They were raised for war - just not this war. Talaren Solus was brought up amidst his father's worries over a looming war of succession, trained from his youth in single combat and battlefield strategy. Rania Amoran is the last of a storied order of mystical warriors, driven by a need for vengeance that she believes beyond her reach. Meeting at Valeran's annual Harvest Tournament, an immediate and irresistible bond of friendship forms between the two. When the ruler of a neighboring nation unearths long-buried secrets of the forbidden art of necromancy, Talaren and Rania are drawn into a desperate struggle to preserve the North from his dark ambitions. Taking up arms in defense of their homeland, together they will have to confront the horrifying truth that against a foe who commands death itself, victory can prove nearly as debilitating as defeat.