Aetherforged

Eighteen-year-old Callum Stross never asked to become a hero. When a devastating aetherstorm strikes, he seeks shelter in a cursed manor and discovers a dormant Aethercore tied to the bloodline of the legendary Demonslayer. The core fuses with his soul, awakening latent power and binding him to Fen, a mana-bound fox who claims Callum is the Reborn Heir meant to finish what his ancestor started. With demonic aetherbeasts rising and warlocks spreading corruption through forbidden Demoncores, Callum must travel to the capital's elite Great College to uncover the truths hidden in his bloodline. Because the Second Demonswar is coming — and this time, no one's ready.

When a fierce aetherstorm unleashes demonic aetherbeasts on New Albion, Callum Stross and his friends answer the call. In the aftermath, the kingdom's fragile peace with the Geshwine Empire fractures and a deadly tournament is called between the two powers. To survive, Callum must weather duels, trials, and political intrigue while pursuing his true goal: forging a bond with Killeas, his legendary ancestor's gryphon, imprisoned in the crypt of the Demonslayer for five hundred years. But a darker tide is rising beyond the arena's walls.

New Albion has fallen and the Valestra Kingdom is on the brink of collapse. Callum and his friends have fled into the Frostcrown Mountains to hunt for a long-lost relic from his ancestor the Demonslayer — but what they find is a legacy left incomplete. To finish the work, Callum must forge a third aetherbeast pact, survive ancient trials, and confront a truth the Demonslayer never could. Meanwhile, the warlocks of the Empire are preparing a ritual that will tear open the Demonsrealm itself.