The Dark Ages grip the world in famine and war, but in the Kingdom of Veronia, situated among the free cities, land is abundant and life is cheap. Captain Leo Rosewood, after earning the nickname "Bloody Rose" for single-handedly slaughtering dozens of enemy soldiers in the battle of the Frostbite, defies the king to protect Veronia from its biggest vulnerability: invasion. At the risk of execution and the lives of more Veronian soldiers, he gathers two thousand volunteers to follow the enemy and finish the fight. Upon his return two years later, Leo's life is spared but his punishment is fierce. After thirty-nine public lashings, he is locked in a dungeon and held prisoner for weeks, where he learns of more threats against Veronia-and Leo personally. Ruthless, unflinching, and wielding a newfound power to harness celestial energy, Leo escapes the capital during an enemy siege and travels to Tamore, where a group of soldiers gather to strengthen their skills-both physical and fantastical. Fed by allies and armed with weaponry given to them by Leo's brother, Bishop Jewel, the soldiers are ready for imminent war. Meanwhile, Bishop Jewel and the members of the High Priest's Council wield faith to salvage their unraveling kingdom. But what they discover is that Veronia is the battlefield of a supernatural war-with biblical proportions.