Year 2301: One month has passed since the death of Lady Vinya and the sudden disappearance of the Moon, casting the night sky into darkness. The Balance has been disrupted, causing dark repercussions from the ruined lands of the Outerworld to the floating island home of the gods.

Only now do the gods of Illyria stir, their mourning coming to a close as they call for a grand tournament to decide the next Hand—a god powerful enough to pull the Moon back onto this plane. Among the contenders is a malevolent prince of the Sun, a twenty-armed inventor, and a disgraced father.

Thirteen-year-old Ionikus Reaves, Guardian of the gods and one-third child of the late Lady Vinya, is forced to volunteer as a competitor. As Ion battles through the abandoned cities of the Outerworld, he discovers the tournament and the gods are not what they seem. He realizes he's not just a contender but a pawn in a vicious game, where victory could mean death and the destruction of the Moon itself.