Seth Pitts

When Malachi Baker stumbles into an offer of apprenticeship from the esteemed and powerful Occultist Orykson, he's left in shock and jumps at the chance to learn... Even if it means taking out a few loans. Unfortunately, his new teacher sees him more as a tool than a student. He has set Malachi near-impossible goals before he becomes worthy of Orykson's full attention, and Malachi's innate power is only somewhat above average. Worse, it turns out that Orykson has enemies more powerful than Malachi had ever imagined—and now their attention has landed solidly on him.

After a stressful first year at Yesgol, Evan Tailor is looking forward to a vacation with his boyfriend and a stress free year of schooling. Unfortunately, life has other plans. Despite his relative success in last year's tournament, Evan can't rest on his laurels. His impending debts loom ever larger, and his strengthening abilities reveal a conspiracy that runs deeper than Yesgol, one that could shake the roots of the very nation in which he lives.