The long, difficult road to the South is behind him. Dengar finally meets a mysterious Teacher. Together they set off for the Tireian Archipelago, where the young man hopes to hide from the watchful eyes of a hostile world—and also to learn real magic. But how can you study calmly when, right beside you, there are ancient ruins full of secrets, and orcs want to try your hide with their sharp yellow teeth? And the mysterious count won’t calm down either—he’s still determined to get Dengar’s head. Only now our hero has something to oppose the enemy’s schemes.