All of his efforts had been in vain: Skar had endured unspeakable lengths to retrieve the "Stone of Power" from the burning city of Combat - then it was snatched away from him again in one stroke by Vela, the witch and venerable woman. Skar and his companions pursue Vela. So they move across the glass plains of Tuan - the "dead land". When they finally meet Vela, the final battle seems imminent. Then the “stone wolf”, the guardian of the stone from Combat, intervenes in the event.