The Shadow Gospels

Vatican City is in ruin as a brazen terrorist attack ignites a new holy war between Christianity and Islam. The enigmatic Crescent King and his merciless caliphate raze the ancient city, declaring the inauguration of their vicious jihad. Yet, the Crescent King's rampage is nothing more than a diversion orchestrated by an ancient bloodline bent on recapturing a relic of unparalleled might from the Vatican's hallowed archives. Pascal Mencini emerges from the carnage, having reclaimed the instrument that will forge his family's everlasting dynasty. At long last he and his father, French Defense Minister, Jacque Mencini, begin to unravel their plot to reshape the world. However, a year later, when a mysterious vigilante known as the Phantom appears to threaten the Mencinis, Pascal races to eliminate his new rival or risk being exposed as a terrorist. After escaping Vatican City with the help of a mysterious benefactor, Liam Lloyd is sent to Piombino, Italy to train with a modern prophet, Marcelo Darnezzi, and his ex-MI6 ward, Charles Moyne. Sensing Liam's divinely appointed purpose in the great war to come, Marcelo anoints him as the Phantom, a protector of God's people. With the vision of his dead fiancée lying amongst Vatican City's ruins scorched into his mind, Liam uncovers the identity of the architects behind the attack and sets out to exact vengeance against Pascal and Jacque Mencini. Meanwhile, Pascal's reluctant fiancée, Ariella al Hasid, grapples with the harrowing premonition that foreshadowed the Vatican City attack. Skeptical of the Mencinis' motives, Ariella confides in journalist, Veronica Guzman, prompting the intrepid reporter to investigate Ariella's missing past. As Veronica probes deeper, she's kidnapped by a demon-possessed serial killer bent on burying her discoveries. After she's rescued by a supernaturally gifted exorcist, James Clarke, they join forces to uncover the conspiracy surrounding Ariella and unearth the dark origins of James' powers.