Emerging from a stagnant past into a fresh realm, Will is greeted by the visages of a skeleton, a specter, and a mummy. Residing amid the crumbled remains of an ancient city, these three guardians adopt Will as their own. The skeleton—Blood—imparts combat skills; the specter—Gus—teaches sorcery; and the mummy—Mary—instills faith and duty. They also teach him how to respect the cycles of life and death. Above all, each imparts love. They love him. Their guidance steadies his heart against the looming unknown. He feels safe.
As Will matures and uncovers the lore of his birth world, he readies himself for the day when he must depart alone. This voyage carries a lifelong vow: at adulthood, every person must pledge allegiance to a deity of their choosing, with the vigor of that vow determining the magnitude of divine favor.
With departure near, Will must accept his undead mentors' reality and step into a realm even they cannot fully grasp. Yet he learns that every oath must be honored, in whatever form.
