One of the four heroic young Forest Guard recruits will be revealed as an Infidel when Johnis's mother, presumed dead, could be living as a slave to the Horde. Johnis, in his rush to rescue her, faces a choice between his bond to the recruits and his sworn duty to protect the Forest Dwellers.

The land of the Forest Dwellers has been decimated by the Horde under the watchful eye of the vilest of all creatures, Teeleh. Thomas Hunter, supreme commander of the Forest Guard, is forced to lower the recruitment age of his army from 18 to 16. From among thousands, four new recruits are chosen to lead--and perhaps die--for the greater good. The chosen four are sent on a quest to prove their character, but their mission takes a dramatic turn when...

The four heroic young Forest Guard recruits embark on their last mission to recover the lost Books of History before the Dark One enleashes their power to enslave humanity.

As Johnis and the other "chosen" recruits of the Forest Guard are pulled into deeper danger to secure the seven lost Books of History, Johnis tries to rescue his mother from enslavement by the Horde, but risks betraying the Forest Dwellers.

Five years after leaving home, Johnis, Silvie, and Darsal return to find that the Horde has taken over Middle, Thomas and the rest of the Forest Guard have gone into hiding, and a strange new force has begun challenging everything they thought they knew.