A Fire in the Flesh

Kolis is the primary antagonist of A Fire in the Flesh, the false Primal of Life, and the current King of the Gods. While he is described as appearing to be a beautiful man with golden hair and fine features, Kolis is sadistic and cruel by nature. When angered, his actual, skeletal form appears, as he still possesses the embers of death. This juxtaposition of his outward versus his true nature exemplifies the narrative’s exploration of the contrast between appearance and reality. 

Kolis’s current position stems from his betrayal of Eythos, his twin, the true Primal of Life, and Nyktos’s father. His actions were fueled by jealousy and greed and created a rift that reverberated through the realms, leading to the Rot and the slow unraveling of balance in Iliseeum and the mortal world. However, despite his power, Kolis is profoundly insecure. He needs validation, and he uses a mix of charm, intimidation, and deception to ensure that his power remains unchallenged. His actions and the culture he creates rely on The Weaponization of Trust. For example, he uses Sera multiple times throughout the story to manipulate those who displease him, often resulting in him executing them.

The central conflict in the novel stems from Kolis’s obsession with the deceased Sotoria and, by extension, Sera. He is not just a villain for the sake of power; his character is defined instead by a single, all-consuming fixation that defies time, logic, and morality. His “love” for her shows his flawed understanding of love. To him, love is synonymous with possession. He does not seek a partner in Sotoria; he seeks a possession that he can control and keep by his side forever. His inability to move on from her rejection and death has left him trapped in the past, unable to engage with the present or envision a future without her. It manifests in his erratic behavior, violent outbursts, and increasingly desperate attempts to reclaim what he lost. Kolis’s obsession also has personal consequences, as it isolates him from others and prevents him from forming meaningful connections. Kolis is a static character who doesn’t change over the course of the novel, and his inability to do so ensures his fall from power.

Nyktos, otherwise known as Ash, is a major character in the novel, as well as Sera’s romantic interest. As the Primal of Death, Nyktos is a being of immense power and authority. In his human form, he has wavy, reddish-brown hair and silver eyes, the latter trait shared among all Primals. When he takes on his true Primal form, he appears as a whirl of shadows streaked with silver eather. He also can appear as a large, white wolf and has the power of empathy, which allows him to sense Sera’s emotions, even across great distances.

While he plays a significant role in the narratives of the two prior books in the series, Nyktos is mainly absent from A Fire in the Flesh. He spends much of the narrative in stasis due to being stabbed by a weapon crafted from the bone of one of the Ancients—a weapon with the power to weaken gods. Aside from the opening and closing chapters, most of his appearances in the novel occur in a dream version of Sera’s lake in Lasania. Despite his physical absence, his presence looms large over the plot, as protecting him is Sera’s main goal while she is in Kolis’s captivity.

Once he does reappear after Sera frees him, the narrative’s focus turns to their relationship and the transformative power of love. Despite his prior efforts to shield himself from love, Nyktos ultimately fails to do so. His heart, literally and metaphorically, remains tied to Sera. Nyktos’s character arc involves his discovery that love, which he once perceived as a weakness, is actually his greatest strength.

Veses is the Primal of Rites and Prosperity and a minor antagonist in the novel. She is manipulative and vain and is described by Kolis as “by far the most beautiful of our kind” (279). Unlike most of the other characters, who consistently describe Sera as beautiful, Veses consistently insults Sera’s appearance, such as her weight or her freckles. In the prior books in the series, she extorts Nyktos with her knowledge about the embers of life, allowing her to consume his blood. After she taunts Sera and nearly kills the young draken Reaver in A Light in the Flame, she is imprisoned by Nyktos. In A Fire in the Flesh, she escapes and returns to Kolis’s court.

While Veses is undeniably an antagonist, she is also a victim of Kolis’s weaponization of trust, just like Sera. Veses is deeply enamored with the false Primal of Life despite his cold and often brutal treatment of her. She craves his attention and approval, regardless of the cost to herself or others. For Veses, power is linked to her identity and self-worth. As a Primal, she wields significant influence, but her perceived worth is diminished in her own eyes by Kolis’s rejection. 

Veses’s relationship with Kolis is unbalanced and abusive. Kolis understands her need for his approval and uses her as a tool to further his ambitions or, on occasion, simply for his entertainment. He manipulates her feelings for him, knowing that she will do whatever he asks in the hope of gaining his favor. It escalates to the point where he commands Kyn to sexually assault her in front of the entire court. When Sera moves to intervene, Veses lashes out at her and later insists that she “enjoyed” what was done to her. Her denial of her pain is a defense mechanism and a way to maintain the illusion of control in a situation where she has none. Kolis’s manipulation and abuse trapped her in a cycle of dependence, desperation, and self-destruction. Veses’s relationship with Kolis stands in stark contrast to Sera’s relationship with him, illustrating how Kolis’s abuse can manifest different responses in his victims.

Callum is a major antagonist in the novel and a Revenant, one of the dead whom Kolis Ascended and his only perfect attempt. Even when killed, Callum can resurrect himself, making him a formidable threat. Kolis initially tasked Callum with keeping an eye on Sera in Lasania while she was growing up. Now, he has him guard her in the gilded cage. 

While Callum is intensely loyal to Kolis, there are moments throughout the book where he shows his independence. This is particularly clear in his interactions with Sera, for whom he has significant disdain. He taunts her, questions her legitimacy, and accuses her of manipulating those around her, especially Kolis. Over time, it becomes clear that his actions are influenced by more than just duty and are driven by his perception of her as an impostor who has usurped Sotoria’s identity. In life, Callum was Sotoria’s brother, and his death by suicide is motivated by his guilt and grief over failing to protect her. 

Callum’s transformation into a Revenant by Kolis is a punishment and a perverse form of preservation. Since he is now bound to Kolis, Callum becomes a guardian of the person responsible for his sister’s demise. While he is undoubtedly a villain in the eyes of Sera and Nyktos, Callum’s actions are driven by a personal sense of justice. He believes that Sera’s existence is a threat to the memory of his sister. His belief fuels his hostility and justifies, in his mind, the extreme measures he takes to stop her.