The time of Ruin has come. The meaning of the Prophecy is becoming clear at last: if Ruin cannot be stopped, all of memory will transform into nightmare. In the tunnels of the Underland, a place of phantoms, monsters, and creatures of god-like power, Aranfal and Brandione are drawn into the game to end all games – a desperate search for the very first memory – while Canning and Drayn grapple with both ancient adversaries and their own abilities. Hunting for a way to destroy Ruin, Brightling journeys into the heart of the Machinery. As she descends, though, she discovers that Ruin is already more powerful than anyone could have imagined. The future – and the past – of the Overland will be reshaped as Gerrard Cowan's mesmerizing epic of power, magic, and memory reaches its finale.