Publisher's Synopsis
The world isn't what it once was. An uneasy balance has been struck between frail humanity and the bodiless powers, incorporeal spirits able to possess a man in the blink of an eye. Stability and prosperity have begun to grow in human lands protected by soulsteel barriers. In the Riverlands, the conflict has faded sufficiently to allow leisure, the accumulation of wealth, and the growth of culture. Matthias is a product of the safety of the barriers. He has seen the chaos of rampaging Powers first hand. He has turned his back on the world outside the Riverlands, and has turned his talent from war to art. Hyrn is a product of the wild country. He has walked among the powers and the communities that try to coexist with them. Able to touch the winds, Hyrn stands between both worlds. He sees the need for security, but he loves the free beauty of the powers. He sees a war of terrible destruction on the horizon, and he will do all he can to avert it. The worlds of the powers and the world of men are on the road to Armageddon, but Hyrn sees beauty in both worlds, and understands the need for balance. He will do what he must to avert the coming conflict. His answer is to build a force that can stand between humanity and the powers, and preserve a balance. The black fires of soulsteel provide a weapon against the bodiless, one which requires only discipline to wield. Matthias is master of the black fires. But Matthias is haunted by the memory of terrible conflict, and has no greater desire than personal peace. Hyrn must convince Matthias to help, and between them they will shake the foundations of more than one world.
