Soulmates, pawns of prophecy and heirs of an ancient struggle, Richard and Kahlan linked their destinies when they met in The Wizard's First Rule. But now Richard lies on his funeral bed, caught between life and death, and Kahlan faces her greatest challenge. She must fight for Richard's very existence, and he, locked in the underworld, must fight to save the kingdom of life. The time has come for desperate sacrifices. The final battle in the ancient three-thousand-year war that gave birth to the Sword of Truth is coming. In a war on the outcome of which not only their lives depend, but also the fate of the whole world.