Before he was a huntsman, Gregan Hadshaw was a soldier. Side by side with his friends Tiod, and Jellod, Gregan fought for his nation, his home, and his Gods. The war cost him in blood, friends, and his own humanity, but they won. The invading Collective was driven back, and the young soldiers returned home to resume their old lives. Twenty years later, Gregan is a huntsman to Astrapor, the Living God of Light. Together with Tiod and Jellod, Gregan has spent his life on the fringes of civilization, keeping back the beasts that threaten to overcome the light of humanity. The war is a deeply buried memory. Or at least, it was.
The Collective, the invading enemy from twenty years ago, have returned to Asalka’s shores and begun their invasion once again. This time though, Gregan wants no part of this war. He has seen war before, understands its cost, and is content to be a bystander in this conflict. Unfortunately for him, fate will not allow Gregan to stand aside this time. When Astrapor’s holy city falls and Gregan comes under the rule of his old enemies, he believes that this is the end for him. However, he is pulled into a conspiracy that offers a glimmer of hope. The Gods have a plan to liberate the land from these invaders, and Gregan has a key part to play in it. For this plan to work though, Gregan must ally himself with a man who is as much a monster as the beasts he hunts. If Gregan obeys the word of the Gods and helps cast off the invaders, he fears his new ally will bring about as much pain and suffering as the Collective.
Thrust onto the horns of a dilemma, Gregan’s loyalty is tested. Will he follow the will of his Gods, or the nagging urging of his conscience? Gregan’s choices will change the fate of the war, Asalka, and Gregan himself, forever.