During chapter 3, Guns of Summer (and the song of the same name), the Mage Wilhelm Ryan begins the Mage Wars by killing the Governor of Sector 10. After a couple more successful campaigns, the Mages of Sectors 11, 9, and 8,Valentar's sector, break away from the council and forge their own alliance, known as the Western Third. Sectors 8, 9, and 11 attack Wilhelm Ryan in an attempt to overthrow the powerful Mage of Sector 6.