Rory Wilbor receives word that his grandfather, General 'Mad Boar' Wilbor, has passed away. The ensuing power struggle for succession of the barony leaves him exiled and penniless. Injured in an accident that leaves him unable to wield Aura, Rory struggles to survive in an empire ravaged by political turmoil, famine, and war. Meanwhile, Rory begins to dream of a world with cities that glow as bright as day during the night, with buildings of steel and glass that tower into the sky ...