From the introduction:
Fifty years ago the continent of Zemuria was shaken to its roots by the discovery of Orbal energy, a source of easily-accessible magical power that reshaped the face of the world. Orbal energy sparked the Orbal Revolution, a period in which scientific advancement using this new energy source accelerated at blistering speeds, and what had once been a collection of medieval fantasy kingdoms found themselves launched into the modern age by the invention of marvels like trains, airships, guns and radio.
But along with these inventions have come social, political, and economic upheaval. The age-old social structures of feudalism and monarchy are being undermined by new ideas, and the dukes and kings of yesteryear are scrambling to keep up as commoners find new ways to attain power and influence far beyond the limitations of the old social classes. It’s an amazing time to be alive in Zemuria, but for many people it’s also a terrifying and uncertain one.
Now the year is 1204 AR, two years after the events of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky . In the heart of the mighty empire of Erebonia a new class of students is beginning their first year at the prestigious Thors Military Academy, unaware that elsewhere in the empire the wheels of destiny have begun to turn. Erebonia is hurtling towards civil war as tensions between the aristocracy and the commoner-led Reformist faction begin to reach a breaking point, and all the while even more sinister plots begin to unfold behind the scenes.