After eight long centuries, the tenuous peace within the lands of the Old Empyrium is crumbling. Minor conflicts between the Petty Kingdoms that started as mere skirmishes and trade disputes have begun to spiral towards all out war. While the fractured remnants of the long dead (Redacted) Empyr jockey for power, from the blighted lands in the Southeast, an even bigger threat slowly approaches civilization. While unrest builds in the Old Empyrium, a boy of unknown origins, Armon, was found on the brink of death by a fisherman and his son. After being taken in by the fisherman’s family, Armon and his adopted brother, Torren, grow up together with dreams of one day joining the eldest, Pollock, as a member of the Akker Woodsmen Troupe, a mercenary group famous in their region. Despite training every day to earn the skills necessary to join his two brothers as adventurers, Armon discovers he has no talent for learning martial skills. Even worse, it seems he is only capable of learning a single skill. Despite having learned the skill already, he’s afraid of what it might mean. Despite knowing nothing about his past, he knows for certain that the skill he has is magical and ever since the fall of the (Redacted) Empyr, any who practice magic are to be sentenced to death. Despite his fear of having his powers discovered, after learning of their elder brother’s disappearance, Armon is convinced by Torren to join him on a quest to find him. In venturing to the Holy Seat in Lyria, they seek not just answers to the disappearance of the Akker Woodsman Troupe, but also the strength to chase their own destinies. ~~ Empyr: Antebellum is a coming-of-age story that introduces many of the most important characters in what is intended to be a 4-part fantasy story, full of magic, martial skills, adventure and political intrigue. I would love feedback as while I previously was only ever interested in writing poetry, this will be my first attempt at writing anything long-form.