The great king, Meldryn Mawr, is dead, and his kingdom lies in ruins. Treachery and brutality rule the land, and Albion is the scene of an epic struggle for the throne. The words of a prophetess foretell a coming king, but Lewis—as Albion's renowned champion, Llew—has a more immediate concern: retrieving the treacherous Siawn Hy, who has eluded him in the doorway between worlds.

Forced to flee for their lives, Llew and the bard Tegid find refuge deep in Albion's heartland. There Llew seeks the true meaning behind the mysterious prophecy—the making of a true king and the revealing of a long-awaited champion: Silver Hand. Under Llew and Tegid's leadership, a wilderness citadel arises, and the miraculous reign of Silver Hand begins.