In a world of shadow, can one hero shine? When scandal and disgrace fall upon the Order of the Conclave, Bastian and his Order are forced to hide who they are proud to be. Cast out, shunned and scorned by those who were once honoured to use their services, Bastian and his men are left with no choice but to become mercenaries. Moving across the Five Kingdoms, they restore peace for coin, shedding blood for others’ gain. Tasked with the job of escorting a noblewoman and her handmaiden across the Sand Seas, Bastian soon realises not all is as it should be. Something evil poisons the lands, as whispers of revolt and rebellion are once again murmured among the courts. In the halls of his Order, Bastian is entrusted with a mission. He knows this shouldn’t be his fight, but the duty to his Order, his comrades, and his mysterious travelling companions weighs heavily on him. The mission is so dangerous and deadly only a fool would take it…and only a coward would refuse it.

Betrayal cloaks the truth in darkness. Bastian’s faith in all that he knows, and trusts, is shattered with the overwhelming loss to the Order, and their mission. Devastated and left with no choice but fleeing into the unknown, Bastian and his fellow Ravens face the dangers of the Barrens—unchartered land where only the brave dare tread and few survive. As Bastian and his faithful knights navigate the treacherous and unfamiliar, Echo seeks sanctuary amongst those she once believed her enemy. Separated from her trusted companions, she must put her blind trust in those who do not care about her mission or her cause. As the Mystic makes his striking move for power, the brittle courts of the Five Kingdoms are under threat from a devious man who wields the power of the new Gods. As the Gods grow restless with each passing day, so does their demand for a victory. The fight for their champion’s survival hangs on the delicate balance of a dagger’s edge.