It began with two men. They came from very different worlds¿entirely
different universes, in fact¿and they met in a virgin forest on a
duplicate planet Earth. Neither of them had expected it, both of them
realized how important the first contact with any other trans-universal
human civilization might be. But something went wrong. Neither side
knows who shot first. But both the magic-using civilization of Arcana
and steel-and-steam age Sharona, with its psionic Talents, think it was
the other side. And it doesn't really matter, now, because the original
incident has snowballed. Both sides have additional dead to mourn; both
sides have additional wrongs to avenge. Both sides have additional
military forces moving towards the front. War between the universes is
the last thing responsible leaders on either side want. But the fury of
their respective populations, xenophobic fear of the unknown, and cries
for "justice" (or vengeance), are all driving both sides towards the
brink. The actions of local military commanders and diplomats may well
determine the final outcome, and unscrupulous, power-hungry men¿and
Arcana and Sharona alike¿have agendas of their own. The fuse has been
lit, and a war stretching across the universes, across an endless
succession of identical Earths, fought between dragons, spells, and
crossbows and repeating rifles, machine guns, and artillery is about to
begin in white-hot rage and fury. Where it will end¿and how¿no one
knows.