Arol, a boy of humble origins but extraordinary cosmic birthright, approaches manhood in a time of great strife. The brutal Drenarian Empire has enslaved and impoverished his people, the Gennebri. A courageous band of rebels hopes to liberate the province of Gennebar, but first they must turn hearts and minds away from a corrupt religious hierarchy and a heretical sect preaching passivity. As Arol's cosmic gift begins to awaken, it falls to the heroic rebel leader, the clairvoyant Senasha, to breathe new hope into the rebellion with a brilliant exploit. Meanwhile, Arol's struggle to understand the changes coming over him leads him to Bernarro, a genius with his own cosmic gift and a scientific sensibility centuries ahead of his time. While Arol learns from Bernarro to harness his powers, Arol's best friend Zorn meets and falls in love with Senasha, and the pair embarks on a daring mission to kill a tyrant and recover a priceless Gennebri relic. As the rebellion gathers strength, foretellings of natural and divine calamities threaten Gennebar. Arol's choices will determine not only his own future, but the fate of the rebellion and his people.