With the world on the brink of total chaos and the people on the verge of savagery, Richard Rahl confronts his own guilt over the situation and struggles to deal with the loss of the one person he loves.

A poisoned Richard Rahl faces a difficult choice when he is promised an antidote and the salvation of an endangered empire if he will surrender his beloved wife, Kahlan Amnell, to his enemy.

Richard struggles to find his missing wife Kahlan in spite of the bizarre fact that no one else seems to believe she actually exists or that he is married to her.

Richard comes to terms with his true identity as a War Wizard. The New World, and all the freedom of humankind, is under threat from the Imperial Order after he had brought down the barrier between the Old and New World. The Imperial Order has already sent delegations and armies into the New World. Richard's only option to stop the invasion is to claim his heritage and unite all free kingdoms and provinces under one rule and one command.