Behind is the hateful village, behind is life as a slave, behind is the Marine Corps training camp. There is war ahead. What awaits the newly minted Sergeant Ned Cherny? How does he use his abilities, the abilities of a black magician, a demonologist - an adept of magic forbidden in this world? And how to hide these abilities - otherwise Ned risks ending up at the stake on charges of using forbidden magic! And it was not for nothing that he took the prefix to his name - “Black”. What is in his brain cannot be called white. Battles, blood, magic, magical artifacts, friendship and hatred of his comrades - that’s what awaits Ned. Where will the bloody whirlpool of war take him? He doesn't know this yet. But he knows one thing - do what is right. And come what may.