Exiled years before for accidentally killing a fellow student wizard during a magic duel, Marjan has had to forge himself a new life, a quiet life deep within the Alyssian Forest and far from the Guild. As a maverick wizard his life is far from perfect, and it's never what he dreamt of as a student in the Guild. But it's peaceful and living far from people he doesn't have to fear crossing the draconian laws of the Guild. Then one day seven young children and their teacher came crashing into his life, fleeing a monstrous enemy of seemingly limitless numbers. Armies of dire beasts led by hideously transformed soldiers are sweeping down from the north, overrunning the towns and cities and driving all before them in an orgy of death and destruction. To protect his new charges, Marjan must escort them to safety in the southern lands, leaving his home behind perhaps forever, and taking up arms as a wizard, risking the wrath of the Guild as he does so. So begins Marjan's journey, where he must not just do battle with an enemy to protect the children, but must also face down the demons of his past, and ultimately do battle with the darkest of all enemies.