Hordes of Emperor Balthazar's mercenaries attack the rich trading mountain of Merina. But not gold, but the Heart of Light, an inexhaustible source of magical power, and the servants of Chrom, possessing a magical Gift, are his true treasures. The emperor's advisor, the necromancer magician Apollo, who has made a deal with the darkness, is ready to capture them at any cost. But having surrendered to the mercy of the victors, the city begins a secret war, finding allies where they simply cannot be...