Introduction: In the world of Gaia lies the Kingdom of Deponess, and within its borders, a city of Mages, Linia, still haunted and recovering from a brutal war. Balthazar, a young Magician, and wayward graduate of the Kingdom's military academia finds himself accompanying one of Deponess' twin princes in a pilgrimage to assert his right to rule the throne. But a dark shadow looms over the Kingdom and their adventure.  Assassins and scars unfading threaten to tear the Kingdom apart. Balthazar's only guide forward lies in a mysterious black grimoire, and the secrets it holds....