Twenty years after the storm that decimated the earth, handfuls of scattered survivors have begun to regroup into two main communities - the peaceful, self-sufficient farmers of Belle Plaine to the north and the violent, heavily-armed raiders of Mankato to the south. Between them, Erik keeps to a solitary life in the woods, haunted by his past and wanting little to do with what remains of civilization. His resolve to live apart from his fellow survivors, however, is tested when he comes across an old friend and finds himself drawn into an impending conflict between the two communities. To prevent a slaughter, Erik must warn the people of Belle Plain of an imminent attack. But Belle Plaine is more than it appears, and the secrets it holds may change his life, his destiny, and the fate of all mankind.