As legions of undead swarm the Radiant Isles, a young warrior makes a chilling decision for the fate of the people, in this post-apocalyptic fantasy. For years, Zeke Blackwood fought tooth and nail to defend the powerless and avenge the fallen, becoming one of the strongest people in the world and a match for any monster or magic-wielding sorcerer in the Radiant Isles. One life-or-death battle after another forged him into the ideal solder, meant for a war between good and evil. But when an encounter with the demon realm leaves him transformed, his body shattered, he's forced to follow a far more dangerous path. As a cambion, Zeke stands on the thresholds of both Heaven and Hell, belonging to neither. Consumed with frustration at the tireless conflict between the mighty entities vying for supremacy throughout the Isles, he seeks the Portal of Ascension, a gateway that will allow him to escape the mortal realm once and for all. Meanwhile, Abraham Micayne has unleashed hordes of undead creatures in a quest to slaughter the living--or turn them into servants damned to do his foul bidding. Zeke understands this is a fight he can't win, no matter how powerful he becomes. The people of the Radiant Isles will have to face this apocalypse on their own. Now, to reach the Portal of Ascension, Zeke and his companions--his soul-bonded dire bear, Pudge; the unliving Talia Nightingale; and the archer Abby--must search high and low to uncover its location as they battle brigades of demons and other monstrous beings. But even greater enemies hunt the portal, and Zeke will face opposition from a rather unlikely source . . .