Plague and warfare have swept the Orient, ravaging the ancient kingdom of Wa, devastating the royal line, and leaving a new dynasty on the throne. But the new emperor, Akantsu, is filled with fear of all who might seek to wrest the empire from his grasp, and he fears none so greatly as Lord Shonto, the brilliant leader of the old families. Lord Shonto, sent as military governor of a border province threatened by barbarians, knows he is being lured to his death. But Akantsu has underestimated his foe, for not only is Lord Shonto a great military genius but he has with him two assets: the beautiful and talented Lady Nishima, last member of the old royal family, and Initiate Brother Shuyun, a spiritual advisor from the Botahist order. Even Lord Shonto does not realize the potential of the monk, whose powers have not seen their equal in nearly a thousand years.