An army of darkness marches across the land, wrought by the fury of a demonic young man bent on vengeance, in the second book of this grimdark fantasy.

Swain lived for art and beauty. They were his natural defenses against a cruel world populated by greedy and abusive people. He found refuge in poetry, crafting rhythmic phrases out of his chaotic thoughts, desperate to tap into the spiritual divinity of creation. But Swain's naivete blinded him to an inevitable betrayal by the one person he entrusted with his heart: the girl who uncovered the magic woven within his words.

Now he's the Demon King. His poems have shattered the very fabric of reality, conjuring monstrous beings, summoning vicious specters, and twisting people into undead entities-creating a legion of wrathful, despairing creatures eager to do his bidding. With each corrupted soul strengthening his army, the Demon King gains ever more power as he lays waste to one city after another across the realm. He will stop at nothing to expose the hypocrisy buried deep in the hearts of every living thing, bend it to his will, and rip out society's ugliness, leaving his dark vision of beauty to take root and spread.

Meanwhile, half-elf river sorceress Ruhr and guardsman Zacarias have brought the war to the Demon King, storming his dungeons, battling inhuman and unnatural things, and falling prey to his devilish sorcery. Tormented by visions dredged up from their darkest secrets and buried memories, Ruhr and Zacarias must prevail not only against the Demon King's forces . . . but against their very own doubts and fears.