The year is 2260, twelve years have passed since the Minbari destroyed the Earth. The Earth fleet, with the help of its allies, the Shadows, turned the tide of the war and reduced Minbari to poisoned ash. Sinoval's attempt to restore his power over the surviving Minbari was thwarted by the unexpected appearance of their greatest prophet and leader, returning at last after many thousands of years of absence.

There are many different forces at work in the galaxy, but after the Battle of Minbari they are divided and isolated. Dark forces are in motion, conspiracies even darker than ever are being born, and very few outposts of light continue to fight for the freedom of the galaxy. Signs of an approaching storm are visible on the horizon, it is almost here...

Valen returned to Minbar, devastated by war and chaos. But will it ease Minbari's problems—or add to them? What are the secrets of the great prophet, and how are they related to the secrets of Sinoval? The answer is hidden in the events of twelve years ago... when a race on the verge of extinction was desperately trying to save itself; he binds a warlord named Sinoval, a Satai named Delenn, and an Earthman... named Geoffrey Sinclair.

He is the reborn Valen, the embodiment of prophecy and destiny for the Minbari people, but he is also Geoffrey Sinclair, an Earthman, in thoughts and whose feelings conflict with his new role. Trying to understand the extent to which he is under someone else's control, he struggles to come to terms with his fate. Meanwhile, elsewhere, someone once very close to him finds hints about her own role in the Future and the Past.

On Proxima, the Resistance Government's rapidly expanding plans have finally affected G'Kar, however, the fate that is in store for him is not death... but something much worse. Wells follows a narrow path, but receives help from a completely unexpected source. Meanwhile, on Centauri Prime, Londo demonstrates how a true politician works...

Darkness has come. Great and terrible darkness. But there is hope, there is a refuge, a place where the forces of light can gather and prepare. The place where the Line was drawn. And darkness will come there, and rivers of blood will water the Frontier. THE ONE THAT WAS. THE ONE THAT IS. THE ONE THAT WILL BE. WHICH OF THEM IS DESIRED TO FALL?

There is a darkness coming, a great and terrible darkness. But there is hope, there is a place of refuge, a place of sanctuary, a place where the forces of light can be marshalled and readied. A place where a Line has been drawn. And now the darkness comes to that place, and the Line will be drenched in blood. THE ONE WHO WAS. THE ONE WHO IS. THE ONE WHO WILL BE. WHICH ONE SHALL FALL?

The Minbari have an old saying: 'There can be no peace with the Shadow'. But what if there could be? How much would peace be worth, and what would it cost? And who would pay?

What is one life worth? What is one soul worth? And who must pay the price? The war has begun, and Delenn is faced with a most difficult choice by the new Vorlon ambassador. An offer of salvation is made, but is it too much for anyone to pay? Elsewhere Sinoval encounters the sting of treachery, and the war comes to Centauri Prime, bringing with it a great fire and a terrible Darkness.