Having been transported to the world of Tannis, separated from everything they know, the Ninth find themselves caught amidst an ancient war of the gods. Like a dark tide, the Horde is slowly conquering one nation after another, and a great migration of peoples has begun fleeing westward before the enemy's advancing armies. No one has been able to stand against the might of the Horde. But the Horde has never faced the power of a Roman legion.Cast adrift in this strange, fantastical world, so unlike the one he knew, Karus has been given a number of tasks by his god Jupiter, known in this world as the High Father. Karus's holy mission and mandate: retrieve a dread artifact and form an alliance with the peoples of this world so together they can withstand the might of the enemy and finally escape Tannis before it is too late. If he succeeds, the reward is everything Romulus and Remus were promised. If he fails, all will be lost and the Ninth destroyed.Aided by the dragons Cyln'Phax and Kordem and the dwarven warchief Shoega, Karus and Amarra have succeeded in the first task, retrieving the dread sword Rarokan. It is a weapon that is both powerful and incredibly dangerous, for it has a mind of its own and an evil agenda.Now comes a greater and the more difficult task, forming a greater alliance. Only, the peoples of this world dislike and despise one another with intensity. It seems like an impossible job. Still, Karus somehow must find a way to unify them, and he is not one to easily give up.Having destroyed an army of the Horde in a desperate fight, the legion, for the moment, is safe. Karus has won a major victory. However, the Horde has many more armies where that one came from, and the enemy is certain to strike back, for Karus and the legion represent a threat that cannot be ignored.Not only does Karus have the legion to look after, but also the camp followers, along with thousands of people from this new world. Having gathered and scrounged all the supplies they can from an abandoned city and the surrounding countryside, Karus must march the legion, along with the remnants of the dwarven warband and thousands of civilians, west and away from the enemy in search of not only allies, but also safety, if such a thing can be found on Tannis. But, most importantly, Karus needs time, something he does not have, for not only are there enemies behind, but also on the road ahead to the west, the one down which he marches.