Long ago, Ritakhou was a flourishing empire filled up with light, life, and magic. Then came the Schism. Now the kingdom is called Rimbaku and is a pale shadow of its previous self, a land stripped of its glory and its own power. The only magic left comes from aitachi, the Relicant Touch-the capability to absorb skills and memories by eating aishone: the bone fragments of the dead.

Rimbaku’s foes are circling, assessment the nation’s edges. They understand the empire can be weak, and so are motivated to push it over the edge and then strip its bones since it has done to its useless for such a long time.

On the other hand, the brothers Kagiri and Noniki set out from their little village with a handful of aishone and a great deal of wish. They soon find the world a larger, darker place than they imagined, and are compelled to accept an unhealthy proposal, one which will place both of them at risk for not merely their lives but their very souls-and that may change the Relicant Empire permanently.