In Egypt, many of the old gods had agreed to help the Void, and were destroyed by the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons. Only Seth escaped, vowing revenge.
Soon after, in the Forbidden City in Beijing, the gods revealed to Church a shattering truth: the Libertarian was Church's future self. He was given a vision of the moment when he would transform into the psychopathic killer, thus betraying Existence and ensuring victory for the Void. Church's only hope was that in the fluid nature of time, the future could be altered and his vision would never come to pass.
In China, the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons did claim one great victory: the connection to the source of the Blue Fire was reopened and magic flooded back into the world.
The Second Key was hidden in New York: Jack, Caitlin's former associate, who still carried the vast, destructive force of the Wish-Hex. Here, Veitch finally overcame his hatred and agreed to help his former comrades, though he was still treated with suspicion by all.
Realising it faced defeat, the Army of the Ten Billion Spiders set about remaking the world, in the process closing all the gateways to the Far Lands. With hardly any time to spare, Church and the others escaped Earth on the supernatural Last Train, ready for the final battle with the Void.
And so the pieces move into place for the final battle at the end of the world.
Prologue
THE WORLD-TREE'The snake came crawling and struck at none. But Woden took nine glory twigs and struck the adder so it flew into nine parts.' From the Anglo-Saxon 'Nine Herbs Charm'
1
It is the beginning of the end.
'Church! Church! Wake up – you're dreaming! Please wake up, Church!'
'Maybe it's just time.'
It is the beginning of the end.
'Where is the meaning in life?'