Six thousand years have elapsed since the God Wars and the overthrow of the Gods of Chaos. Over time, the races have become complacent, the bloody battles that stain the tapestry of their past all but forgotten. Now the Dark Lord and his companion, Death, seek to escape the confines of their prison behind the Crystal Flame and lay claim to their rightful place upon the throne. Of the four Crystal Keys created by the Gods of Order to imprison them, only one remains safe. In a tale of epic proportions, an unlikely cast, including a cold-blooded murderer, a troubled orphan, a pampered princess, a reclusive hermit, a cantankerous Dwarven elder, and a small town boy, must realize their roles in the greater plan in order to save mankind from a fate far worse than death. In the process, a noble Shandarian Knight must rise above great personal adversity, take up his ancestor's sword, and champion the destiny of his birthright. Will he succeed in finishing the battle that was waged long before his birth? Can he restore honor to his people and once and for all defeat the advancing force of darkness?