Far in the north of the Dragon's Teeth mountain range, atop the tallest volcano, the last Great Tree of the Sun goddess died. Beneath Her body, the survivors of the king's war established Death's church. Those raised within the Temple of the Raven Moon live a life of bleak obedience under the rule of their theocratic parliament, The Murder.

On his eighteenth birthday, Nijil Icefeathers must prove his loyalty to Death. He must execute a fallen priest that seeks to violate sacred law by resurrecting the dead. To do so, Nijil must follow the priest deep to the heart of an ancient, dead kingdom - to the threshold of Hell itself.

But he can't do this alone. To survive the journey, Nijil will need to earn the alliance of a legendary monster - a chimera. Born to darkness, fueled by burning desire, the chimera will present Nijil with an even greater challenge. The young assassin will have to face the truth of his own monstrous existence.