The Druid's Son (Fate of Shadows, Book 1)

Aleksey has always tried to be the hero, but after using blood magic to save Professor's life, he discovers he might not be after all.

Twenty-five years ago, Professor led a small group of Elves on a mission to rescue Aleksey, The Last Druid, from a magical slumber out of time’s reach. Waking after two centuries into a world where sickness has spread through the forest, five-year-old Aleksey spent the rest of his childhood with Professor, learning how to undo the damage caused by Laeopeld and trying to restore the magic that had once thrived.

After they find a rare Roddŷr core, Aleksey and Professor think their luck is on the rise, but an attack leaves a blessing shattered and Professor on the brink of death. With no other options left, Aleksey uses blood magic to undo the damage, but nothing is the same again. Hoping to reverse the dark magic eating away at his soul, Eira, an elvish guard, takes Aleksey on a journey to find a forest spirit who might be able to save him. But as tensions rise with Laeopeld, the clock continues to tick away.

Despite his best efforts, his reliance on dark magic grows, and Aleksey faces an agonizing choice: save the forest and those he loves, or sacrifice everything for a chance at redemption. As his entire being is threatened, can he hold on to his humanity, or will the darkness growing inside him win?