In an epic tale that spans across the ages, the origin of Illenium is revealed. In a cold totalitarian society where survival of the fittest is the golden rule, a young man named Nick has put his full faith in the warrior way. He has climbed to the top of the heap as a natural fighter willing to blindly follow orders and commit violence while suppressing any dissent. His only weakness is a reliance on regular injections of Substance, the potent elixir that his malignant overlord rations out to the loyally subservient. Nick's belief system is thrown off-kilter when a mysterious woman known as Ash shows him just how fragile his worldview is. He learns of a time when ancient nomadic people settled amongst the flames of powerful winged creatures; when human and phoenix peacefully coexisted and used their mastery over fire to build a warm and wondrous society rich in art and science, achievements only possible by working together.
