A war in medieval Japan is no time for a crisis of faith. As samurai clans feud over the Imperial Throne, a temple scribe named Shindara is plunged into the fire and ashes of the Genpei War. Torn from his home, he unwittingly falls in with a group of bandits who may end up teaching him more about life and death than his high priests ever did. While living among the bandits and warriors, he gains two close friends... a merciless thief with a loyal streak and a fallen princess-turned-rebel leader. However, the war may be the least of Shindara's troubles. With every passing day, a curse is eating his soul and drawing him closer into the dark realm known as the Yomi.

Shindara and his companions embark on a journey to the Yomi—a barren underworld frozen in time and devoid of light. Hoping to find the answers to his curse, he faces the endless perils with the aid of a chaos demon. What he discovers is more shocking than anything he could ever imagine, leading him on a voyage from samurai-infested battlefields to a secluded village with ancient ties to a dead goddess. Shindara might succeed in saving Japan from a corrupt Empire, but no one can save Japan from what he has become.

One era ends and another one begins in a blaze of redemption... Disillusioned with the war, Shindara has secluded himself in the temples of Heian-kyō. However, he is forced out of hiding when a strange, new threat emerges against the city. He soon finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that will lead him to forge unlikely alliances and make even greater enemies. Shindara is determined to avoid a disaster like the one he caused in Namida. With Mikoto and Hachi by his side, he believes he can find a way. Even if the omens are telling him otherwise.

Lovers brave the darkness in a swansong for the dear and the damned... Shindara and Mikoto flee from a long list of enemies they’ve a tyrannical Shōgun, a vindictive ex-husband, and a father with delusions of honor killing. At the heart of the storm stands Izanami, a woman whose presence ignites both suspicion and deadly allure. For Shindara, she represents a second chance at the love he thought he lost. For others, she is the embodiment of the enemy they fear, leading them down a path of imminent disaster rather than away from it.A loyal friend and a confused foe might make all the difference now. Whether alone or not, one constant will always remain the Shindara and Mikoto have come too far to fail in the end.