Far beneath the Earth's Surface, past the layer of liquefied rock and beyond a barrier of protection lies a series of vast caverns ... the Core. Beautiful ... mysterious ... dangerous ... alive.Forced to transport Aurelius Hunt and his men through the tornado-like Vortex and into the Core, Stone Sovereign Lander discovers a world of unexpected light and splendor. But all is not as it was when his parents traveled to the Surface sixteen years ago. With the political leaders now favoring Stone Sovereigns and treating the Ungifted as slaves, can the peace Lander's mother spoke of be achieved? Lander's loyalty and integrity are put to the test when he struggles to balance his promise to his mother with his promise to get his friends safely home.