Adamocles and Evangeline Eden, the Alphas, the "immovable rock" and the "eternal wellspring." To the outside world and even to their closest allies, they are forces of nature, seemingly invincible beings whose power is as old as the world itself. But as readers will discover in the shocking opening of The Host, even immortality has a price, and the bill has just come due.
The Unbreakable, Broken
We know Adamocles Eden as the "Black Ghost," a warrior of incomprehensible skill and power who has faced down demons, liches, and entire armies without faltering. He is the anchor, the steady hand, the panther coiled and ready for any threat. That perception is shattered in a quiet Parisian alley when a single, suppressed shot rings out.
For the first time in millions of years, Ado's Alpha healing fails. The wound from the mysterious Necroshot doesn't knit and close; instead, a black, necrotic rot blooms, spreading through his system and defying his very nature. In that moment, the unbreakable is broken, and the shadow war against the Black House becomes terrifyingly personal.
A Weapon of the Soul
The attack reveals that Temple Corp has engineered a weapon that targets not just the body, but the soul itself. The Necroshot is far more than a simple bullet; it's a delivery system for "weaponized necrotic energy." The projectile is designed to inflict a "dimensional rot" and a form of "spiritual poison" that actively works to "Unmake" its target by unraveling their existence.
This horrific technology, derived from the same spiritual alchemy that corrupted the Oni, creates a "void imprint"—a metaphysical scar that blocks the natural flow of life force and prevents even Alpha regeneration. It's a weapon built not just to kill, but to torture a soul for eternity.
A Queen's Resolve
With Ado dying and their psychic bond severed, Eva is pushed to her absolute limit. Her reaction is a testament to her fierce love and power. In a desperate act of will, she drags her king to a dusty, forgotten safe house and performs a harrowing "field surgery." Armed with little more than a psionically-honed kitchen knife and strips of curtain, Eva battles the Void energy itself to physically cut the poison from his body.
The climax of this struggle is one of the most powerful moments in the series. As Ado's heart stops, Eva's desperate pleas and the sheer force of her love trigger a psionic shockwave, resurrecting him from the brink of oblivion. It is a raw, primal display that proves their bond is the most powerful force in their arsenal.
The Mark of Survival
Though Ado is saved, he is not unchanged. The Necroshot leaves behind a **permanent, silvery scar** on his shoulder—a luminous, intricate mark where the Void energy was purged.
This scar is not a symbol of weakness. It is a **"permanent testament"** to his survival, Eva's resolve, and the unbreakable strength of their bond. It represents a new, dangerous reality for the Alphas. Adamocles is no longer invincible, and this vulnerability will force them to adapt their strategies in the ongoing war. The daily acupuncture ritual now required to maintain his healing serves as a constant reminder that the stakes have never been higher. The king may have been wounded, but he and his queen are more determined than ever.
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