Fantasy novel. Hero must master a magic sword to save a realm being overtake by invaders who possess the bodies of the fallen. Read around 2010-2012. Spoilers ahead.

[Aaron]

Spoilers ahead!

I've been been racking my brain for a week but can't recall the important details so thanks for your help! Here's what I do recall:

I read this about 10 years ago but have not recollection of how the the book is.

The main character is is on the younger side, thinking 20's. There is a magic sword that was used to seal out a non-corporeal race that invaded through some sort of rift. Near the beginning of the book someone takes the sword and the invaders start to come through and reanimate those who have died, building their army and beginning to take over the world.

The protagonist's father may have been the one to take the sword? Not sure.

At some point the creatures successfully reanimate a long dead dragon and plan to use it to jump continents, as they cannot cross water. The protagonist at some point fails and is awaked as reanimated but possessed by the enemy, somehow overcomes this (a flower might have been involved?) Takes refuge within a hidden elven settlement across the ocean.

Meets a being that is bound to the ocean that is both hostile but required to protect the world. The eye of this creature can be used as a seal to lock out the invaders again or to banish them. The protagonist discovers how to unlock the magic of the sword and saves the realm.

That's the gyst of what I can recall. Google is useless with so many common fantasy tropes. Please save my sanity and help me find this book/series so i can enjoy it again!

~Aaron

[Kris]

Aaron, is this book for adults or teens?

[Aaron]

Good question, I don't remember any language or content that would disqualify it from a teen audience, but cant say for sure. The impression I recall was that the protagonist may have been teens or twenty-something.

If I had to pick I'd go with teen.