In a world broken by shadow, Elias must master the balance of light and darkness-or watch his world fall to ruin. An epic tale of adventure, brotherhood, and destiny.
Chapter 1 The Journey Within
The wind whispered through the ancient pines, carrying the scent of rain and something older-something forgotten. Far below, the village of Eldermere huddled beneath a sky swollen with storm clouds. On the highest peak, a boy stood still, his gaze fixed on the endless horizon. His name was Elias Dune.
At seventeen, Elias had never ventured beyond the borders of Eldermere. His days were a monotonous rhythm of farmwork and quiet dreams. But the boy's heart beat to a different cadence-a restless call he could not name. And somewhere beyond the horizon, something waited. Something that would change him forever.
Chapter One: The Map and the Man
The letter came with no name.
Elias turned the brittle paper in his hands, studying the spidery handwriting. It had arrived at dawn, tied to the leg of a hawk he had never seen before. He'd unfastened it with trembling fingers and now sat beneath the ancient oak at the edge of his family's fields, staring at words that both excited and terrified him.
"The time has come. The map is yours, but the journey is not what you think it is. Seek the Mirror of the Soul. - E."
There was no explanation. Only a folded square of parchment that, when opened, revealed a crude map. It showed places Elias had only heard of in stories-The Shattered Mountains, The Endless Mire, The Ruins of Karath.
"Who are you?" Elias whispered to the wind.
"You're talking to trees now, are you?" came a familiar voice.
Elias looked up to find Kael standing over him, arms crossed, an amused grin tugging at his lips. Kael Vey was his oldest friend-and the closest thing to a brother he had. Dark-haired, sharp-eyed, and always ready with a sarcastic comment.
"Better company than you," Elias shot back, though his smile gave him away.
Kael dropped down beside him, his gaze falling to the map. "What's this?"
Elias hesitated. Something about the letter made him wary, but he trusted Kael with his life.
"I think... it's a sign," Elias said quietly. "A call to leave."
Kael studied him for a long moment, his grin fading. "You're serious."
Elias nodded. "I have to know what's out there. I have to know who I am."
For years, he'd lived with questions. Why his mother had disappeared when he was a child. Why his father had died with a secret on his lips. And why the old seer in the village square had once whispered, You are not who you think you are.
Kael sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Then you're not going alone."