Lotus Maze is the largest city-nation on the warped earth, encompassing the surface world of Anshar and the underground city called the Mine. The megacorporation Mirax rules Anshar, reinforcing the law with deadly agents called angels, while the black market merchants of Black Tuesday keep the Mine and its inhabitants in line with their cogwheeler thugs. Though these opposing corporations are in a constant state of war, they share a mysterious enemy: the Keepers of the Balance. A prophecy uttered by the Oracle brings Shade, a Keeper assassin, and Knick Coltin, an ex-angel turned cogwheeler, together in a struggle against fate. Convinced that Knick is "the one" an ancient prophecy promised would come, Shade rebels against her orders to kill him, exposing the traitors in the sacred Order of Keepers, a revelation that propels the world into an unknown future. Meanwhile, Otto Ferés, a small town garbage collector, begins having dreams of a girl calling out to him for help. Unable to rest, he abandons his quiet life to find and save her.