Arken believes the Necklace of Tol will ultimately help them defeat the Amarrat invader. But Arken’s triumphant return home to Lanth is ruined when he sees his Neanderthal blood brother, Ord, being sold into slavery when Arken sails into port.

Arken’s nemesis, Gart, buys Ord and then plots with the King of Lanth to hold Ord hostage to force the Neanderthals to give up the Necklace of Tol—something they will never do.  Arken must find a way to free his best friend from slavery and save the Lantish people from the invasion of the Amarrats.

Yolanta, king of the Tookans leads the Amarrat armada across the Circle Sea. Yet Yolanta is plagued by doubts about his loyalty to the Amarrats after King Zuul invaded Yolanta's mind.

Lanth is frantically preparing to defend itself as Arken’s friend, Asher, sails to the Nander Water Cave. He is accompanied by his mother, the Queen of Tolaria, who plans to read the Necklace of Tol in hopes of divining a strategy to defeat the Amarrats. The collision of these forces is inevitable. But who will win the battle at sea against the Amarrat Armada?

Arken's forces are vastly outnumbered as they bravely attack the hundred-thousand-man Amarrat army as it lumbers overland across the open plains towards the treacherous mountain pass leading to Lanth.

Will Arken and his small force of volunteers be enough to stop the army, or will the Amarrats reach Lanth and lay siege to their beloved city?