In the global collapse thread, begun in After the Last Day, the people of the Great Lakes struggled to survive. One hundred and fifty years after the collapse, the population stabilized in an ongoing but successful struggle. A murderous community south of Lake Erie, powered by the remaining coal of Ohio, attempted to restore industrial society. Their aim was to subjugate the peoples of the Great Lakes Basin. The generally peaceful populations around the lakes must either resist or be subjugated by this brutal industrial nation.

Annie, on a quest given to her by an ancestor, travelled from her home north of Lake Huron to the Beaver Valley, the place where her hero Nimise Makwa, Brandi Shadly lived and died. Her mother charges Annie with completing Nimise's search for the light of knowledge and peace, to protect it from growing mysticism.

In the valley, she encounters invaders, from the aggressive industrial power, Erie Nation, including the husband Annie thought to be dead. They take Annie hostage along with several friends. The captors take them to the murderous Erie Nation, which occupies much of what was once the state of Ohio south of Lake Erie. Annie soon understands that her quest is to destroy this evil community. She realizes its misuse of knowledge is a greater threat than mystical belief. She does not discover until later that she will not be the one to complete the task, but she has brought the young boy who will be the key to success.

The solution requires uniting good people within Erie Nation with a power from the south. The final civil war leaves hope, and Annie can then return home, free of her quest, to reach her journey's end.