In this sword-and-sorcery novelette, a young hero named Trekelny hungers for the greatness of his hero, the stealthic Astor. Like him, he plans to take on mortal risk not for gain, but in the service of Hope. Like him, he plans to invade and despoil the impregnable temple-tower of Khoirah, the Betrayer of Hope from days of legend.The action of the story is set in the City of Heroes, a place no one in the Lands of Hope has ever seen since its founding. Trekelny believes he will be the first to leave the city in centuries, if he succeeds in his act of stealth- but he finds that his carefully-laid plans must change, as true service to the cause of Hope means more peril than even he could imagine.