I don't know how to the spoiler effect, so if you read past this, you will see spoilers, so be warned.


Terry brook has released the first of four books to end his epic series. He said he would write more prequal works, but the time of Shannara is coming to an end. The newest book is called the black elfstone. I am betting the other three books will be named after powerful artifact we have seen in the series.
Since there has already been a sword of Shannara book, that is out. I am assuming that sword and the red elfstone a were lost with the keep. It is possible there might be a blue elfstone book, but there has been an elfstones and black elf stone book so I doubt it. We know the elfstones come in sets of three, and there are five sets. I wonder if there is a collective name for them.

I think I know one of the storylines that will appear. For some reason, one of the Druids banished the keep away but kept the stone, so we know it could be brought back. We are assuming she is a bad guy. So someone will have to become a full Druid to restore the keep. Just like Walker Boh was remade as a Druid.
For some reason, I think it is the crazy magic user. As a user of the wish song, it is possible, he still carries a trace of the blood legacy with in them. That guy is broken and full of rage and a killer, with barely any control over his magic. So if he absorbed the Druid magic, his mind could be healed and he finally has control over his powerful magics. It would also be a means of redemption for the deaths he has caused.
The only other potentially friendly magic users are his sister, Dar Leah who only wields his ancestors blade, "white cloak" if she can be convinced to change sides and a Druid called Zia that we don't have confirmation of death yet. They may also have been Druids outside of the keep during the invasion, but there is no way to know which side they are on.
I am pretty sure only those that carry the Druids blood legacy or an existing member can recall the keep.

When the presumed bad guy fled, it disappeared using some kind of shadow creatures, so we are assuming some kind of demon. I long hoped for a final climax for the demons and the forbidden it self. Especially since we now have become aware of a cache of faerie magical artifacts locked away. And it seems to me that the prison is getting weaker.
When we learned more of the missing elfstones, it seemed to me that it was implied they were how the elves kept the demons in check, and with their loss, the Ellcrys was needed as a replacement. So a final solution would be a merging of these magics. what if the chosen with the seed of the tree, also had all five sets of elf stones when it transformed into the Ellcrys? While all five sets can defend the user, their main purpose in the unique power. The blue can search a whole world, the red can drain the target. Who knows what the other three coul do. The tree can only banish demons, imagine if it can be more proactive.
The creators of the tree knew it could not last for ever, which is why they gave it the ability to seed and created the order of the chosen. My theory is that they also hoped that one day the elfstones would be discovered. Allanon himself claim the magics involved would ensure that one day they would be recovered.
My other theory is that the demons are somehow transformed into new races of man, similar to how elves had changed over the centuries. Thus making the true parts of the new world. Not all those consigned to the forbidden were abominations, touched by the power of the void but not ruled by it.

It would be epic is we could see crystal tech combined with magical. We know the wish song can augment it. Say the elfstones or the sword of Leah placed in the tech. They both create a lot of heat and light. I wonder if the black elfstone can drain crystal energy, and allow it to be channel for other purposes.

It seems to me that the bad Druid and the spy, back stabbed "white cloak" and her men. She did not expect the whole death cloud and disappearing castle. So she has just lost a lot of her men. She did spare the Druid blade before, so she might be open to it. She would be able to explain a lot to the good guys.
I think her people just reacted to an attack/aggression. She led her men to troll country and got attacked, so she destroyed those two enemies. Then that poisoned Druid ranted and raved about how the Druids will crush her people. When she attempted to take the delegation into custody, they defended themselves, so she attacked them. The only time she did not attack was when Leah show no aggression what so ever.
I am betting this was a set up by the poisoner Druid, she arranged for that force to be in troll country knowing, that the tribes would attack such an armed force. Then she had that compromised Druid to confront them ensuring they would go after the order. The only way to convince the former high Druid in releasing the guardian and retrieving the black elfstone would be a successful breaching of the keep by a powerful magical attack force. She likely wanted the assassins to go after Drisker, as it would draw him back to the order. I would not be suprised that she ensured those two troll forces purposely went after that expedition.

While the evil Druid has her own plans, she will likely add the removal or co opting of Tasha or the former blade. Their magics could cause issues to her future plans, and the Leah knows they are at fault for the fall of the order. If she sends the assassins, it would allow for Shea Ohmsford to be seen once more.
Leah will be dealing with his cloaked opponent. Then he will likely go for allies, so Tasha. The thing is his lady love could still be alive, we never had confirmation of her death, so she is to be rescued.
Tasha her self will be going after her brother who is searching for her. While mad and violent, I am hoping he is not totally lost. He could accept the fact she went to learn magic so she would be able to save him. I suspect his so called friend, is some kind of creature messing with him. The thing is if some one was aware of him, why did they not go after his sister, for her magic as well.
It might be they believed he was more powerful, and easier to manipulate due to his instability. He might be crazy, but he is a fighter which will be useful in the future. And the fact he does not attack those that show no violence or aggression to him, gives me hope, that he is not yet lost to the darkness.

The bad Druid arranged for the Druid blade to get out of the castle with his sword. It might have just to get the former high Druid to return. But what if her plans involve using the Druid blade. Like how the elfston first restored the castle, and now helps banish. I wonder if the blade will be used to go after some kind of magical creature, either the stone king or more likely the silver King. I could see other Druids journey to consort with the stone King trapped in his old ruin, but now want him eliminated. The thing is the silver King can see the future, how could he not see the Druids coming?

In ever Shannara quest, we see the king of the silver river that appears in some manner, to give warnings and advice. This usually happens when our heroes enter his lands, or at least near water.
Another useful event, is visiting the shadeshorn and getting knowledge from the the dead Druids. The thing I am pretty sure it requires an actual Druid to summon the shades. Failing that, I wonder if instead our trapped Druid will somehow reach out from his confinement, to contact any of his allies. I think cogline reached out to Walker in such a manner via dreams.

There is a theme about the balance of light and darkness, magic an science. A permanent solution, would be some kind of merging. So the Druid or magical arts combined with crystal technology. The crystal weapons are now powerful enough, that they would be enough to deal with the demons if released once more. So magic domination of wars could be kept in check.