His master, Phenrig, sends Sareth to Stonehelm, to a powerful wizard named Menelag, who needs the Shantiri Crystal to locate the Skull of Shadows. He tells the succubus Xana to protect Sareth, and magically binds her to his spirit. Sareth and Leanna capture a ship and sail east, towards an archeological dig where the Skull of Shadows is located. On the way, their ship is attacked by yet another necromancer.