Midkemia once again lies under the terrible shadow of the Emerald Queen. Her dark forces are ready to launch a devastating invasion against the Kingdom of the Isles. Come the battle's dawn the magician Pug and his life-long warrior friend Tomas discover that something far worse than the Queen's mere sorcery is afoot. For elemental, malevolent forces are being unleashed... forces that threaten to tear Midkemia apart unless Pug and his band of supporters can track down the long-missing sorcerer Macros the Black and confront his formidable powers.