Jezal dan Lufar, the warrior who accompanied the supreme mage Baiaz on his journey to the edge of the world for magical weaponry capable of stopping evil, finally returns to Adua. In the capital, he is met with unexpected news: after the death of the old king, it turns out that Jezal is his illegitimate son and the only heir to the throne. But throne and power do not bring happiness to the warrior. The Gurks attack the country; after terrible battles, the capital lies in ruins, and the magical weapon they obtained with great difficulty is dangerous to people. What’s more, it seems that the supreme mage is laying claim to ruling the Union alone.
And then the new king turns his gaze north, where his faithful friend Logen Ninefingers — nicknamed Nine Deaths — reigns…