Relics, Fourth Wing, Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros. Art by Maya @snowarox

Relics are marks on character skin created by dragons. Some relics are a symbol of honour and power, such as the relics created by dragon once their bond with a rider. Others represent a warning, such as the rebellion relics which are swirls and slashes.

Relics are conduits to let all the magic into the body of their rider.

Rebellion Relics

The rebellion relics were created by General Melgren’s dragon during the execution of the parents of separatists’ children. These relics are shimmering marks that start on the top of the wrist, appearing as swirls and slashes. Unlike the relics created when a dragon uses magic to mark the skin of their bonded rider, which symbolize honor and power, the rebellion relics feel more like a warning or a mark of punishment. The creation of these relics was an act of reprisal against the children of those who committed treason, a harsh method intended to deter further acts of rebellion​​.

Runes were given to the children of officers by Colonel Mairi before their parents left for the Battle of Aretia. These items were not merely symbolic but had a practical, albeit grim, purpose: they were designed to counter the signet of the dragon rider who would ultimately execute the parents.

The relics could only activate upon the death of the bearer’s parents by dragonfire, which was the primary method of execution for traitors. When executed, the relics appeared on the children. Thus, when together, General Melgren cannot see the outcome of anything.

Xaden Riorson, one of the characters who has a rebellion relic, tells Violet Sorrengail that he used to think of it as a curse, but he later realised it’s a gift.