In the northern lands where war continues without end, young Almark hopes to be a mercenary like his father one day. Thinking the timid boy ill-suited for such a life, however, his worried father envisions a different future for him--all the way at the Nork Magical Academy in the peaceful south, once he's old enough to attend. And so, despite Almark's efforts on and off the battlefield, he eventually sets out for the academy to respect his father's wishes. But what lies ahead on his journey to becoming a magician?