Kolis: The False Primal of Death in Born of Blood and Ash

Overview

Kolis is the false Primal of Death and the primary antagonist of Born of Blood and Ash (Jennifer L. Armentrout, 2024). He is the uncle of Nyktos (Ash) and the brother of Eythos, the former Primal of Life. Consumed by envy and an obsessive love for the mortal Sotoria, Kolis has spent eons trying to reclaim her soul. He imprisoned and tormented Seraphena Mierel, believing she is Sotoria reborn, and commits devastating acts—including the murder of Sera’s family—to maintain his power and provoke the final conflict.

Role in the Plot

Kolis drives the central conflict. After Sera Ascends as the true Primal of Life, Kolis emerges from stasis (weakened but still dangerous) and summons her to Dalos to demand Sotoria’s soul. His actions force Sera and Ash to unite the Courts, uncover the full prophecy, and prepare for war. Kolis orchestrates the attack on Lasania, personally kills Queen Ezra and her wife Marisol, and then lays a trap at the Temple that leads to the final battle. He is ultimately beheaded by Ward with a bone dagger while trying to harm Sera.

Motivations and Traits

Obsession with Sotoria: Kolis’s driving motivation is to reclaim Sotoria, the mortal he loved before she died. He projects this obsession onto Sera, declaring, “I would’ve had my everything” (chapter 19 evidence). His fixation makes him both vulnerable and relentless.

Cruelty and manipulation: Kolis is a master manipulator. He coerced Sera into killing Evander by threatening another woman (chapter 34 evidence). He enjoys inflicting psychological torment, forcing Sera to relive his assault through his Primal ability. He also boasts about “how easy” it is to provoke Sera.

Calculated yet unpredictable: Sera notes that Kolis can be “calculated”—he avoided war until he believed he could win—but Ash sees him as “unpredictable,” especially when his power is threatened. His behavior swings between careful strategy and irrational rage.

Desire for ultimate power: Kolis seeks to become the Primal of Blood and Bone (Life and Death united). He believes the prophecy speaks of him, and he is willing to destroy realms to achieve that Ascension.

Insecurity beneath bravado: Despite his boasts, Kolis is deeply insecure. He admits he “lived vicariously” through mortal souls and is terrified of being forgotten. His tantrums when defied reveal a childish desperation.

Character Arc

Kolis’s arc in Born of Blood and Ash is a descent into total villainy. He begins the novel in hiding, vulnerable after Sera’s escape, but quickly reasserts control. He attempts a “peaceful” negotiation (offering peace in exchange for Sotoria), but when Sera refuses, he escalates to outright murder and war. His trap at the Temple nearly succeeds, but his hubris—dismissing Sera and Ward—leads to his sudden death. His arc emphasizes that obsession and cruelty ultimately destroy themselves.

Relationships

• Seraphena Mierel: Tormentor and object of obsession. Kolis sees Sera as a vessel for Sotoria. He holds her captive, assaults her, and later murders her family to break her spirit. Sera remains terrified but defiant.
• Nyktos (Ash): Kolis’s nephew and enemy. Ash hates Kolis for the abuse he inflicted on Sera and for forcing Ash to feed on gods. They clash directly in the final battle.
• Sotoria: The dead mortal woman Kolis has loved for millennia. She is the ghost that drives all his actions.
• Eythos: Kolis’s brother, the previous Primal of Life. Kolis killed Eythos to take his embers, but the act did not give him the power he wanted.
• Nektas: The eldest draken, who remembers Kolis from before his corruption. Nektas views him with contempt.
• Aydun: An Ancient Fate who retrieves Sera for Kolis but later advises her against his deal, showing even the Fates are wary of Kolis.
• Ward and Penellaphe: Respectively, the man who ultimately beheads Kolis and the Primal who corrects his misinterpretation of the prophecy.

Key Decisions and Consequences

1. Sparing Sera in Dalos: After Sera’s initial captivity, Kolis could have killed her but chose to keep her prisoner, hoping to reclaim Sotoria. This gives Sera time to escape and ascend.

2. Offering the peace deal: In chapter 19, Kolis offers peace in exchange for Sotoria’s soul. Sera counters with a humiliating offer (keeping Dalos but renouncing rule). Neither accepts, triggering a one‑month truce that Kolis breaks.

3. Murdering Sera’s family: Kolis personally kills Queen Ezra and Marisol in Lasania. This act provokes Sera’s primal rage, leading her to attack Dalos prematurely and fall into his trap.

4. Summoning the sekya: Kolis summons the sekya (creatures of the Abyss) to strengthen his defenses, forcing Ash to reveal his full Primal form and delaying the final confrontation.

5. Setting the trap at the Temple: Kolis arranges for Sera to be injured by Callum with a bone dagger and then overpower her himself. The trap nearly succeeds, but Ward intervenes and decapitates Kolis, ending his reign.

Themes and Symbols

Trauma and Healing: Kolis embodies lasting trauma. Sera’s PTSD—nightmares, panic attacks triggered by “stale lilacs” and gold bars—stems directly from his abuse. Her healing journey involves confronting the fear he instilled.

Justice vs Vengeance: Kolis pushes Sera toward vengeance (she admits she wanted to make him suffer). Attes advises her that true victory comes from “cunning and precise actions,” not brutality. Sera’s struggle to remain merciful rather than monstrous is the moral core of the novel.

Power and Responsibility: Kolis represents power without responsibility. His selfish pursuit of the Primal of Blood and Bone essence would upset the balance of life and death. Sera and Ash must stop him to preserve the realms.

Love and Sacrifice: Kolis’s love for Sotoria is twisted into possessive obsession. His willingness to destroy the world for her contrasts with Sera and Ash’s mutual sacrifice, which strengthens their bond.

Prophecy and Fate: Kolis misreads the “giver of blood and bringer of bone” prophecy, believing it refers to himself. In reality, it points to Sera and Ash becoming the Primal of Blood and Ash. This error underscores his delusion and ensures his downfall.

Five Key Questions and Answers

1. Why does Kolis believe Seraphena is Sotoria?
Kolis sees Sera’s resemblance to the mortal Sotoria and interprets the prophecy as his own. He becomes convinced that Sera carries Sotoria’s soul, a belief he clings to despite evidence to the contrary.

2. How does Kolis manipulate Sera into killing Evander?
Kolis threatened the life of a woman named Jacinta and told Sera she could stop him by killing Evander. Sera, wanting to save Jacinta, did so, only to realize Kolis had manipulated her (chapter 34 evidence).

3. What deal does Kolis offer Sera, and why does she refuse?
Kolis offers peace for the Shadowlands in exchange for Sotoria’s soul. Sera refuses because she cannot hand over an innocent soul. She counters with a deal allowing Kolis to keep Dalos but renounce all authority, which he rejects.

4. Who kills Kolis, and how?
Ward, a mortal allied with Penellaphe, beheads Kolis with a bone dagger during the final confrontation at the Temple, just as Kolis is about to harm Sera (chapter 43 evidence).

5. What does Kolis get wrong about the prophecy?
Kolis believes the prophecy describes his own rise as the Primal of Blood and Bone. In reality, Penellaphe reveals the “giver of blood and bringer of bone” refers to Sera and Ash together—the Primal of Blood and Ash (chapter 23 outline). His misinterpretation leads him to overestimate his role and underestimate Sera.