What happens when we die? The answer to this question becomes personal for a teenage boy who named himself, "Schmendrick," when he is reborn in a world called the Sanctum. As a Reborn, he is thrust into an unforgiving society splintered between the Gifted, those blessed with Aether-fueled Powers, and the Powerless, who are treated as outcasts and forced to live in the dangerous Recovered Land.

When Schmendrick discovers a hidden secret in Rezdi City and the system seeks his capture and extermination, the teenager is forced to leave Rezdi City and makes his way to the wasteland known as The Shar. There, he makes another discovery which will change his life as a Reborn forever.

During his sleep, Smendrick is plagued by dreams and memories of his past life. Who was he before he died and was reborn? How will these revelations affect his new life as a Reborn?