The penultimate installment in the Rise of the Empire series!

The war for the fate of the galaxy is underway.

The Empire and its allies struggle to find a way to strike back at the Enlightened, who are employing raiding tactics to set the galaxy on fire. And with their new ability to travel through access points, the job of the galactic alliance is that much harder. Meanwhile Adrian, unable to force a confrontation with the three Enlightened turns his eyes to the Custodian, the ancient AI that had until recently kept the Enlightened contained. Now the AI had joined the Enlightened side, allowing them the use of access points. And Adrian worried that the threat of the AI might eclipse even that of the Enlightened.

Tomas moves to keep the galaxy from collapsing, as different star nations reach out seeking help as the Enlightened invade and decimate their systems. Meanwhile the Josanti League, the star nation that had been the primary target of the Enlightened, refuses the galactic alliance's offer for aid.

Adrian and Tomas have different ideas as to how this war needs to be fought, but there is no more time. The Enlightened have put their plan into motion and the doomsday clock is ticking.