Noboru Yamada – författare

Having made it to the Norkh Academy, Almark is one step closer to fulfilling the promise he made to his father—becoming a mage. It’s time for his first day of classes, and the first step on his new journey into magehood. He's certain to meet plenty of new allies along the way, but not everyone is excited by the prospect of their new classmate...

In the northern lands where war continues without end, young Almark hopes to be a mercenary like his father one day. Thinking the timid boy ill-suited for such a life, however, his worried father envisions a different future for him—all the way at the Nork Magical Academy in the peaceful south, once he’s old enough to attend. And so, despite Almark’s efforts on and off the battlefield, he eventually sets out for the academy to respect his father’s wishes. But what lies ahead on his journey to becoming a magician?

Something lurks in the shaded wood outside the Norkh Instititute’s walls, and it’s up to Almark and Tohrk to stop it! After Eldo is captured by a mysterious creature, Almark races to their rescue. But not to be outdone by this upstart Northern barbarian, Tohrk is hot on his heels. But with their classmate’s life on the line, can these two put aside their differences before it’s too late..?

As war in the North comes to an end, Almark, the son of mercenaries, finds himself at a crossroads. When he was a child, a foreigner told him that he had the potential to wield magic. Now he sets out to fulfill his father's wish to become a sorcerer in the peaceful southlands. After a long journey to the institute of magic, he quickly discovers that life there is completely different from anything he’s ever seen before. He also learns that the residents of the south view the war-like northerners as savage barbarians, a divide that may only be matched by the one between the nobility and commoners. While hiding his mercenary lineage and with some help from his friends, Almark takes first steps toward becoming a true sorcerer!