Lindon has a year left. When his time runs out, he'll have to fight an opponent that no one believes he can beat. Unless he learns sacred arts the right way, from scratch, he won't have a chance to win ... and even then, the odds are against him. In the course of their training, he and Yerin travel to the Blackflame Empire, where they fight to master an ancient power. Success means a chance at life, but failure means death. In the sacred arts, only those who risk the most can travel far.