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.
• A Land Of Thorns And Milk (1)
Spheris stood before the wall of purple thorns for a moment, a quiet moment as he deliberated on what to do.
His eyes studied the thorns, the sharp edges that stuck out of their twisted branch-like structures appeared to be wet on the tip. The light of the day caused it to shimmer faintly, almost as if daring him to pass.
Each of the vines were twisted and knotted together, creating a vast impassable barricade, and as far as Spheris could tell, this vine stretched for a long distance. Spheris's frown deepened, feeling a little frustration, but he steadied his breathing and sighed.
"How is your Maximize ability doing, Talon?" he asked his companion. "You think you can carry me and fly above this path?"
Talon bent his neck thoughtfully and cawed, giving a negative response.
"Yeah, I thought so," Spheris said with resignation. "Maybe I should have brought Vexarion along as well."
Caw!