Arkenn was raised in a small village by his loving parents and grandmother. His mother entertained him as a small boy with tales of fearless bonded mages who tried to fight against an evil demon from another realm. Mages were banned in Arkenn's world. One day, people came to take Arkenn's parents away, accusing them of being mages. He never saw them again. Not long after, the villagers turned on Arkenn and his grandmother, accusing them of being mages too. They kill Arkenn's grandmother, and the young man barely escapes, badly burned. Petran finds the barely alive Arkenn on one of his rare forays ashore. He sneaks the young man back on board his father's pirate ship and secrets Arkenn in a hidden cabin, nursing him back to health. While Petran may live on a pirate ship, his father wants a better life for him. He knows one day, his father will leave him ashore to find his path, and Petran knows he can't keep Arkenn hidden aboard the ship for long. The two will be separated, but will fate bring them back together?
There's a lot going on in this saga of two men whom the fates have determined should be together. Both are forced by circumstances to reinvent themselves. Arken becomes Martin, a city guard, and Petran becomes Peter, a tavernkeeper not far from the docks. Although they end up living in the same city, powerful forces they are completely unaware of keep them apart until the time is right.
The point of view switches back and forth between Arkenn/Martin and Petran/Peter. Arkenn is quite an innocent young man when we meet him. He soon gets a brutal lesson in how cruel the world, especially other people, can be. It no doubt inspires him when he becomes a city guard to protect the innocent above all else. Martin, as Arkenn becomes, is a very admirable character. Like many classic heroic characters, Martin remains largely unaware of how special he is, even when he comes into his magical powers.
Petran, who becomes Peter, the tavern owner, also comes across as a kind man. While living aboard a pirate ship has made him no stranger to violence, it soon becomes clear that Peter was not cut out to be a pirate. In some ways, you could say that the two men swap paths. Would-be pirate Petran becomes the friendly pub owner who looks out for the less fortunate. The innocent young farmer Arkenn, in turn, becomes the fierce city guard Martin, who spends his nights patrolling the poorer parts of town, hunting the demons that prey on the less fortunate.
This is a very character-rich story. Both young men find mentors and protectors who become key figures in the tale. The world-building is detailed, and like many classic fantasies, there is quite a bit of allegory regarding human history and behavior.
“Mage Bond” is available from Amazon (commissionable link).
