While the new Emperor of New Persia allows his hatred for all things Templar to cloud his already impaired judgment, the Ancient Evil expands his grip on the world, turning vast tracts into barren wastelands full of monstrosities with the help of an even more insidious power from beyond the Abyss. Meanwhile, the Templars fight to bring order and protection to the remnants of the human race using the crystal skulls to construct a safety net. The Chevalier du Morte encounters a problem when he fails to recognize the truth about Sophia Cardinelli and lets his guard down one too many times. The results are disastrous for both of them as another surprising turn of events takes the Knight of Death in a different direction altogether.