by Emmadcreator
Celei indirectly caused the end of the mages. For a thousand years, the women of Hidenheim have ruled as the world's only mages, protected by ancient runes and the wisdom of generations. Every young mage dreams of earning a Mage's Mark—the symbol of true power. No one dreams of it more than Celei. Shy, brilliant, and the last student in her year without a mark, Celei believes becoming a mage will finally earn her a place in the world. Then one act of bitter rivalry ends in tragedy beyond the Rune Fields, setting in motion the beginning of the end. Eight years later, Celei has become one of Hidenheim's rare Elemental Mages. When mysterious shapeshifters known as the Faceless emerge from the forgotten lands beyond the runes, she is chosen to lead an expedition into No Man's Land. Joined by old friends, old enemies, and the ghosts of a past that refuses to stay buried, Celei must uncover the truth behind the Faceless before everything she loves is consumed by an Age of Ash. A slow-burn dark fantasy featuring an all-female mage society, ancient mysteries, betrayal, and survival. The first few chapters are intentionally slow to build the world, but the story picks up rapidly afterward. A webcomic adaptation is planned.
