The artificer has no client this time—and the stakes are far higher than usual. A friend must be saved.

The trail leads into disputed lands, home to an ancient people—ruled by unfamiliar magic, riddled with anomalies, and brimming with discoveries no one expected. The final pair of magical aspects marks the start of a much longer journey. And the rescue mission is no longer just about saving people, but entire worlds. At least, that's what their inhabitants claim . . .

Yet no challenge is impossible for Count Voznesensky—even the completely unexpected kind. On the contrary, he finds it more exciting this way!