Trials of Ember
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Last published Thu, Nov 13, 2025
Every year, the Trial of Embers is held-a grand spectacle said to honor Aurelia's Solar Empire and showcase the unity of its elemental worlds: Pyra, Sylvara, Aeria, and Thalos. From each planet, four tributes are chosen, selected through their own traditions, to compete in trials of strength, will, and honor.
For the Empire, it is a dazzling display of loyalty and tradition. For the tributes, it is a brutal fight for survival. But beneath the pageantry lies a hidden truth: the Trial is not unity, but control, a mechanism to keep the planets divided and obedient.
Kael Iriano of Sylvara never wanted to fight. Son of a fallen senator who tried to expose the corruption of the Empire, Kael was called by the currents, the ocean's voice claiming its chosen, to represent Sylvara. Branded by his father's ruined name, Kael enters the Trial not as a hero, but as a scapegoat-expected to fail, and to be forgotten.
Among the tributes is Darius Veyra of Pyra, son of the Empire's most feared High Infernal and a hardened soldier from the Emberguard ranks. For Darius, the Trial is a chance to prove himself worthy of his father's legacy. At first, he and Kael are sworn enemies, their elements forever at odds-but in the crucible of survival, respect begins to burn into trust, and trust into something neither expected.
As alliances form and break, Kael begins to uncover the shadows beneath the Trial's glittering surface-secrets that hint at the Empire's true motives. To survive, Kael must decide: will he remain a pawn in the Empire's game, or will he become the spark that lights a rebellion?
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In the fractured land of Nerathys, where humans and spirit-bound warriors once fought side by side, a fragile peace is maintained by ancient magic. The heir to the empire's throne of the empire Caelthar, Prince Kael, is taken captive after a failed rebellion. Instead of being executed, he is given as a blood-bound servant to Lord Arion, the cold and ruthless commander of the empire's ghostbound armies - soldiers fused with the souls of the dead. But Arion is not what he seems. Bound to a ghost named Lyra, he's cursed with both immense power and a growing madness. When Kael is forced to serve him, he discovers the truth: Arion's soul is fading, and only Kael's bloodline magic can keep him tethered to the world. As Kael struggles to survive, he discovers a terrifying truth: only his bloodline magic can keep Arion-and the empire itself-from unraveling. Will Kael make it out alive? Will he build a relationship of trust and friendship with the Lord or perhaps even something more? Or will it be the ruin of the only chance of fixing what should be right? *** Contains violence, strong language, and other mature themes. Read on your own risk! If you are not comfortable with these warnings, please leave. None of my stories include explicit sexual content, only light steam and a brief mention. Go listen to the Spotify playlist - Blood-Bound Saga https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1DcPKfKaSIRCUcGhx9232u?si=Mv6xdgasTDGM_i79AQIekQ&pi=PVtR0kOvTEWl8 Will add more songs while I aim for the completion of the book. Critique and feedback are welcomed. Follow, vote, comment, and enjoy! Cover taken off Pinterest, not mine! Edited with title and author name on Canva. Original novel. All rights reserved.
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