Carved into the side of a cliff, the city of Avinyón stands on the edge of the ocean. Wealth, power, and control flow into the capital of the empire from its conquests. But for those at the bottom of the city, the only thing that flows their way is a never-ending fight for survival... and crashing salt water. In a world powered by runes, where magic and technology fuse, Damian is about to graduate from the empire's premier university. His thesis, poised to revolutionize the understanding of runes, is his ticket to a better life and saving his brother from the deadly military draft. The Heretic unfolds conflict between sovereignty and revolution, combat and creativity, discovery and deceit.