⚠ MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!⚠

STORY OUTLINE

Book 1

Chapter 1	Chapter 2	Chapter 3	Chapter 4	Chapter 5
Reyes is rescued from the fire by Illya, the assistant to a man named Luset, whom she refers to as a scientist. Upon learning of his mother's death and father's disappearance from him, Reyes resolves to search for his father amid his suspicion: are these two his saviors, or his captors?	Contrary to his initial plans of escape, Reyes snoops around the "laboratory" Illya described as belonging to Luset, finding mysterious paraphernalia including a photo of his father, but is caught, leading to a one-sided fight between himself and Luset, who not only is furious at the potential exposure of his secrets, but has no care for Reyes' life, apparently to the dismay of Illya, whose intentions were apparently more honest. Reyes recognizes this and, guessing that her predicament isn't much better than his own, manages to bring her along as they escape.	After a brief confrontation with Luset in which Reyes learns of a supposed alien planet called "Sebara" with which Luset and Illya's work is involved, Illya and Reyes make a second getaway and begin heading to Baltimore, since Reyes found an address there next to the photo of his father. At the address is a portal that the two attempt to enter, but they can't. Illya, upon realizing why, tells Reyes that if he ever wants to see his father again, they need to return to Luset: only he is able to get them through.	Despite the danger, they return to Luset, who uses a machine of his to perform a painful procedure on Reyes: infusion with the magical power possessed by the aliens on the other side of the portal Reyes seeks to enter. Luset believes that Illya will remain loyal to him despite her initial fleeing and, by extension, get Reyes on his side, too, and even provides weapons and advice for the two. Once in Sebara, Reyes and Illya follow footprints in a snowy landscape leading to a tower of ice, but are apprehended at the front door.	The supposed "lady" of the tower who demanded their apprehension turns out to be a frail little imp girl. Tundra, a golem and her guardian, explains that he found her collapsed in the snow one day and took her in, after which she used her power to control ice to build the home of their dreams. She came from a family of thugs in a region far away, and has since been attempting to live a normal, non-violent childhood. Tundra also speaks of some worrisome human sightings in the capital. Illya and Reyes befriend Mono, and she and Tundra join him on his journey.

Chapter 6	Chapter 7	Chapter 8	Chapter 9	Chapter 10
The four are taken into police custody in the capital after someone points out the four-pointed star on Illya's dress, citing it as the symbol of a terrorist organization: the Morning Star. However, the Queen of Sebara, Mary Henden, verifies their intentions are innocent after putting Illya through an interview with her mind-reading advisor. Reyes learns his father is one of the terrorists concerning Mary, but she tells him that, if he agrees to fight against them, she can help him reunite with his father.	Everyone joins Reyes in agreeing, and Mary offers them shelter in her castle, preparing to train them for combat. She gives them tarot cards that they can use as charms: when a certain condition is met, they boost magic power. Tundra chooses to keep a close eye on Mono, untrusting of Mary, while Reyes tries to address Illya's odd, unwavering trust in him as she buys a new dress to wear in public.	Triza, a member of the Morning Star, summons her companions to a meeting held by their leader, Mary's sister (bitter and vengeful after being denied the position of ruler) and witnesses Luset, another member, give a presentation revealing that he has been tracking Illya via a ring he gifted her and gathering information on her allies. Once alone, Luset breaks down, feeling alienated from his own allies but excited for Illya's return to him.	Mary and her husband, Lorcan, begin training their new recruits and teaching them how to use their tarot cards. Tundra discovers that Mary plans to use the cards' conditions against their owners, including coercing Mono into killing, something Mary once assured she wouldn't do. While Tundra worries about Mono's fate, Reyes worries about his father being a member of the Morning Star.	Mary sends Reyes and Mono on a mission: Victor and Triza plan to launch an attack at a local arcade, and she wants help in stopping them, but Reyes and Mono are kidnapped by their opponents, causing Mono to realize for herself the importance of cautiousness.

