In a world where Privileged Maesters harness the bound power of Wights, Commons forge pacts with beasts and Darkling creatures, magical metals rain like celestial fire, Sorcerers defy nature's laws, and an Undying Sovereign vies for supreme control. Amidst this chaos, fate intertwines the lives of five children, each fleeing troubled pasts, hurling them into a kingdom teetering on the edge of revolution. As they navigate ancient conspiracies and question histories and faith, they are thrust onto the perilous path of warriors, facing relentless foes and haunted by shadows of the past. To survive, they must navigate treachery, forge alliances, master power, deception, loyalty, and above all embrace the grim art of death—for in this unforgiving world, survival demands they become adept merchants of mortality.