A frozen lake raged with fire. The Valkyries descended from the stars, shattering the swords and minds of men. And two kings survived the battle of the burning lake. The war for Midgard will carry on. But a war on a much greater scale preys on Raef Skallagrim's mind. The rule of the gods is unraveling and soon the giants will unleash their long-festering wrath. Raef, haunted still by the unknown face of his father's murderer, has forsaken his alliance with Brandulf Hammerling, broken his oath, and looks toward home and his father's hall. He cannot turn back the shadow of oblivion that will soon descend on the nine realms, but he can find justice for his father before the end. But Raef's journey back to Vannheim is interrupted by unseen hands and he is set on a course that will threaten his home and test his will to survive. And yet his own life will matter little if the gods take everything from him.