Andrei Tkachev

A turn off the beaten track, and the life I knew was in ruins. Then out of nowhere, an apprentice and a move to the capital. Entry to the Academy of Magic, and hours spent in the library trying to eradicate a magic bond. Only none of it went the way I expected. Not by a long shot.

When you're the sole surviving noble of junior lineage, don't expect much of a future. That's what some might think. Not Gregor, though. The way he sees it, being last of a line means he can dispense with social niceties and do exactly what he wants.

When you're the sole surviving noble of junior lineage, don't expect much of a future. That's what some might think. Not Gregor, though. The way he sees it, being last of a line means he can dispense with social niceties and do exactly what he wants.

My learning is to continue. I have now passed all of my exams, leaving me free to devote more time to training in the dojo. What's still unknown is whether this change is about to be the biggest challenge for me in the months to come, or whether the masters are already dreaming up some new ordeal.

The road had been long and hard, but there was no guarantee that what I'd been through would be enough to turn me into the person my mentors saw me as. I had too many questions still ahead of me.

Imagine you find yourself in a world that prizes martial arts above all else, and that I am the descendant of an ancient clan who have honed their skill from generation to generation to rise to the ranks of the most powerful . . . Bet you're surprised, right?