It's the opportunity of a lifetime. The Academy only selects twenty students from across the Empire, and despite his low scores, Yahshi made the cut. From day one, he's thrown into an aggressive military program where only five graduates will become guardians—elite soldiers tasked with enforcing the Emperor's rule. To better his odds, Yahshi teams up with Vell, the only girl, and Pinto, the overachiever. The trio tackles academic, athletic, and ethical trials as competitors drop out one by one. The closer they get to graduation, the more they fantasize about serving as guardians together. But the job isn't what it seems. The Empire demands loyalty above all, and Yahshi discovers that his uniform comes with a price he never agreed to pay.