Having survived a battle with the Western warlord, Kayzitt, Seneca and Tavin lead the survivors South out of the thawing northern wilds. They must seek out the Chancellor of the East, who has been directing their campaigns from a distance till now, and determine the direction of the war and thus, their lives. Meanwhile, Kayzitt and Oil'ib play cat and mouse in the desolate wilds, their survival unbeknownst to their friends. Oil'ib longs for revenge at any cost, but Kayzitt will not allow himself to be beaten so easily. Chiara tries to maintain the hospital that Seneca was forced to leave for the service. All while patients pile in and physicians continue to be drafted away. When the situation reaches a harrowing breaking point, she will put her life on the line to save her home. As the Agents of the Chancellor finally meet their leader. They learn that there may be a way out of the war, a long-lost tool or the Golden Age of man, which may give them the advantage needed to dispel the invaders from their land. But the mission will require a high-risk journey to the New England territories, where the influence of the Eastern Republic is weak and their enemies closer than they could have dreamed.