War of the Staffs (Book one of the War of the Staffs trilogy) by Steve Stephenson

War of the staffs (book one of The War of the Staffs trilogy) takes place on a world called Muiria, where a powerful vampire wizard named Taza is brought through the void, space between the planets, by a vengeful goddess named Adois.
Taza slowly convinces the Illanni, a race of dark elves, to take on the cloak of vampirism.
Nearly two thousand years pass before the scheming wizard makes his move. But his careful planning is jeopardized when Prince Tarquin is born to fulfill a prophecy and confront the evilest creature Muiria has ever known. The Prince, however, cannot succeed alone, and when Morganna, an Illanni noble woman, threatens Taza’s plans by starting an underground movement against him, she strikes her severest blow when she saves Tarquin’s life.
He is also championed by the wizard Celedant, and the young man is sent to the dwarvan army to learn combat skills. Then the wizard begins his search for the Staff of Adaman – the only object capable of defeating Taza.
Tarquin and Celedant’s epic journey spans the continent where they face not only a vampire wizard, but orcs, demons, liches and other monstrosities. War of the Staffs begins the search for the first of two pieces of ancient staff as Taza’s assassins hunt the Prince to thwart the prophecy. Tarquin, however, is not the only target. Celedant must confront not only assassins, but powerful and dangerous creatures that Taza brings through the void to destroy the wizard as well as the growing resistance among the dwarves and Wood Elves.
By the end of the epic tail Celedant collects a piece of the Staff of Adaman, while Tarquin transforms from teenage boy to a commanding officer.

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