Ringil Eskiat, once a military hero and renowned veteran, and now an outcast and a beggar, at the request of his family, goes to look for a cousin who was sold into slavery. But while pursuing her kidnappers, he will come across a secret that will be far worse than anything Ringil expected. Archeth, the last of her race, thought she would remain an engineer after the war until the most powerful man in the Empire sent her to investigate an attack on a border port. It seems to be a common thing, but the locals claim that they are attacked not by bandits, but by demons. Egar Dragonbane, a nomad who once served the Empire, is now embroiled in the city's turmoil, a petty squabble between common sense and religious zeal. But soon he will have to forget about the feuds of the shamans, because something alien and very dangerous begins to threaten his tribe. Ringil and his two comrades will again have to defend the Empire, which owes them everything, but has given them nothing. Protect from an ancient force capable of drowning the whole world in blood. But with such heroes, the cure may well turn out to be worse than any disease.