The Pankaran Chronicles

The gods created the elves, dwarves, gnomes, and humanity - granting all but humans an inherent magic power. But with the encouragement of the goddess Persuasion, the magical races soon turned on the humans, pushing the magic-less race to the brink of destruction.

In response, the gods chose to abandon the mortal world for Heaven. Before leaving, however, they gave mankind a gift to restore balance - a few select individuals with the power to actively wield magic. Persuasion, for her crimes, was banished to Limbo.

Since then, the exiled goddess has made only one attempt to free herself, enthralling the human sorcerer Taida in a scheme that destroyed both a kingdom and the powerful Pankara Stone that the goddess required for escape.

The young magic-wielder known as Rhyen Hyldhem, newly graduated from the great Academy in Ikha, knows of the story of Taida - but such events occurred millennia ago.

As war brews, however, Rhyen will learn more about his powers and the identity of the fearsome Dark Rider who has stalked him since childhood. Rhyen is about to discover the past isn't dead - and that his destiny is intricately tied to Taida's betrayal of humanity.