The world is in the grasp of the God of Chaos, his only mantra: Do as Thou Wilt. In the slums of Tuilar, Dirge is an apprentice to the Brotherhood of Assassins who worship the god of Death. His only friend Jacob, a jovial young man, feels at home in the world as it is, but Dirge craves structure.
When Chaos orchestrates the Cleansing, a mass slaughter of children, people stand up against him. Amid the revolt, the Prophet of the forgotten God of Order appears. Dirge is intrigued with the ways of Order, and finds himself at odds with those who raised him. The gods of Chaos, Death, and Order clash, their followers facing off in bloody battle, and Dirge must decide whether to honor his adopted family or the calling to his heart. Jacob believes they should stay out of the fray, wanting nothing to do with any of it.
Hope and honor are Dirge's shield as he wallows in uncertainty and remorse. The gods are at play, and the world is their game-board. How can Dirge choose when men and gods alike are deceitful? The decision he makes may well damn him.