Tsutomu Nihei, master of the mysterious architectural monolith, brings his genius to bear on the fantasy genre for the first time, introducing a crumbling world filled with malformed creatures, wounded soldiers, and labyrinthine darkness.

An evil necromancer slays the king and carries off his daughter, hiding her away in the legendary Dragon Tower. To save the princess, her steadfast Royal Guard attempts to breach the stronghold, but the path is blocked by powerful eldritch creatures.

In their struggle, they enlist the help of ordinary folks from the surrounding villages, including Yuva, a sturdy young farmboy with a strong back but no battle experience, armed only with a battered old helm and wooden shield to protect him.