When the legion of knight-assassins to which he belongs is dissolved, Kalin Shadeuz becomes a man without purpose. Disgraced, bitter, and wallowing in self-loathing, Kalin takes work as a mercenary and aimlessly seeks an end to his once-proud life.

Surrounded by friends who care for him more than he realizes, Kalin is forced to confront his emotional turmoil and learn to live again. What he can't see is that no less than the fate of the known world is in his hands, as the coming of a new cycle of gods and goddesses promises to bring with it cataclysmic change that could yet mean his death.

As Kalin and his comrades become enmeshed in a struggle both political and religious, they face betrayal, enemy blades, and the demonic forces of Hell itself.

With his very soul at stake, Kalin has a choice:

What if death is victory after all?