Oathbound (Surgecaller Book 1) by Todd Herzman

SPFBO7

How do you kill an Immortal? Huon is weak. A surgecaller who escaped into the wilds, his only goal was to survive. Now he is Oathbound, forced to fight in an arena, forced to become stronger than he’d thought possible. As he realises he can become strong, the need for revenge fills his heart, and a new goal forms in his mind. But his goal is impossible: kill the dragon rider, the Immortal of Fire. To succeed, he’ll have to do more than just survive—he’ll have to advance beyond anything the realm has ever seen. In the spirit of progression fantasies like Cradle and Mage Errant, enter a realm with magical beasts, where surgecallers can cultivate essence to strengthen their weapons, enhance their bodies and wield elemental magic.

Young Adult • Fantasy/Sword and Sorcery