**THE BURDEN OF OATH**
A wizard lost to time. A soul-judging sword. A bloodline bound to a buried oath.
For two centuries, the Aven line has guarded a silent tomb, awaiting a summons that never came—until now.
Cullen Aven breaks the seal and awakens Sharael Maldeen, a wizard from a vanished age. Her mission: reclaim the Costa Novacula—the Dark Razor—and return it to the White Circle of Silandria. But her knowledge clashes with a world she barely recognizes, leaving Cullen unsure whether to trust her.
When a spell hurls them into a fractured land where towns lie in ruin and forests twist unnaturally, they are hunted by Razor seekers, demons, and a rogue mage seeking the blade’s power.
Cullen must choose: honour his ancestral oath—or forge a new path beyond prophecy.
An epic fantasy of lost magic, shifting worlds, and slow-burning stakes.
Self-employed computer technician by day and lifelong storyteller by dawn, I grew up in Sherwood Park, Alberta, where secret tabletop RPG sessions sparked my creativity. After a rebellious detour that included forging my own diploma, I eventually settled on Vancouver Island, raising a family and refining my craft. Inspired by friendship, loss, and decades of world-building, I’ve spent nearly 40 years writing science fiction and fantasy, including The Dark Razor Chronicles.View all by Mike Carmel
