The residents of Gettys believed that Nevar Burv, their cemetery caretaker, was guilty of monstrous atrocities. In this border fortress city, the massacre of the criminal was never long in coming, but this time it did not take place - the rage of the crowd gave way to the witchcraft of invisible rulers who decided to take the fate of the young man into their own hands. Nevar goes to the forest — the magicians want to turn him into a weapon that will help stop the Gernian invasion of the lands of the Speck people. And Nevar is close to submitting to their will, because any attempt to resist gives him nothing but pain and despair, and he no longer believes that he can reconcile his sworn enemies.