The motif of the seven treasures illustrates the impact of the past on the present while also contributing to the theme of The Corrupting Influence of Ambition and Power. The premise of Malice is underpinned by the idea of a fated God-War between Elyon, the creator, and Asroth, his first creation and betrayer. A part of the prophecy involves the Seven Treasures, made from a starstone that fell from the sky 2,000 years before the novel’s events begin. The starstone was made into The Seven Treasures: “cauldron, torc, necklace, spear, dagger, axe and cup” (69). Each of these items allows its possessor to become an Elemental, a being who has magical powers through their ability to control earth, air, water, or fire. Humans and giants fought over these artifacts for years until Elyon, disgusted, enacted the Scourging, killing off most of the humans and giants. From that time on, the artifacts were mostly forgotten, remembered by only a few.

In the Prologue, the novel introduces the artifacts as intertwined with Asroth’s return and the fulfillment of the God-War prophecy. The theft of the starstone axe, Evnis’s discovery of the necklace and search for the cauldron, and Corban and Nathair’s dreams of the cauldron signal that these instruments of power are once again in play, making the ancient history of the Banished Lands an active force in the present. The artifacts themselves, however, can be used for good or evil, highlighting the fact that those who will play a role in the upcoming war can make The Conscious Choice Between Good and Evil.