With the corrupt and brutal Empire on the verge of collapse, exiled philosopher Adrian Gellert struggles to mold the barbarian tribes of the south into a powerful nation that can replace the Empire.

"Belisarius, the finest general of his or any age, must save the world if he can. Guided by visions from a future that may never be, he and a band of comrades penetrate the Malwa heartland, seeking the core of the enemy's power. Against them are numbers, savagery, and an icy, inhuman intelligence that is without weekness or mercy."--Cover.