Rowan Valehart endures universal mockery across the Asterian capital, derided by haughty mages as a magicless noble unworthy of courtly standing. When Emperor hosts a grand marriage tournament for Princess Elowen, Rowan attends solely as a spectator, tolerating pompous insults from prominent warriors competing for the princess's hand.
The tournament descends into bloody chaos when northern marauders breach the colosseum wards, slaughtering imperial champions while mages cower in terror. Without shifting from his velvet chair, Rowan quietly deploys supreme divine authority to disintegrate the invaders in an instant, leaving the court reeling as his true identity emerges.
