Some things are better left buried... Kharnak d'nul V'rsuth has been plundering the sands of the Ul-Utet desert for forgotten treasure since he was a young man On a remote dig, he uncovers a simple clay jar emblazoned with the sacred symbol of the ancient patron of Mankind, the SevenGod. It is a rare and priceless treasure, but one that brings with it many dangers. But this jar is more than an artifact. It's arrival has been anticipated for hundreds of years for it contains the key to set free the demon-god Eqqa Qua from his underworld prison in Shiavoth. The minions of the demon-god are vigilant and relentless, ultimately forcing Kharnak to take back to the desert and face the dangers lurking beneath the dunes. Accompanied by the vengeful god Hebat the Stone Man, Kharnak is given a mission. If he succeeds, Eqqa Quai will remain imprisoned. If not, all of humanity will pay the price of his failure with blood and chains.

Daedus and the surviving members of the Markan Legion struggle to survive in the aftermath of their final battle against the Serpent Lords upon the island of Amayelli Cahuitl. Victims of both fate and treachery, they have been deprived of their most powerful allies and betrayed by their own special operations units, the LongKnives. Remnants of the enemy armies have scattered to the most inaccessible parts of the island, striking when they are least expected, competing for the finite resources of their island prison, and hiding from the relentless hunger and savagery of the Nagual. But Daedus knows time is running out and the soon the Nagual, no longer under Adzutucoatl's direct command, will turn upon them to survive. Unless he can find a way to get them off the island. Worsening their situation, the demi-goddess Chihuacoatl, the Madness that Walks, has awoken from a centuries long sleep and broken free of her earthly bondage. Having defeated and robbed Adzutucoatl of much of his power, she escaped the clutches of the Tomb of Time with the sole intent of resurrecting her dark empire. Waiting for her somewhere deep within the womb of magic called Xincan, in the holy land of Matauils, are the twin master blades of wildersteel. With both back in her possession, it is certain she is marshaling her forces to attempt subjugating mankind once again And somewhere in the Lands of the Southern Shores, new evils anxiously anticipate the arrival of Adzutucoatl and his outland army. One waits with vengeance and a prisoner to ultimately claim what he sees as his own. A few seek to further their powers and reach with the demise of the Banebaal. The last views Adzutucoatl, Daedus and his soldiers as both a means to an end and a threat demanding his immediate attention.

Daedus is an exp-priest turned soldier. For a decade he has led the dwindling Markan IVth Cohort across the Frostmarches as Praefect and fought against the barbaric hordes of the Augur Potentates. An Imperial Courier arrives unexpectedly, bearing orders to return to the capitol at once. Upon their return, it quickly becomes clear someone in the Markan Senate is setting the stage for a coup and Daedus and his men are pawns in this power struggle. Their situation further worsens with the arrival of Adzutucoatl, a tattooed emissary from the distant jungles of a nearly forgotten land: Mictlan. He has come to Marka bearing rare gifts in exchange for troops to wage war against enemies every bit as powerful as the Augur Potentates. Intrigued by the developments within the capitol, Adzutucoatl takes a powerful interest in Daedus and the IVth and arranges a meeting upon his ship. What transpires sets into motion events that lead Daedus and his stalwart companions on an epic journey into the heart of darkness. Here they must conquer the treachery of sorcerers and the unforgiving nature of their new environment. Only then will they come face to face with the true nature of their mission: to face the wrath of a vengeful demi-goddess intent on breaking free of her earthly prison and to stop her from resurrecting her dark empire with her weapons of wildersteel.