A rebellious orphan boy escaped the sacking and burning of his village by barbarians and found sanctuary with the mysterious Tayledras Hawkbrothers, deep in Pelagiris forest. During Darian's stay with the Hawkbrothers, he discovered his magical Gift - to be a Healing Adept - and began to forge a diplomatic alliance between these exotic, magical people and his own people of Valdemar.
Six years have passed since Darian's fateful flight into the forest. This once-troubled youth has grown into a mature, responsible adult. Not only is he a Master Mage, but he is the head of a new community - the Vale of k'Valdemar, located near Darian's home village of Errold's Grove - which houses a diplomatic council comprised of Hawkbrothers, Valdemarans, and representatives of the more peaceful barbarian clans of the north.
Darian is haunted by the pain of not knowing what happened to his parents - not even knowing if they are alive or dead. Now that he has become a Master Mage, his skill is finally sufficient to try to resolve this mystery. And when clues lead Darian to hope that his parents may indeed be alive, he mounts a small search party to try to locate them. But the trail leads deep into little-known territory, rife with hostile barbarian tribes. And though Darian is desperate to know what became of his parents, he can't be certain that they are alive or totally confident that he can find them. Is it worth risking his life and the lives of his companions to chase what could be a dream?