Muus decides to slip away from his friends and finish his fateful journey alone. In the dead of night, he leaves the Imperial palace for the fast naval galley that will bring him across the sea to Gaul. From there he plans to cross the Barrier Alps into Falrom and seek for the Kalmanir stone he must revitalize. Neither his friends, nor the Gods who sent him on this quest, agree with his decision. The druidess Moirra has sworn to stay with him till the end. She, by now wise to Muus's ways, follows him secretly on board the Imperial galley just before she sails. Hraab and Prince Ottil, shocked from their sleep by the angry God Iowynh, manage to lie their way into the next galley to Gaul and follow them. Meanwhile from the North, Kjelle and Birthe travel toward the Barrier Alps. Kjelle wants to aid his former slave as best as he can and the Gods have given Birthe her own task in the whole undertaking. Tuuri, finally free of his oath to the false Jarl Rannar, goes south as well, intend on warning the Shardheld of his former master's plans. Finally Rannar himself, with the Fynni high shaman Rev, slaughter their own way to the Barrier. They want the skyshard and feed its magic to their own Old Gods. The final race is on. To Falrom Will the Shardheld win, and restore the world's magic? Or will foul Rev succeed, and bring back the cruel primordial Age of the Gods Before? Follow Muus's final chance to save all in this third, gripping book to its moving completion in faraway, burning Falrom.