The Gateway Book One of the Search 1st edition

Imagine you are Aidan, a five-year old orphan boy living on the streets of the northern town of Miskim. You are merrily stealing a pie from a baker's stall in the local market when you are caught by an old man. The man, Lord Tragen, is an old wizard so you are very suspicious. All your short life you have been told never to trust wizards. Their arcane, mysterious powers usually result in the detriment of ordinary people. However, you have never been able to understand the reasoning for this, for you are employing magic to feed yourself, although you have no idea how! Lord Tragen invites you to become his apprentice and live with him in the castle of his liege lord. Again you are wary, you've heard of old men picking up young boys though you do not know the reason to be afraid. But you agree, after all you can always run away, nevertheless the offer of decent food regularly eaten and a soft bed persuades you. Over the years a father-son relationship develops and you always seek Tragen's company when you feel lonely or scared. But what neither of you realize is that you may very well be responsible for leading Lord Tragen's soul into Hell and maybe leaving him there. For you have one overriding ability that no wizard will ever understand -- you can speak with the dead! And then you gift your abilities to your friends and all Hell really does break out -- especially when your ship is attacked by a demon-created tempest.