Akiri Series by Brian D. Anderson, Steven Savile

Can one betrayal save a kingdom? Will two destroy it?Acharia is a nation at war. Ruled by the Sorcerer King, Zemel, who believes himself to be invincible. And with a weapon created in the pits of hell by the god of death he might well be. The ancient Scepter of Xarbaal harnesses a magic capable of shattering the very foundations of the world. But such power is borne at a cost. Those who dare test their will against its ancient evil are doomed to madness... moreCan one betrayal save a kingdom? Will two destroy it?Acharia is a nation at war. Ruled by the Sorcerer King, Zemel, who believes himself to be invincible. And with a weapon created in the pits of hell by the god of death he might well be. The ancient Scepter of Xarbaal harnesses a magic capable of shattering the very foundations of the world. But such power is borne at a cost. Those who dare test their will against its ancient evil are doomed to madness. Before the Sorcerer King can raze his entire kingdom to the ground, those closest to him risk everything by betraying him. They steal the scepter, hoping to release him from its insidious influence. But for Zemel there is no such salvation.Driven to the edge of madness by a need for vengeance against those who have wronged him and a thirst for fire and death that no amount of war can slake, the Sorcerer King is willing to tear the world asunder to recover his lost treasure. Paranoia means that Zemel trusts no one, but there is enough of the old king left inside his mind to still respect one man: Akiri.The Dul' Buhar are the deadliest of warriors, gifted extraordinary skills through the dark magic of their king, and Akiri is the greatest of them. His mind is as lethal as a steel trap, his blade twice as deadly. Born into a life of constant battle, he is unlike any man... which might just be his salvation. But if he succeeds on the mad king's quest Akiri could bring about the death of the world. less

Across the perilous expanse of the Great Valharoth Desert, Akiri and Kyra have journeyed seeking fortune among the rich and mysterious kingdoms of the East. He has turned his back on the gods and their schemes and is determined to create his own destiny. But the gods will not be so easily ignored. And once again, Akiri finds himself caught in their web.In the kingdom of Yagash, an ancient evil has spread over the land like a plague... moreAcross the perilous expanse of the Great Valharoth Desert, Akiri and Kyra have journeyed seeking fortune among the rich and mysterious kingdoms of the East. He has turned his back on the gods and their schemes and is determined to create his own destiny. But the gods will not be so easily ignored. And once again, Akiri finds himself caught in their web.In the kingdom of Yagash, an ancient evil has spread over the land like a plague. The Cult of Hajazar, at the command of its dark leader, are seizing the innocent for their blood sacrifices. Now they have set their sights on a young lord whom Akiri has vowed to protect. But there is more at stake than the life of one child. Should Akiri fail, it will herald the return of the old gods…and the end of the world. With naught but his steel and his wits as his ally – and Kyra, of course – Akiri will face an enemy of such colossal power and cunning that the heart of the fiercest warrior would be tested to the full. But he is Akiri. His will is iron. And his courage will never fade. less

Through death comes power...Forbidden law promises that the soul can be harnessed, the magic of life captured in those final seconds, and used to give strength, power, and life everlasting. For the one who commands the soul of the dead, commands death itself. - Yarrow the Great -The bonds of the Dul'Buhar are eternal...The land is in the grip of a brutal winter when a desperate cry for help from one of his former sword brothers draws Akiri and Kyra up into the mountains beyond Erdogan Pass... moreThrough death comes power...Forbidden law promises that the soul can be harnessed, the magic of life captured in those final seconds, and used to give strength, power, and life everlasting. For the one who commands the soul of the dead, commands death itself. - Yarrow the Great -The bonds of the Dul'Buhar are eternal...The land is in the grip of a brutal winter when a desperate cry for help from one of his former sword brothers draws Akiri and Kyra up into the mountains beyond Erdogan Pass. But they are too late. Met on the way by his friend's son, they arrive to find the village ablaze and his sword brother, Cammeric, his wife and daughter slain, leaving the boy an orphan. The fell beast that murdered his family is no mere man--it is the rotten husk of a warrior brought back from the grave and will stop at nothing to fulfill its master's bidding. Sworn to protect the boy and avenge his friend, Akiri finds himself hunted across the mountains by the dead. But for each he slays another rises.Now, he must turn his back on this world and all he holds dear and venture into the kingdom of the dead if he is to put an end to the menace posed by a legendary evil. It's dark magic hungers for one thing: The Soul of the First Dragon. And should he find it, the rise of the Necromancer will herald an eternal reign of death and darkness. less