Publisher's Synopsis
The Shadowed Key is an epic, dark fantasy novel by Alaric Stoneforge that drops the reader into the mystical, age-old city of Aethel-wrapped in lost magic, secrets, and perils. It tells the story of Liora-a young, ambitious sorceress-whose discovery of an ancient, powerful key propels her into the void of trials, temptation, and redemption.
In the long-discarded ruins of Aethel lay an artefact of unimaginable power: a key unlike any other that would grant great magic, yet birthed with a corrupting influence. Thus, Liora was drawn to it in her quest for knowledge and strength on the tightrope that she had to walk between ambition and corruption. Whispers of the key tempt her with forbidden power, but each promise has its price. In this, it is not only a physical journey that she embarks upon through the dark alleys of Aethel but deeply personal in testing her morality and integrity.
The deeper Liora goes into Aethel, the more trials of unimaginable magic she faces, while the shadows from the Ancients threaten to overtake her soul, and with unexpected allies popping into her life mostly when it is least opportune. In the midst of it all, Liora learns that she cannot stand alone against the darkness that threatens to engulf her. New alliances are forged at great and dear costs. Trust is both a tool and a burden as she distinguishes true allies from those that would use the key to their selfish desires.
Yet, the key proves to be more other than a utility but an exam of the heart before Liora.
As dark forces close in on Aethel, Liora will have to battle not only to defend her city but also to resist the seductive pull of the key. At once, the battle is relentless: light and darkness, want and obligation, ambition and sacrifice. This book, with its flying magic battles, narrow escapes, and heart-wrenching emotion, brings the readers to a very unpredictable ending.
The tension culminates in a chilling crescendo as Liora reaches her moment of truth: give in to the corrupting power of the key or, through sheer will, cleave with her new-found allies.
Interwoven with threads of power, sacrifice, and redemption, and the whole eternity of good versus evil, The Shadowed Key really covers the letter and spirit of dark fantasy. Self-developing, Liora is about to face such a trial, when even the stake will be her very soul, and every misstep will throw her into the darkness of eternity.
In a world rightfully imagined, Alaric Stoneforge braids ancient tales woven with great moral dilemmas to bring Aethel alive-through thick descriptions, from the towering ruins of a lost city to mystical forests on the outskirts. Each little detail knits into a world in itself. Light and shadow, hope and despair, eternally dancing their tango greet Liora in Aethel's future, playing a part in her very own salvation. The Shadowed Key is a story of ambition and sacrifice one has to make for one's loved ones. On the threshold, Liora holds in her hands the destiny of Aethel-perhaps the world. Will she turn out to be the protector which Aethel requires, or fall to the dark charms of the key? It is magically told, starting with the minefield of risk, emotional depths, intrigue, and the eternal fight between light and dark, which makes it a real must for epic and dark fantasy enthusiasts.
