Like everyone else outside of the Ebony Towers, Jory had a single goal in life: to leave the warrens and make it to the towers, where he wouldn't have to worry about scavenging scraps to get by anymore; where he could sleep peacefully without being kept up by constant howling and moaning from the warrens; where he would be able to marry and ensure a good future for his children. However, without a means to achieve it, his goal had always been just a dream, until one day, someone makes him an offer that he cannot refuse, nor can he back down from.

In a world where a powerful spell is the only measure protecting witches against the 21st century stake burnings, 16-year-old Kelsey can't resist arguing with her mother, leader of the witch burners, over the good of magic. When Kelsey discovers her own magic, she joins a bunker for protection and training, and vows to show her mother that not all witches are an abomination. However, the fight between good and evil isn't as black and white as Kelsey had hoped, with evil sparing lives and good sacrificing them in a misguided attempt to keep magic alive. Kelsey finds an alternative plan: to rip magic from the world. It's drastic, it's unforgivable, but it might be the only thing that can save witches from themselves. However, destroying magic will break the spell protecting witches from the witch burners. For once in her life, Kelsey will need to reason-not argue-with her mother that witches can be good people too, or else the stake-burnings will commence.

In 2235, the one nation world of Axis is a stunning example of near perfection. Helmed by The Honorable Chase Vaughn, and solidified after a devastating clash that has been written down in history as The War of the 9th, Axis's economy is thriving, the low class is all but nonexistent, and technology has leaped forward several decades in less than one. Spirit, the energy of life, present in all living beings has been employed effectively in two practices- Techsmithing and Cyphering, attributing to advancements in science in the arcane, respectively. However, to those determined enough, the Spirit can offer so much more. Legend has it that when a man or woman reaches self actualization, a unique Awakening occurs, and they gain access to special abilities that epitomizes the power of their spirit. While some people view them as blessed, others regard them as self righteous offenders of the gift of life, as granted by their spirits. Among those of this school of thought is the The Honorable himself. In his resentment of their kind, Chase Vaughn has begun to rally the hearts and minds of the world against these gifted individuals with the help of a dark congregation, known as "The Order." A young Awakened named Melik Cloud, under the tutelage of his Aunt Kyomi, is taught of the plight against his people and must prepare for a fast brewing war while striving to understand a deeper war raging within himself.