After marrying his childhood sweetheart, Virgil John Jordan is pulled into the Civil War as a captain in the Confederate Army. He is a dedicated and brave soldier-until news reaches him that his family, including his new wife, has been murdered by marauding Blue Coats. Rage takes over; as Virgil becomes a murderer, the man he once was disappears.
He becomes "The Rider," a vengeful, ghostly foe. Justice is decided by his hand, and he kills those he believes deserve to die. After killing four men who were abusing a whore, the Rider survives a terrible blizzard, only to end up in a town called Witchita. With his only companion-his horse, Gabriel-the Rider finds himself in a very strange place.
The "witch" in Witchita refers to Mesmerala, a powerful sorceress who runs things with the power of magic. It's not magic that breaks through the Rider's heart of steel, though; it's a gun-toting honey named Pistol Ann. Rider comes to realize he's in Witchita for a reason. His bloodlust can serve a purpose, but will he ever find his way home again?