Octavian Septimaris is having a very bad day.

As the eighth son of a seventh son, he'd always been overshadowed by his incredibly gifted older brother. Still, he'd wanted to graduate from the Delver's Academy, earn a few achievements, and make a respectable name for himself.

Then his graduation ceremony was interrupted by a monster attack, which Tav himself barely survived. Stranded far from home, far away from everything he's ever known, and with a glitchy system that won't stop "gifting" him with monstrous abilities, Tav will have to overcome his fears and confront the corruption inside his soul, his homeland, and the world itself.

The author is in the middle of a move, so new chapters may be delayed. Cover modified from "Spider icon" by Carl Olsen, available under CC BY 3.0 license.