Battle and foul sorcery lie behind Talon…but his future seems darker still. Thromdar Castle is now besieged by the goblin horde. Worse, a sorcerer steeped in evil and master of black arts leads the offence. He will let nothing stop him, least of all the wizard who stands upon the battlements and defies him. Mighty is the battle of steel against steel, goblin against man and army against army. Yet just as mighty is the lone contest between sorcerer and wizard. But in the end, the castle will fall despite the courage of its defenders. So it stands as Talon seeks to bring help. But as he proceeds, the Chung who hunt him and the creature of dark magic that stalks him draw ever closer. He knows they will find him before he fulfills his quest, and then a battle will be fought that he cannot win. Yet he must find a way, or all that he loves will fall to ruin and flame.