Elminster and Manshoon, ordered by the remnant of Mystra to work together, instead engage in a furious battle, during which the Sage falls into the Underdark as a cloud of dust. Elminster soon seizes the body of the fallen dark elf to begin carrying out Mystra's orders - to unite the Cormyrean war wizards and find blue flame items to close the huge rifts that have appeared throughout the Kingdoms, emitting deadly monsters, and also to prevent the Forerunners from reviving in a frenzy of rage. But his archenemy, Manshoon, has his own plans: to conquer Cormyr and become the new emperor, and to hunt down all the clones of the old Sage. The stakes have never been higher, and the fate of Cormyr is at stake. Meanwhile, mysterious murders of combat wizards take place...