War is terrible, rebellions are worse, and being on the losing side is a death sentence. Meet Nick, the son of the rebel leader who lost the war. Follow him and his friends as they enter an Empire filled with class systems and Shadow Magic, all while dealing with the consequences of living. Nick may not be the warrior that his father was, but he is an opportunist. And if he has to make it into this new world, he will. He only hopes his parents aren't rolling in their graves. "You know what they say, 'If you can't beat them...'" "Join them?" His friend pales. "Not, quite," he hisses. "Become their new leader!"