Luka, a young soldier craving battle, heads north to the legendary Fort Kairos where soldiers heroically defend the remains of civilization. He finds instead a dysfunctional force that has never even seen an enemy and is lorded over by a high command bloated with delusions of grandeur. Luka finds comfort in friendships with Konstantin, an enigmatic radar engineer, and Geronimo, a light-hearted private. He proves his formidable sniper skills and gets promoted to Hawk. Stationed among the elite sentries who guard the outermost ramparts, his days melt into a haze of waiting until the day he spots a horse to the north. This triggers a string of tragic events that lead him ultimately to topple the illusion of Fort Kairos.