Come join the amazing journey Life has not been easy for Pella Sparpoint in the City of Jewels. Trapped in a land of stone, ice and strict religious custom on a world that has never seen the sun, all this simple tavern boy and outcast desires is to keep a low profile and honor a decade-old oath to his missing father. But forces are at work that will destroy Pella's modest dreams. When a dispute erupts with the powerful Crystal Guild over a small strip of land, he is catapulted into a battle for his own survival - and for the survival of his entire race. One thousand years have passed since the destruction of civilization on Annaber. All that remains from that ancient time are secrets, riddles, political intrigue and a mysterious madness that threatens to plunge the kingdom into a civil war. As his icy world begins to warm, a handful of cryptic verses called "The Keys" warn of a horrific danger that is approaching and point the way to survival. Before Pella can decipher these clues and protect those he cares about, he must first give up everything he holds dear and fulfill his destiny. But Pella cares little about his destiny. He has problems enough just trying to survive while avoiding the schemes of the powerful political forces that would use him. Besides, he has plans of his own and is growing increasingly tired of being pushed against his will - no matter that one of the ones doing the pushing is a God.