The war with the tainted god, Groth, is led by the master swordsman, Moreck Bladeblade, and the sorcerer Duntari. The first of the three harbingers has been destroyed, and the next one is not expected to manifest for another six months. Moreck sets out on a simple task of traveling to the Elven Forest and checking to see if the wielder of the dague relic has been chosen. The young warrior Brannon and Azbella, a priestess of the goddess Aideth, accompany him. After arriving, he faces controversy and conflict. Imyria, the elf that befriended him on his last and only visit to the elven lands, is being hunted for treason for proclaiming that a false wielder has been chosen. He learns that the sacred tree of wisdom and source of elven magic is dying. Moreck also discovers that the dark power of the tainted god, Groth has, extended into the elven nation. His simple task turns into a struggle for survival. Due to a letter his deceased mother had left him, Duntari chooses to go on a solitary quest to find and visit the mysterious Oracle. If he can pass through the trials set before him, he hopes to receive answers that can assist in being successful in the campaign and war with the tainted god. Duntari learns of another quest his mother had started and must find a way to summon her from the spirit world in order to complete it. On his heels is the evil group of sorcerers, the Pentad, that have found a way to eliminate his use of magic. The unfortunate encounter with the leader of her faith leaves the high priestess Seleena no choice but to join her in the journey to Thurak, where a sacred ritual is to be performed. Her intended trek to meet up with her future mate, Moreck, has to wait. She had never left her secluded village before. She is not familiar with the people or life outside of it, though a few random strangers had come across its hidden location throughout her time span. In Thurak, she falls prey to betrayal and captivity. Her captor is determined to learn the secrets that Seleena has safeguarded and kept concealed from the outside world. Volume Two: Beckoning of Darkness continues the riveting saga of the land of Therran, which captivates the mind and richly brings to life the stirring characters of that world.

Though our modern understanding of the medieval doctrine of Purgatory is generally shaped by its presentation by Dante in the Divine Comedy, there is a lengthy history of speculation about the nature of such a place of purgation. Through these fourteenth-century Middle English poems, readers can experience something of the controversies that surfaced and resurfaced even after Aquinas had articulated his doctrine of the Communion of Saints. The Gast of Gy, as Foster notes, puts a human face on the doctrine of Purgatory, not only in the amiable, logical, and patient person of the Gast of Gy himself, . . . but also in the careful and cautious dialogue between the Gast and the Pryor who questions him. Sir Owain and The Vision of Tundale present two accounts of the purgatorial journeys of living individuals who are offered a chance to see the torments they have brought upon themselves by their less-than-perfect lives along with the opportunity to return and amend those lives. All three poems were quite popular, as was the doctrine of Purgatory itself. And why not? As Foster notes in his general introduction, it the doctrine of Purgatory had everything: adventure and adversity, suffering and excitement, and, most importantly, a profound theological warning wrapped in the joyful solace of communion with the departed and hope for our own sinful selves.

The Role of Colloidal Systems in Environmental Protection describes the importance of colloids in many applications that contribute to environmental protection, including drinking water and wastewater treatment, heavy metal remediation, treatment of radioactive materials, corrosion, and energy conversion. Knowledge of the physical and chemical composition of colloids is important to understand and accurately model the relevant processes. The book familiarizes the reader with the technological features of the application of colloids in environmental protection, and provides chemical engineers, researchers, and scientists in academic and corporate communities with the latest developments in this field. Each chapter covers the whole spectrum of the relevant science, from the fundamentals to applications. - Provides the applied technological features of colloids in environmental protection - Gives insight into the use of bio-solid colloids as contaminant carriers - Covers the natural occurrence of biosurfactants in the environment and their applications - Provides information on the use of nanoparticles for environmental applications - Chapters written by recognized and respected experts in the field from all over the world