Raids by the Kar'ath of the southern deserts are becoming increasingly rare, peace is being discussed with the Firath Confederation, and if the great Imperial army can somehow finally succeed in the seemingly endless northern wars, for a while at least, peace may be coming to the empire for once... However, many continue to work against the empire from within and without, at any moment the government may collapse into anarchy, that it has not yet may be due to the men and women working in secret to maintain it. Within the great city of Althine and across its provinces, enigmatic individuals meet up in secret to discuss those they are trying to find and bring together, and a group of exiled soldiers gather across the border to discuss their own plans to change the world. Newly trained assassin Cathan and her friend Masra the thief uncover a sinister plot, but are they too late to stop it? Recently promoted Captain Theandar is transferred to the other side of the empire and must somehow persuade his new comrades to see beyond his youth and privileged upbringing. Is the Empire spiraling into chaos, and has their own god abandoned them?