Aranos has done the impossible: he's freed the first Fallen Realm in mortal reckoning and returned victorious. He and his follower Geltheriel should be hailed as heroes and celebrated throughout the Stronghold of Eredain.

Instead, Aranos finds himself surrounded by elves that are both secretly and openly hostile. He and his new party descend nightly into the corrupted Blightlands to battle the Darkness and to try and reclaim more lands for the Light, but each day the elves place more obstacles in his path, from attempts at treachery to outright attacks. His enemies are numerous, his allies are few . . . and he can't even be sure that they're all allies in truth.

Geltheriel is given a choice: complete a quest that's utterly impossible or die, and Aranos has promised to see her complete the quest. He'll need help, though, and the only way for him to contact his best friend Phil is incredibly dangerous.

The attacks of his enemies have spread to the entire city, and now all of Eredain is on the edge of Falling to the Darkness.

To survive all this is one thing; to overcome it, Aranos must become more than a Sorcerer.

He must be Ascendant!