The archipelago of Dara was once divided into seven kingdoms, with shifting alliances and constant battles--a tempest of diverse dialects and cultures. When a relentless king united the seven lands into one empire, some thought it would bring peace, an end to the turmoil. Kuni Garu is a wild bandit who is more concerned about being well-liked than with the affairs of the empire, until he meets his match: Jia. Mata Zyndu, the last scion of a family of renowned generals, is favored by the gods. Kuni and Mata become fast friends, and they wage separate wars against vast conscripted armies and silk-draped airships in order to wrest Dara from cruelty.