The Mage

By R.S.J Landau

Daven Morse's life was supposed to be simple. As the first plasma fire mage to graduate from the Royal Institute of Arcane Combat in generations, his path was set: prestige, power, and a coveted officer's commission in the elite Imperial Guard. He swore an oath to protect the Valdris Empire and its royal family.

But on his first assignments, Daven discovers the empire he pledged to serve is not what he believed. Behind the glittering facade of the capital lies a world of industrial pollution, exploited workers, and systemic corruption. When ordered to suppress a rebellion of citizens with legitimate grievances, he faces an impossible choice: follow his orders and become an instrument of oppression, or follow his conscience and become a traitor.

Caught between duty and morality, Daven finds an unlikely ally in Vera Caine, a sharp-witted diplomat with her own secrets. Together, they are drawn into a dangerous game of intrigue that goes far beyond a single city's rebellion. To prevent a bloody empire-wide civil war, they must navigate a web of political conspiracy, question everything they've been taught about loyalty, and risk their lives, careers, and hearts to forge a new future for Aethros.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FQF62P5L
• ISBN13: 9798264519536
• Release Date: September 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 202 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.5" x 11.0"