The elder gods demand an end to the 500-year reign of the God of Chaos. To counter their plans, the champion of Chaos calls for the Cleansing-the sacrifice of all children under two. Ellis escapes the Cleansing with the help of Dirge, a swordsman who thinks Ellis was born to end the reign of Chaos, and Daylin, a young woman who talks with wolves. Visions drag Ellis north toward an ethereal tower, deep in The Lands of the Dead, staying steps ahead of the fire-wielding priest who killed Ellis' parents. To the north, villagers discover an infant boy at the forest's edge. Sensing the boy's immense power, a local paladin declares the child will allow Chaos to reign forever. The paladin names him Betal, The Hand of God. But to the locals, he's The Beast. As Betal grows, he must elude assassins, and a brutal, mutated creature that stalks the countryside. Gods spar, using mortals as pawns. Will the reign of Chaos finally end, or will the birth of The Beast ensure it lasts forever?