once a year the skies burn red upon this day the fire kingdoms priests perform their ritual each newborns palm is lacerated opened with a sacred sword for firias next ruler will be seen to shed no blood alas this can prove a perilous process when young nokhail demonstrates his destiny a wicked imposter attempts to slay the boy soldier lumio intervenes escaping with defenseless noakhailset for distant aquadom to hide and gather strengthseventeen years later lumio illuminates noakhails true identity presenting distra his rightful sword training side by side the pair devise a plan to reclaim the throne but this will mean ousting a crooked king whose warriors are everywhere should noakhail hope to triumph hell be forced to look inside himself and tame explosive power on the expedition homeward bound his path will cut through all four kingdomseach replete with danger but in turn a chance to growmeanwhile in aquadoms royal palace the water sword has chosen its heir but envy stands to jeopardize an age of fragile peace indeed a war awaits