Starsea Cycle

A mage's fate is worse than death... Lucian dreams of a new life outside the cesspool of Earth. Unfortunately, his wish comes true when the government identifies him as a mage. No one knows why the mages are being born. No one knows why their powers lead to madness and death in a terrifying disease known as "the fraying". The only solution is to quarantine the mages in academies. When Lucian is exiled from Earth, he must travel to the distant world of Volsung to receive training. During the long passage, he meets a mysterious mage. She prophesies he is marked by the Manifold, the reality that is the source of all magic. It is a destiny that requires him to master abilities he never imagined he possessed. But that's the last thing he wants. He faces a terrible choice. To accept his new reality as a mage. Or, to try and outrun destiny...

Lucian Abrantes and his companions have done the impossible. They have gathered the Orbs, found the First Gate, and entered the Light Realm. But finishing the job has dire consequences never foreseen, and things in the Light Realm are far more complicated than initially thought. He carries with him the Orb of Shadows. As long as it exists, the Ancient One can return. As Lucian grapples with godlike powers and impossible choices, he aims to complete his quest, a journey that will test his courage, challenge his beliefs, and ultimately define his destiny...

Lucian has achieved the improbable with his acceptance into the prestigious Volsung Academy. Now, he must do something even more difficult: survive it. As a Novice, he must learn the fundamentals of magic while navigating Academy politics. Lucian must not only pass the grueling Trials but survive other mages' mechanizations. But doing that is difficult when he's being left behind. But one day, Lucian makes a breakthrough that puts him on top. He's about to learn that being good is far more dangerous than being unexceptional. Expulsion is an ever-looming threat, and with it, Lucian risks losing the only place in the Worlds he can call home....