When his best friend falls into dangerous company, Elias must contend with monsters much stronger than he's ever faced. Elias is confident that he can use the astra to overpower the vampire Andrei and his goons, but he quickly loses the ethereal blade and finds himself powerless against monsters and mahatmas alike. To keep a promise to his childhood love, and to make up for losing the astra, Elias risks following a bhikshuni's advice: If he really wants to stand up against a monster, he can't just wield the astra; he must become it. In the effort, he must contend with pontificating nuns, floating heads, zombie spiders, a ravenous wechuge, and more. . . .
