Abel's search for the "star" has tangled him in the web of war. Sister Esther seeks vengeance for the death of her mentor and has gone to great lengths in her quest to eliminate the one ultimately responsible.

The Rosen Kreuz has surfaced again. Fueling the personal revenge of others for their own evil ends, the nefarious order could plunge both races back into the dark days of Armageddon.

Abel and Esther must protect the messenger from the Empire, Ion Fortuna. And as Cartago undergoes martial law, hope rests on the small group of refugees, alone and outnumbered, forced underground.

As the Puppet Master, a face from Esther's past, creates chaos, the Rosen Kreuz formulates a murderous plan to inflame the hatred between the two races.

Ion and Esther find themselves unwitting pawns in an elaborate plot to murder the Empress. As treachery emerges from shadow, so does a ghost from Ester's past.

Esther and Ion are freed from prison, and the true identity of the Empress is revealed. When she joins Abel in battle against Dietrich, secrets of the past come to light.

The AX, the Inquisitorial Department, and the rebel terrorists each race to find Pope Alessandro first. Meanwhile, the Rosen Kreuz prepares to exploit the crisis for its own sinister purpose.

Rosen Kreuz soldiers slaughter the underground populace, while Petro battles to guide the Pope to safety. Abel's confrontation with Dietrich leads to a foe of even greater power.