年輕的鵬洛客昆托力康德來到依夏蘭並渴望進行他的首次實地調查工作。同時，華特莉得應付她身為帝國戰士詩人的身分，並且這看似會導向另一場戰爭。

薇塔和昆特帶領烈陽帝國探險隊進入歐拉茲卡的地底洞窟。另一邊，馬科姆、布里奇與莽霸聯盟也逐步接近真相，查出陽光灣發生了什麼事。

薇塔、昆特、華特莉，以及其餘的烈陽帝國探險隊在地下深處遇見了兇猛的敵人與不可能的盟友。馬科姆和布里奇為了榮光而攀爬。阿瑪利亞、凱瀾，以及圖瑞琮的吸血鬼則遇見一位可怕的對手。

歐爾特克人得知地表的狀況，以及他們與之隔絕的時空發生了什麼事。馬科姆和布里奇找到了他們尋尋覓覓的東西。阿瑪利亞、凱瀾和暮影軍團發現世界核心一點也不歡迎他們。

Huatli takes flight. Malcolm and Breeches make their escape. Vito reaches the apex of his quest. The Core is exposed to the dangers of the world around, above, and within. The great battle begins.

The Core must be defended at any cost; who pays, and how bitter the price, will define the shape of Ixalan to come.

Saheeli is stranded on Ixalan, far from home but close to her lover, Huatli. A new subject of the Sun Empire, Saheeli learns that this period of relative peace following the defeat of the Phyrexians might only be a lull between wars.