What begins as a film crew's bold expedition to document surviving bastions of civilization across a fracturing earth, soon grows to be more as their flight intersects with an old soldier's journey to find his long lost daughter, a nation's hope for an impossible future, and the fate of one who may hold the key to it all. In 3 parts: The Engineer's Daughter, The Last Guide, and The Empress of Shorakai. Amiana, who would have been the rightful empress of Shorakai, had begun to set things into motion before her death, things she hoped would change the outcome for the earth and those she loved - but will these few disparate threads come together in time to save her nation, and so the earth, before the end comes? Her husband, a former soldier from the North, sits in regret over losing their daughter. Her closest friend, who knows more than most and holds her greatest hope, is finding it hard to maintain his life; like her, he was marked by fire and shadow, and is considered Akaia, outcast. While Shorakai searches for the next in the royal line, the earth threatens to shatter around them. So few still hold to hope where others dare not. But now, a bold expedition is underway; a film crew sets off to document the surviving bastions of civilization across this fracturing earth and the threads begin to come together - the father, the daughter, the Akaia, and the Memory of Blue Sky. However, as the pieces come together, the crew struggle not only to film, but to survive. 'I'm still waiting to hear back from you, ' he said. 'Years Syra, it's been years. I found her, I planned, I got her out. Now she's here. What would you have me do? Will I tell them? You never had a great deal of love for those in charge here, but you respected them. You know the edge on which I am forced to live, you know I can't possibly protect her.' He shook his head and huffed, 'You have trusted me with too much. You should have told John, he's her father after all, doesn't he deserve to know? Shouldn't this be his responsibility? What should I do with her Syra? You asked me to look for the girl, you didn't say what to do then I couldn't leave her there any longer. I have been waiting for a reply to the words I sent you, but none have come.'