Kitt, a young Taipe now entering his twelfth Summer, finds himself partaking in the sacred Selection process of his people, dictating his trade and purpose. Though when the quiet village of Cassel is visited by a mysterious sorcerer of magic, a Caster, Kitt must decide whether to honour the result of his Selection or to flee with the Caster as his ward. The Caster reveals that he is in search of an artifact only spoken of in myth and legend, one which could shelter the Honourable Lands from an imminent war. He warns that Kitt's destiny lies beyond the borders of Cassel, as since his birth he has been a pawn in a much grander scheme.