Synopsis

Inaworldtornapartbyriftsthatreleasedangerousmonsters,Espers—humansimbuedwithpowerfulabilities—serveashumanity'slastlineofdefense.ButthepowerofanEspercomeswithaprice.Overuseoftheirabilitiesleadstodangerouscorruption,aforcethatcandestroythemfromtheinsideout.ThisiswhereGuidescomein:individualswiththeuniqueabilitytocalmthecorruptionwithinEspersandrestoretheirbalance.RowanMercer,anS-classGuide,isoneofthebestinhisfield,capableofstabilizingeventhemostdangerousEspers.Hehasworkedquietlybehindthescenes,helpingthoseinneed,buthislifetakesadramaticturnwhenheiscalledtoworkwithLucianVaughn,anS-classEsperwhoseimmensepowerandunstablecorruptionlevelsmakehimadangerousthreattohimselfandothers.Lucian,atall,stoic,andenigmaticfigure,haslongfoughtagainstthegrowingcorruptionwithinhim.Atfirst,hisrelationshipwithRowanispurelyprofessional—RowanashisGuide,helpinghimtostayincontrol.However,astheirinteractionsgrowmorefrequent,theirbonddeepensinwaysneitherexpected.Whatstartedasasimpledutysoonturnsintoacomplexrelationshipwherepower,trust,andvulnerabilitycollide.Astheworldaroundthemfacesescalatingthreatsfromrifts,RowanandLucianmustnavigatenotonlytheirpersonalchallengesbutalsothedangerousworldofEspersandGuides.Theirbondwillbetestedastheyfighttogetheragainstthecorruptingforcesthatthreatenthemboth.InCorruptedBonds,survivalisn’tjustaboutbattlingmonstersfromtherifts—it'saboutfightingthedarknesswithinthemselvesandfindingawaytostayconnectedinaworldthat’sconstantlypullingthemapart.