Keep the fires lit. Whatever it takes. Ever since Day Zero, the darkness harbored danger. As far back as Griff could remember, the people of Cordelia lit torches every night to keep the darkness away, to keep the monsters at bay. But on the night of his sixteenth birthday, everything changed. ¿ Growing up, he'd believed that the nightstalkers were the only thing he had to fear, but he'd never been told where they'd come from. After a terrifying confrontation and the awakening of a strange and unexpected ability, Griff is left questioning everything he thought he knew about the world. When he gets an invitation to Bergots Academy for young mages, he can't help but worry that his nightmares are only just beginning. ¿Will he master his magic or fail miserably in the Altar Storm arena? Will he make friends, or be an outcast as the only person who doesn't come from a magical family? The journey to self-discovery will lead Griff to magical places and mysterious people. It will also lead him to uncover the dark secrets plaguing his world.