Set in an alternate nineteenth-century world of muskets, bayonets, and hidden magic, a demoralized colonial garrison faces a desert rebellion at the edge of the Vordanai empire. Captain Marcus d’Ivoire struggles to hold his remote outpost, while Winter Ihernglass masquerades as a male soldier to escape her troubled past. When the brilliant and enigmatic Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich arrives to take command, both soldiers are thrust into high-stakes military maneuvers and an unearthly conflict.

Winter Ihernglass enlists under a male identity to escape her past, demonstrating exceptional grit and leadership when promoted to lead her unit into battle. Alongside her, Captain Marcus d’Ivoire is a duty-bound officer whose allegiance is tested by complex politics and unearthly threats. Together, they evolve from tactical rank-and-file leaders into pivotal figures holding back an apocalyptic plague.

What begins as a gritty colonial military campaign slowly escalates across five books into a world-spanning war against ancient demonic entities. As Janus rises to supreme power and is ultimately possessed by an apocalyptic demon, Marcus and Queen Raesinia must defend Vordan against their former commander. The series explores duty, military strategy, political betrayal, and the terrifying price of supernatural power.