Myrmidya: Warding the Magic — Matt Di Spirito

Magic is a living force with a will of its own. Nothing is forgotten; everything returns in time. Ke'argis is summoned to a birth in the village of Sedryn, and he is ill prepared for the event. Born with magic in his blood, the babe becomes the focal point for ancient and terrible forces beyond the knowledge or ability of Ke'argis. His protective wards cannot hold back the flood of magic rushing to claim the baby's mind and body. In a desperate final act, Ke'argis saves the child and flees into the mountains. Adopting the boy as his own, Ke'argis labors to protect and teach young Sedrik about magic... but the child's unquenchable power threatens not only the village, but the precarious peace established after the last cataclysm. Nine hundred years before the boy's birth, the eighth cataclysm shook the world and threw down civilization. In its aftermath, human wizards swore to keep magic a secret, locked away and taught only to a certain few, chosen to protect mankind from the influence of magic itself. The power of magic could no longer be trusted in the hands of humanity. As Sedrik ages, magic is drawn to him; the ability to call upon arcane symbols endangers Sedrik and everyone around him. Ke'argis seeks shelter in an ancient place. Yet even there the boy cannot escape the call of magic. Driven from the sanctuary, Sedrik flees. Ke'argis vows to pursue him to the ends of the world; he vows to save his son from the burden laid upon him. Others are watching young Sedrik, as well. The Elves will not allow humans to gain the power once wielded--power which brought ruin to all. Yet the Elves bear a dark secret and it may determine the course of Ke'argis, Sedrik, and magic itself. Events are in motion, driven on by the memories carried in the flow of magic. ... ... ... "Warding the Magic" is the first full-length story set in the world of Myrmidya. It follows the tale of Ke'argis and Sedrik, humans gifted with a measure of magical ability. Magic is a living force in Myrmidya; it remembers all that has happened and sets events in motion. Included in this book are appendices describing the creation, races, history, and general information about the world of Myrmidya. A map of the region described in the story is also included, along with a map of the known world.