Lucian Abrantes dreams of escaping the cesspool of Earth. But that dream turns into a nightmare when he is identified as a mage—one of the rare few capable of wielding the Aspects of Magic. The discovery of interstellar gates opened the stars to humanity, but it also unleashed the Aspects: elemental powers that allow mages to command the raw forces of nature. Thermalists ignite infernos, Atomicists reshape matter, and Psionics like Lucian can move objects with their minds and bend the wills of others. Yet these powers come at a deadly price—a rotting madness known as the Fraying, which drives mages into violent rampages, threatening mass destruction. To prevent chaos, mages are exiled to distant academies, forced to serve the League of Worlds. Banished to the planet Volsung, Lucian encounters a mysterious sorceress who reveals his true destiny. Marked by the Manifold—the ancient source of all magic—Lucian is tied to an ancient prophecy from the long-lost civilization of Starsea, foretelling a savior who will heal the Aspects and make them safe to use. This savior is known as the Chosen of the Manifold. Now, Lucian faces an impossible choice: embrace his fate, or try to outrun a prophecy that could destroy everything he holds dear...