Rane had a rare birthright. The ability to draw power from the dead and make it his own.
For some, such talent in the arcane would be a boon and a blessing. To Rane, it meant being forced on a path of bloodshed and death based on the whims of his slavers. To commit acts that went against every human instinct he retained. Years of torture and captivity have left his body weak and his mind in shambles, yet he still retains a few, fragmented memories. They hint at a life beyond what his prison and what his cruel masters have allowed him. At a family he's lost, and a promise he's already broken. To escape, Rane will have to face off against beasts, unhinged mages and the true essence of what it means to be human.
And as the peace between ancient kingdoms grows uneasy and the world plunges headfirst into madness, the cost of freedom might prove high. In the chaos of conflict and men's ravenous ambitions, the true name of the world has been long forgotten. Nations wage bloody campaigns with remnants of ancestral magic while nature itself crumbles around them. Only one pillar of stability stands unshaken for millennia, anchoring the realm to balance. One single truth that no mage has yet to break. Oaths, once sworn, cannot be broken. Under the Arbiter's watchful eye, civilizations rise and crumble. People live and die. The words of the strong become law, and law shapes reality.
And that is just the reality Rane has to change.
Dark High Fantasy story with multiple alternating POVs
For those of you who want to help the project along, I have a Patreon page! 100% of earnings will be used to improve the series.
Cover art by the incredible Petros : https://www.artstation.com/petros-stefanidis