is almost raped by a soldier she descends into a magically protected comatose state, and Terrel leaves Haven to find answers. Discovering he is connected to the Tindaya Code, realizing his own magical powers of a healer, and speculating whether he is the Guardian or the Mentor (the role of the one, or many, who will guide or help the Guardian fulfill his world-saving prophecy) along the way, Terrel is visited by Alyssa in the form of animals that speak to him in his mind. He also is contacted and helped by three ghosts—the spirits of Muzeni, Shahan, and Elam. On top of this, his efforts to do as he is guided and follow through with the Tindaya Code, Terrel is visited in his dreams by Jax (whose basic powers involve manipulating people through dreams), whom he does not know is his brother, and tormented by him. It is during this that many mysterious deaths and answers are revealed. Terrel has many experiences regarding the current panicked state of the Empire before arriving at the apparent source and confronting an elemental being, an Ancient, that seems to be connected to all the other recent strange phenomena and the maligning of the moons. Terrel helps the Ancient and discovers the truth about his birth, but Jax betrays him out of spite, and despite Terrel saving Vadanis he is exiled, put on a raft in the wake of the floating islands to die in the unforgiving ocean. The Jasper Forest Terrel instead survives and arrives on the non-Floating, stable "barbarian land" of Macul. Here he is taken in by a family who live under a terrible oppression in the shadow of a mountain. Terrel comes to integrate himself with these people by winning their trust through his healing, and soon becomes embroiled in their politics and way of life. However, Alyssa and the ghosts come to tell Terrel that his mission in the Tindaya Code is far from over. Terrel learns of the existence of other "Sleepers" like Alyssa and learns of a rock-like creature being used by Macul's king as a way to kill prisoners for entertainment. Terrel embarks on a journey to the capital city of Talazoria in order to speak with the Elemental and, hopefully, avoid a catastrophe that could affect the entire planet. On the way, Terrel meets strange new people (including a group that live in a