Ashe Cooper has found himself in a strange land and a time not his own. His attempts to return to this own place and time are unsuccessful, leading him to realize he has been brought there for a purpose; he has been summoned as the Jhalain. Realizing this, he cannot understand why his guardian is not with him; "The Jhalain can do nothing in his own defense." As he tries to find a reason for his presence in what appears to be a medieval world in which any use of his magic may find him charged with witchcraft, he must avoid un-dead creatures of mist, an evil wizard who seeks his powers, and a disembodied voice that threatens to drive him mad. Through it all, he knows Daar' Assah, his guardian, will find him; it is his mission to protect the Jhalain. Can Ashe hold out and stay alive until he does? And what mysterious purpose has brought him to this place to begin with? He must find out and must deal with it or be trapped in this time and place forever.