Azzare the Destroyer, the black dragon that had long been thought a myth of the nomadic Riahi people, has brought down the flying ship Teepeevia Bryyn.

The Headmistress Stophi Toki is severely injured and unconscious and it falls to Shokah Levinthian and Aurora Modiri and the other students from the Academy of the Yar'Heyn to save each other and themselves.  In a fight for their lives against an unimaginably powerful creature, Aurora pushes herself to her limits to protect her fallen headmistress and her fellow students; and Shokah discovers a new sort of magic and some startling things about himself.