Soulbinding is widely considered the strongest and most sinister of the Fourteen Gifts of the Soul. This advanced soulmagic allows a mage to force a spiritual connection upon another living being—whether plant, animal, or person—giving the master total control over their victim's actions, thoughts, and senses. Visually perceived by highly attuned mages as a thick, vibrating red strand connecting the two souls, the bind completely subverts the victim's free will.
The ancient elf Cariel (also known as Magona or Selenia) is a terrifying master of soulbinding. After losing her eyes, she soulbinds thousands of creatures—including cavek, sakul birds, rylak, and insects—using them as her eyes and her personal army. She eventually uses the magic to seize control of Trey and Rylan, forcing them to do her bidding against their will. Both Trey and Arra only manage to break their respective soulbinds by tracking the red soulstrand back into Cariel's twisted mind and violently severing the connection with their own focused agony and rage.