The Raven Thief
Born of the wastelands, Spheris Arnadel, a young skilled thief, finds himself subject to a twist of fate when he steals a powerful relic and becomes a Bearer — humans gifted with powers from the Gods. As a punishment for his theft, he is cast into an otherworldly realm alongside other Bearers, where he faces off against monstrous beasts and powerful enemies. Yet, in his determination to return to the Continent and save his dying mother, Spheris is hell-bent on surviving the abyssal world. Even if it means giving his body to the Dark God whose powers he had stolen... even if it means losing all of his humanity.
• Viper Slayer
Perichan was sitting on the cliff, reclined on a small rock pillowed with grass, a handful of nuts in one hand and a serene hum on his lips.
He hummed this song repeatedly as he threw nuts into his mouth, one after the other, chewing in patience. Any moment now, Spheris would ascend from the molten land below, purple blood all over his body having slain the beast.
Perichan waited.
Moments stretched into minutes and a faint furrow creased Perichan's brow. Spheris was taking longer than he anticipated. Did he need help? Was the Moltenviper a bit too much for the enigmatic Beater to handle?
Concern tinged his thoughts and he rose to his feet, stuffing down the remaining nuts into his snack pocket. He walked closer to the cliff, ready to investigate, when suddenly, in that second, a piercing cry shattered the tranquil scene and the Moltenviper burst out of the chasm below.