Bitali Cro finishes her fifth year at the Marquis de Guyac's magic school. In a matter of weeks, he will have to experience love and the threat of death, learn about the betrayal of his best friend and face the complexities of the world of mere mortals, pass the trials of the northern barbarians and enter into battle with black sorcerers for the right to possess ancient artifacts. His fate is determined by the promise of his hand-to-hand combat trainer: “You will get credit if you live until the fall.” But Bitali does not give up, trying to become worthy of the title of Dark Lord, of which he is a distant descendant...