Five centuries after the destruction of the Mages of Alasea, a young girl, Elena, inherits the wild powers the Mages had so carefully concealed from their pitiless enemy. But though the Mages are long dead their ancient foe is not - and Elena must continue their battle with her hard-won outlaw army and her own mastery of the blood magick. Elena and her forces had defeated evil in an audacious attack, a wound cut deep into the Black Heart, but this isn't enough. The Dark Lord's greatest weapon, the Weirgates, continue their ravenous onslaught and the land's powers wane. The Elementals, those rare folk tuned to the Land's energy, are sickening, their abilities fading. The Mer'ai are losing their sea sense and the link to their dragons and the Elv'in ships can not fly as high or far...Now an ally dies in violence, whispering of a last betrayal and a stranger foretells victory or the death of all.