A dangerous mission. A war of the gods. An epic destiny.

When elven rangers Eli’Far and Mae’Cara are dispatched to hunt down the dangerous criminal Mik’Las, the mission seems simple enough. Mik’Las has committed the unthinkable crimes of murder and kidnapping, and though he’s a former elven ranger and skilled in the deadly arts, Eli is confident they will bring him to justice. But after Mik’Las flees into the human kingdom of the Castol, Eli and Mae find their mission suddenly wrought with complications. They’re unexpectedly drawn into a conflict between the Castol and the empire that could escalate into a full-blown war, and a struggle between gods. Ultimately, this could be the opening stages of the dreaded Last War finally come to the shores of Istros.

Discovered by advance scouts of the Castol, Eli, Mae, and the imperial rangers they teamed up with have been the hunted. Led by Eli’s personal enemy, Kyber, they are chased and hounded relentlessly over many miles and almost run to ground.

Now, exhausted and spent, they manage to reach Mekhet, a walled imperial town that represents safety, a refuge. Expecting to be able to rest and recover, they are confronted by a mystery and unexpected complications.