Hosh is a grizzled veteran of the shodeth. As the second in command to Rachna, he has fought tirelessly to defend Xirklx, the hidden city that lies beneath the river city of Brighton. However, unlike Acharat, the city’s current leader, Hosh does not subscribe to the isolationist approach of hiding from the surface world. Instead, Hosh believes, as Rachna does, that the skeva should take the fight to the humans, asserting their right to occupy the land without fear.
Born into a life where secrecy was a matter of survival, Hosh quickly learned that the skeva’s existence depended on their ability to remain hidden from the surface dwellers. Raised in a family of warriors, he was trained in both the art of combat and the necessity of discretion. As a young recruit, he excelled in stealth and strategy, gaining the attention of Rachna, who saw the potential for leadership in him.
As Hosh rose through the ranks, his loyalty to Rachna deepened, and he embraced her vision for the future of their people—one where the skeva would no longer live in the shadows. They shared a conviction that isolationism would only allow the humans to grow stronger while Xirklx remained vulnerable. Hosh’s experiences in the field, where he often encountered unyielding human expansion, convinced him that passive responses ultimately jeopardized their very existence.
“It is a wise course,” Hosh said. “But may I suggest another?”
Amongst their number, only Hosh possessed the esteem to ask such a question. But even he walked dangerous ground if he meant to question his leader.
Rachna nodded, waiting.
“You are right to challenge Acharat. I know I speak for all shodeth when I say it is the only way. But I fear even a challenge will make a martyr of him. I implore you. For now, detain him only. Place him under house arrest until after we have returned from slaying the humans. We have the loyalty of the soldiers who agreed to march with us, but not all. Also, as we saw this day, doubt remains with our people. They must know you have been right all along. We will show them this when we return victorious and there is no reprisal.”
- THE NULLIFICATION ENGINE
Hosh has become increasingly frustrated with Acharat’s conservative approach. Acharat’s policies of avoidance and restraint conflicted with Hosh’s belief that the time had come for the skeva to reclaim their place in the world. He envisioned a united front where the skeva could defend their territory and decimate the forces threatening their survival rather than continuing to skirt the edges of confrontation.
In his role beside Rachna, Hosh became a formidable force in planning offensives against human settlements, where they would disrupt supply chains and covertly dismantle dangerous human installations. He fiercely advocated for aggressive tactics, believing they could take control of their narrative, forcing humans to reckon with the existence of Xirklx.
However, his growing unease about Acharat’s leadership is ever-present. Hosh finds himself torn between the old ways of caution and Rachna’s new vision. Hosh’s internal struggle deepened after near-exposures due to the humans’ relentless probing, reinforcing Hosh’s belief that the skeva could not afford to wait for a future that might never come.
As further threats descend upon Xirklx, Hosh stands resolute at the crossroads of confrontation. He rallies alongside Rachna to challenge Acharat’s isolationist views, advocating for a decisive stance against the humans above. With the weight of leadership on his shoulders and fierce loyalty to his people, Hosh prepares to embrace an offensive future, determined to change the fate of the skeva and usher in a new era where they are no longer forced to cower in the darkness. Instead, they will rise as warriors, reclaiming their right to exist boldly in a world that has long overlooked them.
FIRST APPEARANCE
Hosh first appears in The Nullification Engine (The Alchemancer Book Two).
