The year is 1055. Hereford lies in ashes, its ancient minster a smouldering ruin. Welsh King Gruffudd ap Llewellyn has brought the once-proud English city to its knees, leaving a trail of death and destruction in his wake. While England's powerful rulers debate how to respond, the true cost of the invasion is borne by those left behind.

Among them is Sar, a young survivor caught in the middle of the escalating border conflict. Driven by a desperate need to reclaim what was lost, he is drawn into a world of shifting allegiances and perilous choices. Sar must outwit new enemies and confront old friends to find his place in a war-torn world.