A man of great charm and even greater ambition, Skanda has unified the two historically hostile people by marrying the Ventrian emperor's daughter, Axiana, who is now pregnant.

He has allied with his former enemies, including prince Malikada and his bodyguard and right-hand man, the master swordsman Antikas Karios.

These include Banelion, the White Wolf, the legendary Drenai general, and three old friends: Nogusta the swordsman, Kebra the archer, and Bison the wrestler.

Unbeknownst to all but a few, demons have begun to haunt the imperial city of Usa, their malign influence driving men to commit atrocities.

Dagorian, a young staff officer loyal to the White Wolf, investigates a series of murders but runs afoul of prince Malikada's political machinations and is marked for death.

Anharat's twin brother, the demon lord Emsharas, betrayed his people and joined three human kings rebelling against the Windborn.

Now Anharat seeks to reverse Emsharas' great spell by sacrificing three kings, allowing the Windborn to take material form and enslave humanity once again.

Dagorian, Ulmenetha, and the heavily pregnant empress Axiana flee the city in a wagon, taking with them three children they saved from being sacrificed.

He sends Antikas Karios back to the city to re-capture the empress, but the swordsman is troubled by the chaos and slaughter he finds there and begins to investigate.

Ventrian cavalry officers sent by Malikada/Anharat catch the slow moving wagon in the hills outside of Usa, and Dagorian prepares to die to save his queen.

Upon the death of three kings the world will be plunged into chaos, and all the cast-out demons of history will return to establish a new age of darkness.

The fate of empires rests on their fading skills as they journey through a tormented world on a perilous quest to save the unborn king.