The Severed Bond

Synopsis

In the realm dominated by the tyrannical city of Aetherion, where elemental magic is strictly controlled and feared, siblings Taren and Lira Vale find their lives irrevocably shattered. Lira, a burgeoning water elemental, is forced to flee Aetherion when her forbidden powers are discovered. Aided by her mother, who is secretly sent to a hidden labor camp, Lira escapes into the forest, seeking refuge in the peaceful, more accepting city of Seraphis. There, under the tutelage of the kind healer-warrior Naela, Lira hones her abilities and finds a friend in the charming Zander, unaware of the shadows he hides. Meanwhile, Taren remains in Aetherion, thrust into the brutal, prestigious training regime for fire mages. Driven by a desperate need to impress his father, a loyal lieutenant, Taren endures grueling lessons under harsh instructors and faces relentless mockery from his rival, Atlas. As war brews between the two cities, Taren is chosen for a dangerous covert mission to infiltrate Seraphis with an elite team, including Atlas and the seemingly disgraced Zander. He secretly harbors a desperate hope: to find Lira and warn her to escape the coming storm. The mission culminates in a shocking act of betrayal that ignites the war. Atlas, Taren’s rival, assassinates the Head Mage of Seraphis, exposing Zander as the spy who paved the way. As the conflict erupts, Lira is captured amidst the fall of Seraphis, and Taren is left grappling with the horrifying reality of his city's actions and the devastating consequences for his sister. Amidst medieval landscapes, forbidden magic, and the ever-present threat of discovery, 'The Severed Bond' explores the profound strength and fragility of sibling loyalty, the brutal cost of power, and the moral choices that define us in a world on the brink of collapse. The first book in a thrilling fantasy series, it leaves the Vale siblings facing uncertain futures, setting the stage for rebellion and the rise of new elemental forces. The book has hints towards the concentration camps and other elemental magic (earth and wind), but never fully shown.