The trauma inflicted in the Vault beneath Ïsriba's dungeons still lingers. Physical, mental, even spiritual injuries remind Kalas of the everyday frailty of the world. On their way back to Lohwàlar, he and the other survivors discover greater perils and encounter forces unseen since before the world was cracked. Perils that threaten to reshape the world in darkness. Forces that hint at greater trials yet to come. With new clues, Kalas and company travel to the distant North, searching for the malign spirit responsible for twisting the ear of Ïsriba's queen. Along the way, they discover an ancient and perverse horror-a being whose years-long quiescence has come to and end as savage forces converge within an abandoned place of power. After confronting these formidable foes, after discovering an unexpected wonder, otherworldly abominations descend upon them: in the ensuing battle, their lives are forever altered. Yet none of these besetments can prepare Kalas for his next ordeal-nor his friends for theirs. When an escaped enemy resurfaces, their dwindling number must reach the far East before their greatest hope for peace is ambushed and undone. There, beneath a shaft of sullied light, Kalas learns a dark secret: there, beneath a broken sky, his friends must understand how to reconcile unyielding fears with unsteady faith. Still struggling to find his place within the ancient prophecy, Kalas comes face to face with a presence that promises answers...and adventure.