Thorn and Alazla are promising students and have little more on their minds than enjoying life, that is, until Thorn witnesses the murder of an Avatar, herald to one of the nine gods. Unknown to Thorn, the seed of the fallen herald takes root in him. Hidden forces seeking to overthrow the pantheon of gods capture Thorn as Alazla can only watch, utterly helpless. Thorn is carried to the secret realm of the immortals, the capricious children of the gods, where they seek to twist Thorn and use him to free them from their imprisonment. Distraught and enraged at losing his life-long friend, Alazla...