An omnipotent battlemage who can shatter armies. Fanatical enemies bent on ruling the Five Kingdoms. The odds are against those fighting for freedom.
Following the battle of Sondarthis, Elyssa, Yoseph, Ali'ana and Arath'orn have no chance for reprieve. They join an alliance of nations marching to liberate Darrla Province. But some see the war as an opportunity . . .
In the weeks since his narrow defeat, the Man in Crimson hasn't been idle. With new allies of his own, he pursues his dream of uniting all of Alteer under one banner—his. Willing to sacrifice anyone and anything, he won't stop until he's achieved total dominion over the continent.
But a power-mad warlord isn't the only problem.
Elyssa realizes the Mage Guild isn't what she thought while grappling with her newfound abilities. Ali'ana sits at odds with the Temple leadership, who would remain neutral while nations burn. Caught between old obligations and new, Yoseph struggles to find his place even as he wrestles with the horrors of his past. And Arath'orn must not only fend off his old friend trying to kill him, but other enemies besides—all while dying from Maldreth's curse.
In a land of shifting alliances, treachery and arrogance could lose the war before it begins . . . how can a budding sorceress, a battered soldier, a tainted priestess and a mutant sellsword make a difference?