Magic, Mayhem and Murder... Cymon, the last in a long line of powerful mages, is about to take his Oath to the Wizards' Council when fate steps in. Beth, the Other-Worlder, was brought through the Ether from her home world Earth to Elsynvaal by the Mage Emasiyo, who is intent on extracting her warped revenge on those she believes have wronged her. Ambrose, the Clerical Mage, is on a quest to right an error committed in his youth by preventing the Renegade talEbol from being resurrected. Defying the ban on Ether-travelling Cymon helps his mother, Emasiyo, to return to Elsynvaal from her exile on Earth. However, his meddling has not gone unnoticed. After the body of a mage is found in the Western Forest and brought to Rowlan Gayts, Brother Ambrose, a Clerical Mage, discovers that Cymon may be implicated in the mage's death. But Cymon has escaped from Rowlan Gayts to join Emasiyo and her captive, Beth. No-one knows for sure where Cymon has gone, but Ambrose has to find him. The man-hunt has begun. And that is only the beginning...