Natalia’s earliest memories are of a woman she does not know, for when she was young, she was taken from her mother and placed in the Volstrum, a school for those gifted with water magic. She grew up given a drug to suppress her powers, but her powers would not be easily suppressed as she built up a tolerance for the drug. She was trained as a battle mage and could be the most powerful mage the school has ever seen. But upon her graduation, the price, the service that they would have her do is just too high, and so she ran away from the school, from the family. In her attempt to flee, she ran into a fire mage named Athgar, who tried to help her. His power was released the day his whole world was torn from him. It was a good thing he was a friend of the orcs because that is who found him, healed him, and trained him in the arts of the flame. Now, together, they worked together; he was looking for his family, and she was running from those who would claim her and control her.
What an interesting origin story for our main characters who fall in love with each other, their first love. The physical world-building is enough to let you know what is around. The ethereal world-building is mostly personal, but there are occasions when it adds to the scene. The character’s interaction is believable. The character’s history is given as part of the story in such a way as you can understand their motivations.
This sword and sorcery coming-of-age tale has plenty of action and adventure with some fast-moving but clean open-door romance. I give this first installment of an epic tale four stars out of five stars.