Ruthless Lord Soren strives to reunite warring feudal mini-states into a mighty kingdom. His most powerful weapon is the Bezrielite necromancer, William, the mightiest sorcerer in modern times. William has rejected Bezriel’s sacred mystical traditions sacred mystical traditions, instead using sorcery for dominion over men and nature. Opposing Soren and William is the ragtag liberation army, Free Bezriel, and its powerful young sorcerers. Ariadne. Despite having been taught to use her powers only for peace and healing when she sees the corrupting influence of Soren and William on Bezriel, she puts aside her pacifist principles to join the guerilla struggle. Needless slaughter by Soren’s troops of many of her friends in the rebel army leads Ariadne to a shocking act of revenge. While a remorseful Ariadne ponders whether killing, even for a good cause, can ever be justified, and considers quitting Free Bezriel, Soren and William intensify their efforts to destroy the guerillas.