Chapter 11	Chapter 12	Chapter 13	Chapter 14	Chapter 15
Reyes faces off against Triza, who kidnapped him, and hints to her that she is being lied to by the Morning Star. Mary sends Illya and Tundra to gather information on the Morning Star's base (what was once an elementary school) and rescue their friends. In the process, Illya rejects Luset when he attempts to force her to join the Morning Star, enraging him.	Tundra is pitted against three members of the Morning Star at once, and not only is he outmatched, but he realizes that somehow, the Morning Star has learned about the condition that activates his tarot card. When he finds himself in a tight spot, his allies save him, and they return home safely.	In the aftermath, Triza reminisces over her brother, Skyler, whom she is being kept from by the Morning Star. She had been forced into the group but promised eventual access to him after he was kidnapped to provide Polter (another member, a ghost) a corporeal form. She takes Reyes' words to heart and leaves, realizing she will never be allowed to see him if she remains with the Morning Star. Victor chastises Luset for expecting Illya to return to him. Misty reveals a plan for a counterattack on Mary.	Tundra reveals his concerns of information being leaked to Mary, who eventually discovers that Illya's ring is a tracking device and forces her to throw it out. Triza is chased by Mary's guards after a failed attempt to prove her good intentions, but Illya sees a potential ally in her and convinces Mary to have her interviewed. Reyes realizes that Mary intends for him to kill his father and becomes troubled.	Illya is distraught that Luset has demanded a death match between them as a result of her rejection of him, but she won't reveal to Reyes why she Luset has always been such a difficult and complicated topic for her. Reyes, unable to accept having to kill Victor, isolates himself and questions everything about his life. Mono is also unable to face the prospect of killing and is just as distrustful of Mary as Tundra, who has dropped her act of caring for everyone's well-being.

Chapter 16	Chapter 17	Chapter 18	Chapter 19	Chapter 20
Illya, having learned a spell from Triza that allows her to influence Reyes' dreams, allows him a look into how she initially became involved with Luset and, by extension, Sebara. A lonely girl attending a Catholic boarding school far from home, she befriended and confided in him, unaware that he had sinister plans for her: after buying her alcohol per her request, he raped her while she was intoxicated and blackmailed her with the evidence, forcing her to be his assistant and abandon her studies lest her reputation be ruined. Once Reyes wakes up, Illya resolves to fight Luset, but advises Reyes that, according to Triza, his father still has some good in him.	Mary prepares to attack the Morning Star, assigning Mono and Tundra to kill Sirrus, Misty's lover and most loyal subordinate. Reyes is sent after his father, and Illya after Luset. Triza is to handle Miriam, Mary's daughter who chose to side with her aunt, and prevent Polter from becoming corporeal through Skyler. Lorcan briefly questions Mary's methods, but she shuts him down.	Tundra and Mono battle Sirrus, but Tundra manages to kill Sirrus before Mono, having given into violence and prepared to make the kill herself, can beat him to it. Meanwhile, Triza suffers grave injuries while battling Miriam, but manages to escape alive and reach her brother.	Reyes discovers that his father was the one who set fire to his mother's home, intending to kill the both of them as a final test from the Morning Star. He is enraged, but before his father can commit suicide out of guilt, Reyes (despite his own resentment) stops him, making this an opportunity for him to face his sins and make amends. Illya manages to kill Luset, but not without sustaining serious chemical burns. She is not satisfied after killing him, but Reyes tries to lift her spirits, saying that, now that he can't control her, she has the rest of her life to herself.	Triza is unable to save her brother from sacrificing his body, leaving her in despair. Skyler has come to hate her, believing fully in Misty's mission. Mary sacrifices Lorcan as a shield against Misty's attacks, except Misty is actually possessed by another ghost, Ghoulia, who is also Polter's mother, and has been controlling Misty's body ever since Misty expressed resentment towards Mary's position as the ruler of Sebara. Once everyone meets to fight Ghoulia and Polter in the bodies of Misty and Skyler, they realize their true enemy is Mary, whom Victor shows no hesitation in killing once she is knocked down. However, no one knows how to seperate Skyler and Misty from their inhabitants, until Triza remembers a spell to do just that. Unfortunately, her brother dies soon after he is freed, but Misty regains control of her body.

Epilogue

Once the citizens of Sebara realize that the Morning Star's actions were not Misty's doing, but Ghoulia's, they begin to trust her again, and she becomes their new leader. Victor, having been the one who created the portal to Sebara in Baltimore, discusses with Reyes whether they should attempt to integrate Triza, with no one to take care of her since the death of her brother, into human society. Illya plans to visit her mother now that she is a free woman, so she and Reyes exchange temporary goodbyes with each other, Tundra, and Mono. Reyes begins to feel optimistic about the future.

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