The Mage Zay Narngul is dead. His apprentice, Jess, has been revealed as a woman in disguise. The hiding place of the missing sword of the "malik hopasa" has been disclosed. Trust has been broken, friendships will be betrayed. Kelsin, Jessa, Morri, Torik, and Glais each have to choose the path that they will follow as time marches on toward the conflict that was prophesied by Thel Katar long before they were born. All that is left is to retrieve the missing sword, find a way to somehow destroy both swords, and defeat the Spectre. But when you can't trust your friends, how can you hope to win?