The seed of darkness grows. Will it be too much for a young mage to endure?

Instead of punishing him for killing a rival student in a duel to the death, they promote Petrah to a journeyman of the dark arts.

Petrah questions his path to magehood . . . and his allegiance to his masters.

A spy mission to an enemy country brings to light Petrah's doubts, just as he discovers love for the first time. Her name is Mina, and she's everything he wants.

But with a father who sees Petrah as unworthy for his daughter, Petrah's troubles only grow.

Dreams reveal Petrah's dark destiny. He's fated to open the portal between his world and the land where his brother rules. If his brother crosses over into Petrah's world, he will unleash Armageddon against the believers of the God of Light.

Believers like Mina and the good people of her country.

Petrah won't allow it. He must stop his brother. But to do so, he must abandon his magehood and imperil his friends on a journey into an unforgiving land.

Can he destroy the portal before his brother crosses over? Or will he succumb to his dark destiny and fail?