Emerald Gaze: Fate Rising Book One

If eyes are windows to the soul, would you dare to peer within?

Unanswered questions and a mysterious sword are all sixteen-year-old Faylin has left from his parents. So when a sword-fighting contest comes to town, he is eager to put his blade to the test. However, he soon discovers not only is it more than just some fancy weapon, but the most dangerous mage in the world will stop at nothing to attain it. When he falls into the enemy's grasp, Faylin gains an unexpected ally in a boy whose gaze possesses unsettling powers. But what do those haunted, emerald eyes see in him... and will it be enough to save them both?

Ja'al's life had been defined by hopeless submission to a monster of a man until the day he is confronted by a spirited youth who dares to defy his master. Drawn to this naive but tenacious stranger, Ja'al decides to help him evade the clutches of the Black Mage. But can he protect this newfound light from the evil hunting them, even as his own mind begins to crumble from the nightmares of his not-so-distant past?

Aided by an enigmatic stallion with a mind of his own, the two battle enemies without and demons within as they undertake the perilous journey for a legendary city to safeguard the weapon that brought them together.

Illustrated with 40+ pencil drawings, Emerald Gaze is full of danger, magic, and monsters, but it is ultimately a story about an unexpected friendship that develops into a bond so powerful it might one day defy Fate itself.

enemies to friends
solid fantasy adventure
characters living with mental health/trauma/issues
perilous journey
unique creatures
evil mages
magic swords