Bound to the Abyss Series by James R. Vernon

Ven Khilada is a land of magic and gods. Settlements abound, both large and small, each with a life of their own and hidden secrets.Except Rottwealth. A backwater village, surrounded by mountains and ignored by most, nothing of merit ever leaves the valley. Aside, of course, from the mystical plant which shares its name. A plant that can heal even the most dire wounds in a matter of moments, and flourishes within the swamp that takes up part of the valley... moreVen Khilada is a land of magic and gods. Settlements abound, both large and small, each with a life of their own and hidden secrets.Except Rottwealth. A backwater village, surrounded by mountains and ignored by most, nothing of merit ever leaves the valley. Aside, of course, from the mystical plant which shares its name. A plant that can heal even the most dire wounds in a matter of moments, and flourishes within the swamp that takes up part of the valley.Ean Sangrave, a disgruntled Healer’s apprentice barely in his twenties, wants to escape and start a new life outside of the village that hates him. If the village ever discovered Ean's ability to summon creatures from the Abyss - like his closest friend, Zin the imp - judgment would be swift and punishment final.When an unconquerable monster takes residence in the new mine, the mayor’s oldest son, Bran Erikson, is given the task of traveling to the capital city Lurthalan to seek help. To the surprise of the entire village, he chooses Ean to accompany him. But with a connection to a taboo god and a power he barely understands, can Ean fit into the world outside of his secluded village, or will the stigma that has been placed on him since birth follow him the rest of his life. less

Book Two of a Two Part Story Arc and the Second in the Series Ean Sangrave’s friends are gone. At least, his human ones are. Zin, as always, is by his side. Years of advice and getting Ean out of trouble has earned him the title of Ean’s closest friend, Joining them now is Azalea the Yulari, another creature from the Abyss that feeds off the emotions of her victims to the point of death. Summoned in a moment of jealousy, Azalea would have killed Ean’s friends if he had not stopped her in time... moreBook Two of a Two Part Story Arc and the Second in the Series Ean Sangrave’s friends are gone. At least, his human ones are. Zin, as always, is by his side. Years of advice and getting Ean out of trouble has earned him the title of Ean’s closest friend, Joining them now is Azalea the Yulari, another creature from the Abyss that feeds off the emotions of her victims to the point of death. Summoned in a moment of jealousy, Azalea would have killed Ean’s friends if he had not stopped her in time. So how do Bran and Jaslen pay him back for saving their lives? By running off with all of their supplies, leaving Ean with his imp and a fragile alliance with an alluring but deadly Yulari. Ean is now at a crossroads. Does he continue the quest originally placed on him and his friends to find a way to save Rottwealth from the monster that has taken over the mine? Or does he follow the advice of his companions from the Abyss and learn to control his growing power? The Healer’s apprentice inside of him hopes to somehow do both. Regardless of which quest he ultimately decides to follow, its Ean’s inner turmoil that worries him the most. The dark power of the Abyss is spreading through his body at an alarming rate. The tattoos that represent the power continue to grow across his body while dark dreams invade his mind. Can he hold off the darkness growing inside of him, or will Ean give in to the power and become the tyrant he has feared? less

Power. Influence. Command. Ean Sangrave never thought he would have any of those things, but what a difference a year makes. Now, he’s practically king of the abandoned mine on the edge of Rottwealth, surrounded by loyal creatures from the Abyss who live to carry out his every whim. Then there are his closest friends, Zin and Azalea, his only friends, always ready and willing to bring him back to reality. They want what’s best for Ean but don’t trust in his ability to plan for the future... morePower. Influence. Command. Ean Sangrave never thought he would have any of those things, but what a difference a year makes. Now, he’s practically king of the abandoned mine on the edge of Rottwealth, surrounded by loyal creatures from the Abyss who live to carry out his every whim. Then there are his closest friends, Zin and Azalea, his only friends, always ready and willing to bring him back to reality. They want what’s best for Ean but don’t trust in his ability to plan for the future. Their constant bickering over what they think is best has another thorn in Ean’s side. After a failed attempt to ease the tensions between the citizens of Rottwealth and Ean’s new command of the mine, a visitor arrives with an interesting message from an unexpected source. The knowledge Ean seeks about the origins of his powers lies in the Deadlands, a place that has already taken Ean’s life once before. Should he risk all that he has worked for, to journey through mysterious lands where only fools dare to tread, in search of answers he might not want to know? less