Vasanta Valerian, a scholar of the Royal House of Light, is forced to undertake a perilous journey in the company of Uma Turri, an assassin and follower of Umbra, in order to recover what was stolen from him. The realm of Anteida has enjoyed three hundred years of peace and alliance with its neighboring realms. As the seat of royalty, the House of Light fulfills a major purpose - to maintain its leading cultural position on matters of ritual and faith. But when one of the twin Princes suddenly allies himself with Umbra, a shadowy organization that defies the laws and principles of the land, the comfortable balance between light and dark is thrown into the unknown. Vasanta, having left his home on the western coast of Anteida to live in the capital Crystal City, is unable to shake off the sad events of his past. Uma, having abandoned his family in Grey Woods to pursue his ambitions, lives comfortably under the guidance of Cassius Turri, a wealthy and influential noble of the capital. As unusual alliances are made, and long-forgotten truths are revealed, both Uma and Vasanta must face who they really are, and re-discover their roles in a world they thought they knew.