Barely able to use magic, but having a strong talent for the dangerous arts of sorcery, all Nem Aster wanted was to make his way in the world and repay his debts. But when a skirmish with pirates grows into something more, he finds himself thrown into a conspiracy that seems to lead to the very nobility of the mighty Aggadeh Empire. In his possession is the sword, Dragonclaw--a gift from his late teacher, Theorus. Created from the claw of a dragon, it can cut through anything and has the strange ability to nullify magic. But can such a sword cut through the web of intrigue in which Nem finds himself entangled?