The epic opens using an in medias res [in the middle of the action] technique. The six main heroes are already on a quest, and the action-driven episode introduces the characters and their dilemmas in quick succession. Young Parn yearns to be a true knight. Etoh's a novice priest of Falis. Wizard Slayn and dwarf Ghim are old friends. Deedlit is a beautiful elf, and Woodchuck is a thief. An encounter with a dragon and the Grey Witch Karla set up some initial threads for the tale to follow.

Ghim begins his quest to find Leylia, the daughter of the priestess Neese. A band of goblins go after a young woman named Liara but she is saved by Parn, a villager and a teenage son of a former knight. But Parn has killed off one of the goblins, who the villagers normally leave alone, and now the goblins want revenge. As Ghim meets up with Slayn the sorcerer, Etoh the cleric helps Parn track down the goblin lair, but they learn soon enough that the goblins are raiding the village!

Beld, the Emperor of Marmo, an island south of Lodoss begins his plan to conquer Lodoss. He leads two subjects, Ashram the Black Knight, and Wagnard the Dark Sorceror. Karla also appears to be in cahoots with them. Parn trains with Ghim on becoming a stronger fighter, but then encounters a group of kobolds that are led by a dark elf. Deedlit tries to fight the elf, and the rest of the party arrive. The kobolds retreat when they see Alanian soldiers. But Parn is surprised when the Alanians capture them. In the cell, they meet Woodchuck for the first time, but then get their name cleared when the Alanian captain, Jebra, returns and acknowledges Etoh. Jebra offers Parn to join his army. But Parn does have much of a chance to accept as Ashram, the dark elf, and the kobolds later storm the fortress.

The party cuts through the Forest of No Return as Ghim reveals his search for Leylia. Karla intercepts the Princess Fianna, who is carrying a message from the kingdom of Valis to Alania. Parn stands up to the Grey Witch; impressed, she gives him the princess. Unfortunately, Ghim recognizes Karla as someone else. Meanwhile, Wagnard hears the calling of Kardis, Goddess of Destruction.

King Fahn of Valis celebrates Fianna's safe return and rallies the kingdom by hosting a ball. Parn and Deedlit dress up but Parn is noticeably distracted when he sees King Kashue present. Woodchuck tries to scam some jailers, but things go wrong when Karla gets involved, freeing one of the prisoners and having him attack the king! In the meantime, the Marmo forces from Emperor Beld invade the Valis border.

Parn and the company are on their way back from Wort's, but arrive at a village destroyed by the Marmo forces. Parn rushes ahead along with Deed and Wood to inform Fahn, while the others stay and heal up the survivors. At Valis, Parn is offered the armor of a Valis holy knight and hears a tale from Fahn about what happened to his father before everyone goes out to battle. Meanwhile, among the Marmo forces, Pirotess the great dark elf woman is introduced, and she offers to assist Ashram who had been ordered by Beld to plan a surprise attack on the Valis main force.

Kashue's forces are getting decimated in battle. Fahn and Parn try to make their way to him. The Marmo surround the Valis forces, and the battle wears down both sides. Parn briefly encounters Ashram and they engage in combat for the first time. But that fight and others are deferred as King Fahn calls out Emperor Beld in a single one-on-one fight to the death. Parn tries to help Fahn but learns of Karla's motivation for the war and the secret key to her power.

As Parn, Deedlit, Etoh and Woodchuck make their way to Karla's, they are intercepted by two new characters in the series, Shiris a female fighter and Orson, a male fighter, who mistakes them for Marmo forces. They fight but after Shiris realizes that Etoh is a priest, she tries to have Orson stand down but Orson has gone into a rage of a berserker! Meanwhile, Ghim decides to go after Karla as well, and tries to free Leylia from Karla's influence.

While dragons, men, and beasts fight outside, Parn makes his way to the deepest area where the altar holds the dying Deedlit. Wagnard has been filled with Kardis' immense power, and he takes it out on Ashram, striking with dark magic that slams Ashram into walls and to the brink of death. But Ashram is not about to lose, and when Parn arrives at the scene, a battle ensues among the three. Wagnard seems to have the upper hand, but the battle turns to the two heroes with the swords that were once held by Beld and Fahn, with the future of Lodoss hanging on the edge